MG S5 EV – rational choice at a competitive price

Test drive and text: Antti Järveläinen

Design and cabin ambience

The car’s clean-cut, semi-rounded shape appeals to the practical eye. No bold styling here—just a car that fits in without demanding attention.

The front end benefits from sharp-lined headlights that bring character to what would otherwise be a bland snout. The rear follows today’s SUV playbook, with horizontal tail lights stretching across the tailgate. Nothing revolutionary, but it works.

Step inside and the atmosphere shifts noticeably dark. This darkness lends a hint of premium ambition, yet the materials tell a different story. There’s plastic aplenty, and most surfaces are unambiguously hard. Visually tidy, then—tactilely less so. The good news: visibility out of the cabin is respectable despite the dark trim and thick pillars.

Practicality and space for everyday use

The high-set driving position suits SUV buyers. The Luxury trim offers electric seat adjustment, though there’s no seat tilt—a miss for longer legs, where thigh support is thin. The Comfort trim drops to manual adjustment with no lumbar support at all. Fabric covers the standard seat; Luxury adds artificial leather. The basic ergonomics are sound, but you won’t find surprises here.

The rear seats tell a happier story. Legroom is good, headroom generous. Family duties are well catered for.

The boot opens with a kick under the bumper—a feature that never loses its appeal when your hands grip shopping bags. The 360-degree parking camera’s bird’s-eye view is genuinely useful: manoeuvring in tight spaces or parking grids becomes markedly simpler. Here’s where the MG touches something like real premium. The phone charging point sits sensibly in the centre console, exactly where you’d want it.

Driving character and feel

Driving appeal divides. Most buyers of this car prioritise usability and ease over precise, tactile response. For them, the S5 EV delivers. It’s nimble in town, tight turning radius, and visibility mostly good. The C-pillar is the main culprit—thick, with a high window line that kills sightlines to the side and rear.

The chassis feels a touch rough and jerky for drivers who notice such things. Not uncomfortable, but the price tag shows through. Steering has some feedback; the overall feel sits in the moderate band. The rear-wheel-drive powertrain handles everyday traffic efficiently. Power distribution feels slightly rubbery at times, and throttle response lacks the linearity of pricier rivals. The brake pedal is over-boosted—irritating on one-pedal driving. Yet that single pedal works flawlessly down to a complete stop, making urban driving effortless.

No separate ignition needed. Get in, shift to Drive, go. Parking: shift to Park, walk away. Comfort gains that compound.

Navigation, charging and energy consumption

Navigation is a genuine strength. Multipoint routing, clear battery indicators at each waypoint. The system is unusually intuitive despite dated graphics—the on-screen design feels like it belongs to an earlier era.

Charger mapping is comprehensive, and the system predicts battery state at arrival with impressive accuracy in mild weather. The central display houses numerous menus and settings without muddying the logic. Touchscreens respond flawlessly.

During testing (5–15°C ambient), consumption ran 17.7 kWh/100 km at 8°C and 100 km/h average speed, yielding roughly 350 km range. The quoted maximum charge rate lacks pizzazz, yet the battery charged steadily through our test. Average power held high enough to match the maker’s 28-minute claim (10–80%). The car’s own charge estimate proved more pessimistic than reality.

The V2L function (3.3 kW) is standard—power export when you need it.

A pragmatist’s choice

The S5 EV doesn’t attempt premium status, nor is it the segment’s most refined to drive. Materials don’t dazzle. Handling could sharpen for some tastes. Yet the overall package is purposeful.

You get sensible energy consumption, functional navigation, baseline EV features, and substantial kit at a price that forces western competitors to glance nervously in the mirror. This is why price-conscious drivers find it easy to choose a car like this: value for money over emotion, practicality over prestige.

Photo: Antti Järveläinen.