As Filipinos, family is important. In fact, many of our life decisions are influenced by our families, including car buying. When shopping for a vehicle, many of us tend to consider the available space inside, which makes MPVs and SUVs among the vehicle body types that Filipinos usually go for.
Maxus Philippines is one of the car brands that offer a lineup of MPVs. And recently, the company conducted a group test drive that aims to highlight one of the newer members of its range – the whole Maxus G50 MPV lineup.
A handful of members of the media, including myself, attended the drive to Subic to test out the Maxus G50. The trip to the north of Metro Manila was short and sweet, but it was enough for me to see the value that the G50 brings to the table: a great family vehicle at an affordable price point. Here are five things I like about this MPV.
Spacious 8-seater
The Maxus G50 seats eight. While the magic number ‘7’ is already attractive to Filipino car buyers, going for a higher number will always be an attractive trait – an extra seat for another kin, maybe?
Even better, the G50 provides ample space for all passengers, even for those seated at the back. Although, those seated at the last row of the base Comfort MT variant could benefit from roof-mounted A/C vents, especially on hot noon. Then again, at least the higher variants have this as standard on both second and third rows.
Nevertheless, the Maxus G50’s bevy of storage points and cubbyholes makes the car even more attractive as a family vehicle.
Comfortable ride & drive
Space should always go hand-in-hand with driving and riding comfort. A yes, the Maxus G50’s cavernous interior space is partnered with a comfortable ride, both as the driver and a passenger. The ride is plush and the suspension works well in absorbing road imperfections. In the top-spec variants, leather upholstery and soft-touch surfaces populated the cabin, which reinforces the overall comfort of the vehicle.
I was fortunately lucky to be able to test all variants of the G50 during the event and one thing’s common: it’s effortless to doze off as a passenger, especially on the second row.
Techie MPV
The top-spec Maxus G50 Elite (P1,259,000) and Premium (P1,338,000) both offer a modern and feature-filled cabin. There’s a 360-degree camera, automatic air-conditioning, huge 12-inch touchscreen infotainment, LED lighting elements, cruise control, power tailgate, and wireless charging – features that make the journey effortless and more convenient. The electronic parking brake with auto brake hold on all but the base variant was my favorite; it made braving through city traffic less of a chore.
The G50 also has a set of techie safety features such as tire pressure monitoring and front/rear parking sensors. These were on top of the usual standard safety bits like ABS with electronic brake-force distribution, airbags, 3-point seat belts for all occupants, traction control, and electronic stability program.
Banks on safety
Speaking of safety, Maxus PH also showcased its standard safety features on a prepared course at our destination in Subic.
The G50’s electronic brake-force distribution and traction control were put to the test first through a slippery surface on the left side of the road. The exercise showed how the system manages the braking power and torque on each of the wheels depending on the surfaces, making the drive safer regardless of the situation.
Further into the course, the traction control and electronic stabilization program showed how the car could manage corners during emergency braking.
Finally, the 360-degree-view camera and sensors were put to the test in a tight parking spot. The display on the screen was accurate in comparison to the actual distance outside, which gave us confidence in going through the precarious maneuvers.
Surprisingly good manual gearbox
Frankly, I would like to try the manual gearbox of the Maxus G50 on the base Comfort variant (P948,000), but not in heavy city traffic for obvious reasons. But as fate would have it, the unit was assigned to me for our trip back home, which meant that I had to drive it all the way from Subic to Makati.
Surprisingly, the Comfort MT, despite having the smaller turbocharged 1.3-liter engine, was a better drive. It was more engaging, plus having to row the gears myself meant that I had better control over the vehicle’s power delivery. Despite the long two-hour, one-stop drive, I didn’t feel any fatigue at all. A delightful surprise, I must say.
