MG is back in South Africa, with the now Chinese-owned British marque now committing itself to the country for the third time, and based on the recent event I attended, the brand seems quite serious. In and among the marketing lingo, I gleaned that some 60 MG dealerships will be established locally by the end of 2025, while a National Distribution Centre for spare parts has already been set up in Isando, Kempton Park. The brand has also committed to a 7-year/200 000km warranty for its new products. Speaking of which, here's what the brand introduced at the event.
Related: MG headed back to SA!
About MG
Established in 1924, MG Motor is one of Britain's most iconic motoring brands. In 2007, it was bought by Chinese state-owned automaker SAIC Motor. While the brand claims to have retained its British roots, aside from some design work in the United Kingdom, the vehicles are generally designed and developed by SAIC and manufactured at the brand's plants in China. Some vehicles are also built in Thailand and Indonesia.
The brand will focus on three forms of propulsion going forward: all-electric, hybrid, and hydrogen energy. However, the ZS and HS models introduced at the event are internal combustion-only models, which may be a good strategy given South Africa's slow adoption of new energy vehicles (NEVs)!
New models
Cyberster
The brand's flagship all-electric sportscar was unveiled at the launch event. Its limited list price is R1 399 900; whether this rather beautiful drop-top will find local buyers remains to be seen.
Related: MG Cyberster (2025) First Drive Review
HS
The brand launched its HS SUV at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, and with pricing starting at R499 900, this mid-size SUV finds itself right in the thick of the action of one of SA's most competitive segments!
Related: MG HS (2025) First Drive Review
ZS
Perhaps the brand's most appealing model for the broader consumer base is the compact crossover ZS, which has a fantastic starting price of R289 900, and is a similar size to the popular Chery Tiggo 4 Pro Lit, which should make for a fascinating comparison, considering the Chery is cheaper, by some R20 000, but the MG has an automatic gearbox, albeit a 4-speed unit!
Related: MG ZS (2025) First Drive Review
What's next?
The brand alluded to more product introductions for 2025, including two models in the B-Hatchback segment, two in the B-SUV segment, one in the C-SUV segment, and two more all-electric models!
What do other markets say?
Two other right-hand drive markets, the United Kingdom and Australia, have had the brand for many years now. Judging by the mixed reviews from owners and various surveys from both countries, we will endeavour to spend more time with the products to test for reliability and quality.
