MGU9 tested: double-cab fun on a budget

For over a decade now, double-cab utes have been the best selling vehicle in New Zealand. The Ford Ranger dominated sales for most of that time, with Toyota’s Hilux also upstaging it now and then. Though extremely popular, these utes share one underwhelming factor (as does the majority of the segment) — the ride quality provided by leaf spring rear suspension. 

Anyone that knows anything about these utes will know that leaves are used instead of coil spring set-ups to prioritise towing ability, and to hit that magic 3.5-tonne number that every thinks they need. And while these leaves are very good at suspending large loads, they have a tendency, when unladen, to provide an extremely fussy ride over all sorts of surfaces. 

Enter the MGU9. Now before you write this off as another Chinese vehicle attempting to steal the spotlight, it’s clear the Australasian MG team has put a lot of thought into what an everyday ute should offer. Arguably the biggest differentiating factor between this ute and the remainder of the segment is its rear suspension, which uses multilink set-up. Impressively this hasn’t come at the cost of towing ability, because it will still haul 3.5-tonnes quite happily, but instead its rated to a 870kg payload (835kg on the X, and 770kg on the Pro), which feels like a sensible trade-off. So before we dive into how it drives with its trick suspension system, let’s look at how much it costs, and what you get. 

In New Zealand, the MGU9 range starts with the Explore at $60,990. It’s powered by a 2.5-litre turbo diesel four-cylinder engine making 160kW and 520Nm. This is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and a Borg Warner four-wheel drive system. It gets an electronic rear locking differential, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a full size spare. On the inside, it uses a pair of 12.3-inch displays, one for the infotainment system, and one for the digital cluster. Wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto come standard, as does the six-speaker sound system. 

Next in the local line-up is the Explore X at $63,990. This adds 19-inch wheels and electric mirrors that are also heated. On the inside it adds a heated steering wheel and heated front seats, as well as a wireless phone charger. 

Starting from $68,990 is the Explore Pro, which is the top-spec variant. This gets 20-inch wheels, a front locking differential, and a panoramic sunroof. It also gets the fancy dual-step opening tailgate, and the smart hatch is offered as an optional extra at $6,190. This is the real talking point of the MGU9, as it allows the middle partition of the ute to be folded down, allowing access between the cabin and tray. This could come in handy if you are needing to transport long items too big for the standard tray, or are just after better indoor/outdoor flow in your ute. 

As for warranties, MG Motor New Zealand will cover the MGU9 for up to five years/unlimited mileage on the standard plan, or up to seven years/200,000km with the extended plan. 

At this price point, the MGU9 is about $5,000 more expensive than the LDV Terron 9, of which it shares a fair bit with. In saying this, the local MG team were quick to point out how much their ute differs from its LDV-badged counterpart, pointing out the added features such as the tray step and smart hatch, only offered with the MG. 

Size is one area where the MGU9 punches above its weight. It’s longer, wider, and has a bigger wheelbase than a Ford Ranger. With its squared-off styling, this makes for quite an imposing vehicle, and I have to say I’m a fan of how it looks. 

On the inside, it feels basic yet nice. Faux leather covers the majority of surfaces, and the seats feel adequate. A large, space ship-looking gear shifter takes centre stage between the seats, and gives you a “THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO” type of feeling every time you set off. 

Unfortunately, the smart hatch wasn’t fitted to any of the test vehicles we drove at the local launch, as apparently they are due on the next shipment of vehicles. The smart step however was present, and it seemed like an incredibly innovative idea perfectly executed. 

Though we recently sampled the MGU9 in Australia, the local launch was the first time we could drive it at normal speeds on a public road. Albeit a brief trip up the road to the off-road track, it gave us an opportunity to feel the multilink suspension in a scenario where it would be most-used. The result was interesting, it definitely isn’t the silver bullet to all ute ride quality woes, like the Ranger Raptor’s Fox suspension, but then again, this ute costs a third less. It’s certainly a lot more composed than some utes, which can rattle away on tarseal surfaces, but the MGU9 can still feel busy at times. Unfortunately, we didn’t get time to sample the ride quality from the rear seat during our time with the ute, where the MG team say the changes are most noticeable. It’s easily the most compliant ute over varied surfaces at its price point, which is something worth celebrating. 

Outside of the suspension, I was impressed by the level of grunt offered by the 2.5-litre engine. The launch route took us over some semi-serious off-road obstacles, and the MGU9 certainly has enough torque to pull it out of trouble. I was surprised to see a redline of 4,500rpm on the dash, and the engine did spend a fair chunk of time above the 3,000rpm mark, making quite a rev-happy mill. 

During this off-road route, we were also able to sample the various off-road modes and diff locks. These functioned exactly as intended on the serious terrain, providing a satisfying sense of confidence. 

As a whole, this MGU9 feels like a fun offering in an otherwise boring segment. MG has seemingly nailed the fundamentals of humble double-cab ute, while bringing new innovation and features that we never knew we needed. I don’t think it’s going to dethrone the Ranger or the Hilux anytime soon, but with the peace-of-mind offered by the five year warranty, I’d encourage Kiwi buyers to think outside the box, and could find themselves pleasantly surprised.