Sponsored by MG Australia.
When I was asked if I wanted to test drive the all-new MG GS, I had no hesitation in saying 'Yes!' and immediately set about planning a road trip.
I was excited to have an excuse to get out and about as the last few months have been a bit rough on my heart and soul and the ocean was calling.
With the keys in hand, and the sun shining the open sun roof, I grabbed my friend Marysia and headed down the coast, all the way to New South Wales
With a full day at our disposal, we headed into Byron Bay for a little sun, beach and beef (seeing it, not eating it).
Our first stop was Wategos Beach, just northwest of Cape Byron and the lighthouse. I'd been down here the day before for brunch with friends and we'd spotted a pod of dolphins as well as a few humpback whales on their annual migration.
From there, we cruised up to the lighthouse for a squizz but all the carparks were taken, so we had to just look at it out the sunroof! (Here's a cool list of 11 things to know about the Cape Byron Lighthouse.)
We then found another sneaky little vantage point near the Captain Cook Lookout which I'm guessing used to have a safety barrier but currently doesn't, making for amazing photos-and a slight safety risk (don't worry Mum, I didn't fall!).
Then it was back in the , with the air-con turned up to cool us down and we headed back into town for a spot of shopping. Among my picks for the best places to shop in Byron Bay are Ahoy Trader, Mister Zimi, Spell & The Gypsy Collective, South of the Border, Hendrix & Harlow, Arnhem Clothing,
While there is a plethora of great places to eat in Byron (Leaf & Grain, Miss Margarita, Treehouse at Belongil to name a few), The Farm at Byron Bay, with its Scottish Highland calves, was calling my name.
After a little beach action at Belongil and a pit stop in the hills of Bangalow because it's just so pretty, we hit the highway and headed for home.
The car
The MG GS is a good sized family car and the Essence X (top of the range) features a 2.0-litre turbo engine with all-wheel-drive, a six-speed dual clutch auto and 18-inch wheels.
It also comes with all the mod-cons including an 8-inch touchscreen stereo with sat nav and reversing camera, leather seats with electric driver's adjustment, an electric sunroof, steering wheel-mounted shift paddles, sports pedals, front fog lamps, and rain-sensing wipers.
You can also connect your phone through the built in USB port or via Bluetooth so we connected up on iPhone and pressed play on my favourite road trip playlist for the drive home.
With a large boot space as well as back seats that fold truly flat to maximise storage space, making it perfect for anyone who is constantly on the go! I threw in everything from my tripod and beach bag to shopping bags and even a friend's dog!
Marysia and I both found the car comfortable enough for long rides with the wind in your hair, yet also stylish enough to flaunt in beautiful Bangalow in the Byron hinterland.
The MG was also my first SUV and I really quite enjoy being up high in a bigger car as I felt like I could see more than usual - although given I'm such a shorty, I probably need to work on my entry and exit which was probably less than graceful!
To explore the all-new MG GS range head to the MG Australia website.
