Used MG5 2020-2025 review

If you fancy a spacious and practical estate car that's also electric and a cheap used buy, your options are limited. However, the MG5 is one of the few.

Indeed, the MG5 was one of the first electric estate cars on sale. It arrived in 2020, while close rivals, such as the Peugeot e-308 SW, Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric and Volkswagen ID 7 Tourer, arrived much later.

Power and performance: The entry-level MG5 is powered by a 154bhp electric motor and a 52kWh battery that delivers an official (WLTP) range of 214 miles. It's a surprisingly potent car, with 0-62mph taking 7.7sec officially.

For a longer range, the aptly named Long Range version boosts the official range of 250 miles, thanks to a bigger battery. It's powered by the same 154bhp electric motor as the regular model, so performance is similar.

With the MG5 Long Range, the range is similar to what the Astra Electric Sports Tourer Electric and e-308 SW can do officially, but the ID 7 Tourer can go much farther. Alternatively, take a look at the big battery versions of the MG4, MG ZS EV, Hyundai Kona Electric or VW ID 3.

Trims and equipment: Entry-level Excite trim is generously equipped, with 16in alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, air-con, front and rear electric windows, adaptive cruise control, a faux-leather steering wheel and an 8.0in touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Exclusive trim adds leather seats (heated in the front), an electrically adjustable driver's seat, driver's seat lumbar support, automatic windscreen wipers and silver roof rails. On facelift cars, these trims were updated to SE and Trophy.

Ride and handling: 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.

Interior and practicality: 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 e-308 SW. 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 8.0in touchscreen, which is 10.25in on facelift models, 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, plus pre-facelift cars get physical climate controls.

On the downside, you do have to prod the screen quite hard to get it to respond, and even then it’s sometimes hesitant. It's also frustrating the climate controls are hidden in the touchscreen on facelift models, and it’s annoying that you can’t change the temperature without leaving your chosen nav or media screen. It's a bit distracting to do while driving.

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.

Facelift: In mid-2022, MG gave the MG5 a facelift. It included a significant styling update at the front end, replacing the faux-grille with a sharper, cleaner nose. Elsewhere, the interior saw the addition of a new 10.25in touchscreen with an updated infotainment system, while standard Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) charging, revised 17in alloy wheels and an improved 360-deg parking camera were added to the rest of the car.

"I prefer the looks of the later MG5s, but no matter the age or looks, it makes a surprisingly good family car because it's so spacious in the back." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

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.

Used prices for the MG5 start from around £7000 for an early pre-facelift car with high mileage. For a car of a similar vintage with low mileage, look to spend upwards of £8000, while a budget of at least £11,000 will get you a facelift model from 2022 or 2023. For a 2024 car, have a budget of at least £15,000 at the ready. Cars from 2025 are limited in number, but these start from £16,000.

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.

Reliability

The MG5 is a dependable electric estate that performs well in the real world, according to feedback from owners in our annual What Car? Reliability Survey. While the car is largely robust, some drivers reported minor electrical "niggles" and occasional glitches with the infotainment system. Most concerns centred on the dealer experience rather than the car itself, with some owners facing repair delays due to parts shortages despite the peace of mind offered by the seven-year warranty.

To find out more about used MG5 reliability, head to our dedicated reliability page.

Motor and battery

Prices for the regular and Long Range versions of the MG5 are similar, so it's the latter we'd go for.

Trim

Exclusive cars come with more luxuries than Excite models, yet used prices are similar. Pre-facelift examples are generally cheaper, too.

Our favourite MG5: Exclusive Long Range

As we've already mentioned, electric estate cars are limited in number. However, there are a few you can choose from.

The Peugeot e-308 SW is a comfortable and stylish electric estate with a plush interior. It's reasonably practical, too. While it's not quite as accommodating as the MG5 in the back seats, it does have a bigger boot. Reliability is good, but it is more expensive than the MG5.

The Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric is based on the same underpinnings as the e-308 SW, which means they're almost identical when it comes to space and practicality. It's similarly comfortable to drive, too, while the interior is slightly more user-friendly, thanks to more physical controls. It's not quite as plush as the MG5 and e-308 SW inside, though. Prices are a little less than the e-308 SW, but more than the MG5.

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.

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.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here