MG GT: pros and cons

Morris Garages (MG) Philippines brought in the GT sedan as a potent yet affordable option to rival the Honda Civic and the GAC Empow. 

From its very accessible price point alone, many buyers might be considering the aforementioned MG nameplate. But the question now is, what are its strengths, and does it have any weaknesses to watch out for? 

Pros

Decent amount of tech

Despite its affordability, the MG GT has a decent number of digital displays and safety features. 

Positioned on its dashboard, for example, is a 10-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The said screen comes with a colorful and reasonably responsive user interface and a four-piece or six-piece speaker system, depending on the trim. 

Additionally, keeping devices powered up aboard the sedan’s top-spec GT Sport is easy, thanks to a wireless charging pad. Otherwise, it comes standard with plenty of USB charging ports. 

The driver, meanwhile, is provided with a neatly arranged 12.3-inch virtual digital gauge, which shows the status of the car’s many on-board functions, travel speed, fuel consumption, distance traveled, current gear, and revolutions per minute, among others. 

As expected from a modern sedan, the MG GT was kitted out with a comprehensive standard safety kit. The aforementioned, however, are further reinforced by several advanced driver-assist features listed below: 

• Lane departure warning
• Forward collision warning
• Intelligent high beams

Peppy engine

Based on the figures listed on its official spec sheet, one can describe the MG GT as a relatively sporty five-seater sedan. 

At maximum, the 1.5-liter turbocharged engine of the top-spec GT Sport can generate up to 159 horsepower (hp) and 250 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque. Power is sent to its front wheels by a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It also offers a sport mode and a lever-type manual setting for transmission. 

The entry-level GT Alpha, on the other hand, gets a less powerful naturally aspirated 1.5-liter inline-4 engine. It only makes 112 hp and 150 Nm of torque, but the said figures are more than enough for its size. 

Reasonably efficient

Based on the Zigwheels Philippines road test review of the MG GT Sport, it managed to return a fuel gauge reading of 8.5 kilometers per liter (kpl) in the city during heavy traffic. For reference, the Toyota Corolla Altis GR-S, as tested, yielded a nearly similar reading of 8 kpl in similar driving conditions. 

Cons

360-degree view camera

As established above, the MG GT has a decent amount of on-board tech. Its 360-degree view camera, however, can be a bit blurry, especially in low-light situations.

During the day, the video feed from its cameras is a bit sharper, but we can safely say that this is one part of the car MG could improve on in the future. 

Model	GT Alpha	GT Sport
Exterior
Dimensions (mm)	4,675x1,824x1,473	4,675x1,842x1,480
Wheelbase (mm)	2,680
Wheel size	16-inches	17-inches
Lighting system	LED
Interior
Material	Leather	Leather
Amenities	6-way manual adjust driver’s seat Push-to-start button Cruise control Keyless entry Electronic parking brake Electronic control air-conditioning Sunroof Four-piece speaker system USB ports	6-way power-adjustable driver’s seat Paddle shifters Push-to-start button Cruise control Keyless entry Electronic parking brake Automatic climate control Sunroof Six-piece speaker system USB ports
Instrument cluster	12.3-inch virtual digital gauge with 7-inch trip computer
Infotainment system	10-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Seating capacity	5
Cargo capacity (liters)	401
Powertrain
Engine	1.5-liter inline-4	1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4
Fuel type	Gasoline
Transmission	CVT	Seven-speed DCT
Horsepower	112	159
Torque	180 Newton-meters	250 Newton-meters
Brakes	Front and rear discs
Technologies
ADAS	-	Lane departure warning Forward collision warning Intelligent high-beam control
Safety	Anti-lock braking Stability control Traction control Tire pressure monitoring Dual front airbags Rear parking sensors ISOFIX	Anti-lock braking Stability control Traction control Tire pressure monitoring Dual front airbags Side airbags Curtain airbags Rear parking sensors 360-degree view camera ISOFIX
Security	Alarm Engine immobilizer
Pricing	P1,015,888	P1,193,888

Also read: 

3 attractive characteristics of the MG GT’s interior

MG PH updates ZS roster with refreshed trims

Stand out in sleek sedans: GAC Empow vs. MG GT