NEW MG5 DRIVEN: More kit, better looks… but more money. Is the new MG5 still a winner? /Electrifying
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Published 2022-11-10
But that's not to say it was fault-free. Its somewhat utilitarian design was hard to love, unless you have a penchant for early 1990s car styling. Now MG has launched a revised version which aims to answer all of the current car's failings while keeping everything owners love.
While there’s good news on the design and equipment front, there’s a downside… it’s more expensive than it used to be. Rising costs, specification improvements and the loss of the grant pushing the starting price up £30,995 – a 17% increase on this time last year.
The entry level model is now called the SE, mirroring the naming used on the latest version of the ZS EV. This version has a bigger 10.25” touchscreen and an app, called iSMART to control the car’s charging and heating remotely. The posher Trophy costs £33,495 and adds 17 inch alloys, a 360o parking camera, heated front seats, privacy glass at the rear, rain sensing wipers and climate control.
So has the price increase taken away the MG5’s biggest selling point? Join Ginny as she takes one of the first facelifted cars to arrive in the UK through its paces. Do the sums still add up? As always, let us know what you think in the comments below.
#mg5 #mgelectric #mg
All Comments (21)
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I’ve had the original MG5 for 2 years. Yes this new upgrade does look better and it’s got some nice new toys but I still love mine. It cost me next to nowt ( £19.5k ) brand new and it costs me nowt to run really. A total no brainer for me, I could sell it for more now 2 years later. I suppose there is a lot of badge snobbery against MG but ignore them at your peril, they are far better than you would expect for the money. I’ve no plans to change mine anytime soon, still love it
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I think the new look is fantastic, a vast improvement over the older model. The range is ok but the charging speed is a let down,but a good overall package.
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Man a couple of weeks ago I didn't know pretty much anything about EVs, it's astonishing what this channel and Fully Charged Show do in terms of educating people like myself about this topic, thanks for the hard work!
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I have been using an MG5 for my job now for 18 Months, in that time I have done 28000 miles, my Company is an Electronic Fire and Security business, I carry about 80Kgs of tools and kit in the boot, stepladders and occasionally ladders on the roof for additional drag. Its the original ‘shorter range’ car and in the summer I get 220 miles without even trying, winter I get about 180. I appreciate it was a replica of early naughties Passat but this car IMO is just great. I was so impressed I bought the new longer range for one of my guys, we swapped last week and after owning a Tesla Model S I gotta say I was impressed with the MG Pilot, which mine doesn’t have, looking to test drive the new one next week, can’t wait. New facelift version looks the biz and the lack of app connectivity is definitely the only thing I don’t like about mine. Discounting the Porche this is the only Estate (station wagon) ev out there until the Peugeot 308SW EV arrives next year, although I am guessing add 5k to the price over the MG, as the 208 GT EV is more expensive than the MG5.
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"And it's not another SUV, because we don't need anymore of those" YES to this. I just want an EV with a decent boot.
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I have the new version already since the old never hit germany but i wouldn't say the old one looks boring. Lots of things in the interior is not really more practical and the exterior is matter of taste. Led light is a plus but isn't really cause of the design. Don't get me wrong, i like my mg5 but i wouldn't mind getting it if i had the old one only for the update in design. The mg app isn't really fully usable with the mg5 since it's the only car in the lineup that is limited to the "lite" version / functionality. So no advanced rout planing and a couple of other features missing. Additional we have 2 batteries available in germany, a smaller one which i got with LFP technology. It's in Kilometer 310 vs 400 of range but has little to no problems when charged to 100% on a regular basis. That in day to day use eliminates the different range for most of the time while being about 3000 euro cheaper. Plus lfp doesn't burn, has no rare earth and can be charged about 3 to 5 times more often than the nmh battery
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MG really hit the spot for the market they were aiming at with older model, the out going model been very popular here I see them everywhere as family run abouts, company cars, the kids and dog shuttle and even taxi's I think the new model is going to continue to be a great seller for MG.
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Yeah, I lost interest when you said the heating controls were in the screen. We're both over sixty and cannot use a screen while driving. I've been driving forty years and was a professional driver so not incompetent. Not good enough MG.
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I was driving the old MG5 for over a year and only just replaced it for the new MG4 which is a great car. However as a family of 5 plus 2 dogs i think i might be switching back to MG5. This new facelift finally looks good and the infotainment system is a huge improvement. By the way I do not like the heavy regen breaking. I like how MG4 managed to get few more available which is a bit shame they did not add this to the new MG5
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It's unfortunate that this car is not available in the States. I think that it is a sharp car. Thanks
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Yet another car where designers copied the idea of curves blending into sharp protruding lines. There is such a thing as too MUCH style for style's sake.
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Certainly looks better but I wonder why they didn't make the charging flap an octagon and mount the badge on it. As it is, the flap looks like the new Kia Nero EV's flap.
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Honestly, Ginny ought to be on The Fully Charged Show. The best part is the driving dynamics - far more detailed than Jack's version and therefore far more useful. It is criminal that this video has only 18K views while FC's version has 118K...
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Looks much nicer than the 1990’s VW Passat version 👍🏻
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as far as i can see the only thing good about the new MG5 is that the charging port is at the front were all EVs should be.The colour looks good thought.
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the regen in my Fiat 500e brings me to a stop which i like.
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You’re very rude about my current one year old MG5 LR 😅, but, yes, this is a great improvement in styling thanks to MG’s London design team, who rarely get a mention in reviews! I believe that they’re also responsible for ‘Europeanising’ the suspension on the original MG5 and I think that the MG4 styling is largely down to them. But you’re wrong about the 0-60 time, as mine is under 8 secs too and it already has Lumbar support. Unfortunately, those nice alloys are 17” rather than my 16” wheels and, yes, they look better, but they also reduce the range by 15-20 miles, so not so close to 250 miles. You're not alone in criticising the charging time, but on some recent 300 miles journeys we only stopped once and by the time we had used the loo and had a coffee and a sandwich, the car had gone from 23% to 95% (nobody was waiting!) so quibbling about 40 mins vs 30 mins seems a quibble too far to me! The MG4 is brilliant, but too small for our requirements and I think we’ll wait for the inevitable replacement of this facelift MG5 with one based on the same EV platform as the MG4.
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Love the channel! The MG5 was always targeted at a specific group. Come on a 'wobbly' charge flap is not a showstopper! I have an MG ZS 2nd edition, which is a great car. I'm taking my mate to pick up his new MG4 on Tuesday. What a car! VW, BMW and others cannot justify the £10,000 price difference.
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They should give this the twin motor setup that’s coming to the mg4, every one loves a quick estate. They could have built the roof rails in to roof like the Skoda Octavia.
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Hi, is the MG5 the better car over the MG ZS EV??
