2023 MG GT Sport Review | Philkotse Philippines

Coming into 2023, the local sports sedan market is becoming more active with the arrival of more entries. One of which is the MG GT, a compact-sized sedan that joins the small sedan category.

MG GT Sport

On paper, the top-of-the-line MG GT Sport brings promising features for those who want to own a sports sedan without breaking the bank. So we decided to take the vehicle for a spin to see whether it is a worthy choice for buyers in the growing sports sedan pool.

Read on to find out our full review of the 2023 MG GT Sport.

The moment the vehicle was delivered to my doorstep, the Nuclear Yellow exterior paint already grabbed my attention. As I came closer to the unit, the sharp character lines from the front to the back exuded a sense of sportiness right off the bat.

It features a sporty appeal from the front to the back

Looking at the vehicle, I was somehow reminded of Maserati. It probably had something to do with the similar fish-like front fascia. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing, I will leave it up to you. Regardless, I think that the design team did a great job sculpting the vehicle, which I believe would appeal to young Filipino car buyers especially considering its competitive pricing.

Out of the cars I’ve reviewed so far, the MG GT is the favorite among my family and friends in terms of design. They even fancied the interior layout, which we will get into more in the latter part of this review. I think that the Nuclear Yellow also influenced their judgment so I commend MG Philippines for bringing this color option.

17-inch alloy wheels

I knew from the get-go that the MG GT has compact sedan dimensions but I didn’t expect it to be close to the segment favorite, the Honda Civic. While the Japanese sports sedan is three millimeters longer, the MG GT is 40mm wider and 65mm taller. These numbers translated to a good interior room.

I find that the MG GT is the sportiest looking among the current roster of compact sedans in the market, including the recently introduced GAC Empow.

The first thing I noticed when I got into the interior is the low-riding vista. It is perfect for those who are looking for a sporty driving experience such as myself. This is further complemented by the Dynamic Driving Management on the digital gauge cluster, which displays information such as the vehicle’s torque, power, braking, acceleration, and G force meter.

Interior of MG GT

My favorite part of the interior is the dashboard layout, with the standard 10-inch infotainment touchscreen facing toward me. It also comes with this jewel-like pattern that runs the width of the dash, a design detail that can also be seen in the 17-inch alloys. Talk about design continuity.

In terms of interior space, you get close to a compact sedan room for the price of a small car. That said, the average Filipino should never have issues in terms of leg and headroom, with the driver getting a 6-way power adjustable seat with lumbar support.

The seats get red accents

While the front and rear seats do feel comfortable, they make squeaking sounds, especially if you are not wearing smooth, silk-like shorts or pants. But I didn’t mind this as much as it is offset by the eye-pleasing interior design that comes with a driver-centric layout.

One of the interior amenities that I liked is the electronic sunroof, which comes standard across the model’s two variants. The shade comes with small slits that allow minimal sunlight to enter the cabin. And when I need to fully open the glass, the shade slides back easily and the controls are easy to use.

Although I didn’t feel like the MG GT was tech-heavy, I felt like it had enough to entertain not only myself but also my passengers. The integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the standard 10-inch infotainment touchscreen alone makes the sedan more enticing as other Chinese cars don’t offer these smartphone connectivity features.

10-inch head unit

It was easy to use as well and was relatively responsive. The touchscreen’s interface didn’t give me a hard time scrolling through them. Plus, the use of tactile buttons made navigation through the headunit easier.

The floating-type infotainment touchscreen transforms into the live feed of the 360-degree camera. One comment I have is that the 3D display for the 360-degree view camera is quite extra warped. It is also a bit slow when switching between camera views but nonetheless, I think that it would do just fine for any type of parking maneuvers.

12.3-inch virtual cluster

As I mentioned earlier, the 12.3-inch virtual cluster with a 7-inch LCD display gave a sense of sportiness on the go. The interface was easy to understand even for drivers who will get into the car for the first time. It also felt immersive, especially when driving spiritedly.

Moving to the safety department, I had the confidence driving the MG GT as it felt planted on the ground thanks to loads of stability features such as an Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Cornering Brake Control (CBC). It is also equipped with a Lane Departure Warning (LDW), which made my highway drives more convenient.

Electric sunroof

A feature that would’ve made my highway driving even better is adaptive cruise control. The vehicle only comes standard with cruise control, which can be controlled using a stalk behind the steering wheel. Maybe the automaker was telling me to enjoy the performance instead of letting the vehicle move by technology.

Speaking of performance, the MG GT Sport is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine capable of delivering 159 horsepower and 250 Nm of torque. In contrast, the base Alpha variant uses a 1.5-liter naturally-aspirated engine good for 112 horsepower and 150 Nm of torque.

1.5-liter turbo engine

The engine sends power to the front wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), which can be controlled by the paddle shifters. What I can say is that the gearbox shifts smoothly as I barely remember shift shocks during my time with the car. I also liked how I didn’t have a jerky riding experience on relatively low cruising speeds due to turbo lag.

On highway speeds, the turbo lag was quite significant, with the car compensating by revving the engine high as I was building speed. But once the turbo kicked in, I could feel the power so much that I had to lift my foot off the pedal from time to time. One factor I believe that helped give a spirited drive is the lightweight feel of the car. Of course, it wasn't a high-performance type but still impressive for its price point.

The MG GT has a driver-centric front row

Despite the sporty nature of the MG GT, the steering, suspension, and ride leaned on the comfort side. The steering wasn’t too light to the point that it lost its sporty feel. This was the same case for the suspension as it drove past rough roads and potholes without much discomfort.

Another not-so-aggressive part of the driving characteristic was acceleration. While the power delivery wasn’t instant, the car builds up speed smoothly and exponentially, providing a comfortable ride.

In city driving, the MG GT Sport returned 9.3 km/l while driving at an average speed of 20 km/h. In comparison to other sedans that also use 1.5-liter turbo engines, the Honda Civic and GAC Empow registered around 9 km/l  and 8.6 km/l, respectively, on our fuel eco runs.

Meanwhile, on the highway, the MG GT Sport got 19.2 km/l while driving at an average speed of 80 km/h. I got a little too excited with the performance so I wasn’t able to clock a consistent cruising speed. I believe I would’ve gotten around 21 km/l if I kept the revs on a low.

I had the privilege of driving all three sports sedans mentioned in this review, namely the MG GT, GAC Empow, and Honda Civic. What I can say is that the MG GT, despite the relatively affordable pricing, is a bang for your buck. It doesn’t feel cheap, visually and driving-wise. Plus, you get to own a sedan that can provide a comfortable ride on weekdays.

A great entry from the British-bred automaker

So if your budget isn’t Honda Civic or GAC Empow money, the MG GT would suffice for your performance-oriented mobility needs. MG Philippines is offering the MG GT Sport for Php 1,193,888. That is Php 581,112 and Php 154,112 less than the flagship models of the Civic and Empow, respectively.

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