IMPORTANT NOTE: After this video was filmed and published, ANCAP purchased and crash tested the MG5. It received ZERO stars. As a result, our verdict necessarily must be one of "do not purchase". See the score breakdowns: adult occupant protection 37% - child occupant protection 58% - pedestrian/cyclist protection 42% - safety assist tech 13%. More on ANCAP's website here: www.ancap.com.au/safety-ratings/mg/5/4bb20f
its just the gimmicky safety computer systems that give cars 5 star. take them away an no new car get 5 stars. and ask any new car buyer how many of these systems they turn off the minute they start their car ! ill wait.
I think Ancap's test is not as fair as it could be due to the recent change in crash testing rules. I looked at crash tests in many bands from Ancap, such as a Benz C Class hitting a pedestrian or a bicycle. But why is the score so good or even hitting people in blind spots during the night? Why is the score higher than the MG5 that doesn't crash at anything even though it doesn't have ADAS or lanekeep and adaptive systems, only emergency stops? Landover discover sport is almost no different in that the roof of the car has to be raised up to prevent the driver from being harmed, but MG5 got 0 stars -_-
I wrote off my 2 year old ZST essence and bought the MG5 vibe because it was the only thing in stock (I needed a car right away). I've had it 3 months now and driven 3000km. I love it. Sure it has less features than my old MG, but it feels more refined and nicer to drive. The engine is plenty powerful enough to overtake on the highway. That's all I need.
Thank you for sharing that sir. May I ask, do you think the Vibe is more practical for a run a round town everyday car? I live in the NT and there's not much traffic in here. I'm torn between the Essence's powertrain and sunroof but on the other hand Vibe seems more practical having no sunroof and cheaper too.
@@IamTheConstantineI test drove both. I probably would have gotten the essence. But they only had the vibe in stock. The essence has some nice extra features I like. The only thing I didn't like was the dule clutch transmission. The CVT in the vibe I think is better and smoother. If you don't need sunroof, electric seat, extra parking cameras. Go the vibe.
I traded my 2019 Kia Cerato GT and got the Essence, the main reason I love the MG5 is all the 'safety' features that were in the Kia Cerato GT that almost put me and my family in near accidents i had had enough of, and the MG5 doesn't have them or is a much better refined system!!! The number one hated part from myself and other friends that own i30 SR & N/Cerato GT is the AEB, it is dangerously over-sensitive!! I had several occasions where there is no Audible warning first and then emergency breaking like the mg5 has, instead it just locks the brakes upon the cars detection of what it thinks is a hazard. By hazard i mean driving in narrow Sydney streets with parked cars slightly sticking out too far, speed bumps in a Westfield carpark and scooter riding food delivery guys lane splitting slightly too close to the front bar!? Number 2 lane keep assist, where if you were to go to change lanes quickly but miss the indicator a split second too late the steering wheel will jerk you back into the lane. The other thing the MG5 doesn't have is lane departure warning lights in the mirrors. After learning to drive in old cars with non of these safety features and having a few modern cars with them, I'm happy to go back to giving a proper head check and not trusting a computer to tell me it's safe to change lanes. I found the distances from some of the modern cars with Lane departure to be abit off especially if you trust them 100% of the time. For example you go to change lanes or your indicator on there is no warning light in the mirror then suddenly the car in that lane or changing in to starts to speed up next to you its already too late. There's alot of cars out there that people love especially older cars like Ford's, Toyota's and Holden's etc... and if tested today would also score zero because of the lack of current safety features. Even some other modern cars out there don't have ANCAP scores. I'm happy with the MG5 as it doesn't have the things I hated in 'better classed' Kia Cerato GT. The only crash test I thought was a bit too close was the side impact into the pole at 70km😅 but how many other more expensive cars have we seen over the years that hit power poles and trees that almost/do snap in half killing all occupants at these high speeds
They're cheap and cheerful. People tend to compare to much more expensive cars. It's not perfect but, gets the job done. I bought my daughter a 2020 MG3 excite brand new. The car has reached 80 thousand k's, zero issues. I know of much more expensive cars that have a plethora of issues in comparison. If you sister doesn't like it, she can always get a Toyota for $35k.
Although I have not driven this car, it would appear that you have been rather generous with your comments. I like sedans and at least it is not a dual cab ute but lack lustre performance and many other negative issues would soon emerge after the purchaser has forgotten the price. Surely a well looked after Toyota or similar would be a better buy and a better car than this and yes, some people will still think they are buying a nostalgic MG of old!@@chasingcars
Great review. I just rented an MG Vibe for 7 days. I pretty much agree with all your points. The one thing I had a different experience with was the cruise control. You are right about it being hard to maintain a speed at a given accelerator peddle position; but in my experience cruise control did not fix that. I had a couple of experiences were the speed going up hill increased 3-4kmh over the speed the cruise control was set at, and then on cresting the hill, did not bring the speed back going down the hill for an alarming length of time. In once instance this left me going past a speed camera at 84kmh (in an 80kmh zone). Fortunately the speedo read high (84 on the speedo equalled 80 real world - as tested using my phone gps). At one point, the speed had climbed to 89kmh on cruise control (set at 80kmh), going down a hill, at that point I decided it was more work using the cruise control than not using it. Later on flat highway driving I tried it again and it was okay in those circumstances. But in hilly terrain (dual lane highway, not twisty rural roads) it was not reliable. My 12 year old Peugeot 208 locks on to a solid speed rarely varying more than 1km or 2 from the set speed even in the same kinds of circumstances. Still I enjoyed having the car and it was fun to drive (up to a point).
well done MG and thank you for giving us an affordable car as we get ripped off by all the mainstream brands. i think the car looks really nice. these will sell like hotcakes!
Thanks for the review. Well done! There are two additional things that I question about the MG 5: 1) Absence of an ANCAP / EuroNCAP safety rating. Some reviewers have suggested that the absence of active safety technology would lead to a lower star rating, so MG has decided not to get it tested. As a result (as with the MG 3), we have no idea as to the passive safety of this car. How will it protect occupants in the event of a collision? The absence of any airbags between the driver and a front seat passenger suggests that it might not be as good as it should be. 2) The fact that MG is directly owned by the Chinese government. Every dollar of profit from Australian consumers purchasing MG cars is directly contributing to a totalitarian dictatorship with clear territorial expansion ambitions.
All the friends who own MG3,4 I spoke to, they are crying rivers?? At 80km/hr, the car has no power, shakes on the highway, coughs, trembles. 2 years, most have lots of both mechanical and electrical or electronic failures
Well said. The car could be excellent, and extremely cheap, fast, whatever and I’d still avoid it for the second concern you mentioned. I’d rather spend the extra 2500 for the Kia model with a good safety rating and no affiliation with Chinese ownership.
I’m not going to speculate on what result this car would get without evidence, but what I will say is that it’s relatively likely ANCAP will audit test this car by surprise. $25k isn’t a big spend for them, they should do it
@@chasingcars Good point - and I agree that ANCAP should do it, although... given the destructive nature of the tests, I think that they would need at least four cars (full width frontal, frontal offset, side impact and oblique pole will each consume a car). Still, $100k is not so much to pay to inform Australian consumers.
This car has just been given ZERO stars by ANCAP and should not be allowed to be sold in Australia. Regardless of controversy re ANCAP ratings, this is just not good enough.@@chasingcars
Great review. I would really love to see a reviewer test exhaust emissions , maybe a PM2.5,C02 meter etc. Our MG3 is terrible when starting up the garage becomes a toxic soup every morning. I also noted our friends DMAX is the same you cant stand within 10m of the thing. We have others testing interior hardness and 0-100 , but I think in this age we should be looking at what these things claim to emit and what they actually do. Also the plastic smell in some cars in particular when left in the sun should also be tested , but this might a tad trickier.
Watching this from a UK prospective is interesting, as this model won’t come to the UK which is a shame as all MG’s are SUV’s plus the supermini MG3. If the MG5 were to make it to UK the base model would have cloth upholstery as apparently the European market is more demanding! However it won’t due MG’s marketing and bean counting that saloons don’t sell in Europe. I’m not sure where the MG5 was engineered, I assume China though they are built in Thailand. All early MG’s were designed and engineered at Longbridge when Nanjing Autos bought out MG/Rover. The first Chinese MG’s 6 & 3 models were built at Longbridge for the UK market, though well engineered they looked and were cheap, when SAIC took over Nanjing Autos the cars went upmarket in build quality and the 2016 MG6 was a very good car, but SAIC pulled the plug on it and went over to SUV’s. SAIC used to have 300 engineers based at Longbridge with the design and engineering input, but in 2019 they felt they could take the engineering in house, leaving about 30 engineers at Longbridge serving the dealerships. As for the MG3 I’m not sure what chassis you have in Oz, but the UK model is brilliant, the road holding capabilities are equal to the old MG ZR and not far off the TF! The only downside is the engine which could do with a small turbo as you have to work gearbox a lot, but given the very tight tolerances of engine manufacturing, it takes 5,000 miles to loosen up and by the time you’ve done 15,000 miles it really sings. MG make very capable cars and in the UK now have over 4% of the market, more than Mini, Hyundai and Peugeot have. The only downside is the backlash to EV models in the UK where the cost of insuring EV’s has gone through the roof, because of the concern of lithium batteries catching fire!
Interesting to see a review comparing this to the to spec which is 4 k more but has a better engine and gearbox .For sure the top spec is worth the extra money.
Just hired one for a week and fully agree with you Tom. Surprisingly decent 👍 Noticed all of the quirks as you did eg. driver seating position, drivers left footrest too far back, Under powered but usable, Brake pedal lacked feel and was way too touchy around town. Dash reflection on front windscreen in direct sunlight was dangerous (dash mat will fix this) Suspension tune and chassis feel is a ok overall . Car Looks great 👍 Interior for the price point was surprisingly good. I thought it was ok for road noise. No rattles, car had travelled 17,000km on the clock. With a $25k price point it’s pretty hard to compare. Keep at it MG. In a few years they may just catch or over take the more expensive Japanese or Korean competitors. The Chinese are clearly improving at a far quicker rate than most others. They seem very keen to hear feedback from reviewers and customers which can’t be said for the Japanese manufacturers. Cheers
Kia Cerato is definitely worth the extra money. Looks better, drives better, feels a lot more put together and premium, more practical, more reliable, and safer in a car accident. The MG 5 should definitely be priced even cheaper than what it is.
They could have knocked a few hundred more dollars off the price if they didn't have those ridiculous fake exhausts. WHEN will that absurd trend be over??
Most car reviewers are shills. If they don't give good reviews, then car companies won't give them free vehicle to review. it's a never ending cycle unless you want to give up your car review business and move to thailand.
Tom. I agree on the MG5 seats. Please do one on the Kia Picanto base model Sport. Comfy seats and fat tyres for a comfy ride. I just ordered one in Adventurous Green Water Clear Finish.
Perfect first car new car for a young person who wants a great warranty and a reliable, safe vehicle. And it's not going to put them in a load of debt!
Or for the same price, get a much more reliable and safer vehicle used. Supporting the Chinese government through MG, a state-owned and funded company, and a car that has a ZERO ANCAP rating to boot, is a huge no from me.
I mean maybe a car for a "just graduated uni and got your first professional job and want a new car for the first time in your life" or someone that is working and studying. Having good back seats for adults is really important at that age, you want to be able to be carting your friends around.
Too many shortcomings to get excited about the MG5. The other dumb feature is the rear seat folding as one piece. Frankly the base model i30 is a well judged value for money car that’s worth paying a little bit more for.
I know of someone that paid $36k on road for an MG HS Excite. Only had the car 14 months with about 25k on it. A couple of dealers offered $16-$17k for it . They got $21k privately . So resale appears to be pretty crook for a very low km vehicle still under a long warranty.
@@joewhite8079 I've heard that dealers may charge a disposal fee if someone tries to trade it thru a dealer. That could be up to 10% of the trade in price. So a dealer gives you $20k trade in less $2k disposal fee, seller gets $18k . Apparently most Chinese vehicles can be difficult to sell 2nd hand . Probably explains why so many are being sold on the private market . In the hope of gaining a few more $$$. It's at a dealers discretion if they want to charge any fee apparently
@@chasingcars thanks for the review. It makes it easy for me to help my elderly mother purchase a new car. As she will absolutely love the MG. It will be 5 times better than her 25 year old ford fiesta & much safer too.
"Say MG5 collision test score is zero, but have you ever considered comparing it with cars from seven or eight years ago? This car is much better in terms of safety. Look closely at the test footage, the doors didn't deform, which is an important visual indicator for passenger safety. The airbags deployed in time, and the car didn't suffer severe deformation overall. It's just a small car, and achieving such results is already quite good. Also, consider the price of this car, it's only 15,000 Australian dollars in China. Can you ask for more? Just because the collision test standards were updated in 2023, now not only passengers inside the car but also pedestrians, and various vehicle assistance systems are included in the testing criteria. Were these standards in place five or six years ago? Mitsubishi ASX's testing standards are still based on 2012 criteria. If assessed now, its rating would likely be zero stars. Yet, it still adheres to the five-star standard. Anyway, the MG5 has five airbags, it just lacks safety belt pretensioners and various driver assistance features, so the Australian Ancap gave it a zero score, which seems unfair. There's a saying 'you get what you pay for.' Hopefully, in the future, $23,000 Australian dollars will buy a five-star car equipped with all modern technologies
I feel like the Essence should be $25k driveaway with all the shortcomings that it has. This underpowered Vibe model shouldn't have ever made it's way off the Chinese port. Then, it would be acceptable for the money. Otherwise, 99% of people with $25k to spend would be better off going for something thats 1-2 years old. PS shorts are great - but please get some ankle-height socks!
The Morris Oxford motor seriously kills it for me. Anything less than 2 litres in this size car ,no. At first, I thought it was Kia. Plastic seats, you could put covers on them.
At least it looks like you could easily get in & out of the back seats. I tried the MG4, at 6”1 sitting behind my driving position, my knees were well into the seat back & I actually struggled to remove myself from the MG4. The dimension this are not far off a Camry. For a city car this would work well. Do you think it’s worth the extra money for the Essence?
It’s a lot bigger than the MG4. As for the upgrade to Essence, I can’t say for sure until I drive it. But what I think right now is that if I was going to spend $29k driveaway on the MG5 Essence, a Corolla or similar would be closer within reach and they’re better cars.
@@chasingcars Yeah any Toyota is going to be better quality, reliable etc, but the Corolla is like the MG4, very small. The Essence has substantially more power & torque, but has a DCT which has been reported as being poor. These models are completely different to each other & I hope Chasing Cars can do the Essence down the line
@@chasingcars if you ONLY have $29K, you only have $29K, there is no more reaching to be had, if there was everyone would just buy an S Class Mercedes.
Even if the MG came with a 10yr/unlimited KM warranty, and I was ok with the lack of quality… I’d still be sceptical based on part’s availability times and/or MG sending the wrong parts.
We don’t have that MG here in the uk our MG5 is an all electric estate car. This one looks nice but all MGs seem to be built to a price as many over here are having issues including panoramic roofs imploding. For me I’d stick to the Toyota and have at least some resale value in 3 years
I don’t understand the “comparative negative” about vinyl seats… against Mercedes, BMW etc who all use fake leather now (ie. vinyl). It’s either leather (the real deal, environmentally friendly, naturally breathing)… or a plastic counterfeit!?
I criticise any brand that uses uncooled vinyl in their cars especially when it is dark in colour. It doesn't matter whether it's MG, Tesla, Mercedes or anybody else.
I think it is strange why we have lost the security of the fuel cap lid. With the cost of fuel going through the roof you will be returning to your car with low or no fuel.
All in all, I think I'll be very happy to go for MG 4 over MG 5 as I already have driven the electric hatchback. The MG 4 in New Zealand isn't the only cheapest brand new EV to buy but considerably best value especially the Excite. Yes even the Excite have multi-link rear suspension compared to Byd's cheapest Dolphin.
Hmmm...You criticise the interior quality and "omni" rear vent in a $25k car. Yet the ID Buzz for 4 times as much gets a thumbs up for its interior and lack of rear air vents.🤷
I'd appreciate if you didn't misrepresent me. The ID Buzz did not get a thumbs up for its lack of air vents - I spent a good thirty seconds pointing out that problem and criticising it! Meanwhile, the ID Buzz had comfortable seats and better material quality than this car, not that they are in any way rivals.
Calm down princess. You gave the ID Buzz a thumbs up for family use, despite it lacking rear air vents. You excuse the cheap plastic in the VW because its a (van) but make a point of it in a $25k car...bias much??? @@chasingcars
@@mlasrb the i40 iv got tow 12foot carvan its sedan. But it does it in 8.9 sec in normal mode sports 7.8sec but only me and my siamese cats when im going away but still gets 1000km tank fuel and 570 towing but its little slow
@@chadberwick919 as I’ve said. If you care so much about 0-100 then you bought the wrong kind of car. When you buy a family car you buy it for practicality and usefulness. Not how fast or slow it reaches 100 km/h… to some people 11.3 is faster than anything they own so why judging based on your standards ?
@@mlasrb i dont flogg it. My father pastaway 3yrs back it was hes car. He got it new in march 2014 but yes iv tried it. But it but im a driver sits on 100kmh
That's because MG is an English band, but SAIC Motor later bought it to market, which is still European. The European designers used in the design are the original MG team, so it's not surprising that they have a similar appearance. Everything is still European, not Asian. The Saic sedan model has reached the MG7 model and still has a European Sport feel.
Are you paid by MG? Just read all the reviews from actual owners and their bad reliability issues and poor finish and durability. Not to mention service parts and repair nightmares of these cars. You don't give the full story. If you have a problems with the car after buying it the price will long be forgotten. You get what you play for!
I agree on the 'leather' seats. I recently had to buy a lower grade car to avoid the leather seats and go back to what I love. The cloth seats. Melbourne. p.s. My other car has excellent three level leather cooled seats.
Had it been a "lift-back", rear wheel drive, manual, they may have had something. How much off-gassing is released should be a measure of all new cars as well.
Ncap sucks anyway, thats why I watch Carexpert who backs up my point. Id rather drive a zero star 2024 car than a 2014 crap box that has zero saftety features
Is the price difference astonishing? Not when you compare it to electric vehicles. Still two tribes……ICE and EV when it comes to price differential’s I’m afraid.
Not sure what you mean, the price is astonishing whether you compare it to ICE, EV, anything. Generously sized cars aren’t generally $25K DA these days
Noted. BUT: we need to drive traffic, that’s how we make a living. I gotta put food on the table. We’ve tested it - people click on a catchy title more often than a plain one (“MG5 review”). What I try to do is never lie in a ‘click bait’ title. In this case, I really do think people should watch my video before buying this car because I’m not serving up some BS, this is a very honest look at the pros and cons. I think that’s helpful, important stuff. Cheers.
@@chasingcars Don't worry, you're doing amazing job, some people who think "only manual work is work" still don't get that UA-cam channels aren't a charity. Ironic - back in the time, it was a normal thing to spend some pennies for a newspaper or magazine. In the internet times, everyone now expects to receive even better and more interactive journalism, but for free. Receiving that - they're having even some further demands! Hilarious! I love your clickbaits - they're to the point actually, keep it up. Despite demise of Holden and Ford Falcon, I still love to explore local folclore of Australian car market which keeps on being way different than our here in Europe.
It was an unfair test. I don't trust Ancap's team to be too biased. You try to look at the test of a Benz C class crashing into a pedestrian or someone crossing the road at night in a blind spot or a bicycle, but it got a better score than the MG 5, not hitting anything at all, even though it doesn't have Adas Adaptive technology.
Honestly worth spending $10K more for a mid spec Mazda 3, these car are cheap for a reason, it’s not worth it. But I get that most people can’t afford cars that cost more than this
The arse end looks horrible coz the rear window is 6-8 inches (15-20 cms) too short. As for dirty fingers - crikey mate, are you really Australian? What do you mean its a 1 spd auto CVT? Its a CVT. The performance is somewhat weak which is why I prefer turbo diesels - much more torque and better fuel economy. As for the other new safety features - nah, not worth the cost. Never inadvertently found myself in the wrong lane and my eyes are directional and so is my head.
Chinese car manufacturers in the developed world at least, have to abide by the same tough regulations on safety, emissions and quality, in a ferociously competitive market as European, Korean, Japanese and American manufacturers have for the last century. The Chinese use more or less the same building processes with the same materials building cars to similar dimensions and specifications. There is no way in hell they can produce something that will last as long as the established crop of cars and still have it be cheap public sentiment towards buying Chinese products is incredibly low anyway. So much for “Chinese, EV makers dominating the world market“ or in this case, a crappy ICE cars.
Most Chinese cars are still pretty average In relation to quality , reliability, resale. Not overly bad , but not the most brilliant vehicles around either. You get what you pay for. If you don't mind these issues, then they'll suit the average buyer . But probably look at selling it privately before warranty expires .
I don’t know why you don’t think the MG3 is that good dynamically, mine is good, maybe you should learn how to drive It correctly !! ........Use the sports shift........
Would make it just over 13000 pounds sterling in UK,but knowing Mg if it was brought here 5 k plus would be added,got to say good car for price.Would I buy one....yes
IMPORTANT NOTE: After this video was filmed and published, ANCAP purchased and crash tested the MG5. It received ZERO stars. As a result, our verdict necessarily must be one of "do not purchase". See the score breakdowns: adult occupant protection 37% - child occupant protection 58% - pedestrian/cyclist protection 42% - safety assist tech 13%. More on ANCAP's website here: www.ancap.com.au/safety-ratings/mg/5/4bb20f
its just the gimmicky safety computer systems that give cars 5 star. take them away an no new car get 5 stars. and ask any new car buyer how many of these systems they turn off the minute they start their car ! ill wait.
No, that isn't true. This car also scored badly in occupant protection, not just crash avoidance tech.@@mrz1281
@@chasingcarsit meets aus standards though!
I think Ancap's test is not as fair as it could be due to the recent change in crash testing rules. I looked at crash tests in many bands from Ancap, such as a Benz C Class hitting a pedestrian or a bicycle. But why is the score so good or even hitting people in blind spots during the night? Why is the score higher than the MG5 that doesn't crash at anything even though it doesn't have ADAS or lanekeep and adaptive systems, only emergency stops? Landover discover sport is almost no different in that the roof of the car has to be raised up to prevent the driver from being harmed, but MG5 got 0 stars -_-
@@livegaming7764 its all bs mate ancap just spook buyers. ancap is an independent, non-regulatory, consumer information program.
I wrote off my 2 year old ZST essence and bought the MG5 vibe because it was the only thing in stock (I needed a car right away). I've had it 3 months now and driven 3000km. I love it. Sure it has less features than my old MG, but it feels more refined and nicer to drive. The engine is plenty powerful enough to overtake on the highway. That's all I need.
Thank you for sharing that sir. May I ask, do you think the Vibe is more practical for a run a round town everyday car? I live in the NT and there's not much traffic in here. I'm torn between the Essence's powertrain and sunroof but on the other hand Vibe seems more practical having no sunroof and cheaper too.
@@IamTheConstantineI test drove both. I probably would have gotten the essence. But they only had the vibe in stock. The essence has some nice extra features I like. The only thing I didn't like was the dule clutch transmission. The CVT in the vibe I think is better and smoother. If you don't need sunroof, electric seat, extra parking cameras. Go the vibe.
@@SirYenner I appreciate that! Thank you.
I traded my 2019 Kia Cerato GT and got the Essence, the main reason I love the MG5 is all the 'safety' features that were in the Kia Cerato GT that almost put me and my family in near accidents i had had enough of, and the MG5 doesn't have them or is a much better refined system!!! The number one hated part from myself and other friends that own i30 SR & N/Cerato GT is the AEB, it is dangerously over-sensitive!! I had several occasions where there is no Audible warning first and then emergency breaking like the mg5 has, instead it just locks the brakes upon the cars detection of what it thinks is a hazard. By hazard i mean driving in narrow Sydney streets with parked cars slightly sticking out too far, speed bumps in a Westfield carpark and scooter riding food delivery guys lane splitting slightly too close to the front bar!? Number 2 lane keep assist, where if you were to go to change lanes quickly but miss the indicator a split second too late the steering wheel will jerk you back into the lane. The other thing the MG5 doesn't have is lane departure warning lights in the mirrors. After learning to drive in old cars with non of these safety features and having a few modern cars with them, I'm happy to go back to giving a proper head check and not trusting a computer to tell me it's safe to change lanes. I found the distances from some of the modern cars with Lane departure to be abit off especially if you trust them 100% of the time. For example you go to change lanes or your indicator on there is no warning light in the mirror then suddenly the car in that lane or changing in to starts to speed up next to you its already too late. There's alot of cars out there that people love especially older cars like Ford's, Toyota's and Holden's etc... and if tested today would also score zero because of the lack of current safety features. Even some other modern cars out there don't have ANCAP scores. I'm happy with the MG5 as it doesn't have the things I hated in 'better classed' Kia Cerato GT. The only crash test I thought was a bit too close was the side impact into the pole at 70km😅 but how many other more expensive cars have we seen over the years that hit power poles and trees that almost/do snap in half killing all occupants at these high speeds
@@sunnyb5754 it scored 0 stars in safety ANCAP, how does the Cerato put you at more risk...SMH
I can only apologise for the shorts
Classic outfit 🙌
We'll get over it
Not to mention the socks. 😂
Legs out!
More of it I say!
Never apologise for shorts. We're bringing them back. DOWN WITH PANTS.
Nice looking car. My Sister In-Law has MG3. She is now realising what built to a price and not up to a standard means
Nothing’s free.
@@chasingcars true brother or sister. But you get what you pay for down the line. Made in China is a bad thing
you know how much it is in china. during the annual finical discount month. it is only 140000 aus dollars drive away. of course it is worth its value.
They're cheap and cheerful. People tend to compare to much more expensive cars. It's not perfect but, gets the job done. I bought my daughter a 2020 MG3 excite brand new. The car has reached 80 thousand k's, zero issues. I know of much more expensive cars that have a plethora of issues in comparison. If you sister doesn't like it, she can always get a Toyota for $35k.
Although I have not driven this car, it would appear that you have been rather generous with your comments. I like sedans and at least it is not a dual cab ute but lack lustre performance and many other negative issues would soon emerge after the purchaser has forgotten the price. Surely a well looked after Toyota or similar would be a better buy and a better car than this and yes, some people will still think they are buying a nostalgic MG of old!@@chasingcars
Great review. I just rented an MG Vibe for 7 days. I pretty much agree with all your points. The one thing I had a different experience with was the cruise control. You are right about it being hard to maintain a speed at a given accelerator peddle position; but in my experience cruise control did not fix that. I had a couple of experiences were the speed going up hill increased 3-4kmh over the speed the cruise control was set at, and then on cresting the hill, did not bring the speed back going down the hill for an alarming length of time. In once instance this left me going past a speed camera at 84kmh (in an 80kmh zone). Fortunately the speedo read high (84 on the speedo equalled 80 real world - as tested using my phone gps). At one point, the speed had climbed to 89kmh on cruise control (set at 80kmh), going down a hill, at that point I decided it was more work using the cruise control than not using it. Later on flat highway driving I tried it again and it was okay in those circumstances. But in hilly terrain (dual lane highway, not twisty rural roads) it was not reliable. My 12 year old Peugeot 208 locks on to a solid speed rarely varying more than 1km or 2 from the set speed even in the same kinds of circumstances.
Still I enjoyed having the car and it was fun to drive (up to a point).
well done MG and thank you for giving us an affordable car as we get ripped off by all the mainstream brands. i think the car looks really nice. these will sell like hotcakes!
This car is a disaster waiting to happen. Just don’t crash in it.
@@davidperry3531 whys is that?
@@mrz1281 Haven’t you seen that it received ZERO stars in a crash test by ANCAP.
ANCAP is a scam
we got one in misty grey awesome colour, nice and quiet to drive great on fuel
Thanks for the review. Well done! There are two additional things that I question about the MG 5:
1) Absence of an ANCAP / EuroNCAP safety rating. Some reviewers have suggested that the absence of active safety technology would lead to a lower star rating, so MG has decided not to get it tested. As a result (as with the MG 3), we have no idea as to the passive safety of this car. How will it protect occupants in the event of a collision? The absence of any airbags between the driver and a front seat passenger suggests that it might not be as good as it should be.
2) The fact that MG is directly owned by the Chinese government. Every dollar of profit from Australian consumers purchasing MG cars is directly contributing to a totalitarian dictatorship with clear territorial expansion ambitions.
All the friends who own MG3,4 I spoke to, they are crying rivers?? At 80km/hr, the car has no power, shakes on the highway, coughs, trembles. 2 years, most have lots of both mechanical and electrical or electronic failures
Well said. The car could be excellent, and extremely cheap, fast, whatever and I’d still avoid it for the second concern you mentioned. I’d rather spend the extra 2500 for the Kia model with a good safety rating and no affiliation with Chinese ownership.
I’m not going to speculate on what result this car would get without evidence, but what I will say is that it’s relatively likely ANCAP will audit test this car by surprise. $25k isn’t a big spend for them, they should do it
@@chasingcars Good point - and I agree that ANCAP should do it, although... given the destructive nature of the tests, I think that they would need at least four cars (full width frontal, frontal offset, side impact and oblique pole will each consume a car). Still, $100k is not so much to pay to inform Australian consumers.
This car has just been given ZERO stars by ANCAP and should not be allowed to be sold in Australia. Regardless of controversy re ANCAP ratings, this is just not good enough.@@chasingcars
Great review. I would really love to see a reviewer test exhaust emissions , maybe a PM2.5,C02 meter etc. Our MG3 is terrible when starting up the garage becomes a toxic soup every morning. I also noted our friends DMAX is the same you cant stand within 10m of the thing. We have others testing interior hardness and 0-100 , but I think in this age we should be looking at what these things claim to emit and what they actually do. Also the plastic smell in some cars in particular when left in the sun should also be tested , but this might a tad trickier.
Every petrol car is like this at start up when they run rich and the catalytic converter hasn’t heated up
Looks from the front like a Hyundai and the back looks like a Benz
Watching this from a UK prospective is interesting, as this model won’t come to the UK which is a shame as all MG’s are SUV’s plus the supermini MG3. If the MG5 were to make it to UK the base model would have cloth upholstery as apparently the European market is more demanding! However it won’t due MG’s marketing and bean counting that saloons don’t sell in Europe. I’m not sure where the MG5 was engineered, I assume China though they are built in Thailand. All early MG’s were designed and engineered at Longbridge when Nanjing Autos bought out MG/Rover. The first Chinese MG’s 6 & 3 models were built at Longbridge for the UK market, though well engineered they looked and were cheap, when SAIC took over Nanjing Autos the cars went upmarket in build quality and the 2016 MG6 was a very good car, but SAIC pulled the plug on it and went over to SUV’s. SAIC used to have 300 engineers based at Longbridge with the design and engineering input, but in 2019 they felt they could take the engineering in house, leaving about 30 engineers at Longbridge serving the dealerships. As for the MG3 I’m not sure what chassis you have in Oz, but the UK model is brilliant, the road holding capabilities are equal to the old MG ZR and not far off the TF! The only downside is the engine which could do with a small turbo as you have to work gearbox a lot, but given the very tight tolerances of engine manufacturing, it takes 5,000 miles to loosen up and by the time you’ve done 15,000 miles it really sings. MG make very capable cars and in the UK now have over 4% of the market, more than Mini, Hyundai and Peugeot have. The only downside is the backlash to EV models in the UK where the cost of insuring EV’s has gone through the roof, because of the concern of lithium batteries catching fire!
I hate the separated stalk for the cruise control. And the indicator on the wrong side. Bonus points. Indicators are on the right stalk.
I’ll be honest, it took me a few minutes to remember the cruise control stalk was on the back of the column! But if you owned it… you’d know it.
Interesting to see a review comparing this to the to spec which is 4 k more but has a better engine and gearbox .For sure the top spec is worth the extra money.
Just hired one for a week and fully agree with you Tom.
Surprisingly decent 👍
Noticed all of the quirks as you did eg. driver seating position, drivers left footrest too far back,
Under powered but usable,
Brake pedal lacked feel and was way too touchy around town.
Dash reflection on front windscreen in direct sunlight was dangerous (dash mat will fix this)
Suspension tune and chassis feel is a ok overall .
Car Looks great 👍
Interior for the price point was surprisingly good.
I thought it was ok for road noise.
No rattles, car had travelled 17,000km on the clock.
With a $25k price point it’s pretty hard to compare.
Keep at it MG.
In a few years they may just catch or over take the more expensive Japanese or Korean competitors.
The Chinese are clearly improving at a far quicker rate than most others.
They seem very keen to hear feedback from reviewers and customers
which can’t be said for the Japanese manufacturers.
Cheers
Kia Cerato is definitely worth the extra money. Looks better, drives better, feels a lot more put together and premium, more practical, more reliable, and safer in a car accident. The MG 5 should definitely be priced even cheaper than what it is.
You’d have to test drive the Kia as well. Definitely worth considering spending a bit more on.
The Hyundai I30 is better still. !!
They could have knocked a few hundred more dollars off the price if they didn't have those ridiculous fake exhausts. WHEN will that absurd trend be over??
They probably cost about 20 cents to be honest
CarSauce gave this a lot of praise
Most car reviewers are shills. If they don't give good reviews, then car companies won't give them free vehicle to review. it's a never ending cycle unless you want to give up your car review business and move to thailand.
Tom. I agree on the MG5 seats. Please do one on the Kia Picanto base model Sport. Comfy seats and fat tyres for a comfy ride. I just ordered one in Adventurous Green Water Clear Finish.
Perfect first car new car for a young person who wants a great warranty and a reliable, safe vehicle.
And it's not going to put them in a load of debt!
EXACTLY! Right utensil for the right meal.
Or for the same price, get a much more reliable and safer vehicle used. Supporting the Chinese government through MG, a state-owned and funded company, and a car that has a ZERO ANCAP rating to boot, is a huge no from me.
New to the channel and I thought K.Rudd is doing the car test. Sorry fair shake of the sauce bottle mate
Looks like Hyundai, Genesis and Maserati had a threesom
I mean maybe a car for a "just graduated uni and got your first professional job and want a new car for the first time in your life" or someone that is working and studying. Having good back seats for adults is really important at that age, you want to be able to be carting your friends around.
pretty weird because in saudi arabia your MG5 is called MG GT and the MG5 is the model previous to this.
Can you plz tell the ground clearance of this car!??
Too many shortcomings to get excited about the MG5. The other dumb feature is the rear seat folding as one piece. Frankly the base model i30 is a well judged value for money car that’s worth paying a little bit more for.
Some people don't have "a little bit more".
0:36 Did they just copy the rear of the first generation old Mercedes CLA
I’ll leave those judgments to you.
100%
I can only speculate about how bad depreciation is gonna be. I reckon you’ll find then under 15k after couple years with a full factory warranty .
I wouldn’t advocate buying this if you’re after strong resale when it’s this cheap new and in good supply.
You can get this or just walk for the next 12 months waiting for your Toyota.
I know of someone that paid $36k on road for an MG HS Excite. Only had the car 14 months with about 25k on it. A couple of dealers offered $16-$17k for it . They got $21k privately . So resale appears to be pretty crook for a very low km vehicle still under a long warranty.
@@Coastmac2001ouch that would have to hurt not even volvos drop that badly in price time wise and they are one of the worst for losing value.
@@joewhite8079 I've heard that dealers may charge a disposal fee if someone tries to trade it thru a dealer. That could be up to 10% of the trade in price. So a dealer gives you $20k trade in less $2k disposal fee, seller gets $18k . Apparently most Chinese vehicles can be difficult to sell 2nd hand . Probably explains why so many are being sold on the private market . In the hope of gaining a few more $$$. It's at a dealers discretion if they want to charge any fee apparently
Looks like a Merc on the outside
Really great review keep up the great work. At last something for the average person. 👍👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@chasingcars thanks for the review. It makes it easy for me to help my elderly mother purchase a new car. As she will absolutely love the MG. It will be 5 times better than her 25 year old ford fiesta & much safer too.
Yep it’s definitely an upgrade from nearly any 25 year old economy car.
The rental companies will be adding these to the fleet.
"Say MG5 collision test score is zero, but have you ever considered comparing it with cars from seven or eight years ago? This car is much better in terms of safety. Look closely at the test footage, the doors didn't deform, which is an important visual indicator for passenger safety. The airbags deployed in time, and the car didn't suffer severe deformation overall. It's just a small car, and achieving such results is already quite good. Also, consider the price of this car, it's only 15,000 Australian dollars in China. Can you ask for more?
Just because the collision test standards were updated in 2023, now not only passengers inside the car but also pedestrians, and various vehicle assistance systems are included in the testing criteria. Were these standards in place five or six years ago? Mitsubishi ASX's testing standards are still based on 2012 criteria. If assessed now, its rating would likely be zero stars. Yet, it still adheres to the five-star standard.
Anyway, the MG5 has five airbags, it just lacks safety belt pretensioners and various driver assistance features, so the Australian Ancap gave it a zero score, which seems unfair. There's a saying 'you get what you pay for.' Hopefully, in the future, $23,000 Australian dollars will buy a five-star car equipped with all modern technologies
I feel like the Essence should be $25k driveaway with all the shortcomings that it has. This underpowered Vibe model shouldn't have ever made it's way off the Chinese port. Then, it would be acceptable for the money. Otherwise, 99% of people with $25k to spend would be better off going for something thats 1-2 years old.
PS shorts are great - but please get some ankle-height socks!
The Morris Oxford motor seriously kills it for me. Anything less than 2 litres in this size car ,no. At first, I thought it was Kia. Plastic seats, you could put covers on them.
At 25 grand drive away it's a bargain and looks great.
At least it looks like you could easily get in & out of the back seats. I tried the MG4, at 6”1 sitting behind my driving position, my knees were well into the seat back & I actually struggled to remove myself from the MG4. The dimension this are not far off a Camry. For a city car this would work well. Do you think it’s worth the extra money for the Essence?
It’s a lot bigger than the MG4. As for the upgrade to Essence, I can’t say for sure until I drive it. But what I think right now is that if I was going to spend $29k driveaway on the MG5 Essence, a Corolla or similar would be closer within reach and they’re better cars.
@@chasingcars Yeah any Toyota is going to be better quality, reliable etc, but the Corolla is like the MG4, very small. The Essence has substantially more power & torque, but has a DCT which has been reported as being poor. These models are completely different to each other & I hope Chasing Cars can do the Essence down the line
How often do you take adult passengers in the back seat, though?
@@jeremybean-hodges6397I Uber drive, so every time I Uber
@@chasingcars if you ONLY have $29K, you only have $29K, there is no more reaching to be had, if there was everyone would just buy an S Class Mercedes.
Looks like a merc at the back
Even if the MG came with a 10yr/unlimited KM warranty, and I was ok with the lack of quality… I’d still be sceptical based on part’s availability times and/or MG sending the wrong parts.
We don’t have that MG here in the uk our MG5 is an all electric estate car. This one looks nice but all MGs seem to be built to a price as many over here are having issues including panoramic roofs imploding. For me I’d stick to the Toyota and have at least some resale value in 3 years
looking like an AMG does not make a MG as safe as an AMG...
DO NOT BUY THIS CAR look up NCAP results, it scored ZERO stars.
Wait till you see how many cars haven't even been tested
oK mOM tHaNkS
10,000km or 6,000 mile servicing as we are still are allowed to say in the UK. That is outrageous.
I don’t understand the “comparative negative” about vinyl seats… against Mercedes, BMW etc who all use fake leather now (ie. vinyl).
It’s either leather (the real deal, environmentally friendly, naturally breathing)… or a plastic counterfeit!?
I criticise any brand that uses uncooled vinyl in their cars especially when it is dark in colour. It doesn't matter whether it's MG, Tesla, Mercedes or anybody else.
I wouldn’t even touch this car even after watching this.
I think it is strange why we have lost the security of the fuel cap lid. With the cost of fuel going through the roof you will be returning to your car with low or no fuel.
Only if you left your car unlocked
It unlocks with yr key lock, car open, open cap,car locked, locked cap. Lock yr car., easy.
The MG5 looks just like the MG6 we had in UK a decade ago. It didn't sell well...
All in all, I think I'll be very happy to go for MG 4 over MG 5 as I already have driven the electric hatchback. The MG 4 in New Zealand isn't the only cheapest brand new EV to buy but considerably best value especially the Excite. Yes even the Excite have multi-link rear suspension compared to Byd's cheapest Dolphin.
EV are rubbish.
Until you have to pay A LOT to fill up your petrol or even diesel tank mate!
Budget car with zero star safety rating… nice!👍🏻
I rented MG suv last week for trip 8 days at Tasmania two weeks ago. I have to say this is fancy car but driving as shit😢
Hmmm...You criticise the interior quality and "omni" rear vent in a $25k car. Yet the ID Buzz for 4 times as much gets a thumbs up for its interior and lack of rear air vents.🤷
I'd appreciate if you didn't misrepresent me. The ID Buzz did not get a thumbs up for its lack of air vents - I spent a good thirty seconds pointing out that problem and criticising it! Meanwhile, the ID Buzz had comfortable seats and better material quality than this car, not that they are in any way rivals.
Calm down princess. You gave the ID Buzz a thumbs up for family use, despite it lacking rear air vents. You excuse the cheap plastic in the VW because its a (van) but make a point of it in a $25k car...bias much??? @@chasingcars
11.3 secs to 100 km/h for family sedan isn't bad. you all would want the car to accelerate in under 3 seconds.. be realistic
My 2014 hyundai i40 petrol does it under 10 i couldnt handle 11.3
@@chadberwick919 did you buy your family sedan just specifically for 0-100 ? Cause if you did then you bought the wrong type of car.
@@mlasrb the i40 iv got tow 12foot carvan its sedan. But it does it in 8.9 sec in normal mode sports 7.8sec but only me and my siamese cats when im going away but still gets 1000km tank fuel and 570 towing but its little slow
@@chadberwick919 as I’ve said. If you care so much about 0-100 then you bought the wrong kind of car. When you buy a family car you buy it for practicality and usefulness. Not how fast or slow it reaches 100 km/h… to some people 11.3 is faster than anything they own so why judging based on your standards ?
@@mlasrb i dont flogg it. My father pastaway 3yrs back it was hes car. He got it new in march 2014 but yes iv tried it. But it but im a driver sits on 100kmh
Tom does not skip leg day ;) But seriously, the MG5 is kind of like a dog in sheep's clothing
Lemon 🔥😱😊
Looks like a bad copy of a Merc CLA
That's because MG is an English band, but SAIC Motor later bought it to market, which is still European. The European designers used in the design are the original MG team, so it's not surprising that they have a similar appearance. Everything is still European, not Asian. The Saic sedan model has reached the MG7 model and still has a European Sport feel.
Are you paid by MG? Just read all the reviews from actual owners and their bad reliability issues and poor finish and durability. Not to mention service parts and repair nightmares of these cars. You don't give the full story. If you have a problems with the car after buying it the price will long be forgotten. You get what you play for!
The current owners of the "MG" trade mark have certainly made a mockery of the original brands' reputation. So sad!
you don't need Lucas wiring harness smoke in a jar any more?
Mostly a myth that is perpetuated on the internet and certainly not a problem I and friends who regularly drive old English cars have experienced.
It's getting hot, everywhere around the world now. - Tom Baker
I agree on the 'leather' seats. I recently had to buy a lower grade car to avoid the leather seats and go back to what I love. The cloth seats. Melbourne. p.s. My other car has excellent three level leather cooled seats.
Had it been a "lift-back", rear wheel drive, manual, they may have had something. How much off-gassing is released should be a measure of all new cars as well.
I guess if funds are tight then it’s absolutely fine….
Hyundai i30?
Have they just facelifted the 10 year old MG6 we had in the UK?
Cheap price does not justify cheap quality
Huh? So you think it should be cheap and premium quality?
Looks like a Mercedes knockoff on the exterior.
Ncap sucks anyway, thats why I watch Carexpert who backs up my point. Id rather drive a zero star 2024 car than a 2014 crap box that has zero saftety features
2:17 they gave Uk cloth seats (with the sun always blazing down on us)
With a Benz tail end I can see a lot of them selling to the car rental business. They have no interest in comfort and tech 😂
Yeah, this makes a lot of sense as a rental car. At least it’s not that bad to drive!
Junk - CVT gearboxes are a disaster.
Is it just me or does it look a bit like the Hyundai Accent?
Its Just You
100-0 kph in 40s?? Typo?
Is the price difference astonishing? Not when you compare it to electric vehicles. Still two tribes……ICE and EV when it comes to price differential’s I’m afraid.
Not sure what you mean, the price is astonishing whether you compare it to ICE, EV, anything. Generously sized cars aren’t generally $25K DA these days
Not a fan of these click bait titles. They're getitng over used and pretty fed up seeing them.
Noted. BUT: we need to drive traffic, that’s how we make a living. I gotta put food on the table. We’ve tested it - people click on a catchy title more often than a plain one (“MG5 review”). What I try to do is never lie in a ‘click bait’ title. In this case, I really do think people should watch my video before buying this car because I’m not serving up some BS, this is a very honest look at the pros and cons. I think that’s helpful, important stuff. Cheers.
@@chasingcars lol, don’t worry. You gotta do what you gotta do.
I see nothing wrong. Well, at least you know what you are getting with 25k.
@@chasingcarsI like these Scotty Kilmer styled titles. As long as there is some substance to the content provided, the title is irrelevant.
@@chasingcars Don't worry, you're doing amazing job, some people who think "only manual work is work" still don't get that UA-cam channels aren't a charity. Ironic - back in the time, it was a normal thing to spend some pennies for a newspaper or magazine. In the internet times, everyone now expects to receive even better and more interactive journalism, but for free. Receiving that - they're having even some further demands! Hilarious!
I love your clickbaits - they're to the point actually, keep it up. Despite demise of Holden and Ford Falcon, I still love to explore local folclore of Australian car market which keeps on being way different than our here in Europe.
It was an unfair test. I don't trust Ancap's team to be too biased. You try to look at the test of a Benz C class crashing into a pedestrian or someone crossing the road at night in a blind spot or a bicycle, but it got a better score than the MG 5, not hitting anything at all, even though it doesn't have Adas Adaptive technology.
Honestly worth spending $10K more for a mid spec Mazda 3, these car are cheap for a reason, it’s not worth it. But I get that most people can’t afford cars that cost more than this
Nope, all modern cars are just appliances with a limited lifetime, not worth spending a lot more on 'just transport.'
This car has managed to go back 25 years in terms of safety, even a 2003 Renault scores higher.
7:08 Kia Niro 2 70 plate can’t open fuel cap outside either
The MG4 sells like hot cakes in UK fyi and the X Power is flying out the showrooms ❤
I'm more worried about zero star rated drivers tbh lol
9:25 back to the studio, sorry I mean the toilet...
Hi well its transport around town , you get what you pay for.
good for rental companies.
The arse end looks horrible coz the rear window is 6-8 inches (15-20 cms) too short. As for dirty fingers - crikey mate, are you really Australian? What do you mean its a 1 spd auto CVT? Its a CVT. The performance is somewhat weak which is why I prefer turbo diesels - much more torque and better fuel economy. As for the other new safety features - nah, not worth the cost. Never inadvertently found myself in the wrong lane and my eyes are directional and so is my head.
A boot closing grab handle isn’t too much to ask for, it’s a 10c piece of plastic
@@chasingcars True, but still, why do you think you really need it? Really mate, really.
MG6 please........
Chinese car manufacturers in the developed world at least, have to abide by the same tough regulations on safety, emissions and quality, in a ferociously competitive market as European, Korean, Japanese and American manufacturers have for the last century. The Chinese use more or less the same building processes with the same materials building cars to similar dimensions and specifications. There is no way in hell they can produce something that will last as long as the established crop of cars and still have it be cheap public sentiment towards buying Chinese products is incredibly low anyway. So much for “Chinese, EV makers dominating the world market“ or in this case, a crappy ICE cars.
1:05 nice looking car though tbf
Most Chinese cars are still pretty average In relation to quality , reliability, resale. Not overly bad , but not the most brilliant vehicles around either. You get what you pay for. If you don't mind these issues, then they'll suit the average buyer . But probably look at selling it privately before warranty expires .
Kinda Hyundai esque
Front end does kind of resemble the previous gen Sonata
6:35 rover 75 vibe .
I don’t know why you don’t think the MG3 is that good dynamically, mine is good, maybe you should learn how to drive It correctly !! ........Use the sports shift........
Yeah don’t buy it without watching it’s crash test
Would make it just over 13000 pounds sterling in UK,but knowing Mg if it was brought here 5 k plus would be added,got to say good car for price.Would I buy one....yes
How about the zero star ANCAP safety rating...
Exactly!
are you doing voice overs in a public toilet?
0 star in ANCAP, do not buy this
Rather push a Rover 75/MG ZT than to drive an MG5
Vinyl, most call it vegan leather, ahahahah
Just calling it like it is
the shorts are fine...its the socks!!
This car literally got a ZERO star safety rating!!!
After watching this review ,I'll pass on this one thanks 😂
people should be very aware that ancap just rated this 0 stars for their safety review. think long and hard before buying.
I rather push a safer Rover 75 than to hop in an unsafe MG5
Absolute junk