MG nearly a Top 10 brand: China's challenger closing gap on Mercedes-Benz and others with very strong 2021 new-car sales

Chinese-owned British brand MG is close to becoming a Top 10 brand in Australia for the first time, with just 35 new vehicles separating it from the best sellers in January 2021.

MG finished the first month of the year with a record 2408 sales, which were up a staggering 162.0 per cent over January 2020 and just shy of 10th-placed Mercedes-Benz Cars’ 2443 units (+31.5%).

If this momentum continues, it’s only a matter of time until MG overtakes Mercedes-Benz Cars and is officially recognised as a Top 10 brand for a month and perhaps even a year when 2021 is run and won.

In fact, it could even challenge Volkswagen (2722 units in January 2021, -16.1%) for ninth position, while eighth-placed Subaru (3223, +43.2%) will be harder to reach in the short term, with the owner of seventh position, Nissan (3756, +9.1%), even more so.

So, how has MG gotten off to such a hot start in 2021? With strong contributions across its entire three-model range, of course.

Sales of the ZS small SUV exploded in January 2021, up a whopping 327.6 per cent to 1253 units, thanks in part to the launch of new ZST and ZS EV flagship variants two months prior. In fact, it was just 25 units shy of being the best-selling model in the sub-$40,000 segment.

The HS mid-size SUV also improved plenty in January 2021, with its sales up 126.0 per cent to 296 units, following the mid-month release of a new entry-level Core variant ($29,990 driveaway). It finished in 10th place in the sub-$60,000 segment.

While the MG3 light hatchback grew the least in January 2021, its sales were still up 73.5 per cent to 859 units, making it the clear best seller in the sub-$25,000 segment despite not having received a major update since August 2018.

Of course, MG has new models on the way to increase its sales potential, with more SUVs and passenger cars all but confirmed, and electrification a key focus for the future. Needless to say, its rise is set to continue.