New MG5 priced from under $25K
Fresh Chinese small sedan undercuts all of its Japanese and Korean rivalsMG Motor Australia has announced sharp pricing and generous specs for the new 2023 MG5 small sedan, which was confirmed for local release in 2020, spied on local roads in February and predicted by carsales to be priced from $25,000 last week.
That’s exactly what MG announced this afternoon, with the entry-level MG5 Vibe sedan being priced at $24,990 drive-away, while pricing for the top-spec MG5 Essence is set at $28,990 drive-away.
Even without accounting for the included statutory charges, that makes the base MG5 significantly cheaper than all of its direct small-sedan rivals, including the Hyundai i30 (from $26,000), Kia Cerato ($26,290), Mazda3 ($27,170), Subaru Impreza ($26,290) and Toyota Corolla ($28,630) – all plus on-road costs.
The MG5 sedan arrives with the choice of two 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engines – an 84kW/150Nm naturally-aspirated unit for the base Vibe (paired with a CVT automatic) and a 119kW/250Nm turbo-petrol version for the Essence flagship (mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto).
The base engine has combined-cycle fuel consumption of 5.7L/100km, while the higher-output turbo is only slightly less economical at 5.9L/100km.
The sportier MG5 Scorpio – powered by a 135kW/285Nm version of the 1.5T – will not be offered in Australia, nor will the battery-electric MG5 wagon that was previously under consideration.
The two MG5 variants bound for Australia both feature a sleek fastback design punctuated by a ‘shark nose’ front-end, plus 17-inch ‘Tomahawk’ alloy wheels and 401 litres of cargo capacity behind the rear seats.
Standard range-wide equipment includes a 10.0-inch colour touch-screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, but the top-shelf Essence adds six audio speakers instead of four, faux-leather steering wheel trim, a “foldback” sunroof and a 360-degree parking camera.
There’s no ANCAP or Euro NCAP safety rating and full safety equipment is yet to be announced, but in other markets a full suite of active safety and driver assist technology is available, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and a surround-view camera.
Both MG5 variants will be available in six exterior paint colours (Dover White, Royal Yellow, Diamond Red, Misty Grey, Black Pearl and Brixton Blue) and, naturally, the MG5 will be backed by the Chinese brand’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.
How much does the 2023 MG5 cost?
Vibe – $24,990
Essence – $28,990
* Prices include on-road costs (drive-away)
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