This could also be a popular car – MG5 test

You can’t block the Danube with electric vans, so the MG5 is a real gap-filler, which is not as unknown in other markets as it is here. After all, the MG5 that can be purchased here is already the updated version of this type.
Is it really a station wagon?

You only have to go around the car once and you can really feel that you are going after a wrinkle, as the front and rear of the car show quite a contrast. The front is a bit more angular and sharper, and the back is rounder, or rather more rounded. Unfortunately, the decals disguise it a bit, but they also brought some imagination to the side plates of the car, just look at that wave on the beltline! This actually helps make the car look longer, even though there’s nothing wrong with the 2.66m wheelbase, 4.6m length, 1.8m width and 1.5m height. We have a classic station wagon in front of us in the person of the MG5, of course not one of the biggest coupes.

It really is a station wagon!

Then, unlike usual, let’s proceed from the back to the front: the luggage space is 497 liters by default, which is not small in the first place, but can be further expanded. Folding down the backrests of the 60:40 split rear seats doesn’t create a completely flat floor, but the 1,367 liters available in this way is a pretty good value. The rear seats are also comfortable, cloth-upholstered, like the front ones, and this is welcome, because there was not much to criticize in previous MG test cars, but the artificial leather seat covers were. The floor is flat, the legroom is large, the headroom is also ideal for adults of average height, and USAB-C and USB-A inputs are also available.

At the front, as I already mentioned, the seats are upholstered with pleasant cushions, which hold the waist and thighs very well. Looking up, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster is visible in front of the driver, while the touchscreen of the infotainment system is 10.25 inches. The menu system is simple and easy to understand, but it’s a shame about the digitization of the climate control. It would have been much more comfortable for passengers if they could control it with physical buttons instead of wandering through the menu. Unfortunately, smartphone applications only run with a wired connection, and if the software were a little faster, it wouldn’t be possible to talk to the front of the house.

The material quality is also fine, they tried to make the passenger compartment more elegant with the piano lacquer inserts, but those sensitive to fingerprints will squirm because of it. And in the place of the cardan tunnel, a huge storage compartment can be a reason for satisfaction, above it there are also the buttons for the drive mode selector, KERS and the mode selector. The KERS inscription is still attractive, but it is still used to indicate the degree of recuperation.

Only with electricity?

In Germany, the MG5 is only available with an electric motor, but this name is also used by models that are also available with other drivetrains. But this will be important in the final conclusion. For now, let’s talk about the subject of the test, which carries its 156 horsepower and 280 Nm torque electric motor in its nose. And under its belly is the nickel-cobalt-manganese battery with a capacity of 61.1 kWh, which can also be charged with 11 kilowatts from street poles. Lightning charging, on the other hand, is only 87 kilowatts maximum, but that’s enough trouble, because the range is quite long. According to the manufacturer’s data, it has a range of 400 kilometers, which it can do with a light right foot. During the test period, the combined average was 13.9 kWh/100 km, which is extremely favorable.

Driving experience?

I haven’t been looking for that particular “experience” with electric cars for a long time, since they all offer roughly the same thing. At MG, they didn’t even want to chisel this too much, but there’s no need for a family wagon. It gets a MacPherson front suspension and a trailing arm suspension with soft suspension, clearly tuned for comfort. Despite this, the car was not too unstable, it does not weigh too much on the scale among electric carts, only 1.5 tons. In Hungarian, it is pleasant to drive, the soft suspension is particularly useful on domestic roads. Of course, it accelerates well, like any electric car, but it doesn’t want to take the steering wheel out of your hands. It accelerates to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds and has a top speed of 185 km/h, so you can reach highway speeds without a hitch.

How much does it hurt?

The base price of the larger battery version is now HUF 12,590,000 with a HUF 4.4 million discount, but it is also available with a smaller battery, which is HUF 10.99 million with a discount. These days, these prices are not even inflated, especially since the equipment of the cars includes, for example, the most important driver’s assistants, although I missed the front reversing camera. At the same time, compared to average Hungarian salaries, this is still expensive, and no matter how good its range is, nowadays it would be more ideal for most “kombi families” with a small petrol engine – 1.5 naturally aspirated or turbo, like the MG5 sedan in other markets – or even with a diesel engine. priced about between ZS and HS. If MG could offer something like this, then we would meet the five on the streets quite often. This is a very good offer for taxi drivers.