MG S5 EV

This car brings joy to my drive everyday. I'm no stranger to EVs, coming from a 105kW MG ZS which I have driven for the past 3.5 years. Even though on paper it seems like I had a power downgrade to 99kW, the S5 makes it up in comfort. Acceleration is smooth, and you still have the confidence for overtakes. It'll ease the braking for you as well so you don't feel the jerk. Much better experience for passengers.

There's a stark difference driving an EV built with a proper EV platform (instead of one that is adapted from ICE model). One pedal drive (which gives the best efficiency), no creaking sounds during turns and humps, smooth power delivery. It feels very solidly built, and hard turns don't feel like the car is throwing you off thanks to the firm suspension. I suppose being one of the few EVs with RWD in this price range helps too.

Even though efficiency is 17.1kWh/100km on paper, you can easily go lower than 15kWh/100km on OPD. I drove for a few days with the car fully loaded in the rear and it is still achieving around 16-16.5kWh/100km.

Infotainment system is comprehensive, covering car settings like MG Pilot, Conveniences. More updates in responsiveness (animations may stutter at times), and better consolidation of settings will improve user experience. Eg. to disable speed limit alerts, you have to go to the in-built maps settings instead of MG Pilot. Speaking of MG Pilot, there's a custom setting which allows you to setup the ADAS just the way you want it, and save it as a custom profile. Bad news? You have to activate the custom settings everytime you start up the car.

Interior has plenty of soft touch surfaces on the dash and doors.

Aircon and lights for back passengers? Check.

Cup holders for back passengers? Check.

Big sunroof just like ZS? Check.

It comes with an app, iSmart, which allows remote monitoring of car status, allows you to turn on aircon as well before you reach the car. EK provides 3 years of data (no roaming), but no news yet on whether we can swap out SIM or need to subscribe after that.

Overall, it's an excellent family SUV for this price.

The first thing you'll notice about this car is how spacious it is—even taller passengers will find plenty of headroom. The interior is thoughtfully designed, offering a clean, understated sense of luxury. I appreciate the physical buttons for key functions like volume and air conditioning; they add convenience without overcomplicating things.

MG Pilot is a standout feature—it's highly customizable, allowing you to tailor the driving assistance settings to your personal preferences. This EV is incredibly easy to drive, with a smooth learning curve even for those transitioning from an internal combustion engine vehicle. You can also choose to enable or disable one-pedal driving based on your comfort level.

Power delivery is smooth and linear, which helps reduce the queasiness some people experience from regenerative braking in other EVs. Overall, it's a well-rounded and user-friendly electric vehicle.