MG IM5 Review

Introduction

MG has been on a bit of a roll in recent times.

After rising from the smouldering ashes of the MG Rover collapse two decades ago, it was taken over again when Chinese state-owned SAIC Motor swallowed up Nanjing Automobiles, which had saved the brand two years earlier.

It didn’t do much of note for the following decade or more, producing the odd forgettable car that barely made an impression.

However, as the industry began to turn its attention to electrification, MG saw an opportunity: everyone, including the big, established European manufacturers, was in the same boat, having never done this before. And it seized its chance.

The MG 4 EV came along three years ago – likely another average, middle-of-the-road car that would probably be just as forgettable. Except it wasn’t.

It was brilliant – and, not only that, it proved that electric cars could be made relatively affordably as, up until that point, they’d commanded a huge premium over equivalent petrol models.

Since then, MG has been producing electric cars by the bucketload. Admittedly, not all have earned the superlatives thrown at the MG 4 EV – but MG’s image had already risen in the eyes of so many – and, of course, it’s a brand that’s enjoyed a rich history in the UK.

Now it’s aiming squarely for the big players – the likes of Tesla – with its new brand of ‘IM’ vehicles.

The IM5 is, in theory, a Tesla Model 3 killer. But is it in practice? We’ll see if we can find out.

At A Glance

Much like the BYD Seal, MG has taken some inspiration from Porsche in terms of the looks of the IM5. In fact, it looks like a Porsche and a Tesla had a baby.

The front features triangular headlights set into the corners, with the bonnet sloping down to reveal a small front end composed of a sculpted shape with plenty of blank bodywork.

There is a significant carved cut-out that runs around the outline of the front end, giving it an aggressive and athletic presence. The sides are smooth, apart from a slight indentation towards the bottom of the doors, while the significant slope in the roofline becomes apparent.

From the back, it certainly has a rear end worthy of a Porsche, in terms of how far it sticks out.

There’s plenty of blank bodywork, a similar outline in the lower part of the rear as found at the front, and the indentation beneath the rear spoiler is filled with a large light bar, which spans from one side to the other.

It’s simply lovely.

And we’ll challenge you to find an MG badge on it. MG has opted to brand its IM cars differently, effectively creating a sub-brand.

We're not keen on the emblem, which resembles that of PlayStation or Xbox more than other automotive manufacturers, but perhaps it'll grow on us in time.

Key Features

The MG IM5 doesn’t have trim levels as such, but there are three models linked to the battery size and performance.

Regardless, the IM5 isn’t exactly found wanting when it comes to equipment.

You get 19-inch aerodynamic alloy wheels, a 26.3-inch one-piece ultra-wide infotainment touchscreen, and a digital driver's display with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite navigation, DAB radio, and voice control.

Standard kit also includes a second 10.5-inch touchscreen on the centre console, intelligent four-wheel steering, hands-free powered tailgate, a 20-speaker audio system and a panoramic sunroof, plus automatic LED headlights and taillights.

Also thrown in are sequential indicators, rear privacy glass, flush door handles, power-folding door mirrors, dual-zone climate control, a heat pump, laminated windows, rain-sensing wipers, and 256-colour ambient lighting.

You also get a leather steering wheel, synthetic leather ventilated and heated front seats with 12-way powered driver adjustment and six-way powered passenger adjustment, heated rear seats, keyless entry, and a 360-degree parking camera.

And, as if that wasn’t enough, a wireless phone charger is also included.

That’s generous to say the very least – and the only difference in standard equipment across the range is that the top model, Performance, upgrades to 20-inch aerodynamic alloy wheels.

The big distinguishing feature between the three models is the power.

The entry-level Standard Range comes with 295PS, while the mid-level Long Range version features 407PS – both models have single electric motors, offering rear-wheel drive.

The top-of-the-range Performance version, on the other hand, has a dual motor with all-wheel drive, producing a staggering 751PS.

There’s also a difference in battery sizes and, as you might imagine, range, which we’ll come on to next.

Range & Batteries

The entry-level Standard Range version comes with a 75kWh (73.5kWh usable) battery, which is good for a range of 304 miles.

The other two models get a larger 100kW (96.5kWh usable) battery, with the Long-Range version capable of 441 miles.

Understandably, the Performance version focuses on hardcore poke, so its range is reduced to 357 miles.

Our test drive, in the latter, was on course to achieve around 320 miles, which is impressively close to the advertised figure, compared with many other electric cars we've driven.  Want to know more about EV range? Check out our guide explaining electric car range.

Performance & Drive

As we said, we’re driving the top-of-the-range Performance version – and we’re sure you’re itching to know the 0-62mph time. It's 3.2 seconds, and it's every bit as eye-watering as it sounds.

The good news is that it's so quick, you won't be left disappointed if budget constraints force you into leasing a lower model.

The Long-Range version manages the same in 4.9 seconds, while even the lowest-powered Standard Range version can do it in 6.8 seconds.

Really, these levels of performance indicate that the version we're driving is overkill. Unless you want something akin to supercar performance from an electric car, nobody is going to be downcast by 'only' having 295PS under the bonnet.

In our Performance version, 407PS is delivered to the rear wheels and 345PS is sent to the front.

The result is a barely believable surge of acceleration off the line, which will cause you to hit your head on the headrest if you’re not already leaning back.

It's quicker than a BMW M3 Competition, for goodness' sake, although admittedly, a Tesla Model 3 Performance version will beat it from 0 to 62mph by 0.3 seconds.

The IM5 does reign in the power, though, to ensure smooth and optimal delivery to the road, even if you’re in the most ferocious driving mode – but the result is that, generally, you can floor the throttle and not have to worry about wheelspin.

Its traction control system will intervene, but it didn’t have to work too hard to keep us in line – we suspect it’d be a very different story on a wet road, though.

The IM5 handles reasonably well, though perhaps not as well as a car with such straight-line speed should.

The steering is accurate and there’s plenty of grip around faster bends – the car feels well planted and balanced – but there’s no playfulness to it and you never get the sense that it’s as agile as it should be.

As a result, while the looks may have a hint of Porsche about it, the German brand will have no restless nights. It is, though, a match for the handling of the Tesla Model 3, which is similarly good but without much fanfare.

In terms of ride comfort, the IM5 performs relatively well, given the version we’re driving runs on 20-inch alloys.

It’s relatively adept at smoothing out lumps and bumps, and the ride quality isn’t as harsh as we’d expect from a car built for performance.

However, the IM5 can feel a little unsettled unless you’re on pristine surfaces. As for wind and road noise, the car is very impressive, travelling along with a level of quietness that belies the ferocious amounts of might underneath the bonnet.

The regenerative braking system is okay, but despite a choice of three modes to put it in, none of them feel all that different in terms of the braking force applied.

Charging

The IM5 has a trick up its sleeve – it's one of the fastest-charging electric cars in the world right now, with a maximum DC charging speed of 392kW.

MG quotes figures for a 10-80% recharge at 350kW – 26 minutes in the smaller 75kWh battery.

However, whereas this battery has a 400V architecture, the larger 100kWh battery features an 800V architecture, significantly reducing its thermal load and allowing it to sustain higher charging speeds for longer.

As a result, it can achieve the same 10-80% recharge in just 17 minutes.

Good luck finding a public charger capable of such speeds, though.

A 50kW charger will perform the same top-up in one and a half hours, and a 7kW home wallbox will manage a 10-100% refill in 16 hours and 12 hours, respectively. Check out our guide to picking your ideal electric car charger to find out if charging at home could be for you.

Running Costs & Emissions

With no carbon emissions to worry about, the IM5 should have low running costs – even with a battery that big, it'll be far more cost-effective than an equivalent petrol car, especially if you can charge it at home.

Road tax, though, won’t be as cheap as you might think. Electric cars have to pay nowadays – yes, you’ll get the first year’s road tax for just £10, but it’ll be £195-a-year thereafter – and that’s assuming rates don’t increase.

At least, as a zero-emissions vehicle, it'll be attractive as a company car, thanks to being in the bottom band for Benefit-in-Kind tax.

Interior & Technology

Interior design has evolved considerably amongst non-premium marques over the past five to ten years, and now, everyday brands have really got their act together in terms of making them look very nice. The IM5 is certainly one of them.

The centre console and dashboard are joined together by a floating unit housing a second touchscreen, complementing the enormous all-in-one 26.3-inch panoramic screen behind the steering wheel, which includes infotainment and digital instruments. It makes you feel hemmed in, but not in an uncomfortable way.

The entire cabin feels awash with soft, plush materials, particularly synthetic leather, with cheaper plastics largely hidden from view underneath the dashboard.

The steering wheel includes indentations for your thumbs and a flattened bottom, although the roller switches on the nine and three o’clock spokes look like they’d be more at home on a games console, and make the wheel look rather generic.

You'll find modest amounts of silver trim, particularly around the air vents, and the screens illuminate the cabin significantly.

Speaking of which, the 10.5-inch portrait touchscreen looks inviting to use, with sharp graphics – and, when you're not driving, it's nice to play around with.

But when you're on the move, you'll have to divert your eyes a significant distance from the road ahead, as well as move your neck into the right position.

You’ll then be greeted with icons that are too small to be used on the move, and a menu system that’s less than intuitive.

It’s very distracting and doesn’t bode well for adjusting things while the vehicle is moving.

The infotainment system above is much the same, offering clear graphics, but at least it’s far easier to use on the move and doesn’t require the same mental and physical effort to understand what you’re looking at.

That's a good thing, as almost everything is integrated into the touchscreen – including the climate control, the position of the mirrors, and even the direction the air vents are pointing. Even the fog lights are operated via the screen.

As appealing as all these systems sound to technophiles, they’re not great if you need to do things quickly.

It’s not all bad news, though. The screens are very responsive, are sized unobtrusively, and the icons on the upper infotainment screen are also a decent size.

Overall, the build quality and materials are good, and, aesthetically, it's a very nice interior to sit in.

Practicality & Boot Space

Finding a good driving position is easy in the IM5, thanks to six-way electric seat adjustment in the front, along with adjustable lumbar support.

Forward visibility isn’t bad, either, thanks to the pillars not being especially thick.

Rearward visibility, though, is terrible – the sloping roofline and acute angle of the rear windscreen make it seem like you're looking through a post-box with rounded lower edges, severely limiting your view, and not helped by much thicker rear pillars.

Thankfully, front and rear parking sensors, as well as a 360-degree parking camera, are included as standard across the range, along with one-touch park assist, which automates tricky parking manoeuvres.

Despite the enclosed feel of the front seats, there’s more than sufficient legroom and headroom.

In the back, things aren’t as generous, though it’s still acceptable. There’s just about sufficient headroom, despite the significant slope in the roofline, while there’s enough legroom for most people.

However, the floor is quite high, meaning your knees are elevated, and there isn't enough under-thigh support to compensate, so taller rear seat passengers may feel the squeeze.

Boot space is competitive for the class, measuring 457 litres, expanding to 1,290 litres with the rear seats folded in a 60:40 split, which isn’t as versatile as the 40:20:40 split you’ll get in some cars.

There’s no underfloor storage, either, but there is a small frunk (front boot) offering an additional 18 litres of space under the bonnet.

There are two USB-C charging ports in the front, but disappointingly, only one in the back.

Safety

Euro NCAP has yet to crash test an IM5, but MG has a good safety record overall.

Four of its last five cars that were tested earned a five-star rating, including the MG S5 EV, the most recent one, earlier this year.

The S5 EV scored 90% for adult occupants, 82% for children and 78% for safety assists.

The latter category includes automatic emergency braking, tyre pressure monitoring system, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, auto lane change, and intelligent lane change.

You also get intelligent speed limit assist, driver attention alert with fatigue monitoring, blind spot detection with lane change assist, forward collision warning, and rear cross-traffic alert.

Options

There are no optional extras available on the IM5 – everything is thrown in as standard.

Expect a choice of body colours, including white, silvery blue, grey and black – though a final list hasn’t yet been confirmed.

Our test car came in black.

Rival Cars

The most obvious rival to the IM5 is the Tesla Model 3– that's the car MG is trying to beat here.

There’s also the BMW i4, the Volkswagen ID.7 and the not-too-dissimilar BYD Seal.

The Hyundai Ioniq 6 is also worth looking at.

Verdict & Next Steps

The IM5 is a tempting lease – there are few cars, petrol or electric, that you can lease with this much power for less money.

Its looks are lovely, the interior is nice, it’s packed full of tech, the equipment list is as generous as you can imagine, and it’s reasonably practical for what it is.

It also goes like hell, especially in the Performance version we tested, and it handles nicely, too, feeling well-balanced, with superb charging speeds and range.

All that said, the driving experience overall isn't as exciting as we'd hoped. While those ferocious levels of power appeal to our inner child, our sensible heads would opt for the entry-level Standard Range instead.

All things considered, the IM5 is superb value for money.

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of theMG IM5