Say hello to…
…the MG S5, an all-electric mid-size SUV with a 435 litre boot and room for five. The official maximum range is 298 miles on the combined cycle for the bigger (64kWh) battery version. The 64kWh version also comes with a more powerful 231hp motor. The standard range version uses a 49kWh battery and a 170hp motor. Both versions are rear-wheel drive.
MG offers two trim levels, the smaller battery car is only available in the SE trim.
- SE
- Trophy
Standard equipment on the SE includes adaptive cruise control, auto high beam, blind spot warning, LED headlights, rear parking sensors, rear privacy glass, powered door mirrors, 17-inch alloys, fabric upholstery, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, vehicle to load, keyless entry, drive modes, reversing camera and satnav.
Trophy Long Range adds front parking sensors, power fold door mirrors with memory, 18-inch alloys, leather-style upholstery, powered driver’s seat with memory, powered passenger seat, auto dimming rear view mirror, powered tailgate, uprated stereo, head up display, 360-degree parking camera and wireless phone charging.
Is The MG S5 Suitable For My Fleet
The MG S5 is aimed squarely at the business user. Being fully electric means its low in the BIK banding, and as a consequence is also highly competitive for Class 1A National Insurance. The low P11D value, just over £33,000 for the top specification version, helps too.
Equipment and range are decent too.
Leasing An MG S5
Gateway2lease is offering the MG S5 on a 3+36 contract for £356 a month with 10,000 miles a year. Gensen Reports is forecasting maintenance costs at £36 per month on the same basis. Class 1A NIC comes in at £14 a month.
Driving An MG S5
MG is rapidly gaining a reputation for offering simple, easy to use cars that just offer exactly what you want from a daily driver and the S5 is no exception.
MG also has a reputation for being at the budget end of the automotive spectrum. And while that applies to the low list price given the high specification, it does not apply to the way the interior of the latest MGs look and feel.
Material quality and construction are now at the upper end of the sector. The cabin is hardly the most interesting place to be but the design is clean, with a large infotainment screen and a digital driver’s display. There’s even a few physical buttons for key controls.
And deactivating the speed and lane keeping warnings is simple thanks to a programmable MG Pilot setting.
On the move the MG S5 in 231hp form is plenty quick enough and because the car’s rear-drive there’s no nasty scrabble from the front wheels if you pull out of a wet junction.
There are drive modes which vary the way the steering is weighted and the responsiveness of the accelerator, plus the way the brake energy is regenerated. However, these are best left in comfort mode, because the MG S5 isn’t a sporty car and if you do choose ‘sport’ all that really happens is that your passengers will complain the journey isn’t as smooth as it was before.
Ride comfort is decent and the brakes are responsive and well-judged. One notable upside is the S5’s turning circle, which is impressively tight, making parking easy too.
If there is a negative, it’s that we only saw an average of 3.3 miles per kWh for efficiency, which is only just enough to give a real-world range of 205 miles. The ambient temperature wasn’t that cold either, typically around 10degC, so that couldn’t be used as an excuse.
Maybe summer would see things improve?
This one point aside, the MG S5 is all about making life easy and it has succeeded.
FleetandLeasing.com Verdict On The MG S5
Superbly easy to live with all-electric, mid-size SUV.
MG S5
- Model: S5 Trophy Long Range
- Power: 231hp
- Torque: 350Nm
- Max speed: 124mph
- 0-62mph: 6.3 seconds
- Official range: 288 miles
- Test range: 205 miles
- CO2 emissions: 0g/km
- BIK tax band 2025/26: 3%
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