The MG 7 has been approved for Australian roads, but it appears to have taken a hit in power.
The new mid-size liftback is due to arrive in local showrooms during the second half of 2025.
Government certification documents list a power output of 170kW from the MG 7’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which is mated with a nine-speed automatic transmission. These documents don’t list torque figures.
In China, MG 7s with the 2.0-litre turbo four produce 192kW and 405Nm. The liftback is also offered with a 138kW/300Nm 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine there, though this doesn’t appear to be on the table for our market.
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The 170kW output suggests the MG 7 could produce the same 370Nm of torque as MG HS mid-size SUVs equipped with a turbo 2.0-litre in markets like the UAE.
Unusually, the MG 7’s outputs vary from market to market. In the UAE, for example, it produces 184kW and 405Nm.
It’s not the only vehicle to be detuned for export markets, with MG QS large SUV producing 153kW/360Nm – down from 178kW/392Nm in the related Roewe RX9 in China.
The documents list two different MG 7 variants, both riding on 19-inch alloy wheels.
Available features in China, depending on the variant, include an electronic limited-slip differential, adaptive dampers, an adaptive three-stage electric rear wing, an augmented-reality head-up display, 14-speaker Bose sound system, 256-colour ambient lighting, and heated and power-adjustable front seats.
Inside, all MG 7s feature a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster situated in the same assembly
It’ll be the first time MG has offered a passenger car this size in Australia since it came under Chinese ownership, and is part of the brand’s expansion into new segments including utes (the U9) and large SUVs (the QS).
But MG isn’t expecting high volumes with its first mid-sizer in Australia.
“We think it will resonate well in Australia. Again, we’re not chasing Camry volume with it. It’s a performance fastback sedan that looks epic, so we believe there’s a place for it, so we’re gonna have a go,” MG Motor Australia chief commercial officer Giles Belcher told CarExpert in March.
“People buy sedans if they’re, I suppose, practical enough for them. Or the flipside is, are they design cool? We believe ours is practical and design cool.”
The number of combustion-powered medium-to-large passenger cars offered in Australia by mass-market brands has shrunk dramatically in recent years.
There are now just five: the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Skoda Octavia and Superb, and Toyota Camry.
Various other models have been discontinued both locally and in many cases globally in recent years. These include the Ford Mondeo, Mazda 6, Peugeot 508, and Volkswagen Passat and Arteon.