MG5 EV Trophy Long Range (2022 - )

The MG5 is a fully electrified estate car that is available in two well-equipped trim levels called SE and Trophy. Both feature a 61kWh battery pack with a driving range between charges of up to 250 miles or 235 miles on the high-end Trophy version.

The vehicle was given a substantial makeover in 2022 with a fresh new exterior design as well as a new-look interior that features additional technology.

With an attractive starting price just a fiver shy of £31k, customers get a whole lot of car for the money and both models come with MG’s impressive seven-year, 80,000-mile warranty package that is fully transferable if the vehicle is sold on.

Designers have given the MG5 a freshen up with a new-look front and rear end, along with enhanced headlights and tail lights, plus neat-looking alloys which are 16-inch on SE versions and 17-inch on the Trophy model, as tested.

It boasts sweeping lines, roof rails, rear privacy glass, an LED centre brake light, follow-me-home headlights, along with a choice of six exterior colour options.

Moving inside, you are met with a spacious cabin area and lots of on-board tech. The leather-style perforated seats are powered-operated for the driver and manual for the passenger. These proved nice and supportive on longer journeys and can be heated to fend off the winter blues.

On-board technology is good with a 10.25-inch widescreen infotainment screen that is the main focal point. This offers access to the many features, but on two occasions during my week-long loan, it turned itself off and I needed to pull over, power down the car and start it up again to regain the connection.

Creature comforts include a six-speaker DAB audio system with 3D sound, full smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, sat nav, Bluetooth, adaptive cruise control, a rotary gear selector and a seven-inch driver information display showing all the vital data such as speed, driving range, drive mode and battery charge levels.

New to the latest MG5 is an iSmart app that allows owners to pre-heat or cool the car via a smartphone, as well as pre-setting charging times and lots more besides. It also now has Vehicle-to-Load technology which means the battery can be used to power up alternative devices such as camping lights, an electric pump to inflate a mattress or a coffee machine, for example.

We tested the MG5 estate car in Trophy specification on a range of roads, including motorways, country lanes and city centre driving. And it performed really well. 

With the 61kWh long range battery delivering 156PS and 279Nm of torque, the front-wheel drive MG5 can complete the 0-62mph dash in a very respectable 7.7 seconds and tops out at 115mph. Our model had a combined driving range of 235 miles between charges, which is increased to 250 miles on the SE model.

When put to the test, the MG5 was nicely balanced on twisting B roads with sharp acceleration through the single-speed automatic transmission. It was also happy cruising at 70mph on motorways, although you will see the driving range drop quicker at higher speeds. With its length of 4.6 metres, it proved quite nimble in busier town centres but you will need a large parking space. However, the car is equipped with a 360-degree parking camera and rear parking sensors for convenience.

The driver’s seat is power-adjustable and with ample steering wheel movement, getting a comfy driving position is easy enough, but one of the first things you will notice is the trio of rear headrests that block the vision via the rearview mirror.

There are drive modes called Eco, Normal and Sport that alter the driving characteristics of the car quite noticeably as you flick through them. Sport gives it quite an edge while Eco is far more calming and kinder on the driving range too.

Grip levels are good in the wet and the steering feels nicely weighted with ample driver feedback. The driver can also adjust the level of regenerative braking via a KERS switch with three settings to choose from – this is really handy in busier stop, start traffic and it almost makes single-pedal driving a possibility.

And, I simply have to mention the car’s ultra-loud indicators. There is no way you can ever forget they are on and, if you did, they would probably possess hypnotic powers!

The MG5 is a full-sized family estate car that stretches 4,600mm in length, is 2,059mm wide (including mirrors), 1,543mm tall (including roof rails) and has a wheelbase of 2,659mm.

The interior has bundles of space and there is room for three passengers in the back with plenty of knee, elbow and head room. And with wide-opening rear door getting access to a child seat would be an easy task with Isofix fixtures available on each of the outer rear seats.

The boot is also generously-sized and can swallow 479 litres of kit to the luggage cover or 578 litres to the roof. If the 60:40 split-folding rear seats are dropped forward, that capacity increases to 1,367 litres. There is a little space beneath the boot floor which is ideal for storing charging cables.

Inside the cabin are lots of additional storage options, including a deep glovebox, front and rear cup holders, seat back pockets, a central cubby, door bins, plus a larger area between the front occupants beneath the control panel and this also has a non-slip surface to stop items rolling around.

On the downside, the front USB ports are tucked away beneath the central storage area and are very difficult to access.

When it comes to charging, the MG5 can be boosted from 10 to 80 per cent in 35 minutes via a 150kW charger, 61 minutes via a 50kW outlet or 10 hours from 10 to 100 per cent if plugged into a 7kW home wallbox.

The new-look MG5 line-up costs from £30,995 for the entry-level SE model, while our range-topping Trophy version was priced at a very attractive £34,040.

The zero emissions and its tempting asking price will make the MG5 an interesting option for any business drivers out there thanks to its Benefit in Kind tax rating of just two per cent.

And despite the withdrawal of any Government plug-in car grants these days, owners still benefit from free road tax and exemption from any Congestion Charge fees or low emission zone costs.

However, the Government recently announced that many of these incentives will be revised and cut back from 2025.

The MG5, in Trophy trim as tested, sits in insurance group 31.

MG is proving to be very capable in the development of EVs and with numerous awards already under its belt, it’s exciting times ahead.

They are producing models that look good, drive nicely, but perhaps most importantly, are really well priced.

And the MG5 is another example of this thought process. Yes, there are faster EVs out there that are more fun to drive, but few come close to the MG5 when it comes to cost and practicality.