Performance and Driving
The bigger battery has only officially added about 15kg to the weight of the MG5 EV Long Range, which is presumably because it uses a unit with better density than the original MG5. As a result, performance and driving dynamics are effectively identical. For such an innocuous-looking estate car, it’s decidedly quick in a straight line, taking just 7.3 seconds to hit 60mph, and on to a top speed of 115mph. Power delivery is smooth, and torque steer is minimal. However, handling is uninvolving.
With the KERS switch you can vary the regeneration to suit start-stop motion in traffic or smooth constant speed on a motorway. The suspension is soft and compliant, so this is more of a comfortable drive than supplying any kind of automotive thrills. But the MG5 is a family car and they're likely to want comfort over dynamics. It feels perfectly fine at motorway speeds, which is reassuring as this car is the most capable yet from MG for distance driving.
Range and Charging
With 16% more battery capacity, the MG5 EV Long Range can now go for 250 miles instead of 214, which makes it more practical for travelling between cities, and closer to premium models from other brands. It's also up with budget favourites like the Renault Zoe or Nissan Leaf, and not far off the much pricier Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus or VW ID.3 Pro.
The charge port is under the MG symbol on the front. Thanks to the bigger battery, it now takes 9.5 hours to charge from zero to 100% on a 7kW home charger. A 50kW DC supply will take 61 minutes to replenish 80%, but a 100kW charger will reduce this to 40 minutes, which is actually the same as the original MG5. MG has clearly slightly improved the top DC charging power. Either way, thanks to the added range and this decent rapid charging ability, this car is definitely a contender for longer journeys, with a meal break every 150 miles or so.
Running Costs
The overall efficiency is the same as the original MG5, equating to 4.1 miles per kWh, which would be 3.4p a mile if you have a 14p per kWh supply which obviously no longer exists. We will continue to quote this value to maintain comparison with our previous reviews, however.
The warranty is good, on par with Korean cars like the Hyundai Kona Electric. The basic guarantee is for 7 years or 80,000 miles. This includes the battery, although MG doesn't state a percentage capacity. However, all versions of the MG5 EV are in insurance group 32, which is a little on the high side for a car this price albeit not extortionate.
Safety
Finally, we get to the other big addition with the MG5 EV Long Range – MG Pilot, which adds a host of modern safety and assistance features. New capabilities include active emergency braking with pedestrian and bicycle detection, as well as Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keep Assist. You get traffic jam assistance, which gives you that patience-saving stop-go ability in gridlock. There is also intelligent speed limit and high beam assistance.
The regular MG5 already had cruise control, but both trim levels of the Long Range get the adaptive variety. The reversing camera is available on all cars, though, including the original MG5. Advanced safety features were an area where MG was behind with the original MG5, so it's great to see that the Long Range has caught up somewhat, although it still lacks blind spot detection, which can be useful if implemented well. It is listed as a general feature of MG Pilot, but we didn’t see it in evidence in our review car. The MG5 EV still doesn't have an NCAP rating yet, either, but all the new safety tech bodes well, and the MG ZS EV has five stars.
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