MG5 Sedan Review: Is This the Best Value Compact Car of 2024?

In today’s highly competitive compact sedan market, consumers often face a dilemma: how to get the perfect combination of stylish design, advanced technology, and strong performance on a limited budget? The MG5 might just be the answer.

This compact sedan from the MG car brand is attracting the attention of young consumers globally with its bold appearance, decent performance, and especially its highly competitive price. This article will provide an in-depth review of the 2024 MG5, exploring whether it deserves the title of “best value compact sedan”.

1. Market Positioning and Price Competitiveness

As a core product for the MG car brand in the compact sedan segment, the MG5’s most notable advantage is its affordable price. In the Chinese market, the official guide price for the 2024 MG5 is 81,900 – 95,900 RMB, with a limited-time promotional price of 65,900 – 75,900 RMB.

Converted to US dollars, the price of the MG5 is approximately between $9,100-$10,700 (official guide price) and $7,300-$8,400 (limited-time price). This aggressive pricing strategy places the MG5 directly within the budget range of most first-time car buyers.

In comparison, competing models in the same class, such as the Geely Binrui COOL and the Trumpchi Empow, are typically 20%-30% more expensive, which gives MG cars for sale a clear advantage in price competitiveness.

From a global perspective, Chinese cars for sale are rapidly expanding their market share through high-value products like the MG5. According to the latest data, China’s automobile exports reached 5.71 million units in the first three quarters of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 21%.

This global expansion is driven precisely by products like the MG5 and their value proposition that exceeds their price point.

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2. Exterior Design: Youthful and Bold Style

The first impression of the MG5 is definitely striking. Its front fascia features a large vertical-design grille, paired with sharp lighting units, giving the overall shape a sporty and aggressive feel. This bold design language clearly targets young consumers, forming a sharp contrast with the conservative design of traditional compact family sedans.

The side profile is a highlight of the MG5’s design. The fastback silhouette outlines a smooth roofline, presenting the car in a dynamic posture, ready to sprint at any moment.

Dimension-wise, the MG5 is 4715mm long, 1842mm wide, and 1473mm high, with a wheelbase of 2680mm. These are mainstream dimensions in the compact sedan class, but the 1842mm width is relatively outstanding among peers, ensuring good interior lateral space.

The rear design is relatively simple but does not sacrifice the sporty feel, maintaining consistency with the overall design language.

Overall, the exterior design of the MG5 successfully communicates a sporty, youthful brand character, which aligns with the MG car brand’s strategy to reshape its image. For consumers tired of the conservative design of traditional family sedans, the MG5’s exterior is undoubtedly the first magnet that attracts them to stop and look.

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3. Interior and Tech Features: Smart Experience Under Pragmatism

Inside the MG5 cabin, the interior design also revolves around a youthful and sporty theme. The red and black two-tone interior color scheme ignites driving desire, while the overall layout balances practicality and technology.

In terms of materials, cost constraints do mean there are some hard plastics, but through clever detailing, it doesn’t feel strongly cheap.

Tech features are another highlight of the MG5. The entry-level version is equipped with a 10.25-inch central touchscreen. While it does not support built-in connectivity, it fully supports mainstream smartphone integration solutions like CarPlay, CarLife, HUAWEI HiCar, and Carlink.

This means that even with the base version, the smartphone extension experience is guaranteed. The higher-spec version upgrades to a 12.3-inch central screen and supports built-in connectivity, allowing the use of built-in online navigation and more smart services.

The steering wheel only supports up-and-down adjustment, which is a minor regret in this class. However, the multifunction steering wheel is standard, ensuring basic operational convenience.

The instrument cluster uses a combination of traditional analog dials and a digital display, providing intuitive and clear information reading. Higher trims upgrade to a full digital instrument cluster for a stronger tech feel.

For comfort features, the MG5 offers automatic air conditioning, rear air vents (higher trims), keyless entry, and a one-start start system. It’s slightly regrettable that even on higher-spec models, comfort features like heated seats are still missing, which might not be user-friendly for customers in colder regions.

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4. Performance: Two Choices for Different Needs

The MG5 offers two powertrain choices to meet the needs of different consumer groups. The base version is equipped with a 1.5L naturally aspirated engine, producing a maximum power of 95kW and maximum torque of 158N·m, paired with a CVT transmission.

The advantages of this powertrain lie in its smoothness and fuel economy, with a fuel consumption of only 6.38L per 100km, suitable for users who mainly commute in the city and focus on economy.

Consumers with higher power demands can opt for the 1.5T turbocharged version. This engine uses ePower Control electric turbo technology and a small-inertia turbo with an electrically controlled bypass valve, delivering a maximum power of 133kW (approx. 181 hp) and a peak torque of 285N·m.

Paired with a 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission, this powertrain gives the MG5 genuine sporty capability, with fuel consumption controlled at 6.45L per 100km, achieving a good balance between power and economy.

In actual driving, the 1.5T version of the MG5 does provide satisfying push-back-in-the-seat acceleration, especially in mid-to-high-speed range acceleration. One owner shared in a review: “The 1.5T has enough power, the dual-clutch is tuned smoothly, step hard on the accelerator, and the push-back feeling comes instantly, overtaking in the city is easy.”

However, some users mentioned that “the start is a bit slow, the later stage picks up,” suggesting the MG5’s power tuning might focus more on mid-range acceleration.

For the chassis, the MG5 uses a combination of front MacPherson strut independent suspension and a rear torsion beam non-independent suspension, a common setup for compact sedans.

The tuning is clearly sport-oriented, with good road feel and support, but it feels slightly harsh when filtering out bumps. The addition of an XDS curve dynamic control system improves cornering limits, making the MG5 more stable in corners.

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5. Space and Practicality: Practical Considerations Within a Sporty Design

Although the MG5’s exterior design emphasizes sportiness, it doesn’t completely sacrifice practicality. The 4715mm length and 2680mm wheelbase provide basic assurance for interior space.

However, affected by the fastback shape, rear headroom might be slightly cramped for taller passengers. One owner confirmed this in a comment: “The MG5, as an A-segment coupe sedan, has less space than I expected!”

The trunk capacity reaches 578 liters, a good figure for a compact sedan, meeting daily family needs. The rear seats support a 60/40 split fold, further expanding storage flexibility, although the lack of a 40/20/40 split does limit practicality to some extent.

The interior storage space is well designed, with sufficient storage compartments on the door panels and center console area for placing personal items. The car provides multiple USB ports, but the lack of a charging port in the rear is a point of complaint for some users, a minor regret for those who frequently carry multiple passengers.

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6. Global Market Performance and Competitors

The MG5 is part of a global strategy model, reflecting the maturity of the strategy behind Chinese cars for sale. The MG car brand, leveraging SAIC Motor’s global resources and production capacity, is accelerating its internationalization.

In the first quarter of 2025, MG achieved 78,505 new vehicle registrations in Europe, a year-on-year increase of 33.5%, proving the growing acceptance of this originally British, now Chinese-owned brand in the global market.

In terms of competitors, the MG5 mainly faces off against sporty compact sedans like the Geely Binrui COOL and Trumpchi Empow.

Compared to these rivals, the MG5’s core competitive advantage lies in its more affordable price, and the gradually established global image and after-sales network of the MG car brand.

From a broader perspective, the landscape of Chinese cars for sale is changing, shifting from reliance on the Russian market in previous years to diversified development.

From January to September 2025, Mexico became the top destination for Chinese automobile exports with 410,739 units, and the UAE ranked second with 367,796 units. This market diversification strategy lays the foundation for the global sales of models like the MG5.

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7. Verdict: Is It Worth Buying?

Overall, the MG5 truly offers an impressive value proposition in the compact sedan market. It possesses:

• A bold, youthful exterior design
• Two powertrain choices, especially the excellent performance of the 1.5T version
• Rich tech features supporting mainstream smartphone integration
• Space that exceeds its price point
• A highly competitive price advantage

Of course, it also has some compromises, mainly including:

• Rear headroom affected by the fastback shape
• Noticeable tire noise at high speeds
• Traces of cost-cutting in interior materials
• Lack of some comfort features

So, is the MG5 the best value compact sedan of 2024? If you are a young consumer on a limited budget but pursuing individuality and focusing on driving pleasure, then the MG5 is definitely one of the most worthwhile options to consider.

The experience it provides in design, power, and technology truly surpasses the value its price tag might suggest. Ultimately, the MG5 is not just a product; it is a microcosm of the globalization strategy behind Chinese cars for sale, representing how cars from China are winning global consumer recognition with high value and innovative design.

If you are considering buying an MG5, it is recommended to prioritize the 1.5T version. Without significantly increasing fuel consumption, it provides significantly more abundant power experience, better reflecting the MG5’s sporty positioning.

No matter which version you choose, the MG5 promises an ownership experience that exceeds expectations at its accessible price point, making it a key model among MG cars for sale.