MG5 spied in Australia: Chinese brand's newest small car has arrived to take on Toyota Corolla, Kia Cerato and Hyundai i30 sedans

MG's long-awaited small sedan, the MG5, has finally arrived in Australia more than three years after its global reveal. CarsGuide spotted two examples of the new model in a parking lot near a dealership in Sydney.

Notably, the two cars appeared to be two different models, seemingly confirming that the local operation will offer both the naturally aspirated and turbocharged models. Up until now there had been no confirmation of the grades we would receive locally, but it appears as though MG Australia will take a two-pronged approach.

The MG5 is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine that makes 84kW/150Nm, it drives the front-wheels via an eight-speed continuously variable transmission (CVT). The MG5 Turbo gets a turbocharged version of the same engine to increase performance to 135kW/275Nm and is paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

The appearance of these two models, which were unregistered and still had shipping documentation attached to the window, suggest MG is on course with its stated intention of having the MG5 on sale in the first half of 2023. The car was revealed globally back in 2020 and MG Australia expressed its interest then, but delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the global supply chain crisis saw its launch pushed back repeatedly.

At 4675mm long, the MG5 is slightly longer than the 4630mm Toyota Corolla sedan so it will have appeal to those looking for a spacious small car.

The car was revealed globally back in 2020 and MG Australia expressed its interest then.

Inside the design is very similar to what we've already seen in the ZST SUV, with a large infotainment screen mounted in the dash and MG's trademark simple but functional design motif.

While the car is seemingly closer to arriving in showrooms, pricing remains the biggest mystery surrounding the MG5. Given the brand's reputation for competitive pricing, it's likely that the MG5 will undercut its key rivals, the Toyota Corolla and Hyundai i30 Sedan, which start at $28,630 and $25,690 respectively.

While the car is seemingly closer to arriving in showrooms, pricing remains the biggest mystery surrounding the MG5.

The MG ZS small SUV is priced from $22,990, so it's possible the MG5 could start as low as $20,000 for the naturally aspirated model with the MG5 Turbo positioned in the mid-$20k range.

This won't be the only new addition to the Chinese brand's Australian line-up in 2023, with the all-electric MG4 small car just revealed officially in Sydney at the Fully Charged Live expo.