2026 MG TRQ L Review: MG Philippines Enters The Pickup Segment

With a blend of new branding and well-known platform cues, the TRQ L marks MG’s first entry into the local pickup market, but its long-term image is unclear. Is it only a stand-in for further development, a rebranded experiment, or a viable contender? A pre-launch drive shows both promise, but at the same time leaves one puzzled. This review dives into what the TRQ L can offer, where it stands, and whether it can carve out space in a market dominated by well-established names. The MG TRQ L makes its way to the Philippines, but with its newborn identity starting as vague, can it find its place here in the highly competitive pickup segment with extremely brand-loyal and model-loyal buyers?

Exterior Design and Accessories

The MG TRQ L can be easily noticed as a modern pickup truck in its exterior design. From different sides and angles as you walk around, you can start to notice the design cues that make up a modern truck. From its massive, pronounced chrome grille, the thick and black fender flares, and the style of its headlights and taillights.

The TRQ L also comes equipped with a rear rollbar attached to the truck bed. There are stepboards on both sides as well by the rear bumper that connects to the rear lower reflectors. However, I would like to point out that all of it feels a bit too narrow for me to confidently climb inside or onto the bed.

One noticeable detail to mention is that compared to the rest of the current roster of vehicles from MG, the TRQ L sticks out like a sore thumb for not sharing any visual similarities in their lineup, seeming to be a result of their pursuit of finding their mix of luxury and tough appearance. Although this is MG’s debut pick-up truck in the Philippine market, its overall exterior design can be received as acceptable.

Interior Styling

As you get in the driver’s seat, it is pleasing to the eye that the gauge cluster is still dominated by analog dials, with the tachometer, speedometer, as well as the fuel and temperature gauges still being analog. By the center of the cluster is a simple digital display packed with digital readings like the instantaneous fuel Economy, fuel Range, service intervals, and tire pressure monitoring, just to name a few. Overall, the gauge cluster is readable and easy to navigate with the turn stalks and steering wheel controls, with both having a nice feel to the hands and having good tactile feedback.

The steering wheel, which is made of polyurethane and synthetic leather that you will definitely feel as it is not as pleasant as anyone could expect, and its controls have the basics like the media controls, the digital gauge cluster controls, and also the cruise control. 

The MG TRQ L’s seats felt like they were designed for a compromise of comfort and practicality, using durable materials like synthetic leather and fabric suited for tropical conditions like here in the Philippines. Front seats offer decent bolstering and support, while the rear bench is upright and functional. Personally, I would’ve preferred more adjustment outside of only the driver’s seat getting the privilege of electronic adjustment and the seats being made with better materials, but I say it as a personal complaint rather than a drawback.

A quick mention of the safety features, this pickup thankfully is equipped with most of what you would expect for automobiles to come packed with as standard, like dual front airbags, ABS, rear parking sensors, reverse camera, traction control, and ISOFIX child seat anchor points at the rear. 

Infotainment

The test unit that was used is the automatic version, and its gear selector is far from a traditional gear stick, which I initially expected it to come equipped with. Still, it is easy to operate and go through the shifts like you would in a traditional automatic.

One curious detail is the blank space beside the gear selector, clearly shaped for a rotary knob. It’s likely reserved for a future 4×4 variant. For now, it’s a subtle reminder that this unit is a 4×2, but it also leaves room for speculation if that variant would ever make it to the Philippines. Looking a bit further up, the climate control panel is fully touch-sensitive, while it adds visual appeal but gives no tactile feedback of any sort—so it may take a moment to get used to, especially when in need to adjust settings on the move. It is equipped with the usual vents up front and includes two small vents by the center console for the rear. 

The MG TRQ L’s infotainment system features their custom UI with access to AM/FM radio, Bluetooth, and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It has been both responsive and easy to navigate, and the two USB-A ports make device connectivity straightforward. While not groundbreaking, it covers all the essentials for daily use and media access.

Engine and Driving Experience

The TRQ L uses a diesel 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder that produces 161 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque, sending power to the rear wheels via a ZF eight-speed automatic. Yes, the same gearbox that ZF sources to brands like BMW and Audi, just to name a few.

The TRQ L rolls on 245/70/R16 all-terrain tires, which gives an experience of a just-about-good balance between rugged capability and decent comfort. On both paved roads and light off-road trails, the ride has been just about decent—stable, composed, and well-damped at speeds anyone would operate a pickup truck. Tire noise is audible at cruising speeds, but not to the point that it has been too bothersome.

Up front, the TRQ L uses a Double Wishbone MacPherson strut system, while the rear relies on traditional leaf springs. This combination is standard across most pickups in the market, and has been a proven setup that doesn’t really need to prove anything and has no quirk to mention at all. Unlike many rivals that occasionally still use drum brakes at the rear, the TRQ L features disc brakes across all four wheels. 

On the road, the TRQ L delivers a ride that’s beyond mildly firm and bouncy, especially when unladen, but the ride settles noticeably once you add cargo or passengers. In mixed driving—spirited bursts and daily commutes—the TRQ L returned around 10.9 km/l, which is respectable for a diesel pickup. Notably, PWR gives a very noticeable punch, and you’ll find yourself hitting peak torque a lot quicker than usual. ECO, on the other hand, is expectedly neutering the throttle response for better fuel economy. 

With everything I mentioned previously about its interior, overall, I see it all as a compromise between having an interior that is both trying to be luxurious and within the means of offering utility within affordability. One thing that can be very noticeable when driving over time is the engine note creeping into the cabin—especially under load or acceleration. It’s not overwhelming, but it’s present enough that if accompanied by the ride the suspension provides, it will be able to break conversations during the ride. Sound insulation and the overall ride could use refinement, particularly for long highway runs.

Rear passengers get side-mounted grab handles on the door frames, which help with entry and stability. However, overhead grab handles are missing across all four doors—a huge bother to my experience as I try climbing in and out frequently.

Conclusion

The new MG TRQ L may bring a whiff of deja vu, and that’s because of this model–the Maxus T60. Remember, Maxus is under the SAIC empire, and sometimes, SAIC has the tendency to simply rebadge a model from one of its brands as an MG, even if that model seems to be too different from what its brand image was built upon.

While there are areas that could benefit from refinement—like ride comfort, cabin insulation, and interior ergonomics—the TRQ L lays a solid foundation for MG to evolve its pickup offerings. Unfortunately, at its price tag of P1,248,888 for the 6-speed manual and P1,318,000 for the 8-speed automatic, this pickup is priced too closely with the recently facelifted GWM Cannon.

Granted, the Cannon’s prices are still pre-excise tax (for now), but we don’t expect a significant price increase when GWM adjusts its prices. More importantly, while the expected post-excise tax price of its chief rival will surely be higher than the MG, it is also a far nicer and more modern pickup.