Driven: MG MG6 TL 2015 Review
After a week of testing the MG MG6 TL here is what we thought of MG’s saloon car.
What is the MG MG6 TL 2015 all about?
MG currently offer two cars; the MG3 and the MG6. Here we are testing the larger of the two, the MG6. It starts at only £13,995 in the base spec and goes all the way up to the TL model – which we are testing – that starts at £17,995. This means that the MG6 is one of the most affordable saloons available on the market and it doesn’t look half bad either.
The MG6 TL has a selection of premium features over the lower variants; climate control, DAB radio, Bluetooth phone integration, satellite navigation and a reversing camera. For the money the car is pretty well kitted out.
The look of the car is actually pretty appealing considering the price range. MG have clearly put some thought into the design concept of the MG6. For me, I would like to see some improvements, including larger alloy wheels and Xenon headlights to finish the look off, but let’s not forget that the car is built to a tight budget and neither of these additions would be cheap upgrades.
The MG6 TL is powered by an improved 1.9-litre engine that creates 148bhp and 350Nm of torque. The power goes through a 6-speed manual gearbox to the front wheels. This gets the car from 0-60mph in 8.4 seconds and will do a top speed of 120mph. The car can achieve 61mpg whilst only creating 119g CO2/km.
How does it drive?
From the above performance figures, the MG6 doesn’t sound like a bad motor at all and there are some great characteristics of the model. It’s a great motorway mile muncher; whilst in 6th gear on the motorway the revs sit pretty low and the economy figures are great. The suspension in the car is comfortable and it’s a nice place to be, all wrapped up in an electrically heated seat for a few hours. During my testing I spent over 6 hours in the car on the motorway and for motorway use the MG6 performs better than most cars in its price bracket.
Using the MG6 in and around town would take a bit of getting used to as there is a bit of turbo lag when moving off. Before the turbo comes on to boost you have a pretty good chance of stalling the car. I stalled it a few times during the week, and I found myself then over compensating and putting the revs up before moving off. However, it’s not all doom and gloom as once that turbo kicks in the engine is very powerful and even for a car of this size it moves really well off the line.
The MG6 is very different from the classic MG experience that most people will associate with the brand. The car looks relatively sporty, however it doesn’t have the sporting edge it used to. Despite that, the steering set-up in the MG6 is something that has been done very well. They have implemented the right amount of weight and it provides a decent amount of feedback, meaning that even in this family car you can still enjoy the corners.
The gearbox that the MG6 uses is a relatively simple 6-speed manual box. In my opinion, the gear change experience could be better; often the shifts feel a bit rough and take away a little from the joy of driving.
What’s it like inside?
When I got inside the MG6, my first thought was that it felt a little dark with all the black plastics, but after my initial first impressions I realised I actually quite liked it. It gave the interior a stealth look, and the red touches to the dashboard contrast very nicely against the black.
Inside the car is everything you need – there are heated leather seats, a nicely designed infotainment system using a touch screen input, including DAB radio and Bluetooth phone integration, and moving with the times the car also has an electric handbrake. I found that all the buttons and switches in the car were very intuitive to use. I felt at home in the car in a matter of minutes.
Comfort wise, in both the front and back, there is plenty of leg room and head room, great for long trips with the family or a team of four off for a quick business meeting.
All-in-all there was only one thing I didn’t like inside. This was the clear plastic used over the temperature control readout which makes the display look permanently blurred. However, I’m sure this will be sorted in the next facelift of the car.
The Experience
The MG6 actually caught a bit more attention than I expected. I think most people in Britain are keen to see the modern iteration of the MG and I was asked multiple times by people off the street what the car was like. My honest answer is that it is a quirky affordable car, it’s not perfect, but it certainly has its own personality and unique looks.
Verdict
Even the top of the range model that we are testing here is significantly cheaper than the MG6’s main competition, being the Insignia and Octavia. The car still feels relatively new to the market and over time I’m sure it will mature. If you’re after all the features that the MG6 has to offer at a bargain price and can put up with a few minor quality impurities, then you are getting a lot of car for your money here.
Video Highlights
Specification
MG MG6 TL 2015
- Price: £17,995
- Engine: 1.9-Litre naturally aspired
- Power: 148bhp
- Torque: 350Nm
- Transmission: 6 Speed Manual
- 0-62mph: 8.4 Seconds
- Top speed: 120mph
- Weight: 1,1539kg
- Economy combined: 61mpg
- CO2: 119g/km
Author: Paul Hadley
