MGU9 – First Drive

Key Details

• MGU9 Explore $60,990
• MGU9 Explore X $63,990
• MGU9 Explore Pro $68,990
• 2.5-litre turbodiesel making 160kW and 520Nm
• 3.5 tonne braked tow rating (750kg unbraked)

Pros

• Quality interior
• Well priced
• Multilink rear suspension will give a more refined driving experience
• Great warranty

Cons

• Departure angle can be an issue if you’re serious about off-roading at 25°
• Low wading depth of 550mm

From the outside

I was a little unsure of the exterior styling of the MGU9, but it’s a ute that needs to be seen in person to fully appreciate it. Length is 5500mm (130mm longer than a Ford Ranger), it is 1997mm wide, 1874mm high and rides on a 3300mm wheelbase.

In Midnight Black, it hides the large grille, but I think it looks great in Summit Blue and Highland Green as well. A few of the wheel options include an 18-inch beadlock-inspired design. 

Being a unibody on a ladder chassis, there’s no gap between the tray and the passenger cabin so the increased rigidity will help dynamics and it keeps the side profile looking clean. The U9 has a payload of 770-870kg. The tub dimensions are 1500mm wide, 1561mm long, with four tie down points; the two at the rear of the tray are located at the bottom, while the two at the front sit above the wheel arches. There’s also a sliding rail on each side. Two work lights sit on either side of the high brake light, illuminating the rear tray.

Isn’t it just an LDV Terron 9?

MG has made several changes to differentiate the MGU9 from the LDV. 

Visual exterior changes include a different front grille and bumper and different plastic cladding on the lower doors. The two-step tailgate is electronically operated. Once lowered, pressing the second button drops the middle section, which allows you to stand closer, giving easier access to the contents in the tray. You can also fold out the step to help climb up into the tray. It also doubles as a seat with cup holders. The big party piece is the Smart Hatch, an optional extra that will be around $6000. Currently, the Smart Hatch is only available on the Pro. You can roll down the rear window or fold forward the rear seats, allowing the front of the tray to then fold inside the cabin. That gives a 400L increase in tray volume to 1600L. This then gives you 2400mm of tray length, great for surfboards, or it would make a great camper with a canopy on top.

MG has also swapped out the solid rear axle and leaf springs for a multilink setup with double wishbones in the front. MG have also enhanced the corrosion protection. One of the main mantras for the MGU9 is comfort; MG is betting its multilink set-up will give the MGU9 a superior ride quality, while still retaining a 3.5-ton towing capacity. We didn’t get to do any sealed road driving where I suspect this setup will really come into play, but it proved capable off road.

Inside the MGU9

The cabin is quite luxurious, similar to what you would find in MG’s SUV offerings. You get two 12.3-inch screens confined within one large unit. MG are still finalising exactly what options the Explore, Explore X, and Explore Pro models get. The pre-production models we drove were mostly spec’d out in Pro trim. Also on display was a MGU9 with a few aftermarket extras which looked great.

The Pro model gets heated seats front and rear with the driver also treated to ventilation and a massage function with eight settings. The interior is finished in Vegan leather. Rear leg room is decent, and there’s no transmission hump for the middle passenger to contend with. Doors are opened electronically by pushing a button. An Alcantara-type material covers the headliner. There’s plenty of storage with 32 areas to stash your stuff. There’s a digital rear view mirror, an aircraft-inspired shifter, a wireless charger, a USB-C and 2.0 and a power outlet up front. Rear occupants also get USB ports. The Pro models also gets a panoramic roof.

Under the hood

The MGU9 uses a 2.5-litre turbodiesel making 160kW and 520Nm. The LDV makes 163.5kW so this is slightly down on power for emissions purposes. It has a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission and a BorgWarner super select 4WD system, front and rear electronic diff locks and an M lock centre transfer case. You can also run the MGU9 in 2WD.

Driving the MGU9

We took the MGU9 off-road down a bumpy dirt trail. Using the Offroad Expert mode, you can make use of the HD 360 cameras, lock the front, rear and centre diffs, and choose your drive mode depending on the terrain. It also shows your angles of rotation, approach/departure angles, transmission and engine temperatures, tyre pressures and wading depth up to 550mm. It tackled a steep incline course easily, although on a steep drop off, the rear did touch down. 

If you’re really serious about off-roading, you might have trouble fitting larger rubber with the front upper steering joint being so close to the tyre. We didn’t drive the MGU9 on the road, so we’ll have to wait until it arrives later this year for our verdict on that. We did some towing with a 2260kg caravan and a 1300kg horse float (without the horses), but it’s hard to pass a verdict on how the MGU9 hauls, as we only did a short run at low speeds.

How much does the MGU9 cost?

• MGU9 Explore from $60,990
• MGU9 Explore X from $63,990
• MGU9 Explore Pro from $68,990

The LDV Terron 9, for comparison, is priced from $59,990.

MGU9 Explore standard features

• 160kW / 520Nm 2.5-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine
• Eight-speed automatic transmission with four-wheel drive
• 3.5-ton braked towing capacity (750kg unbraked)
• 870kg payload
• 220mm ground clearance
• 550mm wading depth
• Wading sensor
• Double wishbone front suspension
• Multi-link independent rear suspension
• Rear-locking differential
• 18-inch wheels
• Full-size spare
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Digital radio
• Dual-zone climate control
• Rear air vents
• LED Headlights
• Keyless entry with push-button start
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Steering wheel paddle shifters
• 7 years or 200,000km warranty
• Euro NCAP five-star safety rating
• Bosch ESP 9.3 with vehicle dynamic control
• Traction control
• Automatic emergency braking
• Blind Sport Detection
• Driver Monitor System
• Forward Collision Warning
• Rear Collision Warning
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Emergency Lane Keep Assist
• Intelligent Cruise Assist
• Blind Sport Detection
• Lane Departure Warning System
• Lane Keep Assist
• Lane Change Assist
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Autonomous Emergency Braking
• MG i SMART
• MG Pilot
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto
• HD 360 cameras
• Multifold rear seat

MGU9 Explore X adds

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• 835kg payload capacity
• 2 rear tray lights
• Surround-view monitor
• Folding side mirrors
• Tub cargo slide rails with hooks
• Heated steering wheel
• Heated front seats
• Six-way power-adjustable front passenger seat
• Acoustic front windscreen
• Satellite navigation
• Wireless smartphone charger
• MG Connected services

MGU9 Explore Pro adds

• 20-inch alloy wheels
• Front-locking differential
• Electric two-step tailgate
• Optional Smart Hatch ($5500 AUD)
• 770kg payload capacity
• High-definition surround-view monitor
• Digital rear-view mirror
• Panoramic Sunroof
• Ultrasuede headliner
• 64-colour interior ambient lighting
• Rear interior LED lighting
• Eight-speaker JBL sound system
• Eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with massaging function (eight settings)
• Vented front seats
• Heated rear outboard seats
• Vegan Leather seats
• Trailer reversing assist

What colours does the MGU9 come in?

• Midnight Black
• Alpine White
• Summit Blue
• Riverstone Blue (MGU9 unique colour)
• Canyon Grey
• Highland Green

First impressions

A solid effort from MG. It is focusing on comfort and refinement with the MGU9, with a quality interior, and the multilink rear should translate to sorted dynamics (when we finally get to drive it properly). But it’s also capable with a big tray, payload and 3.5 tonnes of tow. The pricing is competitive too.