By VJ Bacungan
The number one can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. If you’re in a queue, that means you’re the first to be served. Or if you’re an athlete, it means that you’ve won first place – the best of the best.
But for MG Philippines, One is the name of its latest model, which is striving to make a big splash in the Philippines’ highly competitive crossover segment. It was launched on Thursday at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City, with test drives and musical performances until Sunday.
The MG One continues a numerical naming tradition used by the MG5 subcompact sedan and the MG4 electric vehicle. Two variants are available: the entry-level STD and the top-spec LUX.
Sleek styling
The MG One takes its cue from the excellent MG GT sports sedan, particularly the pointy snout that emphasizes the huge front grill.
This is flanked by sleek, high-mounted LED headlights and large vents that provide a sporty flavor to the crossover. Down the side, black fender trim is used tastefully, accentuating the 18-inch alloy wheels in the STD or 19-inch alloy wheels in the LUX.
Another way to differentiate the STD and the LUX is the side mirrors – the former has body-colored caps, while the latter gets gloss-black, power-folding units.
Another neat touch that distinguishes the One from its more conservatively styled competition is the heavily flared rear fenders that emphasize the attractive upward beltline kink to the D-pillar. The standard gloss black roof paint and chrome window trim likewise provide an excellent contrast between light and darkness.
At the back, the MG One gets a steeply raked rear window for a more prominent tailgate that includes wide LED taillights and chrome trim. The LUX model also features a panoramic moonroof and roof rails.
Sophisticated cabin
Step inside the MG One and you find the most tech-oriented cabin of all the MG models sold locally.
One large panel seamlessly integrates the 7-inch digital gauge cluster and 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There is also an array of touch-type buttons that include separate controls for the climate control system (dual-zone for the LUX variant).
But the most striking parts of the One’s cabin are the flat-bottomed leather steering wheel and the eye-catching gear selector that would not look out of place controlling the engines of a Learjet.
Other business jet-like amenities include the “Leather Style” upholstery and piano-black trim, with the LUX model getting additional goodies like an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, remote engine start, and wireless smartphone charging.
Safety-wise, all models get front and side airbags, electronic stability control, cornering brake control, a reversing camera, and ISOFIX child-restraint anchors.
The LUX model adds curtain airbags, lane-departure warning and a 360-degree camera.
Strong power
Styling isn’t the only thing that the MG One shares with its svelte GT sibling.
They also have the same powerplant – a turbocharged 1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve, inline-4 gasoline engine pumping out 168 horsepower and 275 Nm of torque. But unlike the turbocharged GT Sport, all MG One variants use the carmaker’s smooth, continuously variable transmission.
All models are front-wheel drive, with MacPherson front and multilink rear suspension, and disc brakes all around. Cruise control, hill-descent control, and hill-hold control are standard.
Stellar pricing
Perhaps the biggest surprise from the MG One launch was the price.
The STD variant is P1,298,888, while the LUX model is P1,458,888. This puts MG Philippines’ newest baby in the same price range as the GAC Emkoo and the Geely Coolray, the latter being considerably smaller than the One.
And for a limited time, MG Philippines said the One will have an introductory price of just P1,223,888 for the STD and P1,390,888 for the LUX.
Will the all-new MG One be “the one” for you among the Chinese crossovers in the market today?
