MG IM5 review

Glance at the vital statistics of the MG IM5 and you might assume you’re researching a super-expensive rival to the Porsche Taycan or Tesla Model S. Up to 742bhp; an official range of up to 441 miles; faster charging speeds than any other electric car currently on sale.

But no: this is an electric executive car that costs about the same as its closest rival, the Tesla Model 3. That means it’s cheaper than many other similar-sized, battery-powered alternatives, including the BYD Seal, Mercedes CLA, and Polestar 2.

MG IM5 video review

If you’re wondering why there are no MG badges on the outside (or inside for that matter), well, it’s because IM Motors is a Chinese car brand in its own right. It’s owned by the same parent company as MG but has no presence in the UK; MG, on the other hand, has more than 150 dealers and, last year, sold more cars than Skoda. So it makes sense for IM Motors to sell its IM5 through the existing MG dealer network and call it an 'MG' – even though it wasn't originally an MG. Hope that makes sense!

Read on and we’ll tell you how the MG IM5 compares against its key rivals in all the important areas. Or if you’re looking for something with more space inside and a higher driving position, why not check out our MG IM6 electric SUV review.

There are three different versions of the MG IM5: the Standard Range, Long Range and Performance. Those names have been 'borrowed' from Tesla and are fairly self-explanatory.

The Standard Range has a battery with a useable capacity of 73.5kWh and an official range of 304 miles. That’s a few miles down on an entry-level Polestar 2 or Tesla Model 3, but still plenty for most buyers – even though, in the real world, 250 miles between charges is more realistic.

Upgrading to the Long Range gives the IM5 a bigger 96.5kWh battery and an impressive official range of 441 miles. Again, bear in mind that official range figures are always optimistic, but that still makes it one of the longest-range EVs on sale today. But it's not quite the longest. The Model 3 Long Range RWD pips it with an official 466 miles from a single charge, and the Mercedes CLA 250+ betters that with up to 483 miles.  

The IM5 Performance version also gets the 96.5kWh battery, but the official range falls to 357 miles. That’s because, as the name suggests, it’s focused on going very quickly as opposed to eking out every possible mile from the battery. 

To that end, the Performance has two electric motors, four-wheel drive, and a colossal 742bhp, allowing it to launch from 0-62mph in just 3.2sec. Such savage acceleration makes this range-topping IM5 quicker than many versions of the Porsche Taycan.

The Standard Range and Long Range versions have a single electric motor driving their rear wheels, although acceleration is still far from tardy. The Long Range can hit 62mph from a standstill in 4.9sec, and even the least powerful Standard Range can do 0-62mph in 6.8sec, making it only slightly slower than an entry-level Model 3. So that’s performance and range covered, but what about the rest of the IM5’s driving experience?

Well, by electric saloon standards, the Long Range feels fairly nimble through corners and easy to drive. While you notice a bit of body lean when pushing on in bends, that's balanced with plenty of grip and nicely judged steering; the IM5's eager to turn in to corners but not nervous like the Model 3, which has a super-quick steering setup. That said, the best-handling EVs in this class are the BMW i4 and CLA. Both offer a sportier drive and a bit more fun behind the wheel.  

The Long Range also rides nicely thanks to a softer suspension set-up than the Model 3. It makes the IM5 feel supple most of the time, pattering over patchy town roads rather than crashing and bashing. At faster speeds it feels smooth and calm. The Performance model has a different suspension set-up. While it's not rock hard and boneshaking, on poorly surfaced roads it's noticeably more fidgety.

In all versions you'll hear some suspension noise, but thanks to double-glazed side windows and active noise-cancelling technology, it's a really hushed in terms of wind and road noise at speed. And while the brakes aren’t as smooth or consistent as the Model 3's, they're not hard to master, and nowhere near as grabby as the brakes in the Polestar 2.

"Everyone loves nippy acceleration, but I’m not sure why an executive saloon needs more than 700bhp. I’d be surprised if the less powerful Standard and Long Range versions didn’t make more sense – although we haven’t tried them yet." – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

The first thing that catches your eye as you slide into the MG IM5’s driving seat is the enormous twin-screen arrangement that stretches across more than half of the dashboard. The section behind the steering wheel acts as a driver's display and offers bright, crisp graphics – although some drivers might find the rim of the wheel blocks some of the information on show.

To the left-hand side is a touch-sensitive infotainment screen, which comes loaded with features and apps. It responds quickly to finger prods and allows you to mirror the display of your phone using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. That gives the IM5 an advantage over the Tesla Model 3, which doesn’t offer smartphone mirroring. 

While we’re on the subject of Tesla, the US brand’s user-interface has clearly been an inspiration here because the main-menu layout of the IM5’s third (10.5in) touchscreen, below the main display, is very similar indeed. Sadly, it's not as intuitive, though. There are a number of menus within menus and, because the screen is so low down, you have to take your eyes off the road to use it. 

All versions of the IM5 come with a 50w wireless, cooled, phone charger, and a punchy 20-speaker sound system, featuring four "sky" speakers mounted in the roof lining. The quality of sound it delivers is impressive, especially when you consider the system comes as standard rather than being an expensive extra.  

As for the driving position, there’s lots of adjustment for the electrically-operated driver's seat, and the alignment of the seat, steering wheel and pedals is tough to fault. There are issues, though. Firstly, there aren't any dedicated controls to adjust the door mirrors. Instead, you have to delve into the infotainment menus and, from there, change the function of the steering wheel buttons to become the mirror-adjustment buttons.

Sounds like a faff, doesn't it? And it is, although Tesla uses the same concept in the Model 3. Secondly, the driver's seat isn't as supportive as, say, the excellent driver's seat in the Mercedes CLA, and the IM5's adjustable lumbar support feels like a hard lump is being pushed into the small of your back. 

Visibility isn't great, either. The front pillars are quite thick, and hinder your view our at roundabouts and side junctions, but that's nothing compared with the view out the back. There isn't really much you can see rewards because the rear screen is so slim. Thankfully, you do get a full suite of parking sensors front and rear, plus surround-view cameras, to help you see where you're going at parking speeds. 

The interior design is more cosseting than the open and minimalist-feeling Model 3, and you can choose between a grey or a lighter beige colour scheme to brighten it up. Most of the dashboard is wrapped in faux leather and everything feels well bolted together. Only some scratchy plastic around the centre console and door bins let the side down. Overall, though, interior quality is impressive for the price and not far of the Model 3, but not as good as a Polestar 2.

"I think it’s great you can choose between a grey or a beige interior, and not have to pay extra either way." – Will Nightingale, Reviews editor

Front space is generous, so taller adults will fit without a problem, but they may struggle for storage space – the door bins are quite small and you don't get a glovebox, either. But the IM5 is about 20cm longer than a Tesla Model 3 and not much shorter than cars from the class above, including the BMW i5, so there’s lots of leg room in the back. Even a six-footer sitting behind someone equally tall will have plenty of space between their knees and the seat in front.

It's not all good news, though. The IM5’s floor is very high relative to the rear seat bases, which forces your knees up above the level of your hips in an uncomfortable way. Foot space under the seat in front is also rather stingy, and head room is acceptable rather than outstanding. In those respects, the Model 3's back seats are better, but the rear of the IM5 is still more accommodating than the rather cramped Mercedes CLA. 

On the plus side, you can adjust the angle of the rear seat backs for a more laid-back seating position, and the thick carpets add to the feeling of luxury on longer journeys.

Unlike some of its rivals, including the CLA, BYD Seal and Model 3, the IM5 is a hatchback rather than a saloon. That means it has a usefully bigger boot opening. However, the actual luggage space space inside is limited to 457 litres, which falls a long way short of the CLA and Model 3.

As a result, we fitted only six carry-on suitcases in the IM5's boot. It does have a second storage area under the bonnet, but it's small and barely big enough for the charging cables. The CLA, however, swallowed seven cases in its rear boot, while the Model 3 managed eight, and because they both have a sizeable second boot in their noses, we got one more case in each of those. 

The IM5 isn't best for boot space, then, and there's another issue: you don't get tonneau cover, so whatever is in the boot is on display for everyone to see. You do get an electrically operated tailgate as standard, and if you need more space the rear seats fold down in a 60/40 split. And to prevent smaller items flying around the boot when you’re driving along, MG will soon offer a basket that attaches to the floor using a powerful magnet.

"The front door bins are both narrow and shallow; I struggled to squeeze in a 500ml bottle of water." – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

Given MG’s reputation for undercutting its key rivals, you might be surprised that the IM5 is priced in line with the Tesla Model 3. Mind you, it's still cheaper than an equivalent BYD Seal, Mercedes CLA or Polestar 2, so it remains good value if you’re a private cash buyer.

If you're buying on PCP finance, it's worth checking what manufacturer incentives are available at that time. At the time of writing this, however, the IM5 was more expensive per month than a like-for-like Model 3, but cheaper than a similar CLA.

Like all electric cars, you'll have to pay a three-pence per mile charge to drive the IM5 from 2028 but, even so, it's a seriously cheap option if you’re a company car driver paying BIK tax. That’s because all EVs sit in the lowest BIK tax band. 

The IM5's efficiency isn't anything to write home about, though. Both the CLA and Model 3 will use electricity more sparingly and save you cash in the process, especially if you're charging up at expensive public chargers rather than at home on a cheap tariff.

Much more impressive is how quickly the IM5 can charge up. As with the MG IM6, the Long Range and Performance versions have a maximum charging rate of 396kW – faster than all its rivals – for a 10-80% top-up in as little as 17 minutes. In our testing we've never seen that figure, mind. The best we've seen (from the similar IM6) is 270kW, which is still fast, and in fairness we can't say for sure whether the car or the chargers are the limiting factor. 

The Standard Range has a peak charging rate of 153kW and takes at least 26 minutes to go from 10-80%. That’s still decent, especially for those who do most of their charging at home. 

All versions come seriously well equipped, with adaptive cruise control, steering assist, heated and ventilated electric front seats, heated seats in the back, privacy glass, ambient interior lighting, powered tailgate, keyless entry, heat pump, and the excellent 20-speaker audio system and wireless phone charging we mentioned earlier. Standard Range and Long Range versions have 19in alloys, while the range-topping Performance rides on 21in wheels.

When Euro NCAP tested the IM5 in 2025 it scored the maximum five stars overall. And it scored well in the various crash-protection categories, but the Model 3 was slightly better at protecting occupants in a side impact. It also comes with loads of safety aids as standard, including blind spot monitoring. 

We don’t have any specific reliability data for the IM5 yet, but the omens aren’t encouraging: MG as a brand finished rock bottom (30th) in our 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey, while Tesla finished up in seventh place. To provide some reassurance, all versions come with a seven-year (80,000-mile) warranty as standard.

"It's great that the MG IM5 is so well equipped and can charge so fast, but I do worry about MG's reliability rating" – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor