This is my first car after graduation. I was looking for something affordable with a manual transmission to practice driving. I was originally planning to get the Chery Arrizo 1.5T manual, but it was discontinued by the time I was ready to buy. I looked at a few options and ended up choosing the MG 5, mainly because it came with a manual and had the space I needed.
I sat in another (cheaper) car, but it felt too cramped — I'm 183 cm tall and on the heavier side, so interior space matters to me. The MG 5 felt a bit roomier and more comfortable for the driver.
Exterior design? Honestly, I’m not a big fan — especially the sloped rear. It has a bit of a “sporty” look, which isn’t really my thing. I prefer boxier, more classic designs. But at the end of the day, I’m the one driving — I don’t have to stare at it! I was going to get the grey version, but under the sun, it had a reddish tint, so I went with white instead.
Interior? There are a few drawbacks. I got the base model with fabric seats — which I actually prefer over leather. But the headrest leans forward too much and doesn’t support the neck, so I bought a neck pillow. The glossy surfaces around the center console looked nice at first, but they quickly started showing small scratches. There’s also a trim piece on the passenger side that reflects sunlight strongly while driving.
Features? No key ignition — just push-button start, even on the base model. No sunroof either, which honestly I don’t care about. What annoyed me is that the radio starts playing automatically every time I start the car — I have to mute it manually. The phone connectivity system is also buggy; the built-in map app can’t find places that Google Maps or other apps easily locate.
Interior space? Very good — definitely roomy enough for me.
Driving? I’ve driven over 1,000 km so far, and at least 300–400 km of that was on mountain roads (mostly fishing trips). The road feedback is very direct — and honestly, at this price, I wasn’t expecting more. It does the job.
