Test Car Specifications
Model: 2025 MGS5 EV
Price: MGS5 from £28,495; Trophy Long Range from £33,495
Motor: 170kW electric motor
Battery: 64kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC)
Transmission: single-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power: 231hp
Torque: 350Nm
Emissions: 0g/km
Range: 288 miles
0-62mph: 6.3 seconds
Top speed: 101mph
Boot space: 453-1,441 litres
Styling
At first glance, the MGS5 EV is handsome in a bland kind of way. There's nothing all that remarkable about the shape, and the front-end design takes aspects of the MG4 EV and the Cyberster, then bundles them onto some SUV proportions. We quite like the way the headlights are hidden in the air ducts in the front bumper, and the way the split front grille nods to the Cyberster, but the chequered-flag daytime running light design feels a bit incongruous and the rear lights look as though they were pinched from the Hyundai i20. It isn't ugly by any stretch of the imagination, but it does feel a tad homogenous. Particularly in grey.
Interior
In recent years, MG's interiors have been something of a mixed bag, with some good ideas that feel badly executed, and some cheap materials occasionally getting in the way of smart design. But none of that is true in the S5 EV, which feels as though it has the most convincing cabin of any MG built since the brand's rebirth.
The design is still smart, with two big screens fitted as standard, and a two-tone colour scheme that feels nice and modern. The materials feel good, too, with lots of soft-touch plastic and upholstery, and most of the switchgear feels pretty robust, even if the window switches are a little on the cheap side.
Admittedly, there are ergonomic issues. The buttons on the steering wheel are still a bit confusing and the buttons on the dash for heating and ventilation control all feel the wrong way around. But at least there are buttons there, apparently as a result of customer demand for physical switchgear. Which is refreshing.
As is the work done on the infotainment system. It still isn't perfect, but MG has listened to criticism of the lag in its systems and fitted a faster processor to speed things up. It still doesn't look all that modern, but it works well enough, particularly with the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity that's included as standard.
The other useful standard feature is the customisation system for the driver assistance tech, which allows drivers to set up their preferences and access them more easily, so you don't have to go around switching everything on or off every time you get in the car.
Practicality
With a bit more bulk than the old ZS EV, the S5 EV manages to provide a bit more space, too. Cabin space is particularly impressive, with loads of room in the back for adults to sit very comfortably. Headroom is ample for even the tallest passengers, and rear legroom is also very good, while the two-tone colour scheme means it feels airy. That’s nothing new in a Chinese car – the Chinese seem to prioritise passenger space – but don’t go thinking the MG has just swapped boot space for passenger legroom. The 453-litre boot isn’t massive in this class, but it is competitive, and though the S5 EV goes without a ‘frunk’, that’s no great hardship.
Performance
At launch, the S5 EV is offered with a choice of two different battery packs, dubbed ‘Standard Range’ and ‘Long Range’. The former is a 49kWh battery that’s paired with a 170hp electric motor, while the latter is a 64kWh battery that powers a 231hp motor. Both systems are rear-wheel drive – there’s no all-wheel-drive car on the cards as yet – but the performance is more than adequate, with the Standard Range getting from 0-62mph in eight seconds flat, whereas the Long Range cuts that time to a perky 6.3 seconds.
More importantly, the Standard Range offers customers a maximum range of 211 miles on a single charge, whereas the Long Range ups that to 298 miles in basic SE form and 288 miles in the range-topping Trophy guise tested here. And our test suggested those ranges – or at least something close to them – would be achievable in the real world. Although road-testing doesn’t always elicit great efficiency from cars, we managed 3.6 miles per kilowatt-hour, equating to a range of around 240 miles. With a slightly more gentle approach, we would probably have been talking about managing four miles to the kilowatt-hour (about 265 miles to a charge).
And when the battery runs low, MG has given the car fast-charging capability. The Standard Range will charge at up to 120kW, which means the battery can be topped up from 10 to 80 per cent in 24 minutes, while the Long Range will charge at 139kW, allowing a 150kW charger to fill it from 10 to 80 per cent in 28 minutes. And 7kW AC charging means you can plug into a domestic ‘wallbox’ charger and fill the battery from 10 to 100 per cent in eight-and-a-half hours.
Ride & Handling
In a way, the S5 EV's ride is the car's biggest weak spot, with a slightly jiggly, jittery feel even on roads that appear relatively smooth. But if that's as bad as it gets, the MG is doing well. At lower speeds, the suspension is well damped and the car feels mature in the way it rides, even if it does thump into the occasional bump. But it's sorted quickly and without too much fuss, leaving it with a ride that's generally acceptable without being astonishing.
And the trade-off for the so-so ride is pretty engaging handling. The steering isn't exactly blooming with feel, but it's linear and responsive enough to give you confidence, and the car's relatively even weight distribution and rear-drive layout helps it to feel poised. Body roll is there, but it's reasonably well controlled, and the responsive motor plays its part in what is quite an enjoyable car to hustle down a country road. It's no hot hatch on stilts, but it's better than the EV3 in that department.
Value
Value has long been one of the key attributes of any MG family car, and though the brand claims the S5 still delivers that, it's clear the price has increased with the quality level. The basic S5 Standard Range SE costs £28,495, which only makes it around £3,000 cheaper than the Skoda Elroq, which has a slightly bigger battery and a slightly more upmarket brand image. And if you want a Long Range Trophy model, the £33,495 price tag makes it more expensive than the basic Kia EV3 and even a mid-range Elroq.
Admittedly, when you go like-for-like, the MG generally has fractionally more equipment and range, but it's clear that the difference is not all that great these days. But you do get plenty of toys. Basic SE versions (available in Standard Range and Long Range forms) get 17-inch alloys, two-tone fabric upholstery, satellite navigation and a reversing camera, as well as a digital instrument display and keyless entry. And the Trophy models up the ante with 18-inch alloys, wireless phone charging and heated seats, not to mention the heated steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers and 'hands-free' powered tailgate.
Verdict
The MGS5 EV is arguably MG's most compelling and most competitive product yet. Taking many of the qualities that make the MG4 EV so good and adding a smarter cabin means it can't fail to impress, and though the price is not quite as low as some customers might hope or even expect, it can justify its price tag. This is the first MG (with the possible exception of the Cyberster) that doesn't feel like a budget proposition.
