New MG 5: electric estate now on sale with 214-mile range

MG has opened order books for its new MG 5 SW EV electric estate ahead of customer deliveries kicking off in November.

Priced from £24,995 in entry-level Excite trim and £26,995 in range-topping Exclusive form, the 5 is the only electric estate car currently available to buy in Europe, and will play a key role in helping MG to achieve a 50% plug-in sales mix by 2021.

MG is well under way with its transition to becoming a maker of EVs, with the 5 arriving alongside a new plug-in hybrid version of its HS SUV flagship. 

The 5 is based on the Chinese-market Roewe Ei5 from MG parent company SAIC, which has sold more than 63,000 units since it was launched in March 2018, with power output boosted by 42bhp to 154bhp for the UK market. Torque output is up slightly, too, from 188lb ft to 192lb ft. 

MG claims the 5 can accelerate from zero to 62mph in 7.7sec and reach a top speed of 115mph. Its 52.2kWh water-cooled, lithium ion battery pack offers a WLTP combined range of 214 miles, but MG claims urban drivers can achieve up to 276 miles from a charge. 

The 5 can be charged to full capacity in eight and a half hours from a standard Type 2 charger, with a fast charger giving 80% charge in around 50 minutes. 

With the battery mounted under the floor, the 5 has a low centre of gravity that is said to offer “very similar handling characteristics” to a conventionally fuelled estate car while having minimal impact on interior space. With the rear seats up, the 5 offers 578 litres of boot space, with that rising to 1456 litres when the seats are folded. 

The 5 retains the Ei5's dimensions at 4.54m long, just under 1.82m wide and 1.54m tall, making it around 10cm shorter than the Ford Focus Estate, although its 2.67m wheelbase is only 43mm shorter. MG claims that “rear-seat passengers are very well catered for with ample head room and plenty of leg room”, even when sat behind tall occupants.