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ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Do class actions really deliver justice?
Sam Hawley: On average, there's a class action launched in Australia every week. But do they really help bring justice to groups of Australians exposed to wrongdoing? Today, Anne Connolly on her Four Corners investigation into the class action traps leaving victims short-changed and lawyers richer. I'm Sam Hawley on Gadigal land in Sydney. This is ABC News Daily. Sam Hawley: Anne, in Australia, class actions have become pretty common, haven't they? It's a really important way to address injustices in this country. Anne Connolly: Well, yes, that's what class actions are designed to do. And I mean, when there were some really major catastrophes, such as the Victorian bushfires, the Queensland floods, class actions were taken to get some money back for those people. News report: Property owners around Horsham in Victoria have banded together to bring the first class action arising from the Black Saturday bushfires. Anne Connolly: Same with the pelvic mesh issue against Johnson & Johnson. News report: The federal court found Johnson & Johnson had been negligent and driven by commercial interest and ordered them to pay compensation. Anne Connolly: There's many, and they're very varied. Sam Hawley: Yeah, and you found during your Four Corners investigation, this is a billion dollar industry, but it's not always in favour of the individual victims. So to explain this further, why don't we look at a recent case, Anne, a legal fight between more than 8,000 Australian taxi drivers and Uber. Anne Connolly: Well, I mean, I think most people remember when Uber entered the market, obviously the taxi industry was absolutely decimated. They just couldn't compete any longer. One of the taxi owners I spoke to is a man called Stephen Lacaze. He said he had a licence in Queensland, which was at the time valued at about half a million dollars. It went to being virtually worthless once Uber came along. Stephen Lacaze, taxi owner: Oh, it was devastating. People virtually went into shock. Anne Connolly: So when Maurice Blackburn, which is one of the biggest class action firms in Australia, came along and proposed a class action, he was very keen to sign up. Stephen Lacaze, taxi owner: We were friendless. And here comes Maurice Blackburn with their Bradman-like batting averages, and their 'we fight for fair' banner, and we're there with bells on. Sam Hawley: OK, so Stephen was keen to fight this. Maurice Blackburn lawyers take it on, and they get a third party, a litigation funder, to pay the costs. Just explain how that works. Anne Connolly: Yeah, so what happens is Maurice Blackburn doesn't want to go this alone. So what they do is they engage somebody called a litigation funder. And litigation funders, they pay the lawyers' fees, they support them, and if they lose, they pay all of the costs, so there is some risk. But in return for taking that risk, they want a percentage of any payout that they win. So in this case, with Maurice Blackburn, they had a partnership with an offshore firm called Harbour Litigation Funding, which is actually registered in the Cayman Islands. It's a tax haven, and there's quite a few litigation funders in tax havens. Under this deal, they said, we want 30% of the proceeds. And Stephen signed up for that, as did most of the taxi drivers. Stephen said he did that because he thought they were going to get a payout worth billions because that's how much they'd lost. Sam Hawley: So in this case, Maurice Blackburn, the law firm, ends up settling this class action. So just tell me what happens then. Are the taxi drivers elated about this? Anne Connolly: Well, the night before the trial was due to start in March last year, Maurice Blackburn brokered a deal with Uber. That would be that Uber would pay $272 million in compensation. Now, once Harbour took its commission, that came out at $81.5 million. Maurice Blackburn took its legal costs, which came to $39 million. It means that the drivers were left with just over half the payout. Now, we don't know what individual taxi drivers will get. Stephen Lacaze believes he'll get about $20,000 once all of these fees and commissions come out of his payment, which he says is nowhere near what he lost. Sam Hawley: What did Maurice Blackburn have to say about that? Anne Connolly: They said the federal court had approved the settlement as fair and reasonable, and Harbour, the funder, said that the case was long-running and there were significant risks. Sam Hawley: Hmm, OK. So, Anne, that's the case of the taxi drivers against Uber, and we're going to talk about another really concerning case in a moment. But before we do, let's just look at the system more deeply. The worry here is that the whole class action system is set up to make profits for the law firms and the funders, but not deliver the justice to the victims, right? Anne Connolly: Well, there's some people who are concerned about that. I mean, the lawyers and the funders will say, without us, people would get nothing. The problem is that what's happening now is most people think a class action begins with a group of victims, but that's not really the case anymore. Now everything has changed because litigation funders have now entered the Australian market. So what happens is, it's the law firms and the litigation funders getting together and seeing, what are these issues that we could launch a class action on so that they can make money and then they can sign up the group members? So the concern is, are they really seeking justice for people or are they actually just finding a business opportunity so that they can make as much profit as they possibly can? Sam Hawley: Anne, let's now look at another case where the victims are left with, in comparison, petty change. Just tell me about Minnie McDonald. Anne Connolly: So Minnie McDonald is a woman in her 90s. She lives in Alice Springs and she was approached by Shine lawyers to become what's called the lead plaintiff in a class action in the Northern Territory for stolen wages of Indigenous workers who worked on cattle stations and missions for little or no money. Minnie McDonald, lead plaintiff: No shoes, get up in the morning, go to work. Come back afternoon, cold. Anne Connolly: So this case relates to the treatment of people like Minnie who, along with a lot of other... ..thousands of other Aboriginal men, women and children worked for little or no pay between the 1930s and the 1970s. Look, I just think, you know, one of the things I want to say about this is if ever there was a class action needed, perhaps it was in this particular case. I mean, there's questions about why the governments didn't just actually pay people what they deserved instead of being forced to court and forced to pay out compensation. But in any case, what Shine says and what the litigation funder says is we were doing our very best to get right a particular historical injustice. Sam Hawley: So the law firm Shine takes on this class action along with the litigation funder, Litigation Lending Services, and Minnie becomes the lead plaintiff. But the thing is, Anne, we know with legal cases, there's a lot of paperwork and Minnie had to sign a lot of that and she can't read or write. Anne Connolly: That's right, she can't read or write. So Minnie had her granddaughter Elizabeth to help her. However, Elizabeth does say, you know, it was complicated. It was difficult to understand at times. So Minnie did sign one document which said that Shine's costs had increased by $10 million and she signed off on that. I asked her about it and I asked her granddaughter if they remembered it. They didn't. I asked Shine, did they check that Minnie had the capacity to understand the complex legal and financial issues around class actions? They said being unable to read or write is no indication of intelligence and that they had an Indigenous barrister who helped to cross these cultural barriers and explain the process to them. Sam Hawley: So tell me what ended up happening with the case. Anne Connolly: So there were two class actions in WA and the NT and they both settled. So they didn't go to court. In Western Australia, there was a settlement for $180 million. In the Northern Territory, it was $200 million. Which sounds, you know, really positive. But what has to come out of that are the legal costs and the commission for the litigation funder. So they're not going to end up with that much. They'll end up with at least $10,000 and some will end up with more than that. Minnie McDonald, lead plaintiff: So somebody might... get a car and just take me for a picnic somewhere, you know, have a feed. But... I didn't get enough. Anne Connolly: You didn't get enough to buy a car? Minnie McDonald, lead plaintiff: Yeah, yeah. Nothing. Not enough. Anne Connolly: On the other hand, what's happened is Shine Lawyers is going to get about $30 million for its work. And the funder, Litigation Lending Services, they will take a commission of about $57 million. Sam Hawley: And you've had a really good look, haven't you, also, at the amount the law firm Shine was actually charging. Anne Connolly: Well, that's very interesting because Shine was roundly criticised in both WA and Northern Territory courts by the judges there. In one instance, Shine was charging for law clerks, charging them out at $375 an hour, even though many of them were unqualified uni students. They hired at least a dozen barristers that cost almost $3.5 million. One of those barristers charges almost $5,000 an hour. So, you know, the legal costs are the things that's really interesting. Sam Hawley: All right. So, Anne, the law firms and the funds are making a lot of money from these class actions in many cases. They do argue, as you mentioned, that they're actually giving people a chance to have these cases heard. What has Shine told you? Anne Connolly: Well, Shine said we were the only ones who were willing to take this on. We have given Aboriginal workers a chance to tell their stories. They've received compensation and they're being acknowledged for the historical injustices that they've suffered. And they said that these cases require experienced and well-resourced lawyers. And Litigation Lending Services, they said that they're proud of their involvement and that their commission was lower than the standard market rates because they wanted to reflect the social justice nature of these claims. Sam Hawley: And you spoke to the head of the Association of Litigation Funders. So this is a group that represents the firms that financially back these class actions, the funds. Its head is John Walker. So what's he had to say? Anne Connolly: Well, he said, look, you know, this is a market. This is a financial market that they operate in. They're trying to get some justice for people, but at the same time they're trying to make a profit and they don't shy away from that. John Walker, Association of Litigation Funders : We underwrite the project. We'll pay everybody if we lose, but in return, if we win, then we get a share of the recovery. We don't see it as gambling. We see it as investing. It's a market, and I don't step away from that. Anne Connolly: He essentially says, look, what we're doing is we're trying to correct the bad behaviour. Even if these class members are not getting enormous sums, it's sending a message to the big end of town that you can't operate in this way any longer. John Walker, Association of Litigation Funders : I'm absolutely proud of what's happened with class actions in Australia. They're absolutely essential to create accountability in respect of the big companies and governments. Sam Hawley: But, Anne, it does sound like a system that's not really working as it should. That is for the everyday people who need it. Anne Connolly: Well, I think what happens is a lot of people look at a class action sum and they believe that the sum that's been publicised is what people are getting. They don't realise that up to half of it can disappear in fees and commissions. The other point being the only class actions that actually get funded and get run are those that turn a profit. So when you're talking about others that might be very worthy, they won't get up if the bottom line doesn't look good. I think the problem arises when you're talking about people who have really suffered, such as these Aboriginal workers in the stolen wages cases who thought that they were going to get some proper compensation and what they're getting is simply a fraction of what they really deserve. And when they do see litigation funders and lawyers walking away with tens of millions of dollars, it makes it difficult for them to understand and sometimes it can feel like they've been exploited all over again. Sam Hawley: Anne Connolly is an investigative reporter with the ABC. You can see her Four Corners report on ABC TV tonight at 8.30pm or you can catch it on iView. This episode was produced by Sydney Pead. Audio production by Sam Dunn. Our supervising producer is David Coady. I'm Sam Hawley. Thanks for listening.
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
2025 MG IM5 review: Quick drive
MG IM5 Pros MG IM5 Cons The MG IM5 may have an MG Motor badge on its tailgate, but this is no ordinary MG. Parent company SAIC Motor established IM Motors in 2020, in a joint venture with Alibaba and ZJ Hi Tech. IM Motors is SAIC Motor's premium electric vehicle (EV) brand, targeting the likes of Zeekr. Like that formerly EV-only brand, it's also venturing into combustion-powered territory back home in China – it's launching its first extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), which feature a petrol engine as a generator. But the debut IM models for Australia are all-electric: the MG IM5 liftback, known in China as the IM L6; and the MG IM6 SUV, known in China as the IM LS6. We had the opportunity to test out the technology of the IM5 at Sydney's White Bay Terminal, though we didn't get to drive the vehicle on regular roads. Fortunately, we also secured a drive of the IM6 prior to launch, allowing us to test it on actual roads. You can read that review here. Unusually, MG has chosen to price the IM5 and IM6 identically – something that's sure to skew the sales ratio even more in favour of the IM6, we imagine, given our SUV-hungry market. The IM5's two most obvious rivals are the (admittedly smaller) BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3. The BYD is priced between $46,990 and $61,990 before on-road costs, while the Tesla is priced between $54,900 and $80,900 before on-roads. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool If the exterior is curvy, the interior takes it to another level. There's a very soft, organic look to the cabin, with nary a straight line to be seen – even the stitching details on the dashboard look wavy. This is supported by lots of softly padded surfaces, including the dash, doors and sides of the centre console. It's like sitting in a big leatherette marshmallow and for those who like a more traditional, rectilinear look inside, it's a bit much. A Highland Grey interior colour way is standard, though Dover Beige is a $990 option. This lightens up the interior even more, though we're concerned about how susceptible it may be to dirt – particularly the trim on the centre console. The cabin is already bathed with light thanks to the expansive fixed glass roof. The company claims this has a double silver layer that results in 99 per cent ultraviolet rejection and 79 per cent infrared rejection. The tinting is quite dark, but an accessory sunshade is still available. It was a rainy day at the event, so it's hard to tell how the roof will cope with bright sunshine. Go ahead and check out that interior image and try and find a button inside the IM5's interior. I'll wait. In true modern Chinese (or Tesla) fashion, buttons have been discarded like relics. There are two touchscreens and if you don't want to use those, there's a voice assistant. The steering wheel has a pair of slide wheels but lacks the traditional array of switchgear you'll find in most cars. There's no climate control array, though some shortcuts for HVAC settings are anchored to the bottom of the lower screen. Technically, there are a handful of buttons – the door handles, for example, have been replaced with buttons. But even things like controlling the direction of airflow through the front vents must be done through a touchscreen. Tesla fans, among others, will have no issue, but a lot of consumers will find this confounding – can't a handle be a handle, and a button be a physical button? It all worked fine in a parking-lot tech demo, but I'll be keen to get one of these out in the real world to see if this buttonless strategy works. "Alright, so there are no buttons. There's no cassette player either, grandpa, so tell us how the tech works?" you may well ask. Quite well, is the answer. The upper screen, which incorporates a traditional touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster, features an app menu and camera views as you'd expect as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The lower screen features a menu of apps as well, plus functions like the climate control and parking systems. The interfaces look crisp and modern, and swipe shortcuts. There's so much to pore over in these screens, but we had limited time in which to explore. There's also iSmart connectivity, allowing you to access vehicle information and control certain features like the climate control via a smartphone app. Everything feels well screwed together, and the doors close with a solid thunk even though the glass is frameless. The IM5's seats are cushy and comfortable, and feature heating, ventilation and power adjustment up front. They're not finished in leather, however, with leatherette the only upholstery available across the lineup. Storage includes bottle holders in the doors, a centre console bin, and a handy shelf under the centre console that you could use for a handbag. For such a large vehicle, though, space efficiency is so-so. The IM5 has a 2950mm long wheelbase, but rear seat accommodation is somewhat compromised. With the front seats lowered to a comfortable position, toe room in the rear is significantly impacted and it feels a bit squeezy. Headroom, however, is quite good for someone around 180cm or tall, despite the rakish roofline. You'll find rear air vents and map pockets plus a single USB-C outlet and a fold-down armrest with cupholders. Oddly, we couldn't find any heated seat controls, despite this feature being standard. The rear bench also splits and folds 60/40, and has an adjustable backrest. If you like the design of the IM5's interior but want more space, the IM6 has a virtually identical interior and an identical price tag. We can see a lot of buyers being tempted. The IM5's sedan-like styling conceals a hatchback-style tailgate, but don't go thinking this is a huge load-lugger. Open the tailgate – the button is concealed as part of the IM logo – and you'll find a load bay that's surprisingly narrow. MG claims cargo space of 457 litres, expanding to 1290L with the rear seats folded. There's also an 18L storage compartment under the bonnet. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool Well, technically, there's an 18L storage compartment under the bonnet. But don't take that heading literally, and you're looking at a choice of three powertrain configurations. The base IM5 Premium RWD uses a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery and a 400V electrical architecture, resulting in slower charging speeds than the others which use a nickel manganese cobalt (NCM) battery and an 800V electrical architecture. MG quotes 20 minutes to charge the IM5 Premium RWD from 30 to 80 per cent using a DC fast-charger, against 15.2 minutes for the Platinum and Performance variants. All IM5s feature vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, with a maximum output of 6.6kW. MG doesn't quote total system power and torque outputs for the flagship Performance AWD, which is the only variant with two electric motors. It's also the only variant with standard air suspension and Continuously Controlled Damping, though you can option air springs on the Platinum. All IM5s feature four-wheel steering and four-piston front brake calipers from Continental with ventilated discs at all four wheels. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool I'd love to tell you how it drives, but that will need to wait until we get one through the garage. I sure can tell you how it parks, though. Our driving experience was limited to one loop around a boat terminal, which wasn't enough to get much of a feeling for the IM5's ride quality or handling. The steering in Comfort mode is light but not completely vacant. There are selectable drive modes, allowing you to adjust aspects of the drive like the steering and throttle response. All IM5s ride on double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, but the flagship Performance also features standard air suspension and Continuously Controlled Damping. Typically, if you want a sedan with air suspension you're looking at spending well over $100,000 for something with a three-pointed star on the grille, so it's great to see this technology at a more accessible price point. We also got to experience the brutal acceleration of the Performance, which boasts a 0-100km/h time of 3.2 seconds. Sadly, this was with somebody else behind the wheel, but the IM5 rocked me back in the softly padded passenger seat and, while I could hear the tyres scrambling for grip on the wet pavement, the electric liftback tracked straight. Double-layered glass is used for all the windows for sound insulation. And if this thicker glass doesn't cut out sound enough for you, there's a standard (unbranded) 20-speaker sound system including four 'sky speakers' mounted up higher, as well as active noise cancellation. We're keen to take this car to a poorly surfaced road with a high speed limit and see how all of this works in cutting out sound, but in low-speed driving the IM5 was hushed. Our tech demo involved five stages in a rainy parking lot, allowing us to test the vehicle's AI Chauffeur technology and check out all its cameras, which are impressively high-resolution. Semi-autonomous parking assist technology is nothing new, but the IM5's is some of the best we've experienced. Some systems can be slow and dim-witted when it comes to detecting parking spots, but the IM5 identifies spots quickly. In one demonstration, we had to use the system to reverse into a spot on the right-hand side of a 'street' that had vehicles parked on the other side. Each time, the vehicle got unnervingly close to a vehicle on the left-hand side, but manoeuvred into position with no sweat – well, at least not from the vehicle. There's also a one-touch pull-out function to help get you out of a spot, and the IM5 can handle both parallel and perpendicular parking. What's more unique and impressive is the reverse tracking function, which allows you to press a button and have the vehicle reverse back for the last 100m – handy if you accidentally drove down a tight alley and lack the confidence to make your way back. One function that is impressive but has less of an obvious practical use is the IM5's ability to use its four-wheel steering to crab. No, it won't throw a pot into the water to catch crustaceans, but it will turn all four wheels in the same direction at the same time at speeds under 18km/h. This function is accessible by entering the Driving menu on the lower screen and pressing a button that's supposed to look like a crab. The car then gives you a dynamic checklist of criteria that need to be met before crab mode can work. As you turn the wheel, it shows you the angle of your wheels on the upper screen. Don't move the wheel too much, and you'll feel the car crab across the road. It's unusual, and especially disconcerting when you're reversing – you need to turn the wheel in the opposite direction from which you'd normally do. The four-wheel steering has a more obvious practical benefit in that it gives this car a turning radius of just 4.99m, something that the company says makes it as manoeuvrable as a small hatchback. And indeed, even in a limited demonstration we could see how nimble this big car was in tight quarters. There's up to 12 degrees of rear wheel steering. It might be easy to steer, but the IM5 isn't easy to see out the back of. The rear window is more like an ovoid porthole, and there's no digital rear-view mirror – baffling for such a tech-rich car in 2025. You can touch one of the wheel toggles to provide a camera view on the touchscreen, but this isn't good enough. But all is not lost for the IM5 in the visibility stakes, as despite missing out on a digital rear-view mirror it has something no rivals can match: Rainy Night Mode. This projects camera footage on the upper screen that has been enhanced and reprocessed to be made clearer, making it handy if, for example, your windows are fogged up. Sadly, we didn't get an opportunity to test this because it was daytime, but it's an intriguing idea. There are three variants in the MG IM5 lineup. 2025 MG IM5 Premium RWD equipment highlights: The Platinum RWD adds: The Performance AWD adds: The IM5 has yet to be tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP. Standard safety equipment across the range includes: Its suite of active safety and driver assist technology is powered by 12 ultrasonic sensors, nine high-definition cameras, three millimetre-wave radars, one positioning unit and one inertial measurement unit. MG's IM models are covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, though if you don't service within MG's network this drops down to a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty (or five years/160,000km if the vehicle is being used for commercial purposes). The battery warranty is eight years, 160,000km no matter how you use it. The air suspension and four-wheel steering systems are backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. There's a capped-price servicing program that spans five years/100,000km, with servicing required every 12 months or 20,000km. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool The IM5 is an intriguing addition to the local EV market. Most buyers will go for the IM5's sibling, the IM6 SUV. That's fine, but for those of us who prefer a traditional sedan or liftback, the IM5 offers a compelling alternative to similarly sized petrol and hybrid vehicles. The exterior is more attractive than the IM6, though the interior is almost identically styled (ie: polarising) even if it has inferior packaging. But that rear hatch arguably makes the IM5 more versatile than the rival Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal sedans, even if the load bay is rather skinny. And unlike the Tesla, you get a proper digital instrument cluster. We still have a lot of questions about the driving experience. How does it handle? Are the driver-assist features well-calibrated, or will they drive you apoplectic with rage? How is energy efficiency and range in real-life driving? All those questions couldn't be answered in a parking lot demonstration. What we did learn, however, is that the IM5 has some clever technology, a distinctive interior, and sharp pricing. On a spec sheet, it looks fabulous. But we need to get one through our garage to see how it fares in the real world. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new MG IM5. Click here to get a great Explore the MG IM5 showroom Content originally sourced from: MG IM5 Pros MG IM5 Cons The MG IM5 may have an MG Motor badge on its tailgate, but this is no ordinary MG. Parent company SAIC Motor established IM Motors in 2020, in a joint venture with Alibaba and ZJ Hi Tech. IM Motors is SAIC Motor's premium electric vehicle (EV) brand, targeting the likes of Zeekr. Like that formerly EV-only brand, it's also venturing into combustion-powered territory back home in China – it's launching its first extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), which feature a petrol engine as a generator. But the debut IM models for Australia are all-electric: the MG IM5 liftback, known in China as the IM L6; and the MG IM6 SUV, known in China as the IM LS6. We had the opportunity to test out the technology of the IM5 at Sydney's White Bay Terminal, though we didn't get to drive the vehicle on regular roads. Fortunately, we also secured a drive of the IM6 prior to launch, allowing us to test it on actual roads. You can read that review here. Unusually, MG has chosen to price the IM5 and IM6 identically – something that's sure to skew the sales ratio even more in favour of the IM6, we imagine, given our SUV-hungry market. The IM5's two most obvious rivals are the (admittedly smaller) BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3. The BYD is priced between $46,990 and $61,990 before on-road costs, while the Tesla is priced between $54,900 and $80,900 before on-roads. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool If the exterior is curvy, the interior takes it to another level. There's a very soft, organic look to the cabin, with nary a straight line to be seen – even the stitching details on the dashboard look wavy. This is supported by lots of softly padded surfaces, including the dash, doors and sides of the centre console. It's like sitting in a big leatherette marshmallow and for those who like a more traditional, rectilinear look inside, it's a bit much. A Highland Grey interior colour way is standard, though Dover Beige is a $990 option. This lightens up the interior even more, though we're concerned about how susceptible it may be to dirt – particularly the trim on the centre console. The cabin is already bathed with light thanks to the expansive fixed glass roof. The company claims this has a double silver layer that results in 99 per cent ultraviolet rejection and 79 per cent infrared rejection. The tinting is quite dark, but an accessory sunshade is still available. It was a rainy day at the event, so it's hard to tell how the roof will cope with bright sunshine. Go ahead and check out that interior image and try and find a button inside the IM5's interior. I'll wait. In true modern Chinese (or Tesla) fashion, buttons have been discarded like relics. There are two touchscreens and if you don't want to use those, there's a voice assistant. The steering wheel has a pair of slide wheels but lacks the traditional array of switchgear you'll find in most cars. There's no climate control array, though some shortcuts for HVAC settings are anchored to the bottom of the lower screen. Technically, there are a handful of buttons – the door handles, for example, have been replaced with buttons. But even things like controlling the direction of airflow through the front vents must be done through a touchscreen. Tesla fans, among others, will have no issue, but a lot of consumers will find this confounding – can't a handle be a handle, and a button be a physical button? It all worked fine in a parking-lot tech demo, but I'll be keen to get one of these out in the real world to see if this buttonless strategy works. "Alright, so there are no buttons. There's no cassette player either, grandpa, so tell us how the tech works?" you may well ask. Quite well, is the answer. The upper screen, which incorporates a traditional touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster, features an app menu and camera views as you'd expect as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The lower screen features a menu of apps as well, plus functions like the climate control and parking systems. The interfaces look crisp and modern, and swipe shortcuts. There's so much to pore over in these screens, but we had limited time in which to explore. There's also iSmart connectivity, allowing you to access vehicle information and control certain features like the climate control via a smartphone app. Everything feels well screwed together, and the doors close with a solid thunk even though the glass is frameless. The IM5's seats are cushy and comfortable, and feature heating, ventilation and power adjustment up front. They're not finished in leather, however, with leatherette the only upholstery available across the lineup. Storage includes bottle holders in the doors, a centre console bin, and a handy shelf under the centre console that you could use for a handbag. For such a large vehicle, though, space efficiency is so-so. The IM5 has a 2950mm long wheelbase, but rear seat accommodation is somewhat compromised. With the front seats lowered to a comfortable position, toe room in the rear is significantly impacted and it feels a bit squeezy. Headroom, however, is quite good for someone around 180cm or tall, despite the rakish roofline. You'll find rear air vents and map pockets plus a single USB-C outlet and a fold-down armrest with cupholders. Oddly, we couldn't find any heated seat controls, despite this feature being standard. The rear bench also splits and folds 60/40, and has an adjustable backrest. If you like the design of the IM5's interior but want more space, the IM6 has a virtually identical interior and an identical price tag. We can see a lot of buyers being tempted. The IM5's sedan-like styling conceals a hatchback-style tailgate, but don't go thinking this is a huge load-lugger. Open the tailgate – the button is concealed as part of the IM logo – and you'll find a load bay that's surprisingly narrow. MG claims cargo space of 457 litres, expanding to 1290L with the rear seats folded. There's also an 18L storage compartment under the bonnet. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool Well, technically, there's an 18L storage compartment under the bonnet. But don't take that heading literally, and you're looking at a choice of three powertrain configurations. The base IM5 Premium RWD uses a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery and a 400V electrical architecture, resulting in slower charging speeds than the others which use a nickel manganese cobalt (NCM) battery and an 800V electrical architecture. MG quotes 20 minutes to charge the IM5 Premium RWD from 30 to 80 per cent using a DC fast-charger, against 15.2 minutes for the Platinum and Performance variants. All IM5s feature vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, with a maximum output of 6.6kW. MG doesn't quote total system power and torque outputs for the flagship Performance AWD, which is the only variant with two electric motors. It's also the only variant with standard air suspension and Continuously Controlled Damping, though you can option air springs on the Platinum. All IM5s feature four-wheel steering and four-piston front brake calipers from Continental with ventilated discs at all four wheels. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool I'd love to tell you how it drives, but that will need to wait until we get one through the garage. I sure can tell you how it parks, though. Our driving experience was limited to one loop around a boat terminal, which wasn't enough to get much of a feeling for the IM5's ride quality or handling. The steering in Comfort mode is light but not completely vacant. There are selectable drive modes, allowing you to adjust aspects of the drive like the steering and throttle response. All IM5s ride on double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, but the flagship Performance also features standard air suspension and Continuously Controlled Damping. Typically, if you want a sedan with air suspension you're looking at spending well over $100,000 for something with a three-pointed star on the grille, so it's great to see this technology at a more accessible price point. We also got to experience the brutal acceleration of the Performance, which boasts a 0-100km/h time of 3.2 seconds. Sadly, this was with somebody else behind the wheel, but the IM5 rocked me back in the softly padded passenger seat and, while I could hear the tyres scrambling for grip on the wet pavement, the electric liftback tracked straight. Double-layered glass is used for all the windows for sound insulation. And if this thicker glass doesn't cut out sound enough for you, there's a standard (unbranded) 20-speaker sound system including four 'sky speakers' mounted up higher, as well as active noise cancellation. We're keen to take this car to a poorly surfaced road with a high speed limit and see how all of this works in cutting out sound, but in low-speed driving the IM5 was hushed. Our tech demo involved five stages in a rainy parking lot, allowing us to test the vehicle's AI Chauffeur technology and check out all its cameras, which are impressively high-resolution. Semi-autonomous parking assist technology is nothing new, but the IM5's is some of the best we've experienced. Some systems can be slow and dim-witted when it comes to detecting parking spots, but the IM5 identifies spots quickly. In one demonstration, we had to use the system to reverse into a spot on the right-hand side of a 'street' that had vehicles parked on the other side. Each time, the vehicle got unnervingly close to a vehicle on the left-hand side, but manoeuvred into position with no sweat – well, at least not from the vehicle. There's also a one-touch pull-out function to help get you out of a spot, and the IM5 can handle both parallel and perpendicular parking. What's more unique and impressive is the reverse tracking function, which allows you to press a button and have the vehicle reverse back for the last 100m – handy if you accidentally drove down a tight alley and lack the confidence to make your way back. One function that is impressive but has less of an obvious practical use is the IM5's ability to use its four-wheel steering to crab. No, it won't throw a pot into the water to catch crustaceans, but it will turn all four wheels in the same direction at the same time at speeds under 18km/h. This function is accessible by entering the Driving menu on the lower screen and pressing a button that's supposed to look like a crab. The car then gives you a dynamic checklist of criteria that need to be met before crab mode can work. As you turn the wheel, it shows you the angle of your wheels on the upper screen. Don't move the wheel too much, and you'll feel the car crab across the road. It's unusual, and especially disconcerting when you're reversing – you need to turn the wheel in the opposite direction from which you'd normally do. The four-wheel steering has a more obvious practical benefit in that it gives this car a turning radius of just 4.99m, something that the company says makes it as manoeuvrable as a small hatchback. And indeed, even in a limited demonstration we could see how nimble this big car was in tight quarters. There's up to 12 degrees of rear wheel steering. It might be easy to steer, but the IM5 isn't easy to see out the back of. The rear window is more like an ovoid porthole, and there's no digital rear-view mirror – baffling for such a tech-rich car in 2025. You can touch one of the wheel toggles to provide a camera view on the touchscreen, but this isn't good enough. But all is not lost for the IM5 in the visibility stakes, as despite missing out on a digital rear-view mirror it has something no rivals can match: Rainy Night Mode. This projects camera footage on the upper screen that has been enhanced and reprocessed to be made clearer, making it handy if, for example, your windows are fogged up. Sadly, we didn't get an opportunity to test this because it was daytime, but it's an intriguing idea. There are three variants in the MG IM5 lineup. 2025 MG IM5 Premium RWD equipment highlights: The Platinum RWD adds: The Performance AWD adds: The IM5 has yet to be tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP. Standard safety equipment across the range includes: Its suite of active safety and driver assist technology is powered by 12 ultrasonic sensors, nine high-definition cameras, three millimetre-wave radars, one positioning unit and one inertial measurement unit. MG's IM models are covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, though if you don't service within MG's network this drops down to a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty (or five years/160,000km if the vehicle is being used for commercial purposes). The battery warranty is eight years, 160,000km no matter how you use it. The air suspension and four-wheel steering systems are backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. There's a capped-price servicing program that spans five years/100,000km, with servicing required every 12 months or 20,000km. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool The IM5 is an intriguing addition to the local EV market. Most buyers will go for the IM5's sibling, the IM6 SUV. That's fine, but for those of us who prefer a traditional sedan or liftback, the IM5 offers a compelling alternative to similarly sized petrol and hybrid vehicles. The exterior is more attractive than the IM6, though the interior is almost identically styled (ie: polarising) even if it has inferior packaging. But that rear hatch arguably makes the IM5 more versatile than the rival Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal sedans, even if the load bay is rather skinny. And unlike the Tesla, you get a proper digital instrument cluster. We still have a lot of questions about the driving experience. How does it handle? Are the driver-assist features well-calibrated, or will they drive you apoplectic with rage? How is energy efficiency and range in real-life driving? All those questions couldn't be answered in a parking lot demonstration. What we did learn, however, is that the IM5 has some clever technology, a distinctive interior, and sharp pricing. On a spec sheet, it looks fabulous. But we need to get one through our garage to see how it fares in the real world. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new MG IM5. Click here to get a great Explore the MG IM5 showroom Content originally sourced from: MG IM5 Pros MG IM5 Cons The MG IM5 may have an MG Motor badge on its tailgate, but this is no ordinary MG. Parent company SAIC Motor established IM Motors in 2020, in a joint venture with Alibaba and ZJ Hi Tech. IM Motors is SAIC Motor's premium electric vehicle (EV) brand, targeting the likes of Zeekr. Like that formerly EV-only brand, it's also venturing into combustion-powered territory back home in China – it's launching its first extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), which feature a petrol engine as a generator. But the debut IM models for Australia are all-electric: the MG IM5 liftback, known in China as the IM L6; and the MG IM6 SUV, known in China as the IM LS6. We had the opportunity to test out the technology of the IM5 at Sydney's White Bay Terminal, though we didn't get to drive the vehicle on regular roads. Fortunately, we also secured a drive of the IM6 prior to launch, allowing us to test it on actual roads. You can read that review here. Unusually, MG has chosen to price the IM5 and IM6 identically – something that's sure to skew the sales ratio even more in favour of the IM6, we imagine, given our SUV-hungry market. The IM5's two most obvious rivals are the (admittedly smaller) BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3. The BYD is priced between $46,990 and $61,990 before on-road costs, while the Tesla is priced between $54,900 and $80,900 before on-roads. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool If the exterior is curvy, the interior takes it to another level. There's a very soft, organic look to the cabin, with nary a straight line to be seen – even the stitching details on the dashboard look wavy. This is supported by lots of softly padded surfaces, including the dash, doors and sides of the centre console. It's like sitting in a big leatherette marshmallow and for those who like a more traditional, rectilinear look inside, it's a bit much. A Highland Grey interior colour way is standard, though Dover Beige is a $990 option. This lightens up the interior even more, though we're concerned about how susceptible it may be to dirt – particularly the trim on the centre console. The cabin is already bathed with light thanks to the expansive fixed glass roof. The company claims this has a double silver layer that results in 99 per cent ultraviolet rejection and 79 per cent infrared rejection. The tinting is quite dark, but an accessory sunshade is still available. It was a rainy day at the event, so it's hard to tell how the roof will cope with bright sunshine. Go ahead and check out that interior image and try and find a button inside the IM5's interior. I'll wait. In true modern Chinese (or Tesla) fashion, buttons have been discarded like relics. There are two touchscreens and if you don't want to use those, there's a voice assistant. The steering wheel has a pair of slide wheels but lacks the traditional array of switchgear you'll find in most cars. There's no climate control array, though some shortcuts for HVAC settings are anchored to the bottom of the lower screen. Technically, there are a handful of buttons – the door handles, for example, have been replaced with buttons. But even things like controlling the direction of airflow through the front vents must be done through a touchscreen. Tesla fans, among others, will have no issue, but a lot of consumers will find this confounding – can't a handle be a handle, and a button be a physical button? It all worked fine in a parking-lot tech demo, but I'll be keen to get one of these out in the real world to see if this buttonless strategy works. "Alright, so there are no buttons. There's no cassette player either, grandpa, so tell us how the tech works?" you may well ask. Quite well, is the answer. The upper screen, which incorporates a traditional touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster, features an app menu and camera views as you'd expect as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The lower screen features a menu of apps as well, plus functions like the climate control and parking systems. The interfaces look crisp and modern, and swipe shortcuts. There's so much to pore over in these screens, but we had limited time in which to explore. There's also iSmart connectivity, allowing you to access vehicle information and control certain features like the climate control via a smartphone app. Everything feels well screwed together, and the doors close with a solid thunk even though the glass is frameless. The IM5's seats are cushy and comfortable, and feature heating, ventilation and power adjustment up front. They're not finished in leather, however, with leatherette the only upholstery available across the lineup. Storage includes bottle holders in the doors, a centre console bin, and a handy shelf under the centre console that you could use for a handbag. For such a large vehicle, though, space efficiency is so-so. The IM5 has a 2950mm long wheelbase, but rear seat accommodation is somewhat compromised. With the front seats lowered to a comfortable position, toe room in the rear is significantly impacted and it feels a bit squeezy. Headroom, however, is quite good for someone around 180cm or tall, despite the rakish roofline. You'll find rear air vents and map pockets plus a single USB-C outlet and a fold-down armrest with cupholders. Oddly, we couldn't find any heated seat controls, despite this feature being standard. The rear bench also splits and folds 60/40, and has an adjustable backrest. If you like the design of the IM5's interior but want more space, the IM6 has a virtually identical interior and an identical price tag. We can see a lot of buyers being tempted. The IM5's sedan-like styling conceals a hatchback-style tailgate, but don't go thinking this is a huge load-lugger. Open the tailgate – the button is concealed as part of the IM logo – and you'll find a load bay that's surprisingly narrow. MG claims cargo space of 457 litres, expanding to 1290L with the rear seats folded. There's also an 18L storage compartment under the bonnet. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool Well, technically, there's an 18L storage compartment under the bonnet. But don't take that heading literally, and you're looking at a choice of three powertrain configurations. The base IM5 Premium RWD uses a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery and a 400V electrical architecture, resulting in slower charging speeds than the others which use a nickel manganese cobalt (NCM) battery and an 800V electrical architecture. MG quotes 20 minutes to charge the IM5 Premium RWD from 30 to 80 per cent using a DC fast-charger, against 15.2 minutes for the Platinum and Performance variants. All IM5s feature vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, with a maximum output of 6.6kW. MG doesn't quote total system power and torque outputs for the flagship Performance AWD, which is the only variant with two electric motors. It's also the only variant with standard air suspension and Continuously Controlled Damping, though you can option air springs on the Platinum. All IM5s feature four-wheel steering and four-piston front brake calipers from Continental with ventilated discs at all four wheels. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool I'd love to tell you how it drives, but that will need to wait until we get one through the garage. I sure can tell you how it parks, though. Our driving experience was limited to one loop around a boat terminal, which wasn't enough to get much of a feeling for the IM5's ride quality or handling. The steering in Comfort mode is light but not completely vacant. There are selectable drive modes, allowing you to adjust aspects of the drive like the steering and throttle response. All IM5s ride on double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, but the flagship Performance also features standard air suspension and Continuously Controlled Damping. Typically, if you want a sedan with air suspension you're looking at spending well over $100,000 for something with a three-pointed star on the grille, so it's great to see this technology at a more accessible price point. We also got to experience the brutal acceleration of the Performance, which boasts a 0-100km/h time of 3.2 seconds. Sadly, this was with somebody else behind the wheel, but the IM5 rocked me back in the softly padded passenger seat and, while I could hear the tyres scrambling for grip on the wet pavement, the electric liftback tracked straight. Double-layered glass is used for all the windows for sound insulation. And if this thicker glass doesn't cut out sound enough for you, there's a standard (unbranded) 20-speaker sound system including four 'sky speakers' mounted up higher, as well as active noise cancellation. We're keen to take this car to a poorly surfaced road with a high speed limit and see how all of this works in cutting out sound, but in low-speed driving the IM5 was hushed. Our tech demo involved five stages in a rainy parking lot, allowing us to test the vehicle's AI Chauffeur technology and check out all its cameras, which are impressively high-resolution. Semi-autonomous parking assist technology is nothing new, but the IM5's is some of the best we've experienced. Some systems can be slow and dim-witted when it comes to detecting parking spots, but the IM5 identifies spots quickly. In one demonstration, we had to use the system to reverse into a spot on the right-hand side of a 'street' that had vehicles parked on the other side. Each time, the vehicle got unnervingly close to a vehicle on the left-hand side, but manoeuvred into position with no sweat – well, at least not from the vehicle. There's also a one-touch pull-out function to help get you out of a spot, and the IM5 can handle both parallel and perpendicular parking. What's more unique and impressive is the reverse tracking function, which allows you to press a button and have the vehicle reverse back for the last 100m – handy if you accidentally drove down a tight alley and lack the confidence to make your way back. One function that is impressive but has less of an obvious practical use is the IM5's ability to use its four-wheel steering to crab. No, it won't throw a pot into the water to catch crustaceans, but it will turn all four wheels in the same direction at the same time at speeds under 18km/h. This function is accessible by entering the Driving menu on the lower screen and pressing a button that's supposed to look like a crab. The car then gives you a dynamic checklist of criteria that need to be met before crab mode can work. As you turn the wheel, it shows you the angle of your wheels on the upper screen. Don't move the wheel too much, and you'll feel the car crab across the road. It's unusual, and especially disconcerting when you're reversing – you need to turn the wheel in the opposite direction from which you'd normally do. The four-wheel steering has a more obvious practical benefit in that it gives this car a turning radius of just 4.99m, something that the company says makes it as manoeuvrable as a small hatchback. And indeed, even in a limited demonstration we could see how nimble this big car was in tight quarters. There's up to 12 degrees of rear wheel steering. It might be easy to steer, but the IM5 isn't easy to see out the back of. The rear window is more like an ovoid porthole, and there's no digital rear-view mirror – baffling for such a tech-rich car in 2025. You can touch one of the wheel toggles to provide a camera view on the touchscreen, but this isn't good enough. But all is not lost for the IM5 in the visibility stakes, as despite missing out on a digital rear-view mirror it has something no rivals can match: Rainy Night Mode. This projects camera footage on the upper screen that has been enhanced and reprocessed to be made clearer, making it handy if, for example, your windows are fogged up. Sadly, we didn't get an opportunity to test this because it was daytime, but it's an intriguing idea. There are three variants in the MG IM5 lineup. 2025 MG IM5 Premium RWD equipment highlights: The Platinum RWD adds: The Performance AWD adds: The IM5 has yet to be tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP. Standard safety equipment across the range includes: Its suite of active safety and driver assist technology is powered by 12 ultrasonic sensors, nine high-definition cameras, three millimetre-wave radars, one positioning unit and one inertial measurement unit. MG's IM models are covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, though if you don't service within MG's network this drops down to a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty (or five years/160,000km if the vehicle is being used for commercial purposes). The battery warranty is eight years, 160,000km no matter how you use it. The air suspension and four-wheel steering systems are backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. There's a capped-price servicing program that spans five years/100,000km, with servicing required every 12 months or 20,000km. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool The IM5 is an intriguing addition to the local EV market. Most buyers will go for the IM5's sibling, the IM6 SUV. That's fine, but for those of us who prefer a traditional sedan or liftback, the IM5 offers a compelling alternative to similarly sized petrol and hybrid vehicles. The exterior is more attractive than the IM6, though the interior is almost identically styled (ie: polarising) even if it has inferior packaging. But that rear hatch arguably makes the IM5 more versatile than the rival Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal sedans, even if the load bay is rather skinny. And unlike the Tesla, you get a proper digital instrument cluster. We still have a lot of questions about the driving experience. How does it handle? Are the driver-assist features well-calibrated, or will they drive you apoplectic with rage? How is energy efficiency and range in real-life driving? All those questions couldn't be answered in a parking lot demonstration. What we did learn, however, is that the IM5 has some clever technology, a distinctive interior, and sharp pricing. On a spec sheet, it looks fabulous. But we need to get one through our garage to see how it fares in the real world. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new MG IM5. Click here to get a great Explore the MG IM5 showroom Content originally sourced from: MG IM5 Pros MG IM5 Cons The MG IM5 may have an MG Motor badge on its tailgate, but this is no ordinary MG. Parent company SAIC Motor established IM Motors in 2020, in a joint venture with Alibaba and ZJ Hi Tech. IM Motors is SAIC Motor's premium electric vehicle (EV) brand, targeting the likes of Zeekr. Like that formerly EV-only brand, it's also venturing into combustion-powered territory back home in China – it's launching its first extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), which feature a petrol engine as a generator. But the debut IM models for Australia are all-electric: the MG IM5 liftback, known in China as the IM L6; and the MG IM6 SUV, known in China as the IM LS6. We had the opportunity to test out the technology of the IM5 at Sydney's White Bay Terminal, though we didn't get to drive the vehicle on regular roads. Fortunately, we also secured a drive of the IM6 prior to launch, allowing us to test it on actual roads. You can read that review here. Unusually, MG has chosen to price the IM5 and IM6 identically – something that's sure to skew the sales ratio even more in favour of the IM6, we imagine, given our SUV-hungry market. The IM5's two most obvious rivals are the (admittedly smaller) BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3. The BYD is priced between $46,990 and $61,990 before on-road costs, while the Tesla is priced between $54,900 and $80,900 before on-roads. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool If the exterior is curvy, the interior takes it to another level. There's a very soft, organic look to the cabin, with nary a straight line to be seen – even the stitching details on the dashboard look wavy. This is supported by lots of softly padded surfaces, including the dash, doors and sides of the centre console. It's like sitting in a big leatherette marshmallow and for those who like a more traditional, rectilinear look inside, it's a bit much. A Highland Grey interior colour way is standard, though Dover Beige is a $990 option. This lightens up the interior even more, though we're concerned about how susceptible it may be to dirt – particularly the trim on the centre console. The cabin is already bathed with light thanks to the expansive fixed glass roof. The company claims this has a double silver layer that results in 99 per cent ultraviolet rejection and 79 per cent infrared rejection. The tinting is quite dark, but an accessory sunshade is still available. It was a rainy day at the event, so it's hard to tell how the roof will cope with bright sunshine. Go ahead and check out that interior image and try and find a button inside the IM5's interior. I'll wait. In true modern Chinese (or Tesla) fashion, buttons have been discarded like relics. There are two touchscreens and if you don't want to use those, there's a voice assistant. The steering wheel has a pair of slide wheels but lacks the traditional array of switchgear you'll find in most cars. There's no climate control array, though some shortcuts for HVAC settings are anchored to the bottom of the lower screen. Technically, there are a handful of buttons – the door handles, for example, have been replaced with buttons. But even things like controlling the direction of airflow through the front vents must be done through a touchscreen. Tesla fans, among others, will have no issue, but a lot of consumers will find this confounding – can't a handle be a handle, and a button be a physical button? It all worked fine in a parking-lot tech demo, but I'll be keen to get one of these out in the real world to see if this buttonless strategy works. "Alright, so there are no buttons. There's no cassette player either, grandpa, so tell us how the tech works?" you may well ask. Quite well, is the answer. The upper screen, which incorporates a traditional touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster, features an app menu and camera views as you'd expect as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The lower screen features a menu of apps as well, plus functions like the climate control and parking systems. The interfaces look crisp and modern, and swipe shortcuts. There's so much to pore over in these screens, but we had limited time in which to explore. There's also iSmart connectivity, allowing you to access vehicle information and control certain features like the climate control via a smartphone app. Everything feels well screwed together, and the doors close with a solid thunk even though the glass is frameless. The IM5's seats are cushy and comfortable, and feature heating, ventilation and power adjustment up front. They're not finished in leather, however, with leatherette the only upholstery available across the lineup. Storage includes bottle holders in the doors, a centre console bin, and a handy shelf under the centre console that you could use for a handbag. For such a large vehicle, though, space efficiency is so-so. The IM5 has a 2950mm long wheelbase, but rear seat accommodation is somewhat compromised. With the front seats lowered to a comfortable position, toe room in the rear is significantly impacted and it feels a bit squeezy. Headroom, however, is quite good for someone around 180cm or tall, despite the rakish roofline. You'll find rear air vents and map pockets plus a single USB-C outlet and a fold-down armrest with cupholders. Oddly, we couldn't find any heated seat controls, despite this feature being standard. The rear bench also splits and folds 60/40, and has an adjustable backrest. If you like the design of the IM5's interior but want more space, the IM6 has a virtually identical interior and an identical price tag. We can see a lot of buyers being tempted. The IM5's sedan-like styling conceals a hatchback-style tailgate, but don't go thinking this is a huge load-lugger. Open the tailgate – the button is concealed as part of the IM logo – and you'll find a load bay that's surprisingly narrow. MG claims cargo space of 457 litres, expanding to 1290L with the rear seats folded. There's also an 18L storage compartment under the bonnet. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool Well, technically, there's an 18L storage compartment under the bonnet. But don't take that heading literally, and you're looking at a choice of three powertrain configurations. The base IM5 Premium RWD uses a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery and a 400V electrical architecture, resulting in slower charging speeds than the others which use a nickel manganese cobalt (NCM) battery and an 800V electrical architecture. MG quotes 20 minutes to charge the IM5 Premium RWD from 30 to 80 per cent using a DC fast-charger, against 15.2 minutes for the Platinum and Performance variants. All IM5s feature vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, with a maximum output of 6.6kW. MG doesn't quote total system power and torque outputs for the flagship Performance AWD, which is the only variant with two electric motors. It's also the only variant with standard air suspension and Continuously Controlled Damping, though you can option air springs on the Platinum. All IM5s feature four-wheel steering and four-piston front brake calipers from Continental with ventilated discs at all four wheels. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool I'd love to tell you how it drives, but that will need to wait until we get one through the garage. I sure can tell you how it parks, though. Our driving experience was limited to one loop around a boat terminal, which wasn't enough to get much of a feeling for the IM5's ride quality or handling. The steering in Comfort mode is light but not completely vacant. There are selectable drive modes, allowing you to adjust aspects of the drive like the steering and throttle response. All IM5s ride on double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, but the flagship Performance also features standard air suspension and Continuously Controlled Damping. Typically, if you want a sedan with air suspension you're looking at spending well over $100,000 for something with a three-pointed star on the grille, so it's great to see this technology at a more accessible price point. We also got to experience the brutal acceleration of the Performance, which boasts a 0-100km/h time of 3.2 seconds. Sadly, this was with somebody else behind the wheel, but the IM5 rocked me back in the softly padded passenger seat and, while I could hear the tyres scrambling for grip on the wet pavement, the electric liftback tracked straight. Double-layered glass is used for all the windows for sound insulation. And if this thicker glass doesn't cut out sound enough for you, there's a standard (unbranded) 20-speaker sound system including four 'sky speakers' mounted up higher, as well as active noise cancellation. We're keen to take this car to a poorly surfaced road with a high speed limit and see how all of this works in cutting out sound, but in low-speed driving the IM5 was hushed. Our tech demo involved five stages in a rainy parking lot, allowing us to test the vehicle's AI Chauffeur technology and check out all its cameras, which are impressively high-resolution. Semi-autonomous parking assist technology is nothing new, but the IM5's is some of the best we've experienced. Some systems can be slow and dim-witted when it comes to detecting parking spots, but the IM5 identifies spots quickly. In one demonstration, we had to use the system to reverse into a spot on the right-hand side of a 'street' that had vehicles parked on the other side. Each time, the vehicle got unnervingly close to a vehicle on the left-hand side, but manoeuvred into position with no sweat – well, at least not from the vehicle. There's also a one-touch pull-out function to help get you out of a spot, and the IM5 can handle both parallel and perpendicular parking. What's more unique and impressive is the reverse tracking function, which allows you to press a button and have the vehicle reverse back for the last 100m – handy if you accidentally drove down a tight alley and lack the confidence to make your way back. One function that is impressive but has less of an obvious practical use is the IM5's ability to use its four-wheel steering to crab. No, it won't throw a pot into the water to catch crustaceans, but it will turn all four wheels in the same direction at the same time at speeds under 18km/h. This function is accessible by entering the Driving menu on the lower screen and pressing a button that's supposed to look like a crab. The car then gives you a dynamic checklist of criteria that need to be met before crab mode can work. As you turn the wheel, it shows you the angle of your wheels on the upper screen. Don't move the wheel too much, and you'll feel the car crab across the road. It's unusual, and especially disconcerting when you're reversing – you need to turn the wheel in the opposite direction from which you'd normally do. The four-wheel steering has a more obvious practical benefit in that it gives this car a turning radius of just 4.99m, something that the company says makes it as manoeuvrable as a small hatchback. And indeed, even in a limited demonstration we could see how nimble this big car was in tight quarters. There's up to 12 degrees of rear wheel steering. It might be easy to steer, but the IM5 isn't easy to see out the back of. The rear window is more like an ovoid porthole, and there's no digital rear-view mirror – baffling for such a tech-rich car in 2025. You can touch one of the wheel toggles to provide a camera view on the touchscreen, but this isn't good enough. But all is not lost for the IM5 in the visibility stakes, as despite missing out on a digital rear-view mirror it has something no rivals can match: Rainy Night Mode. This projects camera footage on the upper screen that has been enhanced and reprocessed to be made clearer, making it handy if, for example, your windows are fogged up. Sadly, we didn't get an opportunity to test this because it was daytime, but it's an intriguing idea. There are three variants in the MG IM5 lineup. 2025 MG IM5 Premium RWD equipment highlights: The Platinum RWD adds: The Performance AWD adds: The IM5 has yet to be tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP. Standard safety equipment across the range includes: Its suite of active safety and driver assist technology is powered by 12 ultrasonic sensors, nine high-definition cameras, three millimetre-wave radars, one positioning unit and one inertial measurement unit. MG's IM models are covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, though if you don't service within MG's network this drops down to a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty (or five years/160,000km if the vehicle is being used for commercial purposes). The battery warranty is eight years, 160,000km no matter how you use it. The air suspension and four-wheel steering systems are backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. There's a capped-price servicing program that spans five years/100,000km, with servicing required every 12 months or 20,000km. To see how the MG IM5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool The IM5 is an intriguing addition to the local EV market. Most buyers will go for the IM5's sibling, the IM6 SUV. That's fine, but for those of us who prefer a traditional sedan or liftback, the IM5 offers a compelling alternative to similarly sized petrol and hybrid vehicles. The exterior is more attractive than the IM6, though the interior is almost identically styled (ie: polarising) even if it has inferior packaging. But that rear hatch arguably makes the IM5 more versatile than the rival Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal sedans, even if the load bay is rather skinny. And unlike the Tesla, you get a proper digital instrument cluster. We still have a lot of questions about the driving experience. How does it handle? Are the driver-assist features well-calibrated, or will they drive you apoplectic with rage? How is energy efficiency and range in real-life driving? All those questions couldn't be answered in a parking lot demonstration. What we did learn, however, is that the IM5 has some clever technology, a distinctive interior, and sharp pricing. On a spec sheet, it looks fabulous. But we need to get one through our garage to see how it fares in the real world. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new MG IM5. Click here to get a great Explore the MG IM5 showroom Content originally sourced from:
The Australian
5 hours ago
- The Australian
Collapse in private-sector job creation as public sector surges
Private-sector job creation has collapsed as employment funded by federal and state governments soars to five times the normal rate, sparking warnings of unsustainable distortions in the labour market that are at the heart of the nation's productivity slump. Analysis of labour-market data shows that 82 per cent of all jobs created over the past two years were government-funded positions, with the private sector adding only 53,000 jobs in 2024. This marks a dramatic reversal of normal labour market trends, in which the private sector typically contributes about two-thirds of total job creation. While Jim Chalmers has ruled out discussion of industrial relations at this month's economic and productivity summit, employer groups are demanding that dysfunction in the labour market needs urgent attention. Australian Industry Group analysis shows that the historically low unemployment rates maintained since the pandemic are masking a fundamental shift in the composition of job creation, which lies at the heart of the nation's productivity slump. It warns that labour-market resilience, as shown in official unemployment data, was being supported almost entirely through government spending, leading to an excess of job vacancies in the private sector. This was unsustainable, according to the Ai Group, which also pointed to a dramatic fall in mobility rates – the frequency of workers changing jobs or roles – to a record low in 2025 that was directly linked to productivity. The analysis showed that the number of new jobs needed for the economy to maintain an unemployment rate of about 4 per cent was approximately 400,000 a year. 'Since the pandemic, this has been achieved, however, the composition of job creation has changed dramatically,' the Ai Group analysis said. 'Typically, the private-market sector accounts for about two-thirds of job creation in Australia. However, as the economy has slowed since 2023, private-sector job creation rates have collapsed. 'In 2024, the sector only added 53,000 new jobs – about a fifth of its normal level of job creation. In its place, two government-supported sectors took up the slack. 'Employment in these government-supported sectors has boomed since the pandemic, adding an additional 670,000 jobs over the last two years. This is over five times higher than the normal growth rate, and ultimately accounted for 82 per cent of all job creation in Australia. 'It was driven by significant uplift in public-sector staffing levels, as well as the rapid expansion of the private-sector (but government-funded) care-economy workforce. One of the Albanese government's key election boasts was its maintenance of low unemployment and job creation. But the bulk of those jobs have been in the public sector (where workers are directly employed by government), and the non-market sector (industries such as healthcare and education) which are driven by government funding decisions. 'Job creation has become unsustainably dependent upon government spending,' the Ai Group research said. 'Growing regulatory burden has raised the costs of private sector employment generation. Job mobility rates have rapidly declined, while excess vacancies and skills shortages have disrupted business operations and efficiency.' The public sector was the least productive part of the economy and, with public spending showing signs of easing, unemployment rates have begun to rise. Last month, the jobless rate surprised experts by jumping from 4.1 to 4.3 per cent. This prompted economists to call for the central bank to lean in further on interest-rate cuts, following its surprise decision last month to keep them on hold, to protect the economy. Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox said the historically low headline unemployment rate had created a 'blind spot to labour-market trends that are decreasing our productivity, our wellspring to national wealth'. 'While the labour market has remained resilient, with the jobless rate around 4 per cent for the past three years, in many other respects it is failing to meet the broader needs of our economy or productivity,' Mr Willox said. 'There are four key areas that are a material drag on productivity: job creation has become almost entirely dependent on government spending; a growing regulatory burden has increased private sector costs; there is a persistent overhang of excess job vacancies; and mobility is declining. 'These all make job creation more expensive and difficult, reduce the efficiency of matching jobs to employers, while disrupting productivity and sapping business growth.'' Mr Willox said there was an urgent need for the private sector to resume its role as the primary job creator 'or our labour market resilience will be at risk'. 'Regulation has pushed up employment costs since the pandemic, with growth in superannuation, workers compensation and payroll tax adding $14bn to the annual wage costs,' Mr Willox said. 'The regulatory costs for employment, on top of wages, have grown to 15.6 per cent from 14 per cent in the past three years. 'We have a plague of excess job vacancies, which disrupts business operations, make it harder to allocate resources properly and less likely to pursue new opportunities for growth.' Mr Willox said the intervention by governments to prop up job creation through their budgets had starved the private sector with about 330,000 jobs remaining unfilled at the beginning of 2025. This was 100,000 more than the historical average. 'This persistence of excess vacancies has exacerbated a further challenge for employers: a crippling skills shortage,' Mr Willox said. 'The sectors with the most chronic shortages – healthcare and social – also delivered the worst productivity outcomes, so there is a clear link between the two.' Mr Willox said the issue needed to be a central piece of the productivity debate at the Treasurer's roundtable this month. Nation A massive pro-Palestine protest brought Melbourne to a standstill as activists clashed with riot police, harassed officers, blocked traffic, and targeted fashion brand Zara – defying Premier Jacinta Allan's warning of swift action. Nation The PM's energy infrastructure tsar and a pro-renewables independent are worried concerns about one of Australia's largest proposed solar farms are being ignored.
