2023 MG5 EV review: EV estate's midlife reboot brings welcome upgrades

MG created a bit of a stir recently when it unveiled the production version of its Cyberster electric sports car. 

Harking back to the two-door, drop-top models that the brand was once famous for, the £50k roadster is a sharp departure from the marque’s current budget-leaning family friendly offering.

But it doesn’t mean MG is abandoning the models that have helped it establish a solid foothold in the UK, models like the recently updated MG5 estate. 

The MG5 first appeared in 2020 as an affordable long-range electric estate car amid a sea of SUVs. It impressed with its value and practicality if not its awkward looks, so the midlife facelift is a big improvement. The changes aren’t massive but the new grille-less front end is smoother and sharper than the big grinning chrome affair that went before. It also makes it look a lot less like a cut-price Volkswagen Passat.

The interior, too, is a major step forward over the old car. It’s cleaner, simpler and more modern. The busy, button-heavy centre console has been pared back with just a drive selector dial, handbrake switch and toggles to switch between drive modes and brake regeneration settings. There’s a fabric finish to the dash and doors with a bit of contrast stitching, which is a nice tactile addition, and overall the whole cabin feels put together from decent, mainstream materials. 

The touchscreen is new, too. The 10.25-inch unit now sits proud from the dashboard with a thin black bezel rather than being penned into the dash by a massive shiny surround. Aesthetically, it’s a big improvement but unfortunately the user interface remains a weakness. MG’s operating system is ugly and sluggish and on occasions we were left waiting long after the motor had started for the screen to boot up. Thankfully, once it comes to life, you can opt for the standard fit Android Auto or Apple CarPlay for your media and navigation needs, although there’s also a built-in navigation system. 

Using smartphone mirroring sadly won’t save you from the horror of the air conditioning controls which are buried in the touchscreen with dangerously small and hard to operate  sliders for temperature and fan speed and a comically miniscule button for heated seats. 

Practically, the MG5 has decent space for four adults, although the driving position is a bit peculiar thanks to the effect of trying to keep this a low-roofed estate whilst accommodating the batteries in the floor. It has an effect on rear legroom as well, with an odd knees-up sitting position for adults. But space is pretty good with decent leg and head room front and rear. The MG is still one of just two electric estates on the market - the other being the £80,000 Porsche Taycan Tourismo Its boot, however, isn’t massive - at 464 litres to the window line - and there’s an awkward load lip to contend with, meaning some SUV or hatchback alternatives actually offer similar or better boot space. 

Mechanically, the “second-generation” MG 5 is largely the same as its predecessor, although it does add vehicle-to-load charging for the first time, meaning you can power external devices from its battery. So under the new looks is a front-wheel-drive chassis using a single 154bhp motor which draws power from a 61kWh battery. Official testing measures the standard car’s range at 250 miles and this top-spec Trophy version at 235 which seems easily achievable based on my week with it. The long-term trim computer showed consumption of 3.5 miles/kWh - bang on the official figure - and I got it to 4.2 m/kWh a couple of times in favourable conditions. 

Performance from the single motor is respectable, with 0-60mph taking just over seven seconds but the MG5 isn’t about winning traffic light grands prix or burning up a B road. It is set up for making comfortable, easy progress, with decent damping that takes the pain out of bad surfaces. However, sound insulation isn’t the best, with more wind noise intrusion at higher speeds than in a lot of competitor cars.

New car prices have been creeping up across the board and even budget--friendly MG isn’t immune to this, with all versions now costing more than £30,000. Standard SE trim is now £30,995 while the top-spec Trophy is £33,495. That still puts the MG5 among the 10 cheapest EVs on the market, and MG still throws everything but the kitchen sink into the equipment list. 

There are plenty of other cars with similar spec levels, while others are a similar price or offer comparable space or range but there’s nothing that can match the MG in every way. It’s certainly not perfect - and I have some concerns about quality control around that infotainment system -  but for buyers willing to accept some compromises and perhaps lean on that seven-year warranty it’s an impressively well-rounded option. 

MG5 Trophy Long Range

• Price: £33,495
• Motor: Single 115kW electric motor
• Battery: 61kWh
• Power: 154bhp
• Torque: 206lb ft
• Transmission: Single-speed, front-wheel-drive
• Top speed: 115mph
• 0-60mph: 7.3 seconds
• Range: 235 miles
• Consumption: 3.5m/kWh
• Charging: up to 150kW

Rivals: Citroen e-C4, Cupra Born, Volkswagen ID.3, Kia Niro EV, MG4