MG RX8

While the MG RX8 has a posh and rather extrovert design when viewed from the outside, it is the interior cabin which has a subtlety to it. The whole interior, though, feels luxurious with the rich in feel brown leather upholstery with the right amount of silver and faux wood finishes at places.

The dashboard looks tad too simple for an SUV of this stature, with a flat-bottom steering wheel and a rectangular housing for touchscreen infotainment system tapered towards lower edges. The quilted leather seats and door pads do add to the premium experience, and so is the extensive list of features, with a panoramic sunroof, electrically adjustable and heated front seats, 360-degree camera and wireless smartphone charging to name a few.

Being a seven-seater vehicle, the MG RX8 does feel large on the inside, with a great sense of space. However, the third row is best suitable for kids with limited knee room on offer.

The MG RX8 tries to stand out from the crowd of modern-day SUVs with its conventional boxy stance fused with a couple of distinctive design elements.

At the front, the MG RX8 looks wide and bold with a big trapezoidal chrome grille, which is flanked by blocky but angular full LED headlamps, which do have crystal-cut like dual projectors and daytime running LEDs within them. What, however, catches one’s attention is the four-squared fog lamps encased in a C-shaped chrome housing.

The side profile of the MG RX8 reminds one much of the Mercedes Benz GLS, with its angular stance, sharp character line flowing through the centre and the chrome garnished waistline rising upwards towards the C-pillar. The large 20-inch machined alloy wheels, along with big roof rails, do add some more premium appeal to it.

At the rear, the MG RX8 has a busy but not too dramatic design, which is characterised by large and stretched LED tail lamps with rounded edges joined by a sleek chrome bar. The large silver skid plate with exhaust outlets in both of its outer edges do add some sporty touch.

It is the four-wheel-drive variant of the MG RX8 which is worth going for. The reason behind this is the availability of six different drive modes in this variant – auto, 4L, off-road, snow, sport and 2H, all of which vary in terms of power delivery to the wheels for varying driving preferences. The body roll at higher speeds can be felt a bit, however, the low-speed ride is brilliant with soft suspension setup.

The MG RX8 has a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine coupled to a 6-speed torque converter, which happens to be the only powertrain combination for this large SUV. The engine is good enough to produce a maximum power output of 225 PS and a peak torque output of 360 Nm. The engine is refined and has a good mid-range performance to propel this large SUV with ease.

With a C-NCAP rating of 5-stars, the MG RX8 is indeed a safe vehicle to be in, the prowess of which is characterised by the presence of front, side and curtain airbags, front and rear parking sensors with 360 degree camera, cruise control, active rollover protection, tire pressure monitoring system and lane departure warning.

The MG RX8 is a great package when you factor in its positive attributes like bold exterior styling, plush and comfortable interiors, an extensive list of features, refined performance and cushy ride quality – al of which make it a great sensible option to go for.