MGS5 EV 2026 review | High-value mid-size SUV

What is the MGS5 EV?

The MGS5 EV is one of the brand’s many attempts to make electric motoring more accessible. Replacing the older MG ZS EV, it’s a mid-size electric SUV designed to offer plenty of space, decent range and modern technology at a price that undercuts many of its rivals.

At just under 4.5 metres long, the MGS5 EV is a similar size to electric SUV alternatives like the Skoda Elroq and Kia EV3, although it’s priced aggressively so will also compete with slightly smaller and cheaper alternatives like the Renault 4 and Ford Puma Gen-E. In fact, with prices ranging from around £29,000 to £34,000, the MGS5 competes with a huge array of other family EVs including hatchbacks like the VW ID.3 and Cupra Born, as well as all the SUV rivals, but the space and equipment it offers is compelling despite that.

You can choose from two different batteries in the all-electric MGS5 EV. A 49kWh LFP battery offers up to 211 miles of WLTP range, but given the small price hike it’s likely that most buyers will opt for the bigger 64kWh Long Range model that gets up to 298 miles. Decent rapid charging speeds mean that you’ll be able to get a 10-80% charge in under 30 minutes in either model.

How practical is it?

The MGS5 EV gets 453 litres of boot space, which is pretty good in this class. Sure, the Ford Puma Gen-E gets more space, but a lot of that boot room in the Ford is under the floor, so the MG actually gets a longer boot floor that’ll be better if you’ve got a chunky buggy or big dog to lug around. Mind you, if you need a big boot and want an affordable family EV, you could check out the Vauxhall Astra Electric estate, which is a similar price to the MGS5 EV but gets a much lower load lip and a bigger boot space.

As you’d expect, the rear seats fold down in a 60/40 split in the MGS5, and there’s also a variable-height boot floor as standard, making it easier to load heavy items as you can raise the floor to be flush with the fairly high load lip. There’s no frunk, but that variable boot floor creates loads of useful cable storage.

There’s loads of space in the rear seats, much more than you get in the Ford Puma, Renault 4 and Vauxhall Astra, and a similar amount to what you get in the Skoda Elroq. There’s also a centre rear armrest with cupholders on the MGS5 EV Long Range Trophy, but annoyingly it’s not included on the other models.

Still, there’s enough room that even taller adults will be comfortably on longer journeys, while families with child seats will appreciate the two sets of Isofix fittings, plentiful legroom and wide-opening rear doors.

Up front, the MGS5 EV gets the more recent dashboard layout that we’ve also seen in the MGS6 EV and updated MG4 hatchback. That means that you now get more physical buttons including for your air-con and volume adjustment, which is always a good thing in our book. All the materials feel good, and the layout is much more user-friendly than in old MG models that relied too heavily on tiny icons in the screen. The driving position is decent, too, although you have to go for the top-spec Trophy model to get heated seats and adjustable lumbar support.

What’s it like to drive?

The MG S5 EV prioritises comfort and ease of use, which is exactly what you want from a family-focused SUV. Power comes from a single electric motor that powers the rear wheels and produces 228bhp in the Long Range, or 168bho in the Standard Range model, which is good for a 0-62mph time of 6.3- or 8.0 seconds, respectively.

We’ve only driven the MGS5 Long Range, which has smooth acceleration and enough power for a confident overtake when you want it. It’s actually pretty brisk for a car in this class, and is faster than most rivals.

Having said that, this is not a car that you buy because it’s great to drive. Yes, the Long Range model is surprisingly punchy, but it’s softly sprung and definitely set up for comfort, with light steering and plenty of body lean in corners. It’s a perfectly nice, confident car to potter around in, and while it’s not as enjoyable and natural-feeling to drive as a Skoda Elroq or Ford Puma Gen-E, it’ll do the job of a family car very well.

It’s quiet on the motorway, and you’ve got variable brake regeneration modes that you can toggle through via a button on the steering wheel. There’s also adaptive regen’ in the MGS5, but it’s a bit unpredictable and sometimes responds when you don’t expect it to, but the various fixed levels are smooth and easy to get along with. There is a one-pedal mode for about town, but you have to activate it via a sub-menu in the touchscreen, which is really annoying.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

MG has taken a big jump forward with the user interface of the MGS5 EV. The 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system perches in the middle of the dashboard and controls navigation, media, vehicle settings and charging information, and you also get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There are still some annoyingly tiny icons that are hard to push, and you have to delve a long way into the system to change settings for some functions, but it’s a perfectly decent system to live with most of the time.

Behind the steering wheel is a 10.25-inch digital instrument display that shows essential driving information including speed, battery level and navigation instructions: a big plus point over the Volvo EX30, which lacks a separate speed readout.

The car also comes equipped with MG Pilot, which is what people in MG boardrooms call the adaptive cruise control and semi-autonomous drive mode. Great news, though! The new MGS5 gets a function called ‘MG Pilot Custom’, which allows you to save your preferred driver assistance settings and then activate them with a quick press of a button on the steering wheel. It makes it really easy to turn lane-keep assistance and speed limit warning on and off as you see fit, which is useful as these systems don’t always read the road correctly and – as with most of the MG’s rivals, too - can be more of a nuisance than an aid.

Equipment levels on the MGS5 EV SE are pretty good, and you get features like a reversing camera and full LED headlights as standard. But most buyers will go for the Trophy model as it gets a lot of useful features including heated seats and steering wheel, and an armrest for those sat in the back.

MG S5 running costs

Running costs should be one of the MG S5 EV’s biggest strengths. For a start, it’s an electric car so fuelling it will be much cheaper than in comparable petrol or diesel family SUVs like the Nissan Qashqai, provided you’re charging it at home. Use a cheap off-peak electricity tariff and you can be paying under 5p per mile in the MGS5 EV, or even on a standard day rate for electricity at home, it’ll cost around 10p per mile. A petrol SUV doing 45mpg will cost more like 15- to 18p per mile depending on petrol prices at the pump.

Purchase prices are also comparably low going by list price, although we did hope for slightly better monthly costs from MG. PCP and lease costs tend to be roughly £350- to £450 per month for the MGS5 EV, and that’s a bit pricey next to some rivals that get closer to the £300 per month mark. So, while the MGS5 EV is cheap on brochure price, make sure that it’s still good value if you’re paying on monthly PCP or contract hire, as many buyers will be.

MG S5 reliability

MG’s seven-year / 80,000-mile warranty is one of the longest standard warranties you’ll find; you’ll have to go to Kia, Toyota or Peugeot to get a better warranty than that.

Having said that, MG hasn’t fared well in the most recent What Car? used car reliability surveys, and owners report common issues with charging software and 12V batteries, needing a reset or attention from a dealer.