2026 MG 7 sedan to rival Camry without Toyota’s biggest asset

MG has been spied putting the final touches on the 2026 MG 7 ahead of its local launch later this year, as government approval documents confirm what will power the Toyota Camry rival.

Spotted by Drive reader Ayrton on a Brisbane motorway, the partly camouflaged MG 7 sedan looks identical to the model available in China since 2022, but in right-hand drive format for Australia.

Government approval documents confirm the MG 7 will be fitted as standard with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine in Australia, matched to a nine-speed torque-converter automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.

A conventional hybrid or plug-in hybrid model will not be available in Australia, at least at launch, nor a fully electric option to rival the Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal.

The documents reveal at least two variants of the MG 7 will be available – a base grade and a flagship – which are likely to be named Excite and Essence to mirror other MG vehicles in Australia.

In China, the MG 7 outputs 192kW and 405Nm while Middle Eastern versions have 184kW, but the government documents confirm the Australian model will have 170kW.

The 170kW version of the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine is expected to be identical to what is available in the MG HS mid-size SUV overseas, which has a 370Nm torque output – 35Nm less than Chinese and Middle Eastern models.

Another MG sold in Australia with a version of the brand's 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine is the MG QS seven-seater, which has been detuned further to 153kW and 360Nm.

While the current MG 7 sedan was unveiled in mid-2022 and initially ruled out for Australia, in mid-2024, the brand confirmed the model for a local launch in 2025.

It joins a number of new MG vehicles entering segments the brand has not previously competed in, such as the QS large SUV and U9 dual-cab ute, all due in local showrooms before the end of the year.

Measuring 4884mm long, 1889mm wide and 1447mm tall with a 2778mm wheelbase, the MG 7 is 36mm shorter, 49mm wider and 2mm taller than a current Toyota Camry with a 47mm shorter wheelbase.

Both variants will be fitted with 19-inch alloy wheels, while standard equipment is likely to include a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, dual-zone climate control with rear vents, and a suite of active safety features.

Other equipment fitted overseas includes a 360-degree camera, tyre pressure monitoring, a panoramic sunroof, an electric tailgate, heated front seats, a nappa leather steering wheel, a 'Super Sport' drive mode, a head-up display, automatic parking, and a wireless smartphone charger.

The MG 7 is also available with an "adaptive three-stage" retractable spoiler, a four-outlet exhaust, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, an electronic limited-slip differential, frameless doors, a Bose audio system with up to 14 speakers, and green or red leather upholstery.

VFACTS sales data shows the 'medium car under $60,000' segment the MG 7 is due to compete in has accounted for 1 per cent of new-car deliveries so far in 2025, behind SUVs, utes, small cars, and light cars.

Of the 5776 medium cars sold so far in 2025 – from a 486,302 total – the hybrid Toyota Camry has a 61 per cent share (3520 sales), followed by the electric BYD Seal (982), axed Mazda 6 (693), Skoda Octavia (291), Hyundai Sonata (179), discontinued VW Passat (58), and Honda Accord (53).

MG Australia is aiming to break into the Top Five within three years with its range of new models, then a Top Three brand by 2030, which would require it to almost double its current sales.

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Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.

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