MG RX9 PHEV Philippines: P1.998M Three-Row Plug-In Hybrid, Specs and Analysis

MG Philippines has been on a quiet electrification tear this year. After the 7-seat G50 PHEV and the value-packed MG4 Urban, the brand just dropped its new flagship: the MG RX9 PHEV, a three-row plug-in hybrid SUV that lands under the two-million- peso mark. It broke cover during the brand’s “Next Wave” media drive in mid-August, and it’s now in showrooms with an introductory price of P1,968,888 (regular SRP P1,998,888).

For a family SUV crowd that’s been watching PHEVs creep past P2.5 million, this is one of the more interesting arrivals in a while. Let me dig into the specs, what reviewers are saying, and how it actually handles the realities of driving in the Philippines.

What Is the MG RX9 PHEV?

Think of it as MG’s answer to the large seven-seater crossover PHEVs flooding the market right now. It’s the biggest and most premium thing in the local MG lineup — a five-door, three-row SUV built on the same body MG calls the RX9 internationally (and the Roewe RX9 in its home Chinese market). The “PHEV” part means you get a gas engine and a battery you can plug in, so it works as a mostly-electric commuter and a conventional hybrid on long trips at once.

Full Specifications

Colors available at launch: Pearl White, Phantom Black, Andes Gray, Champagne Silver, and Jade Green Metallic. That’s a solid mix if you want something that hides the Metro Manila dust or something that pops.

Price in Three Currencies

For readers comparing across markets (and I know our international followers do), here’s the MG RX9 PHEV priced out at recent exchange rates (roughly 61.73 PHP/USD and 95.7 INR/USD):

Note that the lower intro figure comes with a P30,000 cash discount promo at MG dealerships nationwide, so the effective deal can land a touch lower depending on how you buy. That P1,998,888 SRP slots the RX9 well under most of its three-row PHEV rivals — it undercuts the GAC GN8 PHEV by over a million pesos, and it sits in a different league entirely from GAC’s more affordable GS4 Max HEV, which is actually a non-plug-in hybrid.

What Reviewers and the Industry Say

MG Philippines has been positioning this as the flagship of its electrified “Next Wave” lineup. Top Gear PH flagged the RX9 as the brand’s premium seven-seater — a step more aggressive and upscale looking than the smaller G50. The automaker itself emphasizes the plug-in advantage: up to 115 km of pure electric driving and a combined range that clears 1,100 km, which is the kind of number that kills range anxiety on family road trips.

Internationally, the wider MG SUV range has been praised for packing surprising space and equipment for the money. On the value benchmark, MG has been the brand to watch locally — the G50 PHEV and MG4 Urban have become reference points for how much electrified car you can get per peso.

The honest caveats: with the power figures bouncing between ~294 hp (as AutoDeal lists) and MG’s ~299 PS claim, nobody should obsess over the exact number — it’s comfortably sufficient for a family hauler, not a sports SUV. And because ground clearance wasn’t published at launch, flood and pothole advice below is based on what we can reasonably expect from a large crossover rather than a confirmed figure.

Analysis for Filipino Driving Conditions

City Driving

This is where the RX9 shines. That 24.7 kWh battery gives you real plug-in range — the up-to-115 km EV figure covers a full EDSA commute plus errands around Makati or BGC without touching a drop of fuel. Instant electric torque makes stop-and-go Quezon Avenue traffic feel effortless. The obvious trade-off is size: 4,983 mm long means you’ll think twice about tight mall basement parking, and U-turns on narrow provincial roads need planning. But for hauling a big family around the metro, that space is the point.

Long-Distance Travel

The Manila-to-Baguio run (~250 km) is a non-event here thanks to that 1,100 km combined range. You could circle the island and then some before refueling. Plug it in overnight with a Level 2 charger and you’ll rarely worry about stations on intercity runs — most of the trip can run on battery or hybrid mode as you choose. If you don’t need the third row and want to go fully electric instead, MG’s S5 EV is the simpler city-first option.

Flood and Flood-Prone Situations (Rainy Season)

Here’s the section I’d read carefully. Right now it’s monsoon season in the Philippines, and low-lying areas around Manila and the provinces flood fast. As a plug-in hybrid, the RX9 has a real advantage in standing water — there’s no air intake to hydrolock an engine, so an EV can sometimes pass water that would stall a pure gas car. But the RX9 still has an engine, and crucially, MG hasn’t published its ground clearance or battery IP rating yet. My advice: treat it like any other low-slung crossover — don’t wade anything deeper than you’d walk through, and avoid the known flood traps like España or certain underpasses after heavy rain. Higher-riding body-on-frame pickups remain the safer flood bet.

High-Temperature Conditions

Filipino summers and the 36-38°C heat are a genuine test for EV batteries. The RX9’s thermal management and its relatively large battery for a PHEV should handle daily full charges in hot weather without the drama that plagued earlier EVs. The tri-zone AC with a third-row blower is welcome kit when you’re driving a fully loaded cabin in Luzon heat. Just be aware that constant max-AC use in city traffic will eat into that EV range faster than the sticker number suggests, so think of up to 115 km as the optimistic ceiling.

The Verdict

The MG RX9 PHEV is a legitimately appealing option if you need a genuinely spacious seven-seater and want to cut fuel bills without fearing range anxiety. The plug-in hybrid format fits the Philippines unusually well — most of us do short city hops where battery power shines, and the rare long trip is covered by the gas engine and a huge combined range. At P1,998,888 it undercuts the established three-row PHEV competition by a significant margin.

The open questions are ground clearance and real-world build quality, both of which I’d want to confirm with a test drive — and the flood concern means it may not be the right buy if your place of work sits in a perennial flood zone. It’s also worth measuring the RX9 against the Mitsubishi Outlander GT PHEV, which takes a different route with twin-motor all-wheel drive but costs nearly a million more. If you’re in the market for a plug-in hybrid family SUV, though, the RX9 deserves to be on your shortlist.