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Affordable sports sedans are a rarity these days.
Since the demise of Ford and then Holden almost a decade ago, Australian fast-car fans on a shoestring budget have been forced into hot hatches, hot-rodded SUVs and even performance-oriented pickups.
But there are still a handful of fast four-doors available for under 50 grand, including the newest arrival by an unlikely entrant in the MG7.
Here are seven things we like about the new MG7.
Affordable sports sedans are rare
One thing’s for sure: MG isn’t going after Uber drivers and rental fleets with another whitegoods on wheels with the release of its all-new MG7.
Instead, it has tapped into the brand’s British roots and revived the kind of everyday fun that made it famous with models like the MGB.
Available in a single, top-of-the-line Essence specification and priced from $44,990 before on-road costs, the MG7 has only a handful of legitimate rivals.
These include the Hyundai i30 Sedan N Line (priced from $42,500 before on-roads), the related Kia K4 GT-Line (from $43,790 plus on-roads), and the Skoda Octavia RS (from $58,490 plus ORCs).
Stylish exterior design
From any angle, the MG7 is a good-looking machine with its swoopy fastback roofline and the flowing creases in its bodywork.
It is well proportioned too, measuring 4884mm long and riding on a 2778mm wheelbase, yet it stands just 1447mm tall at its highest point.
The front-end design is clearly recognisable as an MG with its gaping front grille, while the rear-end has a muscular appearance with (albeit fake) twin exhaust outlets on either side of a lower diffuser area, and a technical light bar that stretches across the width of the boot lid.
And it all comes together nicely with large BMW-esque triple five-spoke alloy wheels that fill the guards and are wrapped in Michelin tyres.
Striking interior
That good-looking theme is carried over into the MG7’s cabin, which is easily the most purposeful and best-presented in the new age of MG.
For starters, it looks both clean and classy, yet it features some interesting and sporty touches like the asymmetrical arrowhead trim highlight at the front of the lower console, which houses a fighter jet-style starter button, as well as a console of haptic buttons on the side of the digital instrument cluster, and a button on the steering wheel to activate X-mode.
It’s a pleasant place to be, with elements that keep surprising you, but the fundamentals are all done well too.
There are comfortable and supportive front seats that sit nice and low, a squared-off three-spoke steering wheel with paddle shifters that can be adjusted to sit in just the right spot, and plenty of headroom in the front – even with a full-length glass sunroof.
Those in the back have sculpted support in the outboard seats, and a decent amount of legroom, but the sloping roofline does limit headroom for taller passengers.
The 375-litre boot isn’t huge compared to other sedans, but the power-operated liftback does make it easy to access and to load larger items into.
Loaded with tech
The MG7 not only looks the part, but it also comes loaded with the latest in digital conveniences and technology.
Housed within its twin 12.3-inch displays is a digital instrument cluster that projects all the critical information in a logical layout, with a multi-function centre section that can be tailored to display vehicle info, audio tracks, and even sat-nav map data and directions.
The graphics change between driving modes, transitioning the road and engine speed bar graphs between concave and convex arrowheads in normal and X modes respectively. It looks cool.
And there’s even more driver-centric info available in the 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, including a spiderweb graph that allows users to adjust a myriad of functions – from the electronic limited-slip differential, throttle map and electric power steering weight, to the sports exhaust note and electronically controlled adaptive dampers – to tailor the driving character of the car.
Naturally, it also features embedded sat-nav, Bluetooth connectivity, DAB+ digital radio, wireless smartphone mirroring for Apple and Android devices, and a 14-speaker Bose audio system.
On top of all that, MG7 owners can access their vehicle remotely via the MG iSmart app, with a free subscription for the first 12 months.
Big on safety
While the MG7 undeniably prioritises driving enjoyment, it doesn’t ignore the rest of the world – neither inside nor outside – and comes equipped with a comprehensive suite of advanced safety systems under the banner of MG Pilot.
Among the plethora of functions, it has autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, forward and reverse collision warnings, driver attention monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, and a 360-degree parking display.
The cabin features seven airbags, including a centre airbag between the front-seat occupants to limit head clash in the event of a side impact, as well as ISOFIX child restraint mounting points in the outboard rear seats.
As such, the MG7 scores a maximum five-star ANCAP rating under the latest, and most stringent, protocols from 2025.
X-factor
The MG7 has all the right mechanical ingredients for a performance sedan.
Under the bonnet, it is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 170kW of power and 380Nm of torque.
This drives the front wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel paddle shifters and an electronic limited-slip differential.
The suspension setup comprises MacPherson front struts and a multi-link rear-end, plus electronically controlled adaptive dampers, and it rides on 19-inch alloy wheels fitted with 245/40 R19 Michelin tyres.
As mentioned previously, the powertrain and chassis can be tailored through various modes – Normal, Sport and Eco – via the touchscreen on the side of the instrument cluster, and the most aggressive X Mode is accessible via a button on the steering wheel.
Or each element can be customised by the driver on the spiderweb graphic on the infotainment screen.
It’s fun to drive
The sum of all these parts creates a car that is, most importantly and quite surprisingly, enjoyable to drive.
Sure, it’s not quite as hardcore – or potentially as racetrack-ready – as the Skoda Octavia RS or the dedicated N version of the Hyundai i30 Sedan, but for everyday driving the MG7 treads a nice balance between comfort and character.
In the default Normal mode it is smooth and sophisticated, offering good throttle progression that taps into the engine’s low-down torque, and seamless shifts from its automatic transmission, which together deliver effortless acceleration.
The suspension is well-sorted, the steering feels positive and the brakes have good pedal feel. It’s a nice car to just potter around in.
But, for those moments when the road starts to twist and turn and the sea of traffic disappears in front of you, it can also be a lot of fun. With X-Mode activated, there’s a noticeable – but not overly aggressive – shift in its overall character.
The exhaust valves open to deliver a richer note under load, the suspension hunkers down, the transmission holds gears for longer and shifts more quickly, and the variable-ratio steering has more weight across its arc. It’s as if the whole car tightens up a little.
It will reveal its limitations – mostly from its eco-spec Michelin tyres – when punished on a really tight section of switchback turns. But the MG7’s bones, including its long wheelbase and well-sorted chassis, are surprisingly solid and make it feel both planted and playful in equal measures.
MORE: Explore the MG7 showroom