The MG5, which was launched earlier this month, has been attacked by a rival carmaker in unprecedented fashion, at least in Malaysia. The rival, which sells a sedan in the same price bracket as the MG5 (RM86,900 with intro offer), has released material that explicitly names the new entrant, and the chosen area of attack is safety.
In its official social media posts, the OEM points out its own safety credentials while urging consumers to not accept anything less. This puts the spotlight on the MG5’s unflattering zero-star rating in the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).
Here’s the context. Crash tested last year by ANCAP, the MG5 scored 37% in Adult Occupant Protection and 13% in Safety Assist, making it ineligible for any more than zero stars. The budget sedan (starts from the equivalent of RM72,199 in Australia) scored high enough for only two stars in Vulnerable Road User Protection (42%) and Child Occupant Protection (58%).
SAIC Motor Malaysia has not reacted to the ‘heat’ on social media, but we now have a response. According to head of marketing Phang Rick Kee, the MG5 sold in Malaysia is not of the same spec as the car tested by ANCAP.
He explained that the Australian-market MG5 is a base model that’s CBU imported from China, and the car tested by ANCAP was not equipped with pre-tensioner seatbelts. Malaysia gets the MG5 from Thailand, and the cars are specified with pre-tensioner seatbelts. Also on our car are six airbags and the MG Pilot suite that includes blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, lane change assist and rear collision warning. No AEB, though.
The purpose of the pre-tensioner is to ensure that the seatbelts fit tightly against the occupant’s body in a crash. With no ‘slack’, one gets the maximum protection benefit of the front airbags and it also helps prevent the body from ‘submarining’, which is sliding away, under the seatbelt. As you can imagine, this is a vital feature.
Indeed, in December 2023, MG Motor Australia announced a series of safety changes designed to improve the MG5’s crash-test performance. The list includes seatbelt pre-tensioners on all five seats plus dynamic load tensioners (seatbelt pre-tensioners were only on the front seats, and only for the top variant), lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition and a more advanced AEB system.
It remains to be seen if the MG5 will be crash tested again by ANCAP, or if its local handlers will send the sedan to ASEAN NCAP. What’s more certain is that moving forward, SAIC Motor would be chasing for a high rating to put to bed any doubts on the crashworthiness of its cars.
Sized like a Civic, the boldly-styled MG5 has a default B-segment powertrain (114 PS/150 Nm 1.5L NA with CVT) and pricing that undercuts the highest variants of the Honda City and Toyota Vios. The CBU Thai import has a RRP of RM93,900 on-the-road before insurance, but an intro offer pulls the price down to RM86,900. Kit that are unique to the B-segment include a powered sunroof and six-way powered driver’s seat. Our full launch report here.
GALLERY: MG5 Malaysia launch
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AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments highlight concerns over the safety features of the Malaysian-market MG5, especially noting that the CBU Thai model with seatbelt pre-tensioners is different from the Australian version, which was rated zero stars by ANCAP. Many emphasize that the base model sold in Australia lacked basic safety features like pre-tensioners, raising questions about safety standards for Malaysian models. There’s criticism of the brand for allegedly selling outdated or unsafe variants and accusations of cost-cutting and poor safety testing. Some defend the model, suggesting that safety ratings shouldn't be the sole basis for purchase, while others call for transparency and demand that MG Malaysia disclose the actual safety ratings and specifications. Overall, the comments reveal skepticism and concern over safety and authenticity of the car’s features.