New cut-price alternative to Toyota Camry Hybrid locked in. MG's bringing back the fast, affodable petrol-powered sedan with MG7 confirmed for Australia!

MG has confirmed the MG7 sedan is headed to Australia to rival the top selling Toyota Camry.

The Chinese brand has had a change of heart after saying two years ago the MG7 would not be coming to Australia. Jump forward to 2024 and MG Australia’s senior product and strategy manager Akshat Ahuja says the vehicle is in the last stages of evaluation before it lands here.

“We are close to finalising the specifications for the Australian market, and will confirm closer to launch but we have both petrol and hybrid under evaluation for the MG7,” Mr Ahuja.

The MG7 has almost identical dimensions to the Toyota Camry measuring 4884mm end-to-end, 1889mm wide and stands 1447mm. The MG7 has a far sleeker and sportier design than the Camry thanks to its swoopy fastback body and a roofline that falls away to muscular rear haunches.

The MG7 has been on sale in China and the Middle East since its 2022 debut where it’s offered with a choice of a 132kW/300Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission or a 184kW/405Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder motor matched with a nine-speed auto. Both versions are front-wheel drive.

MG Australia also mentioned a hybrid version, which is not available overseas but could use the same plug-in hybrid set-up as the new HS SUV.

The plug-in hybrid HS combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a potent electric motor to make a combined 223kW and a new 24.7kWh battery delivers a driving range of up to 120km on pure electric power.

Local specifications for the MG7 have yet to be finalised, overseas cars come with a choice of four grades with 18- and 19-inch wheels, LED headlights and taillights, leather seats, power adjustable front seats, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, 12.3-inch media screen, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Prices haven't been announced yet wither, but MG has found success by undercutting mainstream alternatives from Japanese and Korean brands.

This isn’t the first time the world has seen an MG7. The first-generation MG7 came out in 2007 while MG was owned by the MG-Rover group before being sold to the Nanjing Automobile Corporation in 2007, which was then acquired by current owners SAIC Motor.

It’s taken SAIC several attempts to win over Australians with MG but the Chinese-owned company appears to have finally found its way into Aussie hearts with models such as the MG ZS, MG3 and MG4. In 2023 MG finished within the top 10 of best selling makes and the MG ZS was one of the top 5 selling models.    

The brand is on a roll with new product, too. MG announced an updated HS plug-in hybrid would arrive in Australia later this year and also to come will be the Cyberster roadster, a seven-seater SUV and possibly to be followed by the Cyber GT.