2025 MGS5 EV review

MG has runs on the board in the EV space and the latest addition to its range, the MGS5 EV, provides an appealing and affordable small SUV option.

Price has been a major hurdle for EVs in their quest for mainstream acceptance. Even a consumer open to the idea of an electric vehicle would eventually arrive at the bottom line and discover it cost anything up to twice the price of the petrol equivalent.

Early attempts to get EV prices down usually meant a big sacrifice in quality, but improving economies of scale have helped narrow the gap – something evident in MG’s latest electric vehicle, the MGS5 EV. Does it do enough to justify its circa-$40k entry point? Read on to find out.

How much does the MGS5 EV cost?

The MGS5 EV is sold with two battery options (49kWh and 62kWh) and two trim levels (Excite and Essence). The base model EV Excite 49kWh starts at an impressive $40,490 drive away, the Essence 49kWh steps up to $42,990 drive away, an Excite 62kWh is $44,990 drive away, and the full-fruit Essence 62kWh costs $47,990 drive away.

The big difference, of course, is range, with the 62kWh models offering up to 430km (WLTP) compared to 340km for the 49kWh versions. Stumping up $3000-$4000 extra at the outset would be a worthwhile investment for anyone planning to take regular trips outside an urban environment.

With a glut of electric vehicles arriving in Australia in recent years, the MGS5 doesn’t want for competition, although very few can match it on price. The main alternatives include the BYD Atto 3 starting at $39,990 (plus ORCs), and the base model Kia EV3 for $47,600 (plus ORCs).

What is the MGS5 EV like inside?

While the Excite’s plastic steering wheel does feel somewhat out of place on a $40k-plus car, overall interior ergonomics, layout, and presentation are superb. The dial selector for the transmission is one of the better examples we’ve encountered, with distinct and tactile clicks for reverse, neutral and drive, plus a large button for park in the centre and an automatic parking brake.

The minimalist row of knobs and switches in the centre of the dashboard suggests most functions have been given over to the central touchscreen, but in fact this compact analogue cluster manages nearly all air conditioning controls, audio volume, hazard lights, and a home button for the touchscreen. Only air recirculation requires a press of the touchscreen, and it’s a large and obvious icon available on the home screen.

The central infotainment and driver’s information screens have well-ordered menus, navigation and iconography. Speed, battery charge, and rate of energy recuperation from the regenerative braking (more on that below) are available to the driver at a glance, while the infotainment screen is wide enough that all the main functions can be displayed at once, largely removing the need to hunt through sub-menus.

Fit and finish in the MG5S is a step above what the market expected from MG even a few years ago, the sense of quality further accentuated by padded and soft-touch surfaces throughout the cabin. A panoramic sunroof in the Essence is a welcome addition on winter days, as are the heated seats and steering wheel.

Up front, two drink holders hold even irregularly sized bottles and cans securely without obstructing the air con controls, and there are two options for mobile phone storage – a slot that holds the phone upright to keep it completely still, or a bed (this doubles as an induction charger in the Essence model) with non-slip suede upholstery and a little plastic lip to keep the phone in place. The deep (if slightly narrow) armrest storage box is home to two USB-C ports and a 12-volt socket, although interestingly these are the only connection options up front – there are no sockets in the dashboard or centre console.

Front seat comfort is exceptional, something fast becoming a reliable MG trait, and while the cloth upholstery used in the Excite doesn’t feel cheap or scratchy, the cloth and PVC combination in the Essence lends the interior a subdued sportiness. The rear seats are also fairly comfortable and have generous proportions for what is in effect a small SUV. Leg room is decent, too, though the gap under the front seats is a tad snug. Rear seat passengers must also make do with a single USB-C charging port.

The 453-litre cargo space is on par for the small SUV segment, although with the fixed second row there’s no option to gain a few extra inches at the expense of leg room. Lifting the Excite’s rear door requires some muscle before the gas struts take the load, so the powered door on the Essence is another agreeable luxury.

What equipment does the MGS5 EV come with?

Plastic steering wheel aside, not much about the base model Excite 49kWh suggests ‘budget vehicle’. Standard kit includes 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, single-zone climate control, LED lights all round, automatic headlights, a 10.25-inch driver information display, 12.8-inch infotainment screen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, digital radio, satellite navigation, and a choice of seven exterior colours. The 62kWh Excite has identical specs save for its larger battery.

Forking out for the Essence delivers 18-inch alloy wheels, PVC trim on the seats and a leather steering wheel, electrically adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support, centre console for the rear seats, a powered tailgate that can be opened with a wave of your foot, panoramic sunroof, folding door mirrors, rain sensing wipers, rear privacy glass, a 360-degree surround-view camera, six-speaker audio (up from four in the Excite), a wireless phone charger, voice-operated controls, and the option of light-coloured materials in the cabin.

All models come with MG’s 10 year/250,000km warranty, which includes the battery. Service intervals are every 12 months or 25,000km and prices vary for each service, but it works out at $1967 for the first five years.

How safe is the MGS5 EV?

In May 2025 the MGS5 EV achieved a five-star ANCAP safety rating. Dual frontal, centre and side chest-protecting and side head-protecting airbags are all standard. Among its active safety systems are autonomous emergency braking (including vulnerable road user and back-over detection), lane keeping assistance and lane departure warning, and speed sign recognition with driver alert (which, like all its ilk, gets things annoyingly wrong from time to time).

What powers the MGS5 EV?

In all variants of the MGS5 a single electric motor (125kW/250Nm) on the rear axle provides propulsion, putting out 125kW and 250Nm. The claimed 0-100km/h time is 8.0 to 8.6 seconds depending on model grade. The motor gets power from a lithium-ion phosphate battery pack with either 49kWh or 62kWh capacity. Stated WLTP range is 340km from the smaller battery and 430km from the 62kWh option.

The 49kWh models can accept a maximum 120kW from a DC fast charger, the 62kWh can take 150kW, and the onboard AC charging unit has a 6.6kW limit. The MGS5 is also V2L (vehicle-to-load) capable.

We tested both 49kWh MGS5 models with a week of typical suburban journeys and they consumed 19-20kWh per 100km, suggesting the WLTP figures might be a tad generous. Using one-pedal driving mode (see below) aids substantially in extending range.

Taken as an overall package, the driving dynamics are impressive and well-suited to urban and suburban environments where nippy performance and agility are paramount.

— Kris Ashton

1/10

What is the MGS5 EV like to drive?

On paper the electric motor’s power and torque figures (125kW and 250Nm) don’t sound like much, but aside from the faintest hint of sluggishness moving the 1700kg heft from a standing start, the motor delivers the goods, providing more than adequate acceleration for both highway and suburban driving.

The MGS5 offers three levels of regenerative braking, which are accessed through the car settings menu, although resistance reverts to the lowest setting whenever you turn off the vehicle. For some, a better option will be the ‘one pedal driving’ mode, which provides maximum regeneration, true single-pedal operation in most scenarios, and stays on once selected.

Given the MGS5 EV is built on MG’s Modular Scalable Platform (also found on the MG4 and Cyberster sports car), runs calibrated MacPherson five-link suspension, and has rear-wheel drive, it won’t come as a shock to learn MG has erred on the sportier side for the suspension tune. This, in concert with a low centre of gravity and a 53:47 weight distribution, translates to a road-hugging demeanour and flat and predictable cornering – yet there’s no sense that it’s heavy or cumbersome.

The trade-off is a comparatively firm ride and more occupant exposure to the bumps and jolts that characterise suburban driving. There’s also a surprising amount of vibration transmitted to the steering column, perhaps to improve road feel, but whatever its pretensions the MG5S is a small SUV, not a sports car, and the vibration just detracts from an interior that’s otherwise impressively well-insulated from external noise.

Taken as an overall package, the driving dynamics are impressive and well-suited to urban and suburban environments where nippy performance and agility are paramount. The MGS5’s smallish turning circle further adds to its urban credentials, although it’s perfectly capable out on the open road, too.

Open Road’s take on the MGS5 EV

Buying an MG used to be about making concessions to get a better price. That’s increasingly not the case. While remnants of the marque’s budget heritage do crop up in the MGS5 to keep costs down (no auto-up on the passenger’s side window, for example, and the drink holders in the Essence’s second-row armrest likely won’t wear well), if you deleted the badges, you’d be hard-pressed identifying this as an MG.

The MGS5 provides a legitimate way to adopt the EV lifestyle without paying through the nose or settling for ‘cheap and cheerful’.

What we like