MG MG5 vs Foton Tunland

What's the difference?

The MG5 works well as a budget-friendly small car, and it’s genuinely good to drive.

Some small let-downs in terms of packaging don’t detract from this car in any major way, but the lack of active safety is a concern considering the features most of its rivals offer.

If it’s on your shopping list, make sure you know what else is on offer in terms of safety before you lock in the MG5 for the savings.

In pure workhorse terms the V7-C 4x2 is the most impressive Chinese ute we’ve tested, with its ability to legally haul more than one tonne of payload while towing up to 3.5 tonnes of braked trailer unmatched by Chinese rivals (and most others). When you add purposeful styling, ample cabin space, generous appointments and a long warranty, all for less than $40K, the new Tunland model represents compelling value for money.

The MG5’s styling might be a little divisive, with the overall shape and look of the small sedan sitting somewhere between its direct rivals, like the Hyundai i30 Sedan, and aspirational models like the Mercedes CLA.

In this Essence variant, the grey insert for the grille gives the front a darker, more aggressive look, though the way the grille mesh weaves makes it look a little like moustache hair.

The large ‘intake-style’ design at the sides gives it a sportier look than its outputs have perhaps earned - not to say the MG5 is sluggish - and following those around to the side of the car leads to a fairly minimalistic and tidy silhouette.

Here, probably most notable is the rather tall gap between the tyres and wheel arches.

The rear, with that sloped-up roofline, transitioning into a gentle lip spoiler, flanked by those lights, is where CLA fans might have the most to say about the MG5’s design.

Notably, the exhaust vents at the bottom are fake. The real exhaust exit is hidden well underneath.

If Oscar Wilde was correct in claiming that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then Ford and Ram should be blushing, judging by some of the Tunland’s styling cues which appear to draw strong design inspiration from Ford’s F-150 (V7) and Ram’s 1500 (V9).

Even so, our base model V7-C 4x2 does not look or feel like the afterthought that workhorse models can represent in commercial fleets. Its alloy wheels and splashes of bright body chrome combined with body-coloured doorhandles/mirror shells and a decorative tailgate looks more upmarket than you’d expect, particularly at this low price.

Riding on a long 3355mm wheelbase with external dimensions of 5617mm length, 2000mm width and 1910 height, its traditional body-on-frame design features twin wishbone front suspension, a leaf-spring live rear axle, electric power-assisted steering and four-wheel disc brakes.

And although it’s a 4x2 it shares many of its 4x4 siblings’ off-road credentials including a useful 240mm of ground clearance, 28 degrees approach/21 degrees ramp break-over/26 degrees departure angles, 700mm wading depth and 13.5-metre turning circle.

Its external dimensions create a spacious interior that nudges the benchmark for workhorse luxury. With Daimler truck DNA evident in its digital screen displays, the plush synthetic leather trim features a combination of quilted white stitching and contrasting red stitching, plus splashes of satin chrome and dark woodgrain highlights on the dash, centre console and door trims.

Some newer brands to Australia, often MG’s compatriots from China, get some of the ergonomic or tech basics wrong as they focus more on an impactful first impression. Fortunately, MG doesn’t do that, for the most part.

Inside the MG5 is a cabin that looks more expensive than it is, but has some useful features to back it up without the superfluous add-ons.

Aside from the lack of physical climate controls - an annoying cost-saving or interior-tidying trend embraced by brands from budget to bougie - the MG5’s interfaces and ergonomics are pretty sensible.

Accessibility ticks for the steering wheel buttons being few and large enough to use without needing to look, as well as the lack of a panel of buttons and switches in the centre console. Looking at you, BMW.

The screen is also functionally sound, with obvious menu layouts and fairly large buttons as touch points, so it doesn’t feel like trying to operate a tablet while you’re driving.

It does, again, lose points for the climate control situation, which weirdly features a temperature slider as a colour gradient rather than numerical temperatures.

No wireless phone charger means needing space for a plugged-in phone, which the MG5 has just enough of, though similarly ‘just enough’ is the size of the cupholders, which won’t fit a big water bottle.

In the rear, there’s space enough for an adult to sit comfortably behind another adult, though it’s not the place for long journeys.

Strangely, there’s only one central vent control in the rear so only one passenger gets cool air or heat, plus there isn’t a great deal of storage. No armrest or cupholders for rear passengers, either.

Also noteworthy is the single-piece rear seat, which means if longer items need to be transported in the 401-litre boot, the whole rear seat must be folded down and the MG5 temporarily becomes a two-seater.

Under the boot floor is a space-saver spare, though, so bonus points for a more useful addition than a simple repair kit.

With its 2190kg kerb weight and 3305kg GVM, the V7-C 4x2 has a sizeable 1115kg payload rating which is the largest of the Tunland fleet.

It’s also rated to tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer and with its big 6805kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) it can tow its maximum trailer weight when carrying its maximum one-tonne-plus of payload. Those are impressive numbers unmatched by its Chinese rivals.

The load tub is protected by a spray-in liner and measures 1577mm long, 1650mm wide and 530mm deep, with 1240mm between the wheel housings ample for carrying Aussie or Euro pallets.

There’s also tailgate assist and load-anchorage points front and rear, but the front ones are mounted near the tops of the sidewalls which is not ideal for securing low loads. Anchorage points near floor level (like those at the rear) are best for securing loads of all heights.

There’s ample room in all key dimensions for the driver and front passenger, where storage includes a bottle-holder and bin in each door plus an overhead glasses holder and large glovebox.

A cleverly designed centre console offers two levels of storage, with dual USB-A ports and a 12v socket in the lower level. There’s also two bottle-holders in the centre and a large box at the back, with an internal A/C vent to keep contents cool and a padded lid that doubles as an elbow rest.

The rear doors open wide to allow easy access to a spacious rear bench seat, given I’m 186cm and have ample knee clearance and headroom when sitting behind the driver’s seat set in my position. There’s also a flat floor that saves central passengers from having to straddle a transmission hump but shoulder room for three big Aussies can be squeezy, which is okay for short trips but a limit of two would be ideal for longer journeys.

Rear passengers have access to adjustable air vents on the rear of the centre console, along with storage that includes a bottle-holder and bin in each door plus pockets on each front seat backrest. The centre seat’s backrest also folds forward to provide an armrest containing two cup-holders.

The 60/40-split base cushions can swing up and be stored vertically if more internal carrying space is required. And although there’s no dedicated under-seat storage compartments, there’s generous space for stowing soft items like sports bags, jackets etc.

The Tunland range includes the V7-C 4x2 and V7-C 4x4 workhorses aimed primarily at fleet and trade buyers plus two 4x4s variants with a more upmarket/lifestyle focus comprising the V9-L and premium V9-S.

Our V7-C 4x2 test vehicle is the tradie’s entrance to Tunland ownership, which comes standard with the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel with 48-volt hybrid assist and eight-speed automatic shared by all models, for a tempting list price of only $39,990 before on-road costs. Our example is finished in gleaming Galaxy Silver which is a premium paint option that adds $690.

The V7-C comes well equipped for a workhorse with standard equipment that includes chunky 18-inch gloss black alloy wheels with 265/70R18 tyres and a full-size steel spare.

There’s also LED headlights, tail-lights and daytime running lights, side-steps, spray-in tub-liner, electronic parking brake, front/rear parking sensors, panoramic 360-degree camera with integrated dash-cam, smart key entry/start, USB ports and 12v socket, 12.3-inch driver’s digital instrument cluster, 14.6-inch infotainment screen with Apple Car Play and Android Auto connectivity, four-speaker sound system, ‘Hi Foton’ voice recognition and more.

Both versions of the MG5 come with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels, but the similarities mostly end there.

In the entry-level Vibe, that engine is naturally aspirated and makes 84kW and 150Nm - similar to the MG3. Power is transferred to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

In our Essence variant the engine is turbocharged and makes a suitably higher 119kW and 250Nm, driving the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Foton’s Aucan 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel meets Euro 6 emission standards using AdBlue and produces 120kW of power at 3600rpm and a meaty 450Nm of torque between 1500-2400rpm.

Its hybrid assistance follows convention with the turbo-diesel engine equipped with a belt-driven starter-generator paired with a compact 48-volt lithium-ion battery nestled behind the rear seat.

This combination provides not only smooth engine stop-start technology but also modest boosts in power and torque (in addition to the diesel’s 120kW/450Nm) to enhance engine response and load-hauling ability.

The ZF-designed eight-speed torque converter automatic offers the choice of manual sequential shifting using the steering wheel-mounted paddles, along with several drive modes. The V7-C is estimated to accelerate from 0-100km/h in less than 11 seconds with a top speed of around 160km/h.

Only thing missing is a locking differential, which for a 4x2 can be handy when accessing rugged worksites or pulling a boat trailer up a slimy boat-ramp.

The naturally aspirated Vibe's official combined cycle fuel economy figure is 5.7 litres per 100km, while the turbocharged Essence drinks a little more at 5.9L/100km.

For comparison, Toyota claims its non-hybrid Corolla Sedan will sip 6.0L/100km, while a Mazda3 Sedan claims 6.1L/100km. Not bad, then, if you can keep it near MG’s claim.

During our testing, with a mix of city, suburban, highway, and rural driving, the MG5 Essence burned through 95 RON premium fuel at a rate of 9.1L/100km, checked at the pump, though I wouldn't expect this to be representative of normal, calmer day-to-day driving.

Foton claims official combined consumption of 8.0L/100km and the Tunland’s trip computer was showing 9.5 at the completion of our 294km test, which comprised our usual mix of suburban, city and highway driving of which about one third was hauling more than one tonne of payload.

Our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, was even better at 9.2L/100km. That’s excellent sub-10L/100km economy for a vehicle weighing more than two tonnes being driven mostly on metro roads and consumption that's well within the usual 2-3L/100km discrepancy between manufacturer and real-world figures.

So, based on our test figure, you could expect a realistic driving range of more than 800km from its 76-litre diesel tank.

Perhaps the biggest surprise about the MG5 is that it’s quite good to drive. And not just ‘for an MG’ or ‘for a car from China’. It’s actually good.

The turbocharged engine takes a moment to get going, and the dual-clutch can be a little hesitant off the mark.

The combo of the two means sometimes you need to plan your take off ahead of time - but in its above-3000rpm sweet spot, the Essence has a good bit of urgency to it.

That’s fortunately paired with a combination of comfortable suspension and a composed chassis, with well-weighted steering.

On urban roads and with a little awareness of the slow take-off, the MG5 is capable and well-suited to small roads, though it can be a little frustrating in stop-start traffic.

On the other hand, outside the confines of city driving, the small sedan is more dynamic than you might expect, able to get up to speed and comfortably overtake on highways, as well as handle corners on twisty roads confidently.

Potholes and rough sections of road don’t rattle the MG5 as much as you might expect from a car in this segment, though road noise can be a intrusive on coarse roads - of which Australia has many.

Dare I say it - the MG5 is rather fun.

There’s big assist handles on the A and B-pillars which combined with the side-steps makes for easy boarding into a spacious and comfortable driving position. However, some adjustments for base cushion rake and lumbar support would be welcome.

With selectable steering feel and drivetrain settings, it’s an enjoyable vehicle to drive. The turbo diesel has excellent all-round response, with the seamless interaction of its 48V mild-hybrid assist providing extra urge from standing starts.

Although you can manually shift, the eight-speed auto gets the best out of this engine in urban use, keeping it mostly within the 1500-2400rpm band where torque is at its strongest. We also sampled the Sport and Eco drive modes but found the default Standard setting was an ideal compromise. It’s also a relaxed highway cruiser requiring only 1800rpm to maintain 110km/h.

To test its GVM rating we forklifted 830kg into the load tub, which combined with our crew of two equalled a total payload exceeding one tonne (1010kg). The rear leaf springs compressed 75mm under this weight, leaving about 40mm of static bump-stop clearance which did not display any harsh bottoming-out on our test route.

It hauled this payload with commendable ease, particularly on our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km-long set climb at 60km/h where it quickly downshifted to fourth gear and 2400rpm (the upper end of its peak torque band) to haul this load to the summit.

Engine-braking on the way down, in a manually selected second gear, was also robust for a relatively small engine displacement restraining more than three tonnes of combined vehicle and payload on overrun. It proved to be a competent heavy load-hauler.

Our only criticisms are that the eight-speed automatic tends to hold sixth gear for too long at times, with the engine sounding and feeling like it’s really labouring before downshifting to fifth.

There were also a few settings in the touchscreen’s ‘Rear Cross Traffic Assist’ menu that could not be selected and the ‘Traffic Sign Recognition’ symbol was not displayed in the driver’s instrument display. Inchcape could not confirm if these findings were unique to our test vehicle or a broader product issue.

The latest Tunland is yet to receive an ANCAP star rating which may hinder sales, particularly to fleets.

Even so, it comes loaded with safety features like eight airbags including full-length side-curtain, driver’s knee and front-centre deployment, plus auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, speed sign recognition, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, trailer stability assist, tyre pressure monitoring, front/rear parking sensors, 360-degree camera with integrated dash-cam and more.

For junior tradies the rear bench seat has three top-tethers plus ISOFIX anchorages on the two outer seating positions.

MG offers a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty on the MG5 as with all its models - even electric cars. That also comes with roadside assist for the duration of the warranty, though only 160,000km is covered by the warranty if the car is used for commercial purposes.

Servicing prices for the MG5 range from $266 or $272 for the Vibe or Essence, respectively, up to $581 or $661 for the most expensive of the seven 10,000km/12-month scheduled services.

The total cost of servicing the Vibe over its seven years under capped-price servicing comes to $2661, or about $380 average per service. For the Essence, that bumps up to $2764 or an average of about $394 per service.

It's confidently backed by a seven-years/unlimited kilometre warranty and seven years of roadside assistance.

Scheduled servicing is every 15,000km/12 months whichever occurs first.

There’s capped pricing for the first seven scheduled services up to seven years/110,000km totalling $4492, or an average of around $640 per service.

Foton Australia currently has a national network of around 20 dealers (with plans to expand) represented in most states and territories. All can provide scheduled vehicle servicing.