New 2026 MG IM5 Review

Can MG beat Tesla with their first saloon since the MG ZT

Exterior – Front

so, let’s start with the design at the front of the MG IM5 and it looks nothing like an MG. To start with them isn’t even any MG badges on it. We get these curvy and big headlights with LED technology on it. These look elegant and sleek looking. Lower down we get a discrete central air vent and these big but very slim side vents giving the impression of a very wide mouth. It looks a bit like a tesla but better in my opinion. You also get the IM badge too.

Exterior – Side

Moving round to the side and we get a very sleek and smooth design. To start with there are no creases along the side and we get these curvy windows giving it a sleek and almost timeless look to it. The door handles are flush, and we get this hidden camera in the side for your blind spot. You also get cameras in the door mirrors too. Wheel designs are a bit basic and don’t look premium for this type of car but are aerodynamic. If you go for the performance version though then they look much better and in fact very similar to the MG TF ones from 2010.

Exterior – Rear

Moving round to the back and we get a sleek and almost Aston Martin Esque design with this black bar. This houses a light bar that is the outline of the boot as well as the indicators and this body-coloured bar that would have looked better in brushed chrome in my opinion. We do get some gloss black which mimics the front central air vent and side vents and this does give it a premium look. We do get the MG lettering though abet in the IM Font which is a bit odd. I do think this car would of benefited with the MG badges and font as opposed to the IM lettering as it would of made this car better known and may help it sell better. Anyway, let’s have a look and see what battery and motor options you can have with the MG IM5.

Car and engine specs and price

So, for the MG IM5 there are 3 options to go for. Lets go through them and start with the base model. This uses a 75-kWh battery pack and a 293 bhp electric motor mounted on the rear wheels making it rear wheel drive. This does 0-62 in 6.8 seconds and can do 304 miles of range which isn’t too bad for a base model. The next model is the long-range version, and this uses a bigger 100 kWh battery pack but also a more powerful motor at 405 bhp. this can do 0-62 in 4.9 seconds which is quite quick, but the range is the best at 441 miles which is very decent and almost as good as a petrol equivalent. The final version is the performance version, and this uses the same 100 kWh battery pack but this time it has a dual motor setup giving it 4-wheel drive and a huge 748 bhp. this can do 0-62 in a very quick 3.2 seconds, and the range isn’t too bad at 357 miles too so this would be the best one to go for if you can afford it. Talking of price, the MG IM5 starts at £39,450 which is a lot for an MG but is about right for the types of cars it rivals for example the Tesla Model 3 and the Volkswagen ID.7 and A4 E-Tron when that comes out along with the BMW i3 and Mercedes C-Class with EQ Technology. Right, lets have a look and see what the interior is like.

Interior – Design

So, climbing inside the IM5 and the interior is nothing like any other MG. to start with we get a 2-screen setup. We get this big widescreen display which incorporates the instrument cluster and infotainment system into one display. This looks very modern and premium. the second screen is in the centre console, and this houses the cars settings and climate control. We do get a lot of swoopy elements in this car too as well as a lot of vegan leather making it feel more premium than any other car in its class. The centre console is minimalistic but houses a few storage areas and in front of the driver we get a set of nice indicator stalks and a nice and premium steering wheel which looks a bit like the older MG steering wheels. The seats are very supportive but also comfy with a ventilated function. A first for an MG. the overall fit and finish isn’t too bad, but you can easily look past it because of the design. The ergonomics are ok too considering the layout. Right, lets have a look and see what the rear seats are like.

Practicality

Climbing into the back of the IM5 and headroom isn’t too bad because of this huge glass roof but legroom isn’t the best. Whilst there is a lot of space the position you sit in isn’t the best. This is because of the batteries being stored under the floor the floor is quite high making the seats feel quite low, so you sort of sit in this squatted position which wont be comfy for long journeys. On the plus side it does feel premium in the back, and we do get an arm rest as well as some air vents and USB C ports. Right, let’s have a look and see what the boot space is like.

Boot Size

So, going round to the boot and you are welcomed with a good hatchback style boot opening which means it will be very easy to get items in unlike the Tesla Model 3 for example. In terms of size, it is 457 litres of space which is about the same as other rivals. If you fold the seats down, then it does increase to 1,290 litres. You also get a front boot for your charging cables, and this is 18 litres in size so it’s not too bad then.

Summary

So, in summary then what do I think of the MG IM5. Well, it is an MG to start with which means you get a 7-year warranty as well as a decent battery range that is quite accurate going by MG’s history of electric range. The style is quite decent and premium looking as to is the interior giving it a premium feel that we haven’t seen from MG before. The practicality isn’t too bad but an adult doing a long journey in the back will be a bit uncomfortable but children in the back will be fine and practicality is quite good. This type of segment is getting very tight and all the cars it rivals are all great. Is it better than them, well that’s a difficult decision but is it a successor to the MG ZT. Well, it feels like a completely different league from that car and I would say it is a good successor to that car. its definitely worth looking at it for sure.

Exterior 5/5

Interior 5/5

Practicality 3/5

Total 13/15

Model	MG IM5 Long Range
Engine	100 kWh Battery Pack, Single Motor, 405bhp, 0-62 = 4.9 Seconds, 441 Mile Range, Rear Wheel Drive
Transmission	Single Speed Electric Motor
Price	£44,995
On Sale	Now