MG has unveiled the new MG 07 in China, a sleek, electrified fastback that gives a first indication of how the brand may further expand beyond SUVs and hatchbacks.

The model has not been confirmed for Europe, but its timing is interesting. In Belgium and Luxembourg, MG is preparing to take over its own distribution from Astara Western Europe on 1 July 2026, moving from importer-led representation to a direct national sales company under MG Motor Europe.

Not to be confused with ICE MG7

The new MG 07 should not be confused with the existing MG7 combustion-engined liftback. The MG 07 is a new-energy model, offered as both a fully electric car and a plug-in hybrid.

According to Chinese registration and tax-exemption documents, the car measures 4.89 meters long, 1.90 meters wide, and has a wheelbase of 2.83 meters.

That puts it close to the Tesla Model 3 and MG’s own upcoming IM5 in size, although the MG 07 is positioned more as an affordable sporty fastback than as a premium electric saloon.

From €19,000 in China

In China, MG is expected to position the MG 07 in the 150,000 to 200,000 yuan segment, roughly €19,000 to €26,000 before European taxes, duties, homologation costs, and dealer margins.

The fully electric version uses a 67 kWh battery and is listed with up to 650 kilometers of CLTC range, or 610 kilometers depending on the version.

The plug-in hybrid combines a 1.5-liter petrol engine with an electric motor and a 30 kWh battery, offering up to 185 kilometers of electric range under China’s WLTC cycle.

The technical package also suggests that MG wants the 07 to be seen as more than a budget fastback. Chinese information points to LiDAR-based driver assistance, Momenta software, and a dedicated X7 chip.

SAIC is presenting the car to bring higher-end styling and intelligent driving features to a younger, more price-conscious audience. In other words, MG is trying to package design, range, and technology at a price point below the more premium Chinese EV sedans.

Europe not confirmed (yet)?

Whether the MG 07 will come to Europe remains unclear. MG’s current Belgian line-up does not include it, and there is no official European launch date.

The closest comparable MG model announced for Belgium is the IM5, a larger, more premium electric saloon due to arrive in several European markets, including Belgium, in the summer of 2026. The IM5, however, sits higher in the range and will not occupy the same ‘affordable’ space as the MG 07 in China.

The plug-in hybrid version of the MG 07 may be particularly relevant for Europe. The EU’s additional duties on China-built battery-electric vehicles make importing Chinese EVs more complex and expensive, while plug-in hybrids are not targeted by the same BEV-specific measure.

At the same time, several European markets, including Belgium, still have a significant company-car and fleet audience that may consider a long-range PHEV as a transition product, depending on taxation and local incentives.

MG is taking control in Belgium

The Belgian angle is especially important because MG is changing its commercial structure in the country. MG Motor Europe and Astara have confirmed that the current distribution agreement for Belgium and Luxembourg will end, with MG taking control through its own national sales company from 1 July 2026.

Astara helped relaunch and grow MG in Belgium and Luxembourg from 2020 onward, but the brand has now reached a scale at which SAIC and MG Motor Europe want direct control over sales, marketing, pricing, dealer relations, and customer experience.

For customers, the change should be mostly invisible in the short term. MG and Astara have both stressed continuity, including warranty, after-sales, and dealer support.

Existing dealers are expected to remain largely in place, although they will likely move to updated agreements with MG’s own Belgian organization rather than with Astara Western Europe.

Over time, direct representation could lead to faster product decisions, more consistent European pricing, stronger fleet support, and closer integration with MG’s wider European strategy.

More sensitive for dealers

For dealers, the transition may be more sensitive. A direct national sales company usually means new reporting lines, new commercial targets, new bonus structures, and potentially different standards for showrooms, digital tools, demonstrators, and aftersales processes.

Large dealer groups such as Van Mossel, which currently operates eight MG sites in Belgium, will remain key retail partners even as MG takes the importer role in-house.

The network may benefit from a stronger link with the manufacturer, but it may also face tighter control from MG Motor Europe.

For Astara Western Europe, the loss is strategically meaningful. MG has become one of the most visible Chinese car brands in Belgium, with MG Motor Europe citing around 6,000 Belgian registrations in 2025 and a market share above 1.5%.

Losing the import role for a growing brand removes a volume contributor from Astara’s portfolio at a time when Chinese manufacturers are becoming more important in Europe. It also illustrates a broader market trend: once new Chinese brands reach sufficient scale, they may prefer to replace independent importers with direct subsidiaries.

The MG 07, therefore, matters even before any European launch is confirmed. In China, it shows MG’s ambition to move into affordable, stylish, electrified sedans and fastbacks. In Belgium, MG’s decision to take distribution in-house shows that the brand no longer sees itself as a niche newcomer.

The next question is whether models like the MG 07 will remain a China-only expression of that ambition, or whether MG will use its new direct Belgian structure to bring such products to Europe more quickly.