MG are hardly a mainstream manufacturer, with a varied history that has seen its fair share
of ups and downs. But revitalised towards the end of the noughties, MG now offers two
models in the car market – the MG3 and this, the MG6.
Offering a large hatchback, bordering on saloon, body style, the MG6 was launched back in 2011,
and although it hasn’t been around for that long, it has evolved quite rapidly over its
short lifespan, with improvements in interior quality, efficiency and performance.
But a car this size can’t avoid competition from the likes of the Skoda Octavia and Vauxhall
Insignia – so let’s see how it compares. Now, the first word that comes to my mind
with this interior is dark, as the masses of black plastics just seem to cast a shadow
over the whole cabin. Even the climate control display has an obscured, frosted glass-look
to it as well. The layout of the buttons isn’t great either, with far too many dials to get
your head around – it kind of reminds me of the previous-generation Vauxhall Insignia.
It does tick some crucial boxes when it comes to kit though as every model gets air-con,
USB connectivity, LED daytime running lights and heated seats.
Go for the flagship TL trim we have and you get full leather upholstery, dual-zone climate
control, a reversing camera – although the picture quality isn’t great – and this
seven-inch touchscreen which offers impressive graphics, but tricky functionality.
The seating position is good though with loads of head room, however visibility all-round
isn’t up to much, especially when it comes to the rear.
Space and comfort in the rear is great – and I would be more than happy spending long journeys
back here. The only slight gripe is the side of the roof slightly impedes head room.
Come around to the boot and there is just under 500 litres to play around with. This
means it is much bigger than something like the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf, but it
is smaller than the Skoda Octavia. Fold the seats down and there is up to 1,379 litres.
So, let’s start with the positives. The engine we’ve got is a 1.9-litre turbo diesel,
which produces 148bhp and can reach 60mph from a standing start in just 8.4 seconds.
Put your foot down and there is plenty of power on tap, but you do have to push through
some turbo lag first. The diesel also claims to return an average of just over 60mpg, with
CO2 emissions standing at 119g/km. The steering in the MG6 isn’t going to set
your world alight, but it offers enough feel to allow you to actually have a bit of fun,
with the right amount of weighting at the right speeds and decent feedback. The suspension
is slightly on the firm side and can be a little shaky over pot holes – but it handles
speed bumps with ease. Now a few things that bug me about the MG6.
The six-speed manual gearbox is smooth enough, that is up until you switch to fifth and sixth,
then it gets very notchy. It can also be difficult to feel your way through the gears at lower
speeds, as the first gear ratio is too short and, well, you can never really find a gear
to suit. This isn’t a problem at higher speeds though.
Refinement is an issue as well, with lots of engine and road noise making it through
to the cabin, which isn’t ideal for motorway driving. And… this may sound really picky,
but the indicator click sounds overtly loud. At under £14,000 the MG6 is far cheaper than
the Skoda Octavia and Vauxhall Insignia. In fact, the most expensive model, which is the
model we have, comes in at just under £18,000. … The problem MG have got however is lack
of attention to detail, and nowadays that sells cars as there is so little between competitors.
Sure, the engine performance and steering are quite impressive, but there is still a
sense that the MG6 needs to grow a bit more before it can properly compete with the mainstream
market. But what do you think of the MG6? Let us know
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