First Drive: MG's new budget electric SUV

Despite attracting European tariffs of up to 45 per cent on their products in Ireland and elsewhere, Chinese electric car companies continue to surprise the market with their pricing of new cars.
A case in point is MG's new S5 electric, family SUV, which has just gone on sale here at just under €30,000 - an indication of how it can withstand tariff pressure until it opens its own factories in Europe to counteract that pressure.
MG has even managed to become the dominant Chinese EV brand in Europe, mainly thanks to pricing and levels of standard equipment - a tried and tested strategy for new car companies to establish market share around the world. And what it has, it intends to hold.
The new S5 has familiar MG family styling cues, but it's a lot smarter looking than anything that has gone before. You couldn't describe it has exciting but it certainly looks modern, with a long wheelbase, short overhangs at the front and rear, and narrow LED headlights running across the bonnet.
Inside, it is the spaciousness that strikes one. There's excellent head and legroom, and the interior is bright, with the car being based on the MG 4 underpinnings.
MG has introduced its largest ever screen - a 12.8-inch infotainment unit that stands proud of the dashboard, and the driver's display is also a decent 10.25 inches.
MG has obviously been listening to customer feedback, and the S5 has physical buttons for controlling functions such as heating and ventilation. And you even have a button to adjust the wing mirrors on the move. Other manufacturers should take note because the level of distraction caused by screen-only controls isn't just annoying, it's dangerously distracting on some cars.
The S5 comes with two battery options: a 49 kWh unit and a 64 kWh unit for a longer range. MG claims a range of 340 km for the smaller battery and 480 km for the bigger one, and it claims a charging time of 28 minutes to get from 10 per cent to 80 per cent capacity on a fast charger.
The usual caveats on claimed ranges apply until we see how the car performs in real-world conditions.
The smaller battery version has a starting price of €29,995, and the longer range version comes in at €33,495. For comparison, a BYD Atto starts at €37,078 and a Skoda Elroq comes in with a starting price of €36,495, underscoring MG's aggressive pricing strategy.
All versions come with extras such as a hands-free tailgate, a reversing camera, keyless entry, alloy wheels and Apple and Android compatibility. There are different energy recovery modes to maximise range and a one-pedal driving capability.
A thinner-than-usual battery allows for a completely flat floor to add space, and there's a 60/40 rear seat split for loads. The boot space is a generous 453 litres with lots more when the seats are folded down.
There's a full range of safety features, and the car has recently been awarded a full five-star rating in the EuroNCAP crash testing programme.
There is a seven-year warranty on the car, or for 150,000 kilometres and an eight-year guarantee on the battery. MG has been selling in Ireland for 18 months now, and the company says it has not had a "single battery issue" in that time.

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