Large and in full charge
The Philippines has a huge soft spot for cars that can carry many passengers.
This is largely a product of how typical Filipino households are structured – extended family members like grandparents and even in-laws often stay in the same residence. And with parking often in limited supply, cramming everyone into a single vehicle is generally a more practical solution.
But cars with three or more rows almost always have turbodiesel engines, which are becoming increasingly more expensive to run as fuel prices remain sky high, as of press time. However, MG Philippines has a pair of solutions in mind.
The long-running Chinese automaker has integrated its plug-in-hybrid-electric vehicle (PHEV) to create the RX9 PHEV midsize crossover and the G50 PHEV multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) that both quickly became best-sellers. We take a look at how this electrified duo has become an evolution of the Pinoy family car.
RX9 PHEV
Launched at the 2026 Philippine International Motor Show last June, the RX9 PHEV takes on sport-utility vehicles (SUV) from legacy brands like the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Everest and Mitsubishi Montero Sport.
But instead of a reworked pick-up-truck chassis, this big MG uses a dedicated unibody chassis with front-wheel drive for an easier and lighter driving experience. Motivation is courtesy of a turbocharged 1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve, inline-4 gasoline engine mated to an electric motor and a 24.7-kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery pack.
Combined output of the RX9 PHEV is a hearty 294 horsepower and 390 Newton-meters of torque. But more importantly, this large seven-seater has a claimed combined range of 1,198 kilometers on one full tank and one full charge, including up to 115 kilometers of NEDC battery range.
Other luxuries include electrically adjustable, ventilated and massaging front seats with driver’s side memory, customizable ambient lighting, panoramic moonroof, tri-zone climate control, wireless smartphone charger and electric tailgate. It also gets a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system mated to a 12-speaker Bose surround-sound system.
And as with many Chinese crossovers, the RX9 PHEV gets a comprehensive active-safety suite. MG Pilot includes convenient and life-saving features like Adaptive Cruise Control, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Rear Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Emergency Lane Keeping Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.
With an introductory price of P1,968,888, the RX9 PHEV undercuts other electrified seven-seaters like the P2,148,000 BYD Tang DM-i (that strangely omits air-conditioning vents for its rather tight third-row seats).
G50 PHEV
For those who want a boxier family car that could also double as a cargo carrier, there’s the G50 PHEV.
It made its global debut at the 2026 Manila International Auto Show in a nod to the fast-growing appetite for electrified vehicles on our shores. Building upon the capacious G50 platform, this top-of-the-line variant packs one hell of a punch – it uses the same powertrain as the RX9 PHEV for a combined output of 295 horsepower and 280 Newton-meters of torque.
With its 18.65-kWh LFP battery pack, the G50 PHEV has a claimed maximum combined range of 1,415 kilometers on one full tank and one full charge. And if you prefer to run on battery power alone, MG Philippines claims a maximum WLTP range of 95 kilometers for every full charge.
In our first-drive review last May, we found that this electrified MPV offered unmatched space, pace and grace for seven passengers (with second-row captain seats). We also liked the full leather upholstery mated to the faux wood veneer, along with the hugely powerful dual-zone climate-control system and the intuitive 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
MG Philippines said the G50 PHEV has 406 liters of cargo space with all of the seats up and 1,162 liters with the third row folded. It is also one of the few MPVs in the market, as of press time, that gets a full active-safety suite, courtesy of the standard MG Pilot.
At P1,398,000, the G50 PHEV offers supreme value for money compared to similarly equipped MPVs like the non-electrified Honda BR-V VX at P1,410,000 and the hybrid-electric P1,991,000 Toyota Zenix HEV.
As MG Philippines expands its footprint with the recent opening of the flagship MG Bacoor in Cavite, expect the brand to touch the lives of even more Filipinos with its electrified takes on the Pinoy family car.
