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The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
MG takes on Tesla for a fraction of price with its new IM range – although some of the features look VERY familiar
I'VE seen a telly in the back of an MG before. At a car boot sale. 7 The new MG IM6 Credit: Supplied 7 The fastest versions are comically fast, like 751hp with 802Nm of torques Credit: Supplied 7 When it comes to the interior, the IM5 and IM6 are pretty much copy-and-paste Credit: Supplied Never have I seen an MG with it's own flip-down widescreen TV. Or driven an MG with supercar acceleration and air suspension. Until today. You see MG is going all fancy with a new sub-brand called IM, which stands for Intelligence in Motion. Probably more in keeping with today's world than Morris Garages. READ MORE ROAD TESTS The value-packed superminis and SUVs are here to stay — and there's more to come. But MG wants a slice of the lucrative corporate market too. So IM5 is a fully loaded electric saloon (cough, Tesla Model 3) and IM6 is the SUV version (cough, Tesla Model Y). Let's now run through the headlines . . . The fastest versions are comically fast, like 751hp with 802Nm of torques. Like, see-ya-later Lando-fast. Most read in Motors Major car brand reveals compact £20k supermini EV will be released in UK in just two years The IM5 Long Range version has an official WLTP range of 441 miles. London to Edinburgh in one go. But it's less powerful at 407 horses. Which is still rapido. Recharging to 80 per cent takes just 17 minutes thanks to the industry-leading 800v battery tech. Like Porsche. And Kia. The cheapest? That's the IM5 Standard Range with a 304-mile battery costing £39,450. Crucially, dipping below £40k will save owners £2k in road tax in the years ahead. Both IM5 and IM6 get four-wheel steering as standard. So they'll outturn an MG4 in town. And they can self-park. Press a button and the boot lowers for the dog to jump in. But that's only on the top-spec SUV with air suspension for now. IM6 is also the first MG with massaging seats. And that optional flip-down TV. From here on out, the cabins are pretty much copy-and-paste. The dash is crowned by a 26in widescreen display and there's a second control panel in the centre console with hard controls for the things we use most. KEY FACTS: MG IM6 Price: £50,995 Power: 751hp Battery: 96kWh 0-62mph: 3.5 secs Top speed: 149mph Range: 313 miles Charging: 17 mins CO2: 0g/km Out: September It's quiet in here. It's comfy. It's roomy. There are lots of details which remind me of other brands. But, hey, these are Chinese cars. That's what they do. I've done a checklist of familiar features elsewhere on this page. The bottom line is, MG has done an excellent job providing families with sensibly priced cars backed by a seven-year warranty. It is now a top ten manufacturer. These IM cars take MG into new territory, yet they're still a fair chunk cheaper than a similar-spec Tesla, BYD Seal or Polestar 2. Even with a TV in the back. 7 These IM cars are still a fair chunk cheaper than a similar-spec Tesla - and there's a TV in the back Credit: Supplied 7 MG has done an excellent job providing families with sensibly priced cars backed by a seven-year warranty Credit: Supplied NOW I'M SEEING DOUBLE HERR are ten features on the IM cars which look familiar: Flip-down TV. Like a BMW i7. Just a bit smaller. Watch Netflix or YouTube. Play video games. That car-shaped key's pretty cool. Been in a Porsche recently? Steering wheel controls to adjust the wing mirror. Like a Tesla. Merc-inspired gear selector and 'cheese-grater' speakers in the doors. No door handles. Oh yeah, Fiat 500. They've got a button. Proper deep and soft carpet mats. Like a Rolls-Royce. What, what. Indicate to turn left or right and a blindspot camera pops up on the dash. You can thank Hyundai for that. Autonomous reversing tech, a la BMW. The car remembers the last 100 metres before you pulled up – then retraces it for you. Like pressing rewind on a movie. Widescreen dash. Like, er, everyone else, really. Finally, looks. Tesla vibes at the front and sides. Shades of Aston Martin at the rear with that ducktail spoiler and integrated lightbar. 7 These IM cars take MG into new territory Credit: Supplied 7 The IM5 Long Range version has an official WLTP range of 441 miles Credit: Supplied
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
MG takes on Tesla for a fraction of price with its new IM range – although some of the features look VERY familiar
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) I'VE seen a telly in the back of an MG before. At a car boot sale. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 The new MG IM6 Credit: Supplied 7 The fastest versions are comically fast, like 751hp with 802Nm of torques Credit: Supplied 7 When it comes to the interior, the IM5 and IM6 are pretty much copy-and-paste Credit: Supplied Never have I seen an MG with it's own flip-down widescreen TV. Or driven an MG with supercar acceleration and air suspension. Until today. You see MG is going all fancy with a new sub-brand called IM, which stands for Intelligence in Motion. Probably more in keeping with today's world than Morris Garages. The value-packed superminis and SUVs are here to stay — and there's more to come. But MG wants a slice of the lucrative corporate market too. So IM5 is a fully loaded electric saloon (cough, Tesla Model 3) and IM6 is the SUV version (cough, Tesla Model Y). Let's now run through the headlines . . . The fastest versions are comically fast, like 751hp with 802Nm of torques. Like, see-ya-later Lando-fast. Major car brand reveals compact £20k supermini EV will be released in UK in just two years The IM5 Long Range version has an official WLTP range of 441 miles. London to Edinburgh in one go. But it's less powerful at 407 horses. Which is still rapido. Recharging to 80 per cent takes just 17 minutes thanks to the industry-leading 800v battery tech. Like Porsche. And Kia. The cheapest? That's the IM5 Standard Range with a 304-mile battery costing £39,450. Crucially, dipping below £40k will save owners £2k in road tax in the years ahead. Both IM5 and IM6 get four-wheel steering as standard. So they'll outturn an MG4 in town. And they can self-park. Press a button and the boot lowers for the dog to jump in. But that's only on the top-spec SUV with air suspension for now. IM6 is also the first MG with massaging seats. And that optional flip-down TV. From here on out, the cabins are pretty much copy-and-paste. The dash is crowned by a 26in widescreen display and there's a second control panel in the centre console with hard controls for the things we use most. KEY FACTS: MG IM6 Price: £50,995 £50,995 Power: 751hp 751hp Battery: 96kWh 96kWh 0-62mph: 3.5 secs 3.5 secs Top speed: 149mph 149mph Range: 313 miles 313 miles Charging: 17 mins 17 mins CO2: 0g/km 0g/km Out: September It's quiet in here. It's comfy. It's roomy. There are lots of details which remind me of other brands. But, hey, these are Chinese cars. That's what they do. I've done a checklist of familiar features elsewhere on this page. The bottom line is, MG has done an excellent job providing families with sensibly priced cars backed by a seven-year warranty. It is now a top ten manufacturer. These IM cars take MG into new territory, yet they're still a fair chunk cheaper than a similar-spec Tesla, BYD Seal or Polestar 2. Even with a TV in the back. 7 These IM cars are still a fair chunk cheaper than a similar-spec Tesla - and there's a TV in the back Credit: Supplied 7 MG has done an excellent job providing families with sensibly priced cars backed by a seven-year warranty Credit: Supplied NOW I'M SEEING DOUBLE HERR are ten features on the IM cars which look familiar: Flip-down TV. Like a BMW i7. Just a bit smaller. Watch Netflix or YouTube. Play video games. That car-shaped key's pretty cool. Been in a Porsche recently? Steering wheel controls to adjust the wing mirror. Like a Tesla. Merc-inspired gear selector and 'cheese-grater' speakers in the doors. No door handles. Oh yeah, Fiat 500. They've got a button. Proper deep and soft carpet mats. Like a Rolls-Royce. What, what. Indicate to turn left or right and a blindspot camera pops up on the dash. You can thank Hyundai for that. Autonomous reversing tech, a la BMW. The car remembers the last 100 metres before you pulled up – then retraces it for you. Like pressing rewind on a movie. Widescreen dash. Like, er, everyone else, really. Finally, looks. Tesla vibes at the front and sides. Shades of Aston Martin at the rear with that ducktail spoiler and integrated lightbar. 7 These IM cars take MG into new territory Credit: Supplied
The Independent
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
MG IM5 review: The closest rival yet to the Tesla Model 3
MG thought long and hard about how it should badge its new IM models. At one time, they were headed for their own premium brand alongside MG. But the decision was made to confuse everyone by calling them MG IMs, yet not put MG badges on them. It's bonkers! And a shame as people will see the IM5 (and its SUV twin, the IM6), really like it and have no idea what it is due to the weird combination of dots and lines for a badge. The IM5, in particular, is worthy of your attention. It's a spacious five door hatchback with proportions, pricing, range and tech specs that are very much in line with the Tesla Model 3. Is it overall as good as the Tesla Model 3? No, not quite. But it gets much closer than any other rival, so if Tesla – for whatever reason – isn't your thing, one of MG's 115 dealers will be very happy to let you play in an IM model. You'll have fun, too. It's good to drive, easily as spacious as a Model 3, but with even better build quality. The kit count is impressive, as is the tech – although the usability (and spelling) of the touchscreen operations needs to be updated. We're told it will be. The IM5 will be an easy, efficient and enjoyable EV to live with – I like it very much. How we test I spent an entire morning driving the IM5 around the lanes, towns and motorways of Kent, Sussex and Surrey to get a good feel for the car and its tech. I assessed the self-driving, self-parking and even the car's ability to retrace its steps by reversing 100 metres. I also checked on rear seat comfort and boot space to give you a verdict you can trust. Independent rating: 9/10 MG IM5 specs Price range £39,450 to £48,495 Battery size 75 & 100kWh Maximum claimed range 441 miles Miles per kWh 3.8 Maximum charging rate 396kW Battery, range, charging, performance and drive Although there are two battery offerings, there's a clear sweet spot in the IM5 range – and it's the car I drove. The 100 Long Range, as the name suggests, uses a 100kWh battery to give it a Tesla-beating range of 441 miles. You'll pay a fiver more for the rear-drive IM5 Long Range than you will a Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive Long Range, but I can't believe an MG dealer wouldn't do something about that for you – you won't get a penny off the Tesla. The entry-level car undercuts the entry-level Model 3 by £440 but doesn't go as far on a full charge. The 75 Standard Range IM5 has a maximum claimed range of 304 miles versus the Rear-Wheel Drive Model 3's 323 miles. At the top of the IM5 range currently is a 100 Performance model, which gets all-wheel drive, the same 100kWh battery as the Long Range IM5, but all-wheel drive, a 0-62mph time of 3.2 seconds and a maximum claimed range of 357 miles – all for £48,495. A Model 3 performance is quicker (0-60mph in 2.9 seconds), but will only go 328 miles on a full charge and, crucially, costs a whopping £59,990. Not that the Long Range IM5 I drove was sluggish, getting from 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds. But whatever IM5 you drive it'll feel quick with the usual swift acceleration when you need it. Where MGs will outperform Teslas is on charging speeds with the 800-volt tech in the 100kWh cars enabling the IM5 to charge at a maximum of 396kW, meaning the typical 10 to 80 per cent charge would take just 17 minutes – if you can find a fast-enough charger. The Standard Range car makes do with 400-volt tech so charges slower at a maximum of 153kW so the same 10 to 80 per cent charge will take 26 minutes. As with many EVs, the heavy battery takes a toll on ride comfort and the IM5 rides quite firmly. It's not uncomfortable, though, and the low centre of gravity means the car corners confidently, although the steering doesn't feel especially meaty. There are various drive modes you can cycle through that beef up the steering and accelerator response or ease the throttle off for eco driving. It's a shame the brakes didn't feel slightly sharper and linear in their response – they felt slightly dead and needed a bit more of a shove at the end of the brake travel. What you'll really notice and enjoy, though, is the four-wheel steering, which not only gives the sizeable IM5 a smaller turning circle than an MG4 – making it really easy to manoeuvre around car parks (which I did extensively on my test route) – but also benefits at faster speeds with greater surety through corners. One feature that's missing, though, is one-pedal driving, which many EV drivers love. There are only three levels of brake regen available – I'd like more. Hopefully one-pedal driving can be added before the cars go on sale in September. Interior, practicality and boot space Whichever model of IM5 you go for, you'll get the same feature-packed interior – and the same high quality. I'm obsessive about stitching lining up, and the stitching across the dashboard lined up perfectly with that on the doors, showing a real attention to detail when it comes to quality. The materials inside all feel very plush, the design is attractive and there's plenty of space. Sitting in the back you get the full benefit of the full-length glass roof, comfy rear seats and good leg and head space, while in the front the seats are just as comfy and come with heating or cooling. A tiny rear-view mirror hints at what's behind – the tiniest of rear windows. I'm surprised MG hasn't done a Polestar and just made do with a digital rear-view mirror and cameras. However, MG's approach is to have a display from a rear-facing camera on the infotainment screen that's activated by a single roll upwards of the right hand scroll wheel on the steering wheel. That's a neat solution, but I'd rather just have a bigger rear window. At least the side mirrors are a decent size, though. Unlike the four-door Tesla Model 3, the IM5 comes with a rear hatch, making it much more practical. There's a reasonable if not enormous 457 litres of space, plus an additional 18 litres under the bonnet at the front. The inside isn't exactly flush with cubbies – it would be nice to have a few more spaces to put things and slightly wider and deeper door bins. Technology, stereo and infotainment The MG IM5 is a tech tour-de-force with everything you expect and a few things you don't. Here's one… If you've ever driven down a narrow country lane and met something coming at you from the other direction and have to reverse, it can be quite tricky. The IM5 will do it for you. Somewhat spookily, the car logs precisely where it has driven over the past 100 metres and will reverse for that full distance going back precisely through its wheel tracks. I tried it and it reversed back through a curved road, through a car park, around a couple of corners and eventually stopped where it first started, 100 metres beforehand. Clever and surprisingly useful. The self-parking system works brilliantly and very quickly – unlike many – while the car will also get closer to the curb for you if your own parking efforts aren't up to scratch. On top of all that there's the usual adaptive cruise – which uses the paddles behind the steering wheel to adjust speed and distance to the car in front – plus the expected suite of driver safety and assistance systems. As with many Model 3 rivals, you must use screens for everything, but in the IM5 there are two of them. One super-wide 26-inch display on top of the dash for driver info and infotainment, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 10-inch screen in the centre console for other controls including the clever parking tech, system set-up and climate control – although there was a slightly odd Ramdon setting for the air con that we hope is a spelling mistake that will be easily fixed. MG made great play of the 20-speaker audio system with its Sky Speakers in the roof, but it really didn't live up to the promise. With my well-used test playlist, it lacked real punch from the bass and a lack of detail to the sound. I couldn't get the 'hello IM' (why not MG?) voice function to work, either, in spite of it being selected on the display. Although the wireless mobile phone charger is ventilated to stop your smartphone overheating while charging, there's only one of them when many rivals allow you to charge up two phones at a time. What I did like was how, when you indicate, you get a digital view from the mirrors displayed on the appropriate side of the 26-inch display, cleverly shoving my Apple CarPlay display over sideways rather than covering up the maps. And why it has taken car makers so long to be able to make the indicator clicks come out of the left or right speakers is beyond me – I like that in the IM5, too. There's no sign yet of any low-rate finance offers, although first deliveries of the IM5 won't be until mid-September 2025. But the pricing is pretty much spot on against the Tesla Model 3: slightly cheaper on the Standard car, slightly more expensive on the Long Range one. The Performance IM5 does look like good value. What I would expect, though, is for MG's 115 dealers selling the IM models to have a bit of leeway to give the IM5 a bit more of an advantage over Tesla Model 3s if you haggle. Tesla dealers won't give you a penny off. My test showed impressive efficiency, meaning a range of well over 400 miles should be easily achievable, too. MG IM5 rivals Tesla Model 3 Mercedes CLA Hyundai Ioniq 6 FAQs How long does it take to charge? The 100kWh IM5 uses 800-volt tech for charging up to 396kW, allowing a 10–80 per cent charge in just 17 minutes with a sufficiently fast charger. The Standard Range's 400-volt system charges at up to 153kW, taking 26 minutes for the same charge range. How much does it cost - is it worth it? Prices start at £39,450 for the Standard Range car going up to £48,495 for the Performance model. The sweet spot of the range is the £44,995 Long Range IM5, which costs a fiver more than the equivalent Tesla Model 3, but will go a bit further on a full charge. Does MG replace batteries for free? As with all EVs, the IM5's battery is covered for eight years and 100,000 miles, while MG offers a standard seven-year warranty on the rest of the car. Why trust us Our team of motoring experts have decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest EV cars, and our verdicts are reached with every kind of driver in mind. We thoroughly test drive every car we recommend, so you can be sure our verdicts are honest, unbiased and authentic. The verdict: MG IM5 Not everyone wants a Tesla, and there's now more choice than ever if you want a different sort of EV. I really enjoyed the MG IM5 – I love the tech, the quality of the car and the drive. There's loads of space inside, a decent range and fast charging. If only MG would just stick an MG badge on the front and back, that would make the car more appealing and easier to understand.
Top Gear
24-07-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
MG Motor UK IM5 Interior Layout & Technology
Interior What is it like on the inside? The IM5 has followed Tesla down the path of ultra-minimalism, so there's very little actual stuff in here. The seats, dash, doors and steering wheel are all finished in leather, and only the lower reaches of the interior get the hardcore plastic treatment. The floor mats don't photograph well (check out the gallery), but good lord are they comfy – we'd happily have those in a living room. Advertisement - Page continues below The seats are well padded and we've no complaints about the driving position, although rear visibility is atrocious: the rear windscreen is barely more than a slit. To combat this, the IM5 has an easily-cued up rear-view camera so you can check what's behind you, although judging distance with it is hard. The fact that there's a tech solution for such an obvious design flaw speaks volumes. So everything is in the screen? Correct. The mirror adjustment, the drive modes, the ADAS, the nav… the only physical controls are a pair of scrollers on the steering wheel, releases for the doors (no handles in here), paddles for the cruise control, plus stalks for the drive selector and indicators. That's your lot. That puts a huge emphasis on the interface itself, spread across a sweeping 26.3in screen and 10.5in touchscreen. The latter is what you'll interact with most: all the menus are listed on a column on the left (again, Tesla-style) with dozens of inputs covering all the IM5's functionality. Like the Cyberster, an entirely new system was needed for foreign markets. MG will argue that the customisability of the homescreen (you can set up your own shortcuts) means you can focus on what matters to you; we say it's just the latest manufacturer to use that as a Get Out of Jail Free card for flawed thinking. Advertisement - Page continues below You spend so much time fiddling with it, it forces you to divert your gaze away from the road… then it'll beep at you for not looking at the road. You can't win. On top of the bongs for the speed limit warning (it sounds like a toddler jabbing away at one of those Fisher-Price keyboards), speed limit change warning, and impending phantom head-on collisions. Hmm. Credit where it's due: everything is crisp and clear, and the nav layout is easy to follow. Though it didn't pick up on a closed road on our journey when Google maps did. No doubt a bug fix that's already on MG's to do list. It's almost five metres long and almost three of that is wheelbase. Space must be good? Certainly is up front. Loadsa room to stretch out and while the seats could do with more lateral support, there's enough for the kind of driving you'll be doing. S'all good. The rear is less roomy. Problem is the floor is quite high up, so your knees will be raised and you're reliant on the driver or front passenger jacking up the front seats to give your toes some wriggle room. Still, it's pretty airy back here thanks to the pano glass roof. The boot is deep but narrow, with no underfloor storage. 457 litres is yours to play with (1,290 with the back seats down) – comfortably above average in the class, but not the outright leader for convenience. Can't find the release button? It's one of the dots in the IM logo on the tailgate - lovely little detail, that. There's an 18-litre frunk for odds and ends. Any party tricks? A couple. There's a self-park feature that scans the spaces around you, and then whirls you into whichever one you pick. We tried this in the IM6 SUV and it popped us bang in the middle of the space, albeit at a speed that had us praying for the cars either side. There's also a 'crab mode' that uses the rear-wheel steering to make otherwise impossible parking manoeuvres… possible. We're yet to test it, but don't go picturing a full-on sideways parallel park.
Top Gear
24-07-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
MG Motor UK IM5 Driving, Engines & Performance
Driving What is it like to drive? That's the wrong question. What you should be asking first is 'Is it comfortable?' Because it isn't, and it dominates your entire experience of the car. The MG IM5 runs double wishbone suspension up front and a multi-link setup at the rear. Tuned well, this ought to be capable of a supple ride, even if it does have to fight with all 2.3 tonnes of the Performance version tested here. Advertisement - Page continues below The reality is… very different. From crawling through town to wafting down A roads and cruising along the motorway, there's a constant shimmy and shake; sometimes at the back, sometimes at the rear, mostly both. The front and rear often feel like they're doing different things, and there's no dialling it out with the driving modes because none of them alter the suspension in any way. When you hit a rut or pothole it thunks loudly, and in corners you can feel it scrabbling against Newton's third law. Don't get us wrong, the IM5 doesn't wallow or pitch very much at all, and although the ride's rather firm that's not really the problem: it just comes across as unsophisticated and under-developed. However much testing it went through in China, MG had too big a rescue job on its hands to make it UK ready. There's no sugar-coating it: it's extremely poor. The IM5 is easily MG's worst ambassador now – and weirdly, the more ungainly IM6 SUV rides slightly better. Even in its most basic form without air suspension. Which the IM5 doesn't get at all. Don't be surprised if MG U-turns on that decision ASAP. Get it all out of your system. What else do I need to know? The dynamics are insipid. You get no feedback from the tyres and no information at all through the steering wheel – we're keen to know if the rear-wheel drive versions feel pointier and more, well, alive. Advertisement - Page continues below You can sling the IM5 about a bit on a fast road and it does at least feel balanced (the majority of the torque tends to go to the back, going by the digi-readout), but it doesn't take much for understeer to kick in and you'll frequently lose your way because of the synthetic steering. So eventually you'll just not bother. The throttle and brake pedals are noticeably elastic, but that's fine for a car like this. Modulation from both is nice and relaxed, so making progress in town is just as easy as it is on the motorway. All of that means you've little trust in the ungodly acceleration. Plant the accelerator and an initial surge pins you back in your seat before a tidal wave of torque – 592lb ft in the Performance – really hits home. It's like Oleksandr Usyk has been personally invited to give your belly his best shot. Brace! Brace! There's rear-wheel steering, and you'll be very thankful for it in tight turns. You get three levels of regen – adjustable via the screen only – and the strongest one is still very light, so no one-pedalling. Driving modes include Super Eco, Eco, Comfort, and Sport, plus a Custom setting so you can fine-tune the steering effort and pedal response. The range looks impressive on paper. Is it? This dual-motored, all-wheel drive Performance promises 357 miles of range, and on a rainy July day on a mix of roads we coaxed a solid 3.0 mi/kWh from it – aka, about 290 miles from its 100kWh battery (96.5kWh usable). With a drag coefficient of 0.226 we were expecting better. The middle-order Long Range has the same battery and with one less motor is rated for 441 miles – we suspect that will be the big seller, and rightly so. Even if it does make do with… 402bhp and 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds. Yeah, you'll cope. The Standard Range gets a 75kWh (73.5kWh usable) battery, with less sophisticated LFP chemistry (the others get NCM cells that allow for 396kW charging) that peaks at a mere 153kW. That one's still capable of 304 miles, and with 291bhp acceleration is far more sensible. Highlights from the range the cheapest 553kW Performance 100kWh 5dr Auto 0-62 CO2 BHP MPG Price £N/A
