MG Extender Reviews

Can you have too much of a good thing? Australians love utes and in recent years we’ve seen more and more brands look to capitalise on that, but it may not be a case of the more the merrier.

MG might have only been a popular mainstream brand for a few years, but the bullish carmaker is intent on being a top-three brand in Australia quite soon.

MG promises its upcoming ute will be suited to Australian conditions.

MG to launch boxy off-road SUV - but will it challenge GWM's Tank 300 or aim for lifestyle buyers?

The Ford Ranger is undergoing an evolution that will see Australia’s best-selling vehicle grow in size as well as scope, as it fends off the coming Toyota HiLux facelift and all-new rivals like the Kia Tasman, MG U9 and next-gen Nissan Navara. These are new niche programs and models that should shore up the current T6.2 architecture’s viability into the next decade for Australia.

MG will continue to sell the previous-generation ZST in Australia alongside the freshly launched second-gen version of the ZS small SUV.The plan is to ensure MG still captures buyers at the most affordable end of the new car market as some of its newer generation models have increased in price.The new ZS range landed in November 2024 in hybrid guise and has since expanded to include naturally aspirated (NA) petrol and turbo-petrol grades. Pricing ranges from $26,990 drive-away for the Excite up to $40,217 drive-away for the Hybrid+ Essence.At the moment, the ZST Vibe is available for just $23,888, drive-away, which makes it the most affordable SUV available in Australia right now.However, this is only temporary and the keen pricing will end by April 30.The ZST’s limited drive-away price undercuts a number of affordable small SUV rivals, including the recently launched Chery Tiggo 4 Pro which at $23,990, drive-away, was the cheapest SUV on the market from launch.It also beats the Suzuki Ignis which is $24,490, drive-away, the Kia Stonic from $25,660, before on-road costs, and the Hyundai Venue from $22,750, before on-road costs, but that’s for the manual.Given on-road costs can add up to $3000 to the cost of a car, the MG is the cheapest.Those rivals are also a size smaller than the ZST and compete in the light SUV segment. Direct small SUV competitors that can’t match the MG ZST price include the GWM Haval Jolion (from $26,990, drive-away), the Chery Omoda 5 (from $27,990, drive-away) and the recently discontinued Mitsubishi ASX (from $26,240, drive-away).This isn’t the first time MG Motor Australia has offered two versions of the same model at the same time.When the first-gen ZS facelift launched back in 2020, it was dubbed the ZST to differentiate it from the original ZS, which remained on sale all the way up until the arrival of the second-gen car late last year.Back then the ZS was the cheap and cheerful option for those that didn’t want to stretch to the ZST.When asked by CarsGuide how long the ZST would remain on sale alongside the new ZS, MG Motor Australia CEO Peter Ciao said, “This is up to the market.”Ciao added the company adopted the same strategy as the ZS to ZST plan from a few years back, based on the principle that “people need a good, affordable priced car”.He said due to the cost of living crisis and lack of significant movement on interest rates, it was important to ensure MG still offered its buyers affordable options.The MG ZST Vibe is powered by a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine delivering 84kW/150Nm, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) driving the front wheels.It comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, six-speaker audio, 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen with built-in sat-nav and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, manually-adjustable synthetic leather front seats, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and an extensive list of standard safety features.

Chinese carmaker MG unveiled its new flagship three-row family SUV at the Melbourne Motor Show last week as part of its plan to be a top three brand in Australia by the end of the decade.Lining up at 4983mm long, 1967mm wide and 1788mm tall, the seven-seat SUV will compete against well-established segment leaders in the Ford Everest, Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota Kluger when it lands in showrooms by the middle of the year.With a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine delivering 153kW/360Nm to two or all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission, the QS won’t trump its rivals on the headline figures, though it is poised to significantly undercut them on price.Positioned above the mid-sized HS, which starts at $33,990, drive-away, the QS is expected to start closer to the $45,000 mark, making it roughly $10,000 cheaper than its Ford, Hyundai and Toyota equivalents, all of which are priced before on-road costs.The three-grade QS line-up, consisting of the Vibe, Excite and Essence variants, will carry standard features such as 20-inch alloy wheels, dual 12.3-inch screens for multimedia, digital driver’s display functions and heated front seats.A range-topping Essence variant will carry larger 21-inch alloys, a premium 12-speaker Bose sound system, four-wheel drive with drive mode selection, memory seats and a large panoramic sunroof.An additional plug-in hybrid powertrain is expected to join the range further down the track. It will downsize its engine to a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol unit, but add a 24.7kWh battery pack and a single electric motor. Power and torque outputs will subsequently rise to 220kW/350Nm.The QS was one of six new MG models, including the luxury IM5 sedan and IM6 SUV models, revealed at the Melbourne Motor Show last weekend.

MG locks in a dual-cab ute for Australia.

The long-awaited replacement for the top-selling MG ZS EV has been detailed ahead of its imminent arrival in Australian showrooms.Dubbed the MGS5 EV, the new small EV replaces the affordable ZS EV that sold in significant numbers for the Chinese giant. Interested buyers can register their interest now and the new model will go on sale in May.MG is yet to confirm pricing for the MGS5 EV, but it is expected to be more expensive than the model it replaces. Earlier this year in runout the ZS EV was down to $36,888 drive-away for both model grades, but the regular pricing started around $45,000 drive-away.MG also has the mechanically-related MG4 small hatchback in its stable which is priced from about $41,000 drive-away. But being an SUV, the MGS5 EV is expected to also be popular with buyers.In Australia the MGS5 EV will be offered in two battery sizes and two distinct model grades, meaning there are four options for buyers. The battery sizes are 49kWh and 62kWh, with the Excite and Essence spec available for both.According to MG, the WLTP driving range for the 49kWh is 340Km for the Excite and 335km for the Essence. While the 62kWh offers 430km in Excite and 425km in Essence guise.Energy efficiency is rated between 16.6 to 17.7kWh/100km, which is not far off the outgoing ZS EV.The 0-100km/h time ranges from 8.0 to 8.6 seconds, depending on the grade.The rear-wheel drive EV has a motor that pumps out 125kW/250Nm and it offers one pedal driving with three levels of regenerative braking.It has a 6.6kW onboard charger and can boost the battery from 30 to 80 per cent in 19 minutes on a fast charger, according to MG. The maximum DC charging on the 49kWh is 120kW increasing to 150kW for the 62kWh.The MGS5 EV is larger in most dimensions than the ZS EV, except for height. But the 2730mm wheelbase is 145mm longer than the old EV. It also has a thin battery to liberate more room inside.Standard gear in the Excite grades includes 17-inch alloy wheels, fabric seats, manually adjustable seats, single zone climate control, keyless entry and start, vehicle-to-load functionality, 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, heated door mirrors, four-speaker audio, 12.8-inch multimedia screen with DAB+ digital radio, wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and sat nav.The Essence adds a wireless device charger, voice control, a six-speaker audio, rear privacy glass, rain-sensing wipers, panoramic power sunroof, leather steering wheel, synthetic leather/cloth seats, power adjustable driver’s seat, heated steering wheel, power tailgate, and 18-inch alloys.

MG has kicked off its massive new-model rollout in Australia, confirming it will rip the covers from some crucial fresh metal at this weekend’s Melbourne Motor Show.