The MG IM5 could have an MG Motor badge on its tailgate, however that is no strange MG.
Mum or dad firm SAIC Motor established IM Motors in 2020, in a three way partnership with Alibaba and ZJ Hello Tech.
IM Motors is SAIC Motor’s premium electrical automobile (EV) model, concentrating on the likes of Zeekr. Like that previously EV-only model, it’s additionally venturing into combustion-powered territory again dwelling in China – it’s launching its first extended-range electrical automobiles (EREVs), which characteristic a petroleum engine as a generator.
However the debut IM fashions for Australia are all-electric: the MG IM5 liftback, recognized in China because the IM L6; and the MG IM6 SUV, recognized in China because the IM LS6.
We had the chance to check out the know-how of the IM5 at Sydney’s White Bay Terminal, although we didn’t get to drive the automobile on common roads. Thankfully, we additionally secured a drive of the IM6 previous to launch, permitting us to check it on precise roads. You possibly can learn that evaluate right here.
How a lot does the MG IM5 value?
Unusually, MG has chosen to cost the IM5 and IM6 identically – one thing that’s positive to skew the gross sales ratio much more in favour of the IM6, we think about, given our SUV-hungry market.
| Mannequin | Drive-away pricing |
|---|---|
| 2025 MG IM5 Premium 75kWh RWD | $60,990 |
| 2025 MG IM5 Platinum 75kWh RWD | $69,990 |
| 2025 MG IM5 Efficiency 100kWh AWD | $80,990 |
The IM5’s two most evident rivals are the (admittedly smaller) BYD Seal and Tesla Mannequin 3.
The BYD is priced between $46,990 and $61,990 earlier than on-road prices, whereas the Tesla is priced between $54,900 and $80,900 earlier than on-roads.
To see how the MG IM5 traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability device
What’s the MG IM5 like on the within?
If the outside is curvy, the inside takes it to a different stage.
There’s a really gentle, natural look to the cabin, with nary a straight line to be seen – even the stitching particulars on the dashboard look wavy. That is supported by plenty of softly padded surfaces, together with the sprint, doorways and sides of the centre console.
It’s like sitting in a giant leatherette marshmallow and for individuals who like a extra conventional, rectilinear look inside, it’s a bit a lot.
A Highland Gray inside color manner is customary, although Dover Beige is a $990 choice. This lightens up the inside much more, although we’re involved about how inclined it could be to grime – notably the trim on the centre console.
The cabin is already bathed with mild because of the expansive mounted glass roof. The corporate claims this has a double silver layer that ends in 99 per cent ultraviolet rejection and 79 per cent infrared rejection. The tinting is sort of darkish, however an adjunct sunshade continues to be out there. It was a wet day on the occasion, so it’s arduous to inform how the roof will address brilliant sunshine.
Go forward and take a look at that inside picture and attempt to discover a button contained in the IM5’s inside. I’ll wait.
In true trendy Chinese language (or Tesla) trend, buttons have been discarded like relics. There are two touchscreens and for those who don’t wish to use these, there’s a voice assistant.
The steering wheel has a pair of slide wheels however lacks the standard array of switchgear you’ll discover in most vehicles. There’s no local weather management array, although some shortcuts for HVAC settings are anchored to the underside of the decrease display.
Technically, there are a handful of buttons – the door handles, for instance, have been changed with buttons. However even issues like controlling the path of airflow by way of the entrance vents should be carried out by way of a touchscreen.
Tesla followers, amongst others, can have no problem, however quite a lot of shoppers will discover this confounding – can’t a deal with be a deal with, and a button be a bodily button? All of it labored superb in a parking-lot tech demo, however I’ll be eager to get one in every of these out in the actual world to see if this buttonless technique works.
“Alright, so there aren’t any buttons. There’s no cassette participant both, grandpa, so inform us how the tech works?” you might properly ask.
Fairly properly, is the reply. The higher display, which includes a conventional touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster, options an app menu and digital camera views as you’d count on in addition to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The decrease display encompasses a menu of apps as properly, plus capabilities just like the local weather management and parking techniques. The interfaces look crisp and trendy, and swipe shortcuts. There’s a lot to pore over in these screens, however we had restricted time through which to discover.
There’s additionally iSmart connectivity, permitting you to entry automobile info and management sure options just like the local weather management through a smartphone app.
The whole lot feels properly screwed collectively, and the doorways shut with a stable thunk though the glass is frameless.
The IM5’s seats are comfortable and cozy, and have heating, air flow and energy adjustment up entrance. They’re not completed in leather-based, nevertheless, with leatherette the one upholstery out there throughout the lineup.
Storage contains bottle holders within the doorways, a centre console bin, and a useful shelf beneath the centre console that you can use for a purse.
For such a big automobile, although, house effectivity is so-so. The IM5 has a 2950mm lengthy wheelbase, however rear seat lodging is considerably compromised.
With the entrance seats lowered to a snug place, toe room within the rear is considerably impacted and it feels a bit squeezy. Headroom, nevertheless, is sort of good for somebody round 180cm or tall, regardless of the rakish roofline.
You’ll discover rear air vents and map pockets plus a single USB-C outlet and a fold-down armrest with cupholders. Oddly, we couldn’t discover any heated seat controls, regardless of this characteristic being customary.
The rear bench additionally splits and folds 60/40, and has an adjustable backrest.
For those who just like the design of the IM5’s inside however need more room, the IM6 has a just about an identical inside and an an identical price ticket. We will see quite a lot of patrons being tempted.
The IM5’s sedan-like styling conceals a hatchback-style tailgate, however don’t go considering this can be a big load-lugger. Open the tailgate – the button is hid as a part of the IM brand – and also you’ll discover a load bay that’s surprisingly slender.
MG claims cargo house of 457 litres, increasing to 1290L with the rear seats folded. There’s additionally an 18L storage compartment beneath the bonnet.
| Dimensions | MG IM5 |
|---|---|
| Size | 4931mm |
| Width | 1960mm |
| Peak | 1474mm |
| Wheelbase | 2950mm |
| Cargo capability | 457L (rear seats up) 1290L (rear seats folded) 18L (beneath bonnet) |
To see how the MG IM5 traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability device
What’s beneath the bonnet?
Effectively, technically, there’s an 18L storage compartment beneath the bonnet. However don’t take that heading actually, and also you’re taking a look at a selection of three powertrain configurations.
The bottom IM5 Premium RWD makes use of a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery and a 400V electrical structure, leading to slower charging speeds than the others which use a nickel manganese cobalt (NCM) battery and an 800V electrical structure.
MG quotes 20 minutes to cost the IM5 Premium RWD from 30 to 80 per cent utilizing a DC fast-charger, towards 15.2 minutes for the Platinum and Efficiency variants.
All IM5s characteristic vehicle-to-load (V2L) performance, with a most output of 6.6kW.
MG doesn’t quote whole system energy and torque outputs for the flagship Efficiency AWD, which is the one variant with two electrical motors.
It’s additionally the one variant with customary air suspension and Repeatedly Managed Damping, although you may choice air springs on the Platinum.
All IM5s characteristic four-wheel steering and four-piston entrance brake calipers from Continental with ventilated discs in any respect 4 wheels.
| Specs | Premium RWD | Platinum RWD | Efficiency AWD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Single electrical motor | Single electrical motor | Twin electrical motors |
| Battery capability | 75kWh | 75kWh | 100kWh |
| Battery chemistry | LFP | NCM | NCM |
| Energy | 217kW | 300kW | 200kW + 372kW |
| Torque | 450Nm | 500Nm | 302Nm + 500Nm |
| Drive sort | Rear-wheel drive | Rear-wheel drive | All-wheel drive |
| Weight (tare mass) | 2180kg | 2210kg | 2298kg |
| 0-100km/h (claimed) | 6.8 seconds | 4.9 seconds | 3.2 seconds |
| Claimed vary (WLTP) | 490km | 655km | 575km |
| Max AC cost price | 11kW | 11kW | 11kW |
| Max DC cost price | 153kW | 396kW | 396kW |
| Unbraked towing capability | 750kg | 750kg | 750kg |
| Braked towing capability | 1500kg | 1500kg | 1500kg |
To see how the MG IM5 traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability device
How does the MG IM5 drive?
I’d like to inform you the way it drives, however that might want to wait till we get one by way of the storage. I positive can inform you the way it parks, although.
Our driving expertise was restricted to 1 loop round a ship terminal, which wasn’t sufficient to get a lot of a sense for the IM5’s experience high quality or dealing with.
The steering in Consolation mode is mild however not utterly vacant. There are selectable drive modes, permitting you to regulate elements of the drive just like the steering and throttle response.
All IM5s experience on double-wishbone entrance and multi-link rear suspension, however the flagship Efficiency additionally options customary air suspension and Repeatedly Managed Damping.
Sometimes, if you would like a sedan with air suspension you’re taking a look at spending properly over $100,000 for one thing with a three-pointed star on the grille, so it’s nice to see this know-how at a extra accessible value level.
We additionally acquired to expertise the brutal acceleration of the Efficiency, which boasts a 0-100km/h time of three.2 seconds.
Sadly, this was with any individual else behind the wheel, however the IM5 rocked me again within the softly padded passenger seat and, whereas I may hear the tyres scrambling for grip on the moist pavement, the electrical liftback tracked straight.
Double-layered glass is used for all of the home windows for sound insulation. And if this thicker glass doesn’t minimize out sound sufficient for you, there’s a typical (unbranded) 20-speaker sound system together with 4 ‘sky audio system’ mounted up larger, in addition to energetic noise cancellation.
We’re eager to take this automotive to a poorly surfaced highway with a excessive pace restrict and see how all of this works in slicing out sound, however in low-speed driving the IM5 was hushed.
Our tech demo concerned 5 levels in a wet parking zone, permitting us to check the automobile’s AI Chauffeur know-how and take a look at all its cameras, that are impressively high-resolution.
Semi-autonomous parking help know-how is nothing new, however the IM5’s is among the greatest we’ve skilled.
Some techniques may be sluggish and dim-witted on the subject of detecting parking spots, however the IM5 identifies spots shortly. In a single demonstration, we had to make use of the system to reverse right into a spot on the right-hand facet of a ‘avenue’ that had automobiles parked on the opposite facet. Every time, the automobile acquired unnervingly near a automobile on the left-hand facet, however manoeuvred into place with no sweat – properly, no less than not from the automobile.
There’s additionally a one-touch pull-out operate to assist get you out of a spot, and the IM5 can deal with each parallel and perpendicular parking.
What’s extra distinctive and spectacular is the reverse monitoring operate, which lets you press a button and have the automobile reverse again for the final 100m – useful for those who by chance drove down a good alley and lack the boldness to make your manner again.
One operate that’s spectacular however has much less of an apparent sensible use is the IM5’s capability to make use of its four-wheel steering to crab. No, it received’t throw a pot into the water to catch crustaceans, however it can flip all 4 wheels in the identical path on the similar time at speeds beneath 18km/h.
This operate is accessible by getting into the Driving menu on the decrease display and urgent a button that’s purported to appear like a crab. The automotive then offers you a dynamic guidelines of standards that should be met earlier than crab mode can work.
As you flip the wheel, it reveals you the angle of your wheels on the higher display. Don’t transfer the wheel an excessive amount of, and also you’ll really feel the automotive crab throughout the highway. It’s uncommon, and particularly disconcerting once you’re reversing – that you must flip the wheel in the other way from which you’d usually do.
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The four-wheel steering has a extra apparent sensible profit in that it offers this automotive a turning radius of simply 4.99m, one thing that the corporate says makes it as manoeuvrable as a small hatchback. And certainly, even in a restricted demonstration we may see how nimble this large automotive was in tight quarters. There’s as much as 12 levels of rear wheel steering.
It is likely to be simple to steer, however the IM5 isn’t simple to see out the again of. The rear window is extra like an ovoid porthole, and there’s no digital rear-view mirror – baffling for such a tech-rich automotive in 2025. You possibly can contact one of many wheel toggles to supply a digital camera view on the touchscreen, however this isn’t adequate.
However all will not be misplaced for the IM5 within the visibility stakes, as regardless of lacking out on a digital rear-view mirror it has one thing no rivals can match: Wet Evening Mode. This initiatives digital camera footage on the higher display that has been enhanced and reprocessed to be made clearer, making it useful if, for instance, your home windows are fogged up.
Sadly, we didn’t get a possibility to check this as a result of it was daytime, however it’s an intriguing concept.
What do you get?
There are three variants within the MG IM5 lineup.
2025 MG IM5 Premium RWD gear highlights:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Tyre restore equipment
- Automated LED headlights
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Heated, power-folding exterior mirrors
- Digital park brake with auto maintain
- Semi-autonomous parking help
- Palms-free energy tailgate
- Proximity entry and begin
- Panoramic glass roof
- Rear privateness glass
- 26.3-inch touchscreen
- 10.5-inch touchscreen
- Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- DAB digital radio
- Leatherette upholstery
- Heated and ventilated entrance seats
- Heated rear seats
- 12-way energy driver’s seat
- 4-way energy lumbar
- Reminiscence
- Simple Entry operate
- 6-way energy passenger seat
- 60:40 break up/fold rear seats with adjustable backrest
- 3 x ISOFIX child-seat anchor factors
- 256-colour ambient lighting
- 50W ventilated wi-fi telephone charger
- 20-speaker sound system
- Highway Noise Management
- 3 x USB-C shops (2 x entrance, 1 x rear)
- Twin-zone local weather management
- ‘Clever’ hidden entrance air vents
- Rear air vents
- Warmth pump
The Platinum RWD provides:
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- Hankook iOn high-performance EV tyres
The Efficiency AWD provides:
Is the MG IM5 secure?
The IM5 has but to be examined by ANCAP or Euro NCAP.
Customary security gear throughout the vary contains:
- Adaptive cruise management
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Driver consideration monitoring
- Lane-keep help
- Emergency lane-keep help
- Clever Lane Change
- Lane centring
- Rear cross-traffic help
- Protected exit warning
- Entrance and rear parking sensors
- Encompass-view digital camera
- Tyre strain monitoring
- Entrance, facet and curtain airbags
- Far-side airbag
Its suite of energetic security and driver help know-how is powered by 12 ultrasonic sensors, 9 high-definition cameras, three millimetre-wave radars, one positioning unit and one inertial measurement unit.
How a lot does the MG IM5 value to run?
MG’s IM fashions are lined by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee, although for those who don’t service inside MG’s community this drops right down to a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee (or 5 years/160,000km if the automobile is getting used for business functions).
The battery guarantee is eight years, 160,000km irrespective of how you utilize it. The air suspension and four-wheel steering techniques are backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.
There’s a capped-price servicing program that spans 5 years/100,000km, with servicing required each 12 months or 20,000km.
| Service interval | Pricing |
|---|---|
| 12 months/20,000km | $323 |
| 24 months/40,000km | $501 |
| 36 months/60,000km | $323 |
| 48 months/80,000km | $1294 ($1459 in Efficiency) |
| 60 months/100,000km | $323 |
To see how the MG IM5 traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability device
CarExpert’s Tackle the MG IM5
The IM5 is an intriguing addition to the native EV market.
Most patrons will go for the IM5’s sibling, the IM6 SUV. That’s superb, however for these of us preferring a standard sedan or liftback, the IM5 provides a compelling various to equally sized petrol and hybrid automobiles.
The outside is extra engaging than the IM6, although the inside is nearly identically styled (ie: polarising) even when it has inferior packaging.
However that rear hatch arguably makes the IM5 extra versatile than the rival Tesla Mannequin 3 and BYD Seal sedans, even when the load bay is slightly skinny. And in contrast to the Tesla, you get a correct digital instrument cluster.
We nonetheless have quite a lot of questions in regards to the driving expertise. How does it deal with? Are the driver-assist options well-calibrated, or will they drive you apoplectic with rage? How is power effectivity and vary in real-life driving?
All these questions couldn’t be answered in a parking zone demonstration. What we did study, nevertheless, is that the IM5 has some intelligent know-how, a particular inside, and sharp pricing.
On a spec sheet, it appears to be like fabulous. However we have to get one by way of our storage to see the way it fares in the actual world.
CarExpert can prevent hundreds on a brand new MG IM5. Click on right here to get an important deal.
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