The local sedan segment offers a car for everyone. Take the MG GT and the Honda City RS for example.
The former targets Filipino car buyers who want an affordable European-styled sporty sedan while the latter appeals to those looking for a capable, clean-looking ride.
Interested to see which of the two best suits your budget and your motoring needs? Find out as we pit both cars against each other in this sedan showdown.
The GT from Morris Garages (MG) measures 4,675 millimeters (mm) long, 1,842mm wide, and 1,473 mm tall (1,480mm for the Sport variant). It has a wheelbase of 2,680mm.
Meanwhile, the City RS from Honda has an overall length of 4,553mm, an overall width of 1,748mm, and an overall height of 1,467mm. Its wheelbase is 2,600mm.
On paper, the MG GT is the larger of the two sedans.
At the front, the MG GT wears a dark three-dimensional digital flame grille with a carbon fiber front spoiler. Its sporty fascia is bordered by intelligent LED headlamps.
The side profile of the MG GT boasts body-colored side mirrors with black accents and a set of sporty two-tone Tomahawk alloy wheels.
Finally, the rear of the MG GT features a ducktail spoiler and three-dimensional racetrack taillamps.
The Honda City RS is no Civic Type R but it does make for a head-turning daily driver. That said, it dons a high gloss black honeycomb grille with an RS emblem and a sports-type bumper flanked by full LED headlights. It also gets LED daytime running lights with LED line guides and fog lamps.
To its sides are fender-mounted turn signals, high gloss black side mirrors, body-colored door handles, and 16-inch RS Design aluminum alloy wheels
At the rear, the Honda City RS gets a pair of LED taillamps, an LED high-mount stop lamp, and a high-gloss black trunk spoiler.
Because both cars offer above-average exterior appointments, we call this round a tie.
Inside, the MG GT offers amenities that reflect its sporty exterior. Its Diamond Design dashboard and zero-gravity sports seats complement the car’s ergonomic fighter jet-inspired cockpit.
Additionally, the MG GT sports a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and a 10-inch floating high-definition touchscreen infotainment system that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
Further, the MG GT boasts a premium six-speaker audio system, USB connections to charge handheld devices, rear A/C vents, and a power sunroof.
On the other hand, owners of the Honda City RS are greeted by seats wrapped in suede and leather, a leather armrest, a leather shift knob, and a three-spoke leather steering wheel.
Past the abovementioned steering wheel is an instrument cluster with analog and digital gauges. Sitting closely to it is an eight-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and WebLink.
When it comes to speakers, the Honda City RS offers eight.
While this round appears to be closely contested, the larger screens and zero gravity seats allow the sporty sedan to gain a slight advantage over its rival.
On that note, this round goes to the MG GT.
The MG GT is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine paired with a seven-speed twin-clutch Sportronic transmission with paddle shifters. This setup gives the MG GT 158 horsepower with 250Nm of torque.
Honda gave the City RS a similarly-sized engine. The 1.5-liter powerplant is mated to a continuously variable transmission and produces 119 horses with 145Nm of torque.
With a more powerful engine, we give this round to the MG GT.
In terms of safety, the MG GT offers features like an anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), an electronic stability program (ESP), cornering brake control, and a tire pressure monitoring system.
The MG GT’s Sport variant even gets additional safety amenities such as intelligent high-beam control, lane departure warning, and forward collision warning.
Meanwhile, the Honda Civic RS offers safety features like vehicle stability assist, ABS and EBD, a multi-view rear camera, as well as an emergency stop signal.
In addition, the Honda Civic RS is equipped with the brand’s G-CON Body Structure, which should help in situations involving vehicular collisions.
To note, the Honda City has earned a five-star rating from the ASEAN New Car Assessment Program.
MG GT
MG GT Alpha – P1.015 million
MG GT Sport – P1.193 million
Honda City RS
Honda City RS – P1.093 million
The MG GT gains the advantage over the Honda City RS and emerges as the victor in this sedan showdown. Thanks to a better interior and a more powerful engine, it makes for a more appealing option for Filipino car buyers looking for a slightly souped-up sedan.
Photos from MG and Honda
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