MG GT: A lot of car for the price

In today's automotive world of crossover vehicles, which are now literally available in all shapes and sizes, vehicles that were previously offered in the subcompact sedan segment are slowly being ticked off from production by car manufacturers. The result is that this segment is slowly becoming a dying category of automobile vehicles in many parts of the world.

Take the iconic Lancer from Mitsubishi, for example. The last unit sold in Bangladesh was years ago. Even the Allion and Premio series from Toyota have now met the same fate, since 2021, and thus will not be available in the grey market after 2026. 

Thus, we were quite surprised when MG Bangladesh introduced two new subcompact sedans, the MG GT and the MG GT Turbo. But given the recent price increase in popular JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) vehicles, it was an opportune moment for MG to launch a budget-friendly sedan in Bangladesh.

The MG GT, as the name suggests, is a sporty sedan designed with automotive enthusiasts in mind. This became apparent when we received our review unit from MG Bangladesh. The car's front end features a prominent grille that dominates the bumper and proudly displays the MG badge at its centre, showcasing the global success of modern MG vehicles.

With its bold curves, sleek grey finish complimenting the blacked-out grille, projection headlights with distinctive LED daytime running lights, and a complete absence of chrome accents, the GT stands out as the most aggressive-looking sedan in its category. It also boasts 17-inch sporty diamond-cut alloy wheels wrapped in Maxxis Premitras tires.

The same sporty styling is carried out in the rear. The LED taillights with their distinctive styling give the GT its own unique identity. It even comes with a diffuser-looking kit at the bottom which, I'm almost certain, is mostly to spice up the look of the vehicle. It's much less sophisticated from the front. 

Members of Team Wheels agree with the fact that the rear of the car could easily be made less bulky to go with the extremely aggressive front end of the car.

The exciting exterior designs get carried over to the interior as well, which becomes evident the moment one gets inside the cabin. The MG GT offers vegan leather power seats as standard. The front two seats are made to look like sporty semi-bucket seats, to hold the driver tight, which can be really comfortable during long rides. 

Like the exterior, the interior is also kept minimalistic overall. The dash gets a unique hexagon design to hide the AC vents, boasting a near-clean experience with exactly seven physical buttons at the centre of the dash below the 10-inch infotainment system. 

The infotainment system boasts a minimalistic user interface and offers wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, which is expected in modern infotainment systems. It also serves as the control hub for various vehicle functions, including driving modes, stability control, and the assistance system. Additionally, it provides access to a 360-degree panoramic camera.

However, accessing the AC interface through the infotainment system is somewhat cumbersome, and could have been designed more intuitively. There's also a separate 7-inch display used for the instrument cluster.

The rear seats have adequate space for three average-sized Bangladeshi passengers with minimal bulge of the transmission tunnel. There's ample headroom and legroom and the sunroof adds to the 'openness' of the interior as well. 

The rear passengers could benefit from a central armrest but MG compensated for that with the rear AC vent and with the extremely convenient USB port underneath. There are two more USB ports in the front as well.

All in all, the interior of the car gets all the basics right for a 2023 sedan. To be fair, the lack of soft-touch materials and the actual quality of the plastics up front weren't the best in class, but good enough to get the job done.

The MG GT is marketed as a sports sedan and offered with two engine variants – 1500cc non-turbo and 1500cc turbo. The former is the one being reviewed today and is the base variant of the GT lineup. Paired with a continuously variable transmission, the engine puts out 112 horsepower and 150 Nm of torque.

Taking the car out for a spin, we never felt this variant to be underpowered. It could easily keep up with the regular traffic cars, although nothing exceptional. However, what makes it different from the mundane traffic is its ability to turn heads with its aggressive look and vibrant colours. 

The engine is able to make a little more power with the 8-speed manual feature, which can be useful during overtakes. Given the Thursday traffic, however, we weren't able to push the car to reach triple-digit speed at the time of review. 

The one thing that was great about driving the MG GT is its handling capacity. The ride is somewhat stiff with minimal body roll, which although compromising the ride comfort a little, makes the GT an amazing car to handle at high speeds. The brakes were decent for a car its size as well.

In regular traffic, where this car will mostly be driven in Bangladesh, the viewing angles are great and the 'Auto-Hold' feature comes in handy during this time. Besides, the 360-degree panoramic camera will make it very convenient to manoeuvre the car in tight spaces.

The MG GT is available brand new at a starting price of Tk36 lakh without registration at MG Bangladesh. It's an extremely well-balanced car in terms of features, specifications and styling. 

In the local market, where dealership-offered sedans are relatively limited, the MG GT faces competition from grey market imports. However, the GT presents a compelling option given its price point. 

If you're looking to make a statement on the road and prioritise performance, design, and features over having the most premium interior, the MG GT, especially in vibrant colours, offers excellent value worth consideration.

Specification: 

Engine: NSE Major 1.5L

Transmission: CVT with 8-speed tiptronic

Power: 112 bhp

Torque: 150 Nm

Price: Tk36 lakh