The RX5 boasts of a premium look with clean flowing lines, a wise move considering that most of its competitors took the sporty route. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
Cebu City, Philippines – It’s new, it looks and feels premium, and it’s fast.
With that said, the Morris Garages (MG) RX5 seems to be one promising compact crossover for the Cebuano market.
Pricing will be its clearest advantage against its competitors, according to MG Cebu Sales Manager Valarie Kirsty Lu Borja.
CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
Read more: New Brit on the block: MG Cebu shows off vehicle lineup in meet and greet event
“We will really stand out with our price,” Borja said.
According to Borja, the Cebu SRP of the RX5 starts at P1,108,888 for the manual variant and P1,278,888 for the automatic.
But pricing doesn’t seem to be the only thing that stands out with the RX5.
Its looks and performance do, too.
The British-Chinese carmaker’s compact crossover boasts of a premium look with clean flowing lines in its exterior capped off with beautiful headlights with daytime running lights. This seems to be a wise move considering that most of its competitors took the sporty route.
Watch: CDN on Wheels featuring the MX5
But don’t be fooled by its tame looks.
Powering the RX5 is a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 gasoline engine that produces 166 horsepower and 250 newton meter of torque. Those are great numbers considering its compact size.
Powering the RX5 is a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 gasoline engine that produces 166 horsepower and 250 newton meter of torque. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
And here’s where the fun is at. All those power is sent to the front wheels either through a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Yup, dual-clutch transmission. It means quicker shifting for more fun in driving.
The fun continues in its interior, which hints of a Scandinavian influence. It’s elegant, simple and premium.
The dashboard layout is simple and boasts of high-grade soft-touch materials. Highlighting the dash is an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with MG iLink software and Apple CarPlay.
Other interior highlights include push start/stop button, multi-functional steering wheel and a user-friendly climate controls.
The multi-functional steering wheel of the RX5 looks classy. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
There’s really a lot to be excited about with the RX5. A lot to be excited with MG, actually.
Critics, though, will hit you with the fact that MG vehicles are made in China. Yup, China made, British heritage.
We don’t see anything wrong, especially when we got to drive the RX5 courtesy of MG Cebu located in Barangay Banilad along AS Fortuna Street in Mandaue City.
Besides, isn’t our favorite smartphone assembled in China, too?
Anyway, here are more photos to prove our point:
Dashboard layout of the RX5 is simple and materials used are of high quality. CDN Digital photo | Brin J. Ochoa
Push start/stop button adds a more premium feel in the RX5. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
The RX5’s center console is a mix of sporty and classy. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
The huge MG logo gives the RX5 a strong presence from the front. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa