As the Chinese invasion of the Australian new car market continues, MG is another to add a utility to its range with the U9.
There is no doubting the build quality – Chinese manufacturing is as good as anywhere – the question for many is durability and strength.
Our test car was the top-spec U9 Explore Pro, loaded with a full suite of luxury, aiming for the top end of town.
The U9 has a strong North American influence, all slab sides and a big footprint, sharing features with other Chinese utes, like the triangular upsweep of the rear door windows.
The bull-nosed cheesegrater grille is a big climb up from the front bumper, flanked by triple-stacked headlights, looking like they were ‘borrowed’ from the Mack Truck range.
Heavily boxed guard extensions, front and rear, sit well clear of the cabin, while they offer a substantial boost to the track this also widens the turning circle.
The U9 rides on multi-spoke 20” rims wearing 275/55 off-road rubber giving it an air of competence and capability, however the low slung front mud deflectors reduce the approach angle in off-road work.
The rear has a similar problem with the cargo tub overhang reducing the departure angle when climbing out of ruts and gullies, a towbar would reduce it further.
Those boxy flares and wide track have an upside, pushing the wheel arches out and minimising space lost in the tub, which is already shortened by the generous cab dimensions.
The cabin continues the ‘straight line’ design, this is a car that avoids curves, right down to the squared-off doors, while I like angular designs, this creates chunky A-, B- and C-Pillars, looks tough, massive blind spots when driving.
MG gave the U9 a clever tailgate, with power-assisted opening and closing, not a bad thing given its weight, there is a load rated fold-down step that holds us big blokes and gives good access to the tub when it is lowered.
The U9 cabin is also big on the inside, I appreciated the generous dimensions and wide-opening doors, with plenty of head and shoulder room, the driver’s seat also slides backward to make entry and exit easier.
Most utes do well for the front row, the U9 offers similarly generous accommodations to the back seaters, making it a genuine option to hold four adults and their gear on a long trip.
It is well-appointed, bordering on the luxurious, with broad, comfortably-padded seats, the driver gets 8-way power adjustment and massage functions, the navigator gets 6-way and heating, while the outboard rear seats also get heating.
Unusually, in a time when artificial materials are gaining popularity, not only are the seats leather, the headlining is suede, although the steering wheel is microfibre leather.
There is plenty of plastic and vinyl, but they are high grade versions, reinforcing the Explore Pro’s position as a luxury model.
Following the ‘big screen’ trend, the infotainment unit is a 12.3” horizontal screen, playing through an 8-speaker JBL sound system with AM/FM/DAB/Apple and Android, the screen controls all vehicle functions, except for the single row of climate control buttons below it.
The instrument display is a continuation of the same screen, with driver-selectable display options that are clear and easy to read, big numbers allow you to absorb details in a single glance.
The steering wheel is big, the flat bottom makes entry and exit easier, it is fitted with the usual array of buttons and switches, the bad news is the labelling is not as clear as it could be, even after a few days driving there were still mis-pressed buttons requiring down glances to confirm the correct choice.
Control stalks for lights and wipers have a solid feel and positive action, auto headlights and rain-sensing wipers are part of the package.
Ok, at first glance the Top Gun gear selector is a bit over the top, but after a couple of uses, I loved it, there were no accidental gear shifts, the hand grip is ergonomic with thumb buttons to unlock the movement, classic car buffs will note the resemblance to the Hurst shifters used in 1960s US muscle cars.
The centre storage box/armrest is big, with a thickly padded top for comfort, twin cupholders are perfect for coffee runs, MG included a wireless phone charger in the centre stack, as well as USB ports allowing multiple devices to plug in at the same time.
Door handles are passe, replaced by electro-mechanical buttons on the armrests, there is a glass hammer in the console lid for emergencies.
Inside and out, MG deserves full marks for fit and finish, the build quality is exceptional, with the doors closed and windows up, road noise is a distant memory, with minimal wind noise.
Powering the U9 is a 2.5-litre four cylinder turbo diesel delivering 160kW/520Nm, backed by an eight-speed automatic with dual-range four-wheel-drive.
MG’s engineers also included a variety of off-road programs, while we didn’t get to test them, there are Rock, Deep Snow, Deep Mud, Wade (for water crossings) and Rock Crawl.
Despite its long-stroke configuration, the engine revs freely, quickly spinning up to its peak of just over 4,500rpm, a good effort given the 16:1 compression ratio.
The Explore Pro gets the optional ‘electronically foldable rear access panel’, opening the cabin to the load area. It requires the rear seat base to be flipped up, a button push folds the seat back forwards, the rear window retracts and the back wall section swings down, but keep hands, big and small, clear when you push the button, it is fast and there is no cutout.
I found the U9 well-mannered and easy to drive, the big gear selector is fun, paddle-shifters allow manual gear selection, the rear suspension is a multi-link unit, it improves on-road ride but ultimately limits off-road work, although not enough to deter most owners.
Subjectively, the U9 is a ‘nicer’ ride than other utes, especially when empty, with a lot less rear-end hop over potholes, speed bumps and corrugations.
I don’t try to drive utes like sports cars, they are built to haul loads, the U9 handled the task well, there was good suspension travel aided by big sidewalls on the tyres, building compliance into the ride.
The U9 is solid and well built, but it is as though the designers took elements from other utes and put them together, rather than coming up with an original design, almost an AI interpretation of what ute should be.
That is not to say it won’t improve, but it lacks the spark of individuality.
