With 41% of drivers open to switching brands, MG sees its seven-seat SUV as a way to win buyers from established makes
MG Motor UK is pitching its MGS9 plug-in hybrid at families squeezed by rising prices, citing data showing median new-car prices up 58% in ten years against a 2% rise in household disposable income. The seven-seat SUV starts at £34,210 (US$45,499), under the £40,000 (US$53,200) threshold for Vehicle Excise Duty’s expensive car supplement.
In an MG-commissioned Opinion Matters poll of 2,000 UK motorists, 62% said new cars had become less affordable than a decade ago, and 46% said living costs or prices make them hesitate. Purchase price, cited by 61%, and running costs (56%) topped buying priorities, and 88% would compromise on their next car, including 41% who would switch brands.
Autotrader listings show 54% of new SUV stock priced at £40,000 or more, against 8% of MG’s. Staying under that line spares owners the supplement, worth about £2,200 (US$2,926) across five years on current rates.
The MGS9 offers 332 litres of luggage space with all seats in use, or 1,026 litres once the third row is folded, plus up to 62 miles of official electric range. David Allison, Director of Product and Planning at MG Motor UK, said families should not have to pay extra for a practical seven-seater.
The pitch comes as MG gains ground: September UK registrations rose 23.7%, almost double the market’s 12%, to a September record of 18,026, making it the fourth best-selling brand. Ahead of the Autumn Budget, the tax threshold gives value brands a clear argument in the family SUV segment.
Source: MG Motor UK
