The Maxus G50 MPV is hardly anyone’s definition of a performance car, with its size, tall stance, and generous accommodations. It does ship with a turbocharged engine that’s mated to a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox, and many are probably wondering how the power plant performs when driving stick.
2021 Maxus G50 Quick Look: Techie Family Vehicle
Well, imagine no more. While Maxus Philippines launched three trims of the G50 in August 2020 to much fanfare, the arrival of a fourth was relatively under the radar. This is the G50 Comfort edition. For just Php 948,000, it’s positioned as the entry-level variant of the range – and yes, it comes with a manual transmission.
The Comfort’s sticker price already undercuts equivalent versions from its more popular Japanese rivals by as much as Php 88,000, so what can buyers expect? As you might have guessed, a slightly pared-down (albeit still workable) feature set.
For starters, the G50 Comfort skips out on the LED headlamps used by its siblings in favor of standard halogens. Then, users will have to contend with a urethane steering wheel on the driver’s seat, with no multi-function controls to boot. The parking brake is actuated by a floor-mounted lever.
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It's safe to say that the base Comfort variant won't be available in the flashy Roland Purple color
There’s no touchscreen infotainment system, which is just as well since the rear camera has been left out, too. Passengers will have to make do without rear air-conditioning vents, and the engine turns on via conventional rotary ignition instead of a button.
Speaking of the engine, it’s a Euro 6-compliant mill that displaces 1.3 liters, slightly smaller than the 1.5L found on the automatic versions. It retains the turbocharging though, good enough for 150 hp and 230 Nm of torque.
The accompanying manual transmission means drivers get to row through all six of the MPV’s forward gears.
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Maxus is really taking the fight to its Japanese rivals
Despite what the G50 Comfort lacks, it still retains most of the features found on the more expensive trims. These include centralized power door locks, anti-theft system, engine immobilizer, anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, parking and crash sensors, rear seatbelts with seatbelt warning, front and side-impact beams, and a tire pressure monitor. The airbags, however, are limited to just the front occupants.
Maxus Philippines says that the low-key launch of the G50 Comfort was meant to test the market, so only a handful of stocks have been brought in as of this writing. No word yet on whether more units are coming, so if you’re looking for a good deal on your next family ride, here’s your chance.
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