MG has gone from strength to strength in recent years, growing its annual Australian sales from 8326 cars in 2019 to 58,346 units in 2023. The tally dropped slightly to 50,592 in 2024, but that was partly down to a generational change of its two biggest-selling models.
New MGs launched last year included the MG 3 hatch, HS mid-size SUV, ZS Hybrid+ small SUV and the all-new Cyberster electric sports car, so this year should reflect the full impact of that fresh metal onslaught.
And there’s more to come. Among the further additions slated for 2025 is the petrol ZS, electric S5, the QS and Marvel R SUVs, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the new HS, and the MG 7 we’re reviewing here, which will line up against established mid-size sedan stalwarts such as the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Mazda 6.
Given its design flair and upmarket feel, the MG 7 could even be viewed as a bargain-basement alternative to entry-level Euro prestige sedans.
We tested the stylish four-door fastback in Dubai, where the vehicle has been on sale for the past 12 months, with 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre models (both turbocharged) making up the range.
Measuring 4884mm from bumper to bumper, 1889mm across the bows and riding on a 2778mm wheelbase, the MG 7 is 36mm shorter than a Camry but almost 50mm wider.
Its tapered styling and a broad footprint endow the MG 7 with a pleasingly dynamic stance, and its eye-catching visuals alone could be enough to lure some buyers, including fleets if the price is right. There’s more than a hint of Audi A7 in the MG’s profile, and that’s no bad thing.
The MG 7 isn’t merely a show pony; there’s plenty of substance there too, as the Chinese fastback is decently swift and taut handling (up to a point), especially in view of its price point. More on this later…
How much does the MG 7 cost?
MG 7 pricing in the United Arab Emirates starts at AED 95,445 (A$41,115) for the entry-level 1.5-litre turbo, rising to AED 117,059 (A$50,425) for the significantly more potent 2.0-litre turbo flagship.
Its UAE pricing puts the MG 7 in the same ballpark as the Camry and Accord. But where these rivals are relatively vanilla-flavoured offerings, the MG has a distinctly more sporting bent, so it’s likely to appeal to a different buyer set.
What is the MG 7 like on the inside?
Considering the MG 7’s keen price point (provided its UAE pricing is reflected in Australia), the standard of fit, finish and materials inside are better than the norm for its segment.
As you can see here, our test car was swathed in a dubious shade of purplish mauve leather/suede upholstery, but even the garish colour didn’t overly detract from the cabin’s aesthetic appeal.
There’s an expansive Mercedes-esque glass display panel that sits atop the dashboard, and this houses both the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, as well as the 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen.
The latter is generally intuitive to use, but among the annoyances is a seemingly pointless bird’s-eye graphic of the car that pops up onto the screen – overriding the navigation map – whenever you approach a junction. This necessitates a click on the screen to get rid of the graphic and return to the map so you can see where you need to go.
There’s also a plethora of warning chimes and beeps that I needed to quickly deactivate to ensure I didn’t reenact Michael Douglas’ meltdown in Falling Down.
Apart from these gripes, there’s not much to complain about once ensconced in the cabin. The seats are comfy and supportive, and six-way electrical adjustment allows you to easily conjure up an agreeable position behind the wheel.
There’s also enough room in the back for a couple of adults to sit in relative comfort – unless they’re NBA basketballers.
The standard full-length panoramic sunroof makes for an airy feel inside, nullifying what might have been a claustrophobic ambience due to the tapered roofline.
Boot capacity of 450 litres is reasonable, but by no means class-leading for this segment. That said, you can of course extend luggage space by folding down the rear seats.
The nine-speaker Bose sound system that’s standard in the range-topper belts out crisp beats, and it’s about as good as you could expect at this price point.
There is some hard plastic trim on the centre console and door trims that are a giveaway to the MG 7’s non-premium pricetag, but even these elements don’t look too bad.
Overall, the MG’s cabin is a pleasant place to be, and the ambience is plusher than you’d expect for the money.
What’s under the bonnet?
The MG 7 is offered in the UAE with a choice of 1.5 and 2.0-litre petrol engines (both turbocharged), with the former sending drive to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and the latter via a conventional nine-speed auto.
The smaller engine ekes out 138kW of power and 300Nm of torque, while its big brother thrashes out 192kW and 405Nm, eclipsing even Volkswagen’s Golf GTI hot hatch, which cranks out 180kW and 370Nm.
The MG 7 isn’t excessively lardy (the heaviest version weighs 1650kg) so the engine doesn’t have to work overly hard to haul the sedan around.
MG doesn’t share any official performance figures, but our seat-of-the-pants impression is that the 2.0-litre MG 7 (the version we tested) would dispatch the 0-100km/h sprint in the mid-6.0-second bracket.
That said, the nine-speed auto’s calibration leaves a bit to be desired as it tends to be a bit lazy in Normal mode and overeager in Sport, so you’re stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place.
This is by no means a dealbreaker, though, and it’s easy to adjust your driving style accordingly or use the flappy paddles to shift manually, should you find yourself carving up a mountain pass.
There’s a button with an exhaust graphic in the top-left corner of the instrument cluster and pressing this unleashes a raucous bark from the quad exhaust outlets. It’s amusing for a while, but the din eventually becomes intrusive, so anyone who’s not cloth-eared is likely to press the button again and revert to the quieter option.
How does the MG 7 drive?
For the most part, the MG 7 serves up a borderline premium driving experience.
The steering has a pleasing crispness and heft, and the throttle and brake pedal actions are also progressive and well weighted, contributing to a confidence-inspiring connection between car and driver.
As alluded to earlier, the MG 7 serves up sprightly performance, although you need to either stomp on the throttle (prompting the transmission to downshift) or activate Sport mode to get the best out of the 2.0-litre turbo motor.
The engine doesn’t sound overly strained when you work it hard, although pressing the noisy exhaust button elevates decibel levels to an unpleasant magnitude.
Road and wind noise are also well suppressed, so the MG 7 strikes a well-judged balance between sportiness and refinement. Ride quality, too, is decently compliant without reducing the car to a roly-poly blancmange.
The MG 7 is entertaining to hustle across winding roads – up to a point. Fling it into corners at about seven-tenths and the sedan remains composed and faithfully tracks your intended line.
Push harder than this you’ll gradually start to feel the outside front tyre loading up and ultimately washing out. This is unlikely to be a concern for most would-be owners though, as few are likely to be inclined to take the MG 7 to the ragged edge of its cornering limits.
There’s an active rear wing that deploys at speeds above 100km/h, but this is more gimmickry than substance, as you won’t perceive the slightest difference from behind the wheel.
As touched on earlier, the brake pedal has a reassuring crispness to it, so the MG 7’s overall dynamic envelope is above average for the segment.
Of the cars in this segment that this road tester has reviewed in recent years, only the Honda Accord Sport 2.0T (never offered in Australia and now discontinued overseas) was notably sharper as a sporting sedan.
That said, the Honda was about 15 per cent more expensive than the MG 7 2.0T when it was available in the UAE, and sportier options like the Skoda Octavia and Hyundai Sonata N Line are also pricier.
What do you get?
On test here is the flagship MG 7 variant.
2025 MG 7 2.0T equipment highlights:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Panoramic sunroof
- Red brake calipers
- Automatic LED headlights and tail-lights
- Headlamp Follow Me Home
- Front and rear fog lights
- Power tailgate
- Active rear wing
- Premium leather/suede seats
- 6-way electric adjustable driver’s seat
- Heated front seats
- Nappa Leather multifunction steering wheel
- Paddle-shift auto
- 10.25-inch digitised instrument cluster
- 12.3-inch infotainment screen
- Dual-zone climate control
- 4x USB sockets
- Smart entry
- Mobile phone wireless charging
- Satellite navigation
- 9-speaker Bose sound system
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Is the MG 7 safe?
No crash test results are available for the MG 7, but it comes loaded with a decent swag of safety kit, including six airbags (front/side/curtain) and a raft of driver aids to mitigate against having a collision in the first place.
Although its MG 3 and MG 5 siblings haven’t fared well in ANCAP crash tests, other vehicles from the brand’s portfolio – such as the MG HS and MG 4 – have earned five-star ratings.
Based on its comprehensive safety arsenal, we’d expect the MG 7 to be more in line with the latter two vehicles.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Front, side and curtain airbags
- Electronic Parking Brake (EPB)
- Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
- Cornering brake control (CBC)
- Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
- Traction control system (TCS)
- Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC)
- Emergency Braking Hazard Warning Lights Control (HAZ)
- Hill Hold Control (HHC)
- Brake Disc Wiping (BDW)
- Active Rollover Protection (ARP)
- Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
- Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
- Lane Departure Warning System (LDW)
- Lane Keeping Assist System (LKA)
- Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK)
- Child Lock & ISOFIX
- Adaptive cruise control
- Surround-view camera
- Rear parking sensors
CarExpert’s Take on the MG 7
The MG 7 has plenty going for it and the Chinese offering deserves to be on your shortlist if you’re in the hunt for an affordable mid-size sedan.
As elaborated on earlier, the MG is a stylish looker and its cabin has a more upmarket feel than you might expect at this price point. The MG 7’s performance and driving dynamics, too, are reasonably impressive for the money.
Also weighing in the MG’s favour is an industry-leading 10-year/250,000km warranty for private buyers, which remains valid even if you don’t get the car serviced at an authorised dealership.
You could instead opt for more established nameplates such as the Camry, Accord and Mazda 6 (while you still can), but the MG 7 can hold its own in this company, should you be inclined to take a punt on the newcomer when it launches locally later this year.
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