abu-dhabi
| Engine | 1495 cc |
| Power | 169 hp |
| Transmission | Automatic |
| Anti-Lock Braking System | Yes |
Good engine
Great interior equipment level
Impressive safety equipment
Extremely affordable
Chinese brand
Unreliable new brand
| Variant | Price | Specifications | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5T STD |
AED53,000 *
OTR Price
|
1495 cc, 169 hp, Automatic, Petrol | |
| 1.5T COM |
AED58,500 *
OTR Price
|
1495 cc, 169 hp, Automatic, Petrol | |
| 2.0T COM |
AED62,500 *
OTR Price
|
1998 cc, 220 hp, Automatic, Petrol | |
|
|
|||
| 2.0T LUX |
AED69,900 *
OTR Price
|
1998 cc, 220 hp, Automatic, Petrol | |
Ask from fellow RX5 Owners and Zigwheels experts
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AED53,000 - AED69,900
AED53,000 - AED69,900
AED53,000 - AED69,900
AED53,000 - AED69,900
AED53,000 - AED69,900
The MG brand is eyeing a resurgence after its launch in the UAE just a few years ago. The acclaimed maker of British sports cars is now committed to making reworked versions of SAIC cars. Blame its new Chinese masters. But this is giving the MG brand a foothold in the market while also keeping the brand alive – in whatever shape or form that may be in. The RX-5 is their latest bet in the compact SUV market. It was launched only this year and looks like a very promising contender to the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, and the Honda CR-V. MG has launched the SUV in four different variants with two different engine options. The base 1.5-litre Standard starts at AED 53,000 and goes up to AED 58,500 for the 1.5T COM. The 2.0-litre engine comes in two flavours with the AWD 2T COM selling for AED 62,500 and the AWD 2T LUX selling for AED 69,900. Competition has never been tougher in the segment and MG does not have an easy road ahead. So, how is the new SUV going to tackle the competition?
The interior is spacious like any other SUV. The equipment levels, however, are not what you’d expect from a Chinese SUV at this price range. All except the top end variant get fabric upholstery along with a 6 way manually adjustable driver sports seat. The top end variant gets electronically adjustable driver seat with manually movable lumbar support. Even the passenger seat is 4 way adjustable while the rear seats are adjustable for angle and also 60:40 split foldable. The interior is bathed in light beige with dark grey as an optional extra. All variants get air conditioned footwell and a cooled glove box with lighting. All except the base variant gets a leather steering wheel with audio controls. The top end version also gets anti trap sunroof. Electric windows with driver side express up and down and anti-pinch, remote trunk open, trip computer, and cruise control are standard across all variants. As for entertainment, the base version gets 4 speakers with woofer while the rest get 6. All are equipped with Bluetooth and USB connectivity. Going above the base model will also get you an 8” HD color touchscreen with Apple Car Play and navigation. Even the trunk is equipped with a 12V power outlet. Speaking of the trunk the cargo capacity ranges from 595- to 1639-litre depending on the seat layout.
The brand previously had another SUV under its marque called the GS. This was a very value-oriented product that was somehow able to match very good levels of quality at a quarter of the price. The RX-5 is their new flagship SUV and from the prices alone is about to follow in the footsteps of the GS. Just at a glance, you’d be forgiven for mistaking this Chinese car for something European. Chinese cars have come a long way from their gaudily copied designs of European cars and now rival them in every possible way. The side profile is sleek and contemporary with no unnecessary flourishes or curves. It is boring in a good way. The front end is equally inconspicuous with a flat bonnet profile. The headlights are stylish with LED DRLs across all variants. The wing-shaped grille compliments the headlights very well. Gorgeous 18-inch 5 spoke dual tone wheels adorn the flanks except for the base which gets 17-inch wheels. The rear gets an equally classy treatment with slim horizontal dual taillights and a chrome strip separating them. The SUV is 4545 mm long, 1855 mm wide, and 1719 mm tall. The wheelbase is 2700 mm long. This makes it nearly as big as the Jeep Compass. The wheels are shod with 235/50 tires except on the base model which gets 215/60 tires. MG has made this car available in 5 color options.
The RX-5’s engine and its ride are most in its element on the highways. Smooth power delivery makes it a breeze to drive on highways. Body roll is minimized very well. The steering is like the modern wheels found in today’s compact SUV. It is uncannily light and lacks feedback. This makes it good for slow manoeuvring on city roads, the off-road performance is also pretty decent. But this is no Land Rover despite the center locking differential. Ride compliance is also good thanks to the high profile tires.
There are two engine options to choose from and both possess some serious credentials. Both the engines are turbocharged. The smaller 1.5-litre produces 169 PS at 5600 rpm and 250 Nm of torque between 1700 and 4400 rpm. It has a 0-100 time of 10 seconds and a top speed of 190 kmph with a 7-speed transmission. The 2.0-litre engine produces 220 PS of power at 5300 rpm and 350 nm of torque between 2500 and 4000 rpm. This gives it a 0-100 time of 8 seconds and a top speed of 208 kmph while using a6-speedd transmission. The top end variant comes with an AWD system while the rest are equipped with 2WD.
Safety is given a high priority with a long list of safety features available across all variants. Front airbags, ESC, ABS with EBD and brake assist, cornering brake control, tire pressure monitoring, electric parking brake, anti-rolling program, hill descent control driver seatbelt reminder, and rear ISOFIX all come as standard across all variants. Rear parking distance audio sounder and parking camera are available on all except the base model, while curtain airbags are available only on the top end variant.
This car was developed by Alibaba and it kind of shows. For an otherwise unknown company from China, this is a very comprehensively equipped car for an extremely affordable price. If numbers on a spec sheet were the only consideration then this car should be a very big success in every market that it is launched in. It has a very capable engine, looks great, and has exceptional levels of interior equipment. But then it is a reworked Chinese SUV with a badge of a now-defunct British car maker that was known for making sporty if unreliable cars. This might not sound like the most appealing combination of legacies to rely on. Only time will tell how successful the RX-5 is in relinquishing the MG name for its Chinese masters. But if you are interested, go and give this handsome SUV a test drive
Your review will give better insights of cars
My family was extremely excited when it was finally time for us to upgrade our sedan to an SUV. While MG is a relatively lesser known brand compared to other giants like Honda or Toyota; the Chinese British company launched the MG RX-5 and gained a lot of attention for the same. We decided to go for the 2 litre
1 MG Cars Dealers
2 MG Cars Dealers
1 MG Cars Dealers
1 MG Cars Dealers
The British automaker has an interesting vehicle line-up in the Middle East, with three crossovers, the GS, ZS and the...
