Used MG5 2020-present review

If you fancy a spacious and practical estate car that's also an electric car and is cheap to buy used, you're really only looking at one model: the MG5.

The good news is that a 2022 facelift has sharpened up its looks, making its cut-price origins less obvious and giving it a bit more 'impress the neighbours' appeal. It also ushered in an improved interior design and new infotainment.

Underneath, all MG5s have a 154bhp electric motor and a 57kWh battery that’s good for an official (WLTP) range of 250 miles. That’s significantly more than the Honda E, Mazda MX-30, Mini Electric and Peugeot e-208.

If you need more range, take a look at the big battery versions of the MG4, MG ZS EV, Hyundai Kona Electric or VW ID.3.

Entry-level SE trim is generously equipped, with keyless start and keyless entry, air-con, 16in alloy wheels, front and rear electric windows, silver roof rails, adaptive cruise control, automatic lights and an automatic electric parking brake. Trophy trim adds leather seats (heated in the front), 17in alloys, climate control, electrically folding mirrors, auto wipers and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror.

On the road, the MG5 is a handsome performer. The 0-62mph sprint time of 7.7sec is quick for electric cars in this price range, and it's relaxing to drive too. As a softly sprung car, it soothes away most road imperfections around town and is settled on motorways.

It's better controlled than the ZS EV and the firmer ID.3, and is not far off matching the e-208, which is one of the best-riding small electric cars. It also handles better than the taller ZS EV and has precise steering, sensible grip levels and reasonable suspension control over bumpy roads. However, the '5' does lean more in corners than the more lithe ID.3 and MG4, and the fun-to-drive MX-30.

It's pretty quiet, too. There's much less wind noise than in the ZS EV, and less road rumble than in the ID.3, but the Citroën e-C4 and e-208 are both better, and the MX-30 is slightly quieter.

SE trim gives the MG5 six-way manual adjustment and adjustable lumbar support for the driver's seat, while Trophy trim adds electric adjustment. With the height and reach adjustable steering wheel and soft seat cushions, most people should be able to get pretty comfortable on a long trip. The steering wheel in the Nissan Leaf moves up and down only.

The MG5's digital instrument panel is bright and clear, and shows a variety of information, with easy-to-use controls on the steering wheel. Just don’t expect the sort of exciting 3D graphics you get with the digital dials in the Peugeot e-208. On the plus side, it's easier to work the 5's dashboard controls because of the big, clear buttons, which are much better than the e-208's fiddly touch-sensitive controls.

There's more glass area and narrower windscreen pillars than in the e-208, so from behind the wheel, forward visibility is better in the 5. The rising side window line and chunky rear pillars do limit your over-the-shoulder visibility a little, but it's far from the hardest car to reverse. All models get rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera, but not front sensors. Range-topping Trophy gets a 360-degree camera.

The 10.3in touchscreen for the infotainment is mounted high up on the dashboard and the home screen icons are usefully big. There are physical shortcut buttons below the screen to make swapping between menus easier. However, you have to prod the screen quite hard to get it to respond, and even then it’s sometimes hesitant. Not only that, but the climate controls are hidden in the touchscreen, and it’s annoying that you can’t change the temperature without leaving your chosen nav or media screen.

All MG5s have lots of kit, though, including a DAB radio, Bluetooth, built-in sat-nav, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring. There's even a six-speaker surround-sound stereo.

This may be a relatively cheap car used but it's more appealing inside than the Leaf. There’s a surprising amount of soft-touch material – even compared with the much pricier VW ID.3 – and chrome and piano-black trims improve the ambience further.

By the standards of smaller rival electric cars, the MG5 is rather spacious. There’s plenty of head and leg room in the front for tall adults, and it’s pretty wide, so they won’t be clashing elbows on the central armrest.

The front door bins are usefully big and there’s storage under that central armrest, but the shelf in front of the rotary gear selector is a bit small. You’ll probably end up sticking your phone in a cupholder instead.

Rear space is more generous than in a lot of the rivals, from the Honda E and Mini Electric to cars such as the Peugeot e-208 and Renault Zoe. There's certainly enough head and leg room for a couple of six-footers to fit, even when the front seats are slid back.

Boot capacity is slightly down on the MG ZS EV and significantly less than the Ford Focus Estate and Skoda Octavia Estate. That said, the space on offer in the 5 is comparable with the Kia Ceed Sportswagon PHEV and the big-booted Nissan Leaf, so family accoutrements such as a large baby buggy should fit. At least the MG5 has a flat rear floor to make seating three in the back a bit easier.

If you're interested in finding a used MG5, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

Prices start at around £14,000 for an early pre-facelift MG5. Spend between £15,000 and £18,000 on a 2022 car, a little more for a post-facelift model, and between £18,000 and £25,000 on a 2023 car and up to £30,000 on a 2024 model.

To keep up to date with used MG5 prices, use our free valuation tool to make sure you are getting the best deal.

Check the value of a used MG5 with What Car? Valuations

Charging

Charging times vary greatly depending on what you’re plugged into, but the quoted maximum charging speed is 87kW. A 10-80% top-up from a rapid CCS charger should take about an hour at 50kW or just over 40 minutes if you can find a 100kW charger. From a 7kW wall box, 0-100% takes more than nine hours, while a three-pin plug requires 29 hours.

Road tax

Electric car owners enjoy not having to pay any annual car tax (VED), and also escape the surcharge for vehicles that cost over £40,000 when new. You can find out more about the current road tax costs here.

Servicing

There are service plans available for you to spread the cost or pay for future servicing in one go. Electric vehicle servicing should be less expensive than regular petrol and diesel cars because there's no engine oil to change.

All examples will need to be serviced annually, but for cars registered in 2021, MG has the option of a low mileage, 10,000-mile check-up, rather than the 15,000 miles interval of the standard policy.

Trim

There is only one engine option. Entry-level SE trim is generously equipped, with keyless start and keyless entry, air-con, 16in alloy wheels, front and rear electric windows, silver roof rails, adaptive cruise control, automatic lights and an automatic electric parking brake. We’d be tempted to keep it cheap and stick with SE.

Our favourite MG5: MG5 EV 61kWh SE

The MG5 sits more or less in a class of one, and is currently the only option if you're looking for a modestly priced electric car in estate form. If you're looking specifically for an electric SUV try the Hyundai Kona Electric. It's a fair bit pricier, but then it does go an awful lot further on a charge and is better to drive.

The most obvious alternative to the Kona Electric is the closely related Kia e-Niro. It's slightly larger and has an equally impressive kit list, but also has a more practical and spacious interior. It's also better to drive with a more settled ride.

For those just looking for a practical, good-value electric car who don't need as much interior space as the MG5 offers, alternatives include the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe. The Zoe has had numerous updates over its life, so you'll need a later version for better range, plus you'll need to make sure you have one with rapid-charging capabilities (not all examples do).

Or you could choose the MG5's sibling, the MG ZS EV electric SUV. It offers plenty of interior space, a big boot and loads of standard equipment. The poorer resale values predicted when new means it's one of the least expensive options for used buyers, but on the minus side, it doesn't have the best electric range.

If you're interested in finding a used MG5, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

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