September 28, 2020

The 2021 MG Pilot is a Compact SUV with a Need for Speed


MG is pushing forward with its new design language as shown by its all-new compact SUV, the MG Pilot (Linghang in Chinese). Shown at Auto China for the first time, the 2021 MG Pilot is positioned as the performance flagship of their current range.

While its name recalls a certain Honda SUV, the MG Pilot is aimed squarely at the top-end of the compact SUV crowd. It shares its basic underpinnings with the MG HS which is, in turn, based off the MG RX5.



The MG Pilot takes on the striking new corporate look first seen in the 2021 MG 6 and MG 5. It comes with the “digital flame” grille flanked by bi-beam LED headlights. At the back are full LED taillights, and at the corners, 19-inch Tomahawk-style wheels.

The Pilot is offered for now with two conventional gasoline engines. The first is what MG calls Megatech—a 1.5-liter turbocharged motor good for 173 horsepower and 275 Nm of torque. It boasts of a lightweight construction, dual variable valve timing, and a variable displacement oil pump. For those who want a bit more push, the MG Pilot comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged motor. This one can give the Forester XT (RIP) a run for its money with 231 horsepower and 370 Nm of torque.

A plug-in hybrid will join the line-up at a later time.

Both gasoline engines are mated to a 7-speed wet-type dual clutch with a high energy efficiency rating, and an advanced all-wheel drive system that can split the torque between the front and rear wheels by up to 50 percent.



Inside, the MG Pilot features a strong nautical theme with its blue-and-white color scheme. It boasts of the quietest cabin in its class (36.5 decibels at idle), 256 driver-selectable ambient lighting, sport seats, a large 1.19-square meter panoramic sunroof, and even an 8-speaker Bose sound system. Instrumentation is provided by a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, while passengers can connect through the 10.1-inch infotainment system.

The 2021 MG Pilot is also fitted with advanced driver aids as well. With 5 cameras and 11 radars all in all, it gets features such as traffic jam assist, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and blind spot detection.

The 2021 MG Pilot, or if you prefer, Linghang will go on sale in the Chinese market later this year. If MG follows their usual playbook, it will remain a Chinese domestic market exclusive for now before being made available for export markets such as the Philippines.


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