MG Philippines has somewhat flown under the radar as far as the hybrid market goes. While the brand has solid electrified offerings like the 3, ZS, and HS, the Chinese carmaker hasn’t been as loud as it was pre-pandemic. Especially when you compare it to what is arguably its biggest rival, BYD.
MG’s newest model, however, just might be the model that breaks through once more: the G50 PHEV. It’s a promising hybrid that’s been packaged specifically to cater to the same customers that other Chinese brands have been reeling in for the past year or so.
The G50 PHEV seats up to seven, has plenty of space, is fuel-efficient, and won’t break the bank. But most important, it’s exactly what BYD doesn’t have at the moment: An affordable plug-in hybrid MPV (not fully electric) that could serve as a decent alternative to the more traditional people-haulers like the Mitsubishi Xpander or Toyota Avanza.
But is it truly a good alternative, though?
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Styling
We can’t say we haven’t seen this before, because we have. Two different versions of it, in fact. The first was when it was still badged as a Maxus. The second was when it was officially introduced as an MG, albeit it was petrol-powered only.
This new PHEV is molded from the same shell, but it comes with much sleeker styling. The front fascia is adorned with thin, swept-back headlamps with an equally thin strip of chrome separating the hood and the grille. Said grille, meanwhile, dumps the large, horizontal chrome trims from the old design for smaller, more subtle bits. The shiny accents have made their way to the lip instead. These tweaks make for a little less aggressive-looking and a lot more classy design.
Out back, the G50 PHEV has been left untouched, and that’s a good thing, because that same rear bumper blends better with the facelift. Frankly, I think this is one of the better-looking MPVs out there. But if I could, I’d put two-tone wheels underneath instead.
Interior
MG has always built decent interiors, and it’s more of the same here in the G50 PHEV. It’s swapped out the hexagonal trim and screens for more modern-looking squarish panels. Even the A/C vents have been given the same treatment. A faux wood panel has also been added to the dash to spruce up the cabin.
There’s ample storage for your everyday items here, with a small cubby just below the A/C controls and a larger one underneath the center console. The seats are soft, too, with just enough bolsters for added comfort. I’d say there’s a nice overall feel when you’re in the cockpit. There’s a sense of relaxation when you’re behind the wheel thanks to the combination of the interior materials.
True relaxation, however, can be felt in the back where you’ll find the captain’s chairs. These are easily the best seats in the house. This isn’t a luxury van, so you won’t find ventilation, heating, or massage functions, but there’s plenty of space for the two passengers who’ll get to sit in the second row. The seats recline, of course, and can be slid forward and back as well.
Third-row passengers will also still have a decent time, as even my wide 5’6” frame could fit easily in the back. A bunch of six-footers won’t be as comfy here, though, because then the second-row seats would have to be moved a bit further back and eat up more of the rear legroom. Also note that while this is a seven-seater MPV, I don’t think having a third person in the third row would be a good idea. That bench is quite narrow, as the wheel wells also occupy some interior real estate.
You can fit a few large pieces of luggage in the trunk even with the third-row seats up. If you need to use up all of the 1,162 liters of cargo space, you can just fold these rear seats down.
Engine performance
The G50 PHEV comes powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with an 18.65kWh lithium iron phosphate battery and an electric motor up front. In total, the system produces 214hp and 280Nm of torque, which is plenty even with a cabin full of passengers and cargo.
This being a hybrid, there’s instant power when you step on the pedal. While it won’t get you to 100kph from a standstill lightning quick, what’s important here is that you’ll always have more than enough power for overtaking or going uphill. Or even when doing both. That’s the only thing you need to know as far as performance goes.
Economy-wise, it’s solid. I got 14km/L after 360km of driving. That might not seem like a lot for a hybrid, but that includes all of the heavy traffic in the city, some highway driving here and there, and heaps of idling because of a video shoot. Fortunately, I also logged the figures halfway into my test drive, and I was able to record 18.5km/L after 150km. If you’re using this vehicle mainly in the metro, you can opt to just use battery power most of the time, as the estimated 95km EV range should suffice for day-to-day city driving. In my case, I never charged the G50 during the time I had it.
I do have to note that I don’t think I was getting the best fuel efficiency possible. See, there are three drive modes: Pure Electric First, Intelligent Hybrid, and Mandatory Power Maintenance. Google Translate-coded names aside, my biggest complaint is that the drive mode switches back to Pure Electric First every time you restart the vehicle. Since I don’t have the option to charge at will, I prefer using the proper hybrid modes, as I do with other PHEVs I drive. However, it wasn’t until after a day or two that I realized I was prioritizing battery power, which might have resulted in worse fuel efficiency. It’s an ergonomic nightmare, and selecting the drive mode every time you turn the ignition on isn’t something you have to always think about.
Ride and handling
I had low expectations regarding ride comfort, but I was genuinely surprised. The MG G50 PHEV is quite soft on open stretches; the suspension easily eats up road imperfections, and the cabin does an excellent job of suppressing outside noise even at highway speeds. In the city, it takes on roads like EDSA without a problem.
On winding roads, however, the G50 PHEV isn’t as impressive. It’s nimble, but the steering feels a little too light for my taste. More important, there’s a lot of body roll through corners. Even changing lanes on the expressway too quickly will have you and your passengers swaying from side to side.
But if you’re mostly going to drive the G50 PHEV in the metro, you’ll be okay. As I mentioned, the steering is light, so it’s favorable in tight spots and in traffic. The G50 PHEV is a bit big, though, but at least you can rely on the 360-degree camera if you need help maneuvering cramped spaces.
Extra features
I did mention an ergonomic nightmare earlier, but the MG G50 PHEV’s controls aren’t as bad as the 3’s. While the drive modes keep resetting, at the very least, the intelligent overspeed alert doesn’t. The 12.3-inch infotainment system is easier to use than MG’s older head units. It still supports wireless connectivity via both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it gets a mediocre six-speaker setup.
The 12.3-inch instrument cluster the touchscreen is paired with isn’t bad, either. It can still be tricky to navigate, but at least the display isn’t too cluttered. I just couldn’t figure out where the subtle beeps and sounds were coming from, whether they were from the ADAS mapping out the road and seeing other cars or something entirely different. It wasn’t irritating, but it was something I kept noticing.
Speaking of ADAS, the G50 PHEV comes with adaptive cruise control and lane-departure warning. The latter is a little too aggressive, while the former also has questionably placed controls. To engage cruise control, you need to flick the right stalk, which is also the gearshifter. It’s bad enough that you have your wiper stalk on the left, but that just makes it so much worse. I know you can get used to it, but what if I don’t want to in the first place? What happened to standardizing controls and functions, anyway? At least the G50 PHEV still gets a touch panel for A/C controls, I suppose.
Another thing I noticed in the G50 PHEV is that it has more 12V sockets than it has USB-C ports. That’s the platform showing its age. That said, it does have dedicated rear A/C controls and a power tailgate out back, so it still has most of the necessities covered.
Verdict
Coming in at just a hair under P1.4 million, the MG G50 PHEV is easily one of the most enticing models in the market right now. It has its quirks and its flaws, but they’re not hard to look past considering the price point that the vehicle is at. The package is just too solid to ignore for those looking for a hybrid, even if it’s not an MPV they’re eyeing.
With good enough luck and the right strategy from MG, I strongly believe the G50 PHEV might just become one of the industry’s next big hits.
SPECS: 2027 MG G50 PHEV
Price: P1,398,888
Powertrain: 1.5-liter gasoline I4 + 18.65kWh LFP battery and front electric motor
Power: 2148hp (total system output)
Torque: 280Nm (total system output)
Transmission: Dedicated hybrid
Layout: Front-wheel drive
Seating: 7
Score: 9/10
More photos of the MG G50 PHEV 2027:
