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
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
FF
on 
FrankC
on 
Dah Menang Semua
on 
Dingo
on 
Chai
on 
Nadia
on 
YG
on 
davenport
on 
abcd
on 
Haha…
on 
LAT
on 
newme
on 
Paperworks
on 
Flybuds
on 
Auk
on 
ROTI CANAI
on 
ioma
on 
LMQTU
on 
Wireless
on 
Ben Yap
on 
Phaser
on 
ChinaCarFans
on 
K-Car
on 
Sohai
on 
mystvearn
on 
Dong gor
on 
Vipz
on 
Ding ding
on 
Megat
on 
Drivingdriver
on 
NINA
on 
Fits
on 
Ruslan Bahari
on 
Eazy
on 
Vono
on 
Kurious Worm
on 
Salleh Bhai
on 
Bacs
on 
BanyakOrangSudahGila
on 
opmanmy
on 
Kea Was
on 
kilimanjaro
on 
antiJunkChinacars
on 
AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments focus heavily on the safety aspects of the MG5, criticizing the zero-star ANCAP rating and safety features like seatbelt pre-tensioners. Many express disappointment that the Malaysian version may lack safety upgrades present in the Australian model, raising concerns about consumer safety and transparency from SAIC. There is criticism of China-made cars generally, with calls for mandatory ASEAN NCAP testing before launch. Some comments highlight the importance of safety features, with frustration over the omission of auto-braking and pre-tensioners, and questions about the car’s actual safety ratings. The discussion also touches on brand perceptions, pricing, and the disparity between different markets, emphasizing the need for better safety standards and testing transparency for Malaysian consumers.