I really like the gauge cluster. I love having light up analogue gauges, but I also understand the benefits of a digital cluster. This is perfect, you get the best of both worlds, if someone made one like this customisable with nav info in the center or something, that'd be perfect.
What a beauty! I could see this being viewed as a classic in years to come. A very eye catching shape, plenty of nice features on board, a practical car and being an epv price seems reasonable for it's size. All in all in my opinion, a great ev to enter the ev marketplace. Thumbs up! 👍
Got mine at the end of January and loving it so far. The lack of an app is a bit annoying, especially having come from a Leaf, but everything else about the car more than makes up for it.
As someone who sees cars as transport and not fun( and thrills got a motorcycle for that) and who often does long journeys from London to Liverpool with passengers and luggage I would say this is what I would be after
Yikes, that's an important point and, if it's going to fall apart in a shorter time, totally undermines the value for money case. A shame as I like the idea of an EV estate.
@@chrishyde1216 I don’t particularly like any of the EV’s that I could barley afford. However id like to be able to use my car when I’m on Early shifts in the congestion charge zone. I had taken a shine to the MGZS Nearly Mew around £20K ish all of the goodies 🤷♂️ what is not to like? I have been doing a bit of digging and found that out .
I've seen this issue crop up on a few forums. I think if you did buy this car new, then make coating the underside, box sections and other areas - inside the doors etc - a priority asap...
I think you summed up the MG5 EV very well. I find the infotainment system a bit laggy but Android Auto works pretty well. The MG5 EV will actually charge at up to 80kw in the right circumstances. Charging on a faster 100-150kw charger will only shave off another 5 minutes to 80%.
You have got it spot on. Had mine a few months now and it really is great to drive. Don't miss any of the toys from my old Leaf Tekna and the range is great. There is an accessory catalogue where you can choose some modern diamond cut alloys to jazz up the looks a bit. It does look better in the silver colour IMHO :)
At the stated price the MG5 would be ok value, but they're actually available for under £20k for the Excite and £22k for the Exclusive. That makes the price per mile of range better than any other EV out there.
@@TotallyEV Paid £21495 pre-reg Exclusive in white with 4 miles on it in December. Have a look on autotrader. Good fair review with no waffle plus clearly spoken. It's not a bad looking car but it's honest and an excellent driver.
Thanks for a very balanced review. Not everyone wants the firmness of BMW suspension preferring better comfort. Very good range, pity it doesn’t have the adaptive cruise and MG Pilot of the ZS Ev. I think when MG bring out the Emotion, many will then see the brand as being what it is, very well made and of good overall design. Many people can’t get over the fact it is made in China, if they knew how many cars and parts are made for many other brands they would be astounded.
Glad you liked the review! Absolutely agreed on the suspension front. Indeed it's a shame not to see MG Pilot; few useful features were definitely amiss. And you nailed it, a lot of things are made over there, and the stigma around it is pretty outdated, yet still, we see it mentioned. Crazy!
More than the MADE in China, I would be concerned about sourcing parts and finding somebody to work on the car. Are there English maintenance documents for example? All of that has to be leavened with the reality that you won't be bringing it in to have the engine or gearbox looked. at. Most of the major parts are modular ( motor, the inverter that does the DC to 3-phase AC conversion ), and there is an expectation of less going wrong with an EV. You also have to decide how long you are likely to keep it because you could find yourself giving it away in four years.
Not a word about the zero kilogram rated roof bars on the Exclusive; which is something which has been completely overlooked in so many other reviews too. Indeed many MG dealerships are telling buyers that they can strap a roof box, a kayak, or bicycles, on top. The handbook tells you the rails are there for purely cosmetic reasons. Brilliant innit...
Yes, unfortunately, we realised it too after doing the video review. As a result of the MG5 EV, we now always double-check with manufacturers to see if the (included or optional) roof rails are usable. Sorry for that!
@@TotallyEV Wonder whether the roof rail spec's will change when the Facelift MG5 arrives in the UK (more or less identical to the Roewe version which has already been released in China...)
@@frankdumains2325 potentially; we've seen a few people on Twitter/UA-cam complain about it, so maybe MG will integrate it this time around for the UK/EU market
@@TotallyEV Curiousity got the better of me, so I had a gander. The next gen MG5 will boast a 75kg tote for the roof rails. That's an improvement over zero, but remains 'pretty lightweight' for this size of car. I have a feeling that even a Focus hatch can carry 90kg. However the MG5 will also be rated to tow 500kg. See:- ua-cam.com/video/CVohkKOwmgM/v-deo.html
I'm so tempted and do want an EV but after owning an mg6 and losing an insane amount of £££ in depreciation I just can't bring myself to go to MG again
why does everyone assume that "more regen means more economy". coasting or weaker regen is more economical than heavy regen (assuming you dont require to mechanical brake(
Recouping energy back into the battery pack provides you with a longer range. It's not an assumption, just facts. Feel free to read how it affects Formula E vehicles, let alone costumer ones online :)
I just got a new pre reg exclusive for £22,000. Well pleased, a good car it is! Of course I would like some anti crash gizmos as well, just need to spend £30,000 and up. :-(
@@TotallyEV To be honest, I really only needed a little more rang over my 30KW Leaf, and I suspect the new exclusive model will be over £28,000. I also got an excellent PX on the Leaf, that's what swung me to sign up there and then, damned near what I could have expected privately and obviously a further discount.
Finally! I've watched a few reviews of this car and you're the only one to point out the non-flat boot floor when the rear seats are folded, thank you. It is kind of a big deal for people who buy estates and knowing that it is definitely not possible at all to drop the seats right down flat is important. It would certainly impact my decision to buy. It is such a shame as in most other respects this is a seriously useful EV, decent range and decent capacity let down by awkward load bay shape. I do wonder what the shape of the floor is if you were to unbolt the seats completely?
Thanks for the review. Looking forward to getting mine in a couple of weeks. Not the most exciting of cars but what great value especially at prices below the RRP.
It is not the best looking but it does not put me off either. Just a bit, blend, generic. But I had the ZS for a couple of days and it was a very good car to drive so I guess this one is just as good.
I've seen it commented the 5 has a bigger boot capacity with seats up than the ZS EV on several locations. But its incorrect, it seems most reviewers make the mistake of comparing the ZS Petrol with the 5, which has 448ltr, so is indeed smaller. But the ZS EV has a bigger boot and is rated at 470ltr. So the ZS EV is actually a whole 6 litres bigger, ok not much but its still not smaller. Also why is your car all steamed up if using the HVAC? ;)
All our figures were taken by MG directly, these were the figures that were given to press. So if MG got it wrong, that'll be why we and potentially other reviewers have misquoted the figures, though, doubt we were wrong. As for the HVAC - we had climate controls all turned off to maximise audio quality.
Thanks Chris for a good review. I'm one of those people who like small wheels; the ride is more comfortable as is the cost of replacement tyres. Hopefully with this car being cheaper than most, the insurance with also be affordable. I was disappointed though that you didn't mention there's no phone app for this car, or have MG come up with one now?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, glad you liked the review! As for the phone app - we didn't look into that, cannot recall it being mentioned anywhere via MG; doubt there is one, but we could be wrong!
There is a phone app in certain countries and at some point it will probably be offered in the UK. Its named "ismart" and there is blurb about it on the MG website.
@@TotallyEV Please report back on this as it was a deal breaker for me (see earlier comment). Seems an easy fix for what looked to be a terrible design with that huge step and ramp being enough to snap your flat pack IKEA buy.
@@jonathankeenan5163 You can lift out the seat base too fold the back lower; having ding this you can also lift out the seat backs too, I did this this morning, just to be sure.
@@brianholding4357 Thanks. That's very useful info. It's odd that the manufacturers have let reviewers go around pointing out the huge step without showing them how it can work. Maybe I'm just weird but it seems a basic function of a family estate to load flat, or nearly flat when needed.
Excellent review. I presume the dealer would perform any firmware updates. My new MG5 does not have the battery logo on the toggle switch. Very happy with it so far. Wish they had installed a foldable rear squab to allow for a flat loading bay with the rear seats down.
Thank you, glad you liked the review! You should (from memory) be able to run over-the-air (OTA) updates or via USB, but the dealer should be able to do it too.
@@TotallyEV I don’t even understand why this bothered with this version, it’s extremely unattractive compared to the newer MG5 revealed in other markets as seen here -> ua-cam.com/video/I0qgY5DjdaE/v-deo.html
Good review. Just one question..do the rear headrests block the view via drivers mirror? I noted the design does not allow them to move down flush with the seat top..like on other cars.
Good question, no when they're in their lowest positioning visibility isn't affected. Naturally, if you were to prop them all up, they'll reduce your field of view. Glad you liked the review!
Personal opinion of course, You should be a competent enough driver, not to need the extra safety systems. Its one of the trends I detest with modern vehicles
@@ztz818 Brian will be thinking of the body work, the doors and all the other bits and pieces on the car. Winter roads and salt are pretty toxic to the undercarriage and there are queries about this. The fact that the roof rack is there just for show, and increases the drag on the car, shows a bit more work needs to be done in China.
@@jockmoron I'm sure all these problems you've mentioned will present themselves in due time. With a vheicle like this, already there's no oil change work, no transmission work, no sparkplug work, no fuel injection work, no tuning work, no petrol filling work ... If other problems were to disappear alltogether as well... I dare not imagine how many more people will have to make a living by making UA-cam videos
@@TotallyEV For context I run an old ICE estate which is only used to lug large quantities of gear around, I cycle commute most days, so the usual calculations for cost don't add up BUT I'm keen to move to EV sometime soon. Given any new EV will be a significant change in my spending on a vehicle I need it to do everything, which means carry the family, take kids stuff to Uni, transport equipment or furniture and the occasional roof bar load of timber... You get the picture. The EV world hasn't come up with the good so far (unless you look at vans, which Mrs is less taken with the idea of). Keeping the old ICE car on the road for another year isn't the end of the world. I did get very close to buying one of these though.
Just an update on this! We recently spoke to MG and this issue has been fixed. It would seem they had quoted 0kg, when in reality it's capable of 35kg. The current gen model (on review) can therefore take some weight!
If i was to get an EV this would be on my radar, but i changed from a petrol ZS to a Honda Civic, because the dealer i have in Southampton are shocking. and no other MG dealer locally . Thats the only thing putting me off the MG and the reason why i got shot of my MG
In MGs defense, I can say I have never had good service from any main dealer, Citroen, Peugeot, Vauxhall, Rover (when there was a Rover) all rubbish. The only one that has been impressive is the new kid on the block - Tesla.
Great review, thank you very much! Is it true that a newer version of this car is planned for launch in October 2021? Hopefully some weak points will be updated still keeping a reasonable price...
Glad you found it useful! Indeed, there is a facelift variant that's on the cards, but there's no ETA for the UK market. Might be in 2021 or even 2022.
Reminds me of an early 2000s Subaru Outback. Simple, easy reliable cars is what people need, for some reason manufacturers think we all want highly overengineered spaceships. Kiss method, it works.
Its not an estate, its a hatch back that looks like an estate car. It has boot Cill and the seats dont fold flat in to the floor. Anyone who wants a true estate car, that's a big deal breaker. Drop a heavy washing machine over that boot cill, you will soon learn the difference between an estate car and a hatchback car.
14:45 The windows are completely fogged to a degree, where it's dangerously irresponsible to go on driving. Is the heating/ventilation actually that insufficient or are you simply not capable of using it properly?
All that while talking about unnecessary bells and whistles like safety assistance features. You know what would make driving safer? Actually being able to look outside, that's what.
That's quite a rude comment, Immanuel. We had no issues with visibility, had it become a problem we would have pulled over. The climate controls were disabled in order for the microphone to be picked up without interference; it won't fog up if it's running/not cold outside.
The MG ZS EV does remember your KERS level from last use (I keep mine at level 3 at all times), but you are correct about the drive mode defaulting to normal.
We've just heard back from MG: "The correct software logic is for MG ZS EV and MG5 EV to re-start in the default modes of KERS ‘3’ and Drive Mode ‘N’. There are limited instances where the car may still be in the modes it was last driven in. For example: if the driver stops, gets out and locks the car to briefly visit a shop, by returning to the car within 2 minutes the on-board systems may not have fully gone to sleep and may wake in their previous setting. Secondly, if the car is plugged in to charge some systems will stay awake in the background for up to 10 minutes, again if the driver returns to car within this period some systems may still be in their previous non-default state."
@@TotallyEV I feel embarrassed now. I assumed that it remembered my setting. I just happened to use the default level 3 regen. Sorry for the misinformation!
Fair review, pity the company didn't spend a bit of time and a few dollars on a better fold-down arrangement for the rear seats. You seemed to miss this important matter. The old British estate cars I drove in the past had seats where the squab folded forward behind the front seats and the backs of the seats folded flat on the floor in the resulting space, resulting in a completely flat floor. So it rather misses the purpose of an estate car, in my opinion - all the estate cars I've ever had also had a longer overhang at the back and a longer boot. I know in my hundred acre estate in Shropshire none of my shooting dogs would wish to be squashed up on those tilted seats, and getting my antique furniture in would be a trial. So, a somewhat missed attempt at real estate car. We still await one.
Great review 😁 well done China MG" shame Britain could not engineer build green estate cars🙄. I like the practical side and given it some zoom but no front frounk space 😲. Some how reminds me of our old toxic fuel Ford 1990s Sierra Estate. Thank you great to see our World going ev keep up the good work. Me its a bit boring 👀😄 but prefer it to the obsessing SUVs #buzzofftoxic #nonproftleadership #ClimateCrisis
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Just an FYI - using hashtags, your comments get flagged by UA-cam's spam filter; would suggest not using them going forwards, namely on other channel where they might not be on top of their comments section haha!
The step and ramp in the folded down rear seats is a deal breaker for me. I was quite shocked when I went to look at one. It pretty much negates the positives of owning an estate in one lazy bit of dreadful design. Other than that I'd have bought one of these by now. Chinese manufacturers also need to wake up to European and US desire for a tow bar as well. Boring but practical reasons it doesn't quite hit the mark for me.
Not sure we claimed that in the review? We mentioned, however, about one pedal driving and the regen affect that has on braking. Don't forget, MG also label it as KERS.
Hi Chris, have you watched this video before uploading it onto UA-cam, you really should. Your mixture of language styles was distracting to me and took away from the information you are sharing with your audience. Are you are aware that there are new models coming this year from MG? An updated MG5 which looks very smart and a totally new "Marvel R" suv style very high spec car. The new MG5 knocks spots off the existing model - all announced yesterday 22 march 2021.
All the information known at the time of making the video is accurate. We don't work for or at a manufacturer's marketing/dealership/design team to know the roadmap of there upcoming vehicles. Often, very little is shared with the media on upcoming vehicles, let alone the specifics of how a certain model will look in the future. Suggest you alter your tone, as it's not appreciated.
Find the best MG5 EV deals: locally.link/4wA0
Read the MG5 EV review on our website: totallyev.net/mg5-ev-review-fully-electric-estate/
Review of the MG5 EV's audio system: totallyev.net/mg5-ev-audio-review/
Video timestamps:
Price & spec: 00:00
Exterior design: 01:19
Interior tech & design: 01:56
Storage space: 04:41
Headroom & legroom: 05:50
Cabin noise & visibility: 06:44
Driving comfort: 08:11
Performance: 09:21
Driving modes: 10:13
Regenerative braking: 11:09
Driving range: 11:56
Charging: 13:08
Safety systems: 13:47
Verdict: 15:01
Numerous is an amount.
Can't have a numerous amount as it means multiple amount amount.
@@julianshepherd2038 good spot :)
Great review. Very informative and a really eloquent delivery - much appreciated - cheers👍
Thank you, glad you liked it!
I just love that it still has so many buttons
Haha yes!
I had a test drive in one, I was very impressed so I bought one. I seem to get around 220 miles on a charge. I love driving it, it's so economic.
Ah brilliant, enjoy; and thanks for sharing too!
I really like the gauge cluster. I love having light up analogue gauges, but I also understand the benefits of a digital cluster.
This is perfect, you get the best of both worlds, if someone made one like this customisable with nav info in the center or something, that'd be perfect.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
What a beauty!
I could see this being viewed as a classic in years to come.
A very eye catching shape, plenty of nice features on board, a practical car and being an epv price seems reasonable for it's size.
All in all in my opinion, a great ev to enter the ev marketplace.
Thumbs up! 👍
Ha, not sure some will agree with that opinion, but thanks for sharing; glad you like the vehicle!
Got one recently, it’s exactly what your review said. Great car.... So cheap to run and so much fun at traffic lights..... sleeper it is! Subscribed!
Haha, thanks for sharing - glad you're enjoying the vehicle!
Got mine at the end of January and loving it so far. The lack of an app is a bit annoying, especially having come from a Leaf, but everything else about the car more than makes up for it.
Thanks for sharing! Glad you're liking the vehicle.
As someone who sees cars as transport and not fun( and thrills got a motorcycle for that) and who often does long journeys from London to Liverpool with passengers and luggage I would say this is what I would be after
Brilliant, will you be getting one?
Check the weld seams after one year. If it’s big brother ZS is anything to go by I’m seeing a few of them rust after one year
Yikes, that's an important point and, if it's going to fall apart in a shorter time, totally undermines the value for money case. A shame as I like the idea of an EV estate.
@@chrishyde1216
I don’t particularly like any of the EV’s that I could barley afford. However id like to be able to use my car when I’m on Early shifts in the congestion charge zone.
I had taken a shine to the MGZS Nearly Mew around £20K ish all of the goodies 🤷♂️ what is not to like?
I have been doing a bit of digging and found that out .
I've seen this issue crop up on a few forums. I think if you did buy this car new, then make coating the underside, box sections and other areas - inside the doors etc - a priority asap...
@@Brian-om2hh
Well yes , but should you have too on a new car ?
I guess that seven year warranty will be a comfort then...
I think you summed up the MG5 EV very well. I find the infotainment system a bit laggy but Android Auto works pretty well. The MG5 EV will actually charge at up to 80kw in the right circumstances. Charging on a faster 100-150kw charger will only shave off another 5 minutes to 80%.
Glad you liked the review; interesting about the charging capacity, as it's stated at a max 50kW input everywhere we looked!
@Wooly Chewbakker thanks for confirming; glad you liked the review!
You have got it spot on. Had mine a few months now and it really is great to drive. Don't miss any of the toys from my old Leaf Tekna and the range is great. There is an accessory catalogue where you can choose some modern diamond cut alloys to jazz up the looks a bit. It does look better in the silver colour IMHO :)
Glad you liked the review!
Oh, thanks for sharing, didn't see that in MG's brochure or website; as for the colour, think we're with you on that one.
Compare it with an ev twice the money and find a few faults , the mg5 is great value for money
We agree!
At the stated price the MG5 would be ok value, but they're actually available for under £20k for the Excite and £22k for the Exclusive. That makes the price per mile of range better than any other EV out there.
That's phenomenal value for money, thanks for sharing! Where did you get those prices from?
@@TotallyEV Paid £21495 pre-reg Exclusive in white with 4 miles on it in December. Have a look on autotrader. Good fair review with no waffle plus clearly spoken. It's not a bad looking car but it's honest and an excellent driver.
That's brilliant, thanks for sharing! Glad you also liked the review :)
@Wooly Chewbakker Well done on the bargain purchase - did that include the UK grant? I mean did this purchase qualify?
Bargain!
Thanks for a very balanced review. Not everyone wants the firmness of BMW suspension preferring better comfort. Very good range, pity it doesn’t have the adaptive cruise and MG Pilot of the ZS Ev. I think when MG bring out the Emotion, many will then see the brand as being what it is, very well made and of good overall design. Many people can’t get over the fact it is made in China, if they knew how many cars and parts are made for many other brands they would be astounded.
Glad you liked the review!
Absolutely agreed on the suspension front. Indeed it's a shame not to see MG Pilot; few useful features were definitely amiss.
And you nailed it, a lot of things are made over there, and the stigma around it is pretty outdated, yet still, we see it mentioned. Crazy!
More than the MADE in China, I would be concerned about sourcing parts and finding somebody to work on the car. Are there English maintenance documents for example? All of that has to be leavened with the reality that you won't be bringing it in to have the engine or gearbox looked. at. Most of the major parts are modular ( motor, the inverter that does the DC to 3-phase AC conversion ), and there is an expectation of less going wrong with an EV. You also have to decide how long you are likely to keep it because you could find yourself giving it away in four years.
Not a word about the zero kilogram rated roof bars on the Exclusive; which is something which has been completely overlooked in so many other reviews too. Indeed many MG dealerships are telling buyers that they can strap a roof box, a kayak, or bicycles, on top. The handbook tells you the rails are there for purely cosmetic reasons. Brilliant innit...
Yes, unfortunately, we realised it too after doing the video review.
As a result of the MG5 EV, we now always double-check with manufacturers to see if the (included or optional) roof rails are usable. Sorry for that!
@@TotallyEV Wonder whether the roof rail spec's will change when the Facelift MG5 arrives in the UK (more or less identical to the Roewe version which has already been released in China...)
@@frankdumains2325 potentially; we've seen a few people on Twitter/UA-cam complain about it, so maybe MG will integrate it this time around for the UK/EU market
@@TotallyEV Curiousity got the better of me, so I had a gander. The next gen MG5 will boast a 75kg tote for the roof rails. That's an improvement over zero, but remains 'pretty lightweight' for this size of car. I have a feeling that even a Focus hatch can carry 90kg. However the MG5 will also be rated to tow 500kg. See:- ua-cam.com/video/CVohkKOwmgM/v-deo.html
@@frankdumains2325 good find, thanks for sharing!
What an excellent review. Well done.
Thank you, glad you liked it!
I'm so tempted and do want an EV but after owning an mg6 and losing an insane amount of £££ in depreciation I just can't bring myself to go to MG again
Oh dear, how much did you end up losing?
why does everyone assume that "more regen means more economy". coasting or weaker regen is more economical than heavy regen (assuming you dont require to mechanical brake(
Recouping energy back into the battery pack provides you with a longer range. It's not an assumption, just facts. Feel free to read how it affects Formula E vehicles, let alone costumer ones online :)
The car you have tested is a very early UK Demo as it still has the Batt labelled switch, This may explain a few of the quirks.
Interesting, have asked MG for clarification - thanks for sharing!
Buying one this week! Massively discounted too 🙂
Thanks for the review 👍
Pleasure! Glad you liked the review. How much did yours cost if you don't mind us asking?
@@TotallyEV £21,300 metallic blue exclusive, 21 plate (March registered).
Fantastic! Great price. Let us know how you find it when you get it :)
@@TotallyEV it'll probably be in my garage, but I'll keep making sure 😄
Haha!
I just got a new pre reg exclusive for £22,000. Well pleased, a good car it is!
Of course I would like some anti crash gizmos as well, just need to spend £30,000 and up. :-(
Actually, MG just announced a newer, longer-range variant of the MG5 EV, which comes with MG Pilot! But for £22k, you can't go wrong.
@@TotallyEV To be honest, I really only needed a little more rang over my 30KW Leaf, and I suspect the new exclusive model will be over £28,000.
I also got an excellent PX on the Leaf, that's what swung me to sign up there and then, damned near what I could have expected privately and obviously a further discount.
Fair enough, well you've made a great purchase!
@@mikebreen2890 just bought a brand new exclusive long range for £24.5k
Finally! I've watched a few reviews of this car and you're the only one to point out the non-flat boot floor when the rear seats are folded, thank you. It is kind of a big deal for people who buy estates and knowing that it is definitely not possible at all to drop the seats right down flat is important. It would certainly impact my decision to buy. It is such a shame as in most other respects this is a seriously useful EV, decent range and decent capacity let down by awkward load bay shape. I do wonder what the shape of the floor is if you were to unbolt the seats completely?
Pleasure, glad you liked the review! Good question though, not sure - might need to go into an MG dealer to find out that info.
You can remove the back seat bottoms very easily though and then the load space is flat.
I dont know why reviewers are calling it an estate, it not, its a hatchback car.
Thanks for the review. Looking forward to getting mine in a couple of weeks. Not the most exciting of cars but what great value especially at prices below the RRP.
Pleasure, glad you liked it! Let us know what you make of yours when you get it :) - and agreed, great value!
It is not the best looking but it does not put me off either. Just a bit, blend, generic. But I had the ZS for a couple of days and it was a very good car to drive so I guess this one is just as good.
Thanks for sharing!
This car will have a great success in Belgium !!! thanks for the video
Pleasure, glad you liked it!
I've seen it commented the 5 has a bigger boot capacity with seats up than the ZS EV on several locations. But its incorrect, it seems most reviewers make the mistake of comparing the ZS Petrol with the 5, which has 448ltr, so is indeed smaller. But the ZS EV has a bigger boot and is rated at 470ltr. So the ZS EV is actually a whole 6 litres bigger, ok not much but its still not smaller.
Also why is your car all steamed up if using the HVAC? ;)
All our figures were taken by MG directly, these were the figures that were given to press. So if MG got it wrong, that'll be why we and potentially other reviewers have misquoted the figures, though, doubt we were wrong.
As for the HVAC - we had climate controls all turned off to maximise audio quality.
Nice to hear you’ve slowed your speech down somewhat , but anyways nice review
Glad you liked the review. Indeed, was done with you in mind :D
I hope it has the same success as Dacia. Not the last word in quality but good value and reliable.
Absolutely!
Thanks Chris for a good review. I'm one of those people who like small wheels; the ride is more comfortable as is the cost of replacement tyres. Hopefully with this car being cheaper than most, the insurance with also be affordable.
I was disappointed though that you didn't mention there's no phone app for this car, or have MG come up with one now?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, glad you liked the review!
As for the phone app - we didn't look into that, cannot recall it being mentioned anywhere via MG; doubt there is one, but we could be wrong!
There is a phone app in certain countries and at some point it will probably be offered in the UK. Its named "ismart" and there is blurb about it on the MG website.
@@ouethojlkjn interesting, thanks for letting us know :)
Regarding the flat load floor; you can lift out the rear seat backs, and have a flat floor.
Ah ha, thanks for sharing Brian, will double-check this with MG, as the car has since gone back after the review!
@@TotallyEV Please report back on this as it was a deal breaker for me (see earlier comment). Seems an easy fix for what looked to be a terrible design with that huge step and ramp being enough to snap your flat pack IKEA buy.
Do you mean remove the rear seat backs? Or fold up the seat base so the back will go flat? Thanks
@@jonathankeenan5163 You can lift out the seat base too fold the back lower; having ding this you can also lift out the seat backs too, I did this this morning, just to be sure.
@@brianholding4357 Thanks. That's very useful info. It's odd that the manufacturers have let reviewers go around pointing out the huge step without showing them how it can work. Maybe I'm just weird but it seems a basic function of a family estate to load flat, or nearly flat when needed.
Excellent review. I presume the dealer would perform any firmware updates. My new MG5 does not have the battery logo on the toggle switch. Very happy with it so far. Wish they had installed a foldable rear squab to allow for a flat loading bay with the rear seats down.
Thank you, glad you liked the review!
You should (from memory) be able to run over-the-air (OTA) updates or via USB, but the dealer should be able to do it too.
Looks dated... But finally an estate EV! :)
Would be great to have seen the ZS EV design on the MG5 EV; I guess we'll have to wait for the facelift!
@@TotallyEV I don’t even understand why this bothered with this version, it’s extremely unattractive compared to the newer MG5 revealed in other markets as seen here -> ua-cam.com/video/I0qgY5DjdaE/v-deo.html
@@Sto79Be that looks good, although isn't the MG5 EV (estate). Hopefully it'll come to EU/UK markets soon :)
I agree. It's got those swoopy 60's/70's Vauxhall Viva/Victor estate side creases......
Good review. Just one question..do the rear headrests block the view via drivers mirror? I noted the design does not allow them to move down flush with the seat top..like on other cars.
Good question, no when they're in their lowest positioning visibility isn't affected. Naturally, if you were to prop them all up, they'll reduce your field of view. Glad you liked the review!
I was just thinking yesterday that the middle rear headrest was partially blocking my view and I might take it out unless needed. Not a massive issue.
@@PeterChinkin thanks for sharing, Peter!
Personal opinion of course, You should be a competent enough driver, not to need the extra safety systems. Its one of the trends I detest with modern vehicles
Oh absolutely, they shouldn't replace your awareness, just aid it.
Thank you, nice balanced review,
Pleasure! Glad you liked the review :)
Longer range one for Australia please.
Interesting electric car option and review of it. Shame they didn't use the MG ZS EV front grill styling - that looks better in my opinion
Glad you liked the review; and agreed!
yum yum reminds me of my datsun stationwagon many moons ago!!
Haha, thanks for sharing!
Superficially it looks ok and ticks a lot of boxes, but I personally would still have underlying concerns about long term quality and durability......
That's something we can't test for, unfortunately!
What durability to worry about? This thing doesn't even require oil changes.
@@ztz818 Brian will be thinking of the body work, the doors and all the other bits and pieces on the car. Winter roads and salt are pretty toxic to the undercarriage and there are queries about this. The fact that the roof rack is there just for show, and increases the drag on the car, shows a bit more work needs to be done in China.
@@jockmoron I'm sure all these problems you've mentioned will present themselves in due time. With a vheicle like this, already there's no oil change work, no transmission work, no sparkplug work, no fuel injection work, no tuning work, no petrol filling work ... If other problems were to disappear alltogether as well... I dare not imagine how many more people will have to make a living by making UA-cam videos
With MG giving a 7 year transferable manufacturers warranty as standard, shows MG standing by their brand.
...and the only reason I wouldn't consider one is that I have a roof box - and the MG' s roof rails are "for decoration only". Scratch MG5...
That's true, should have mentioned that. Sorry!
That's useful! Thanks as that is now my 2nd deal breaker on this car. Definitely not for me now.
@@jonathankeenan5163 oh no :(
@@TotallyEV For context I run an old ICE estate which is only used to lug large quantities of gear around, I cycle commute most days, so the usual calculations for cost don't add up BUT I'm keen to move to EV sometime soon. Given any new EV will be a significant change in my spending on a vehicle I need it to do everything, which means carry the family, take kids stuff to Uni, transport equipment or furniture and the occasional roof bar load of timber... You get the picture. The EV world hasn't come up with the good so far (unless you look at vans, which Mrs is less taken with the idea of). Keeping the old ICE car on the road for another year isn't the end of the world. I did get very close to buying one of these though.
Just an update on this! We recently spoke to MG and this issue has been fixed. It would seem they had quoted 0kg, when in reality it's capable of 35kg. The current gen model (on review) can therefore take some weight!
If i was to get an EV this would be on my radar, but i changed from a petrol ZS to a Honda Civic, because the dealer i have in Southampton are shocking. and no other MG dealer locally . Thats the only thing putting me off the MG and the reason why i got shot of my MG
Sorry to hear that, but thanks for sharing!
In MGs defense, I can say I have never had good service from any main dealer, Citroen, Peugeot, Vauxhall, Rover (when there was a Rover) all rubbish. The only one that has been impressive is the new kid on the block - Tesla.
@@ouethojlkjn thanks for sharing; we've heard some horror stories from Tesla too. No company seems to be perfect.
Great review, thank you very much! Is it true that a newer version of this car is planned for launch in October 2021? Hopefully some weak points will be updated still keeping a reasonable price...
Glad you found it useful!
Indeed, there is a facelift variant that's on the cards, but there's no ETA for the UK market. Might be in 2021 or even 2022.
New one coming out at end of year hopefully it will be much better.
Fingers crossed!
*Great Review - have subscribed, would have been nice to see Android Auto Google Maps Sat Nav in Action.*
Thank you, glad you liked the review and appreciate the subscription too!
Reminds me of an early 2000s Subaru Outback. Simple, easy reliable cars is what people need, for some reason manufacturers think we all want highly overengineered spaceships.
Kiss method, it works.
Haha thanks for sharing
Great, thanks
Pleasure, glad you liked the review!
Its not an estate, its a hatch back that looks like an estate car.
It has boot Cill and the seats dont fold flat in to the floor.
Anyone who wants a true estate car, that's a big deal breaker.
Drop a heavy washing machine over that boot cill, you will soon learn the difference between an estate car and a hatchback car.
Haha okay!
14:45 The windows are completely fogged to a degree, where it's dangerously irresponsible to go on driving. Is the heating/ventilation actually that insufficient or are you simply not capable of using it properly?
All that while talking about unnecessary bells and whistles like safety assistance features. You know what would make driving safer? Actually being able to look outside, that's what.
That's quite a rude comment, Immanuel. We had no issues with visibility, had it become a problem we would have pulled over. The climate controls were disabled in order for the microphone to be picked up without interference; it won't fog up if it's running/not cold outside.
@@TotallyEV in that case I'm quite sorry. :-*
@@immanuelkantholz9033 I think your mommy spoiled you as a child Immanuel.
@@Macmonkey1000 you mean, only spoiled children will grow up to be responsible adults? That's weird.
The MG ZS EV does remember your KERS level from last use (I keep mine at level 3 at all times), but you are correct about the drive mode defaulting to normal.
Oh interesting! Could have been an older firmware then. Thanks for sharing!
Mine doesn't, but it does default to 3.
@@craiglawrence5211 now that's interesting haha! All different. I've asked MG for clarification :)
We've just heard back from MG:
"The correct software logic is for MG ZS EV and MG5 EV to re-start in the default modes of KERS ‘3’ and Drive Mode ‘N’.
There are limited instances where the car may still be in the modes it was last driven in. For example: if the driver stops, gets out and locks the car to briefly visit a shop, by returning to the car within 2 minutes the on-board systems may not have fully gone to sleep and may wake in their previous setting. Secondly, if the car is plugged in to charge some systems will stay awake in the background for up to 10 minutes, again if the driver returns to car within this period some systems may still be in their previous non-default state."
@@TotallyEV I feel embarrassed now. I assumed that it remembered my setting. I just happened to use the default level 3 regen. Sorry for the misinformation!
Fair review, pity the company didn't spend a bit of time and a few dollars on a better fold-down arrangement for the rear seats. You seemed to miss this important matter. The old British estate cars I drove in the past had seats where the squab folded forward behind the front seats and the backs of the seats folded flat on the floor in the resulting space, resulting in a completely flat floor. So it rather misses the purpose of an estate car, in my opinion - all the estate cars I've ever had also had a longer overhang at the back and a longer boot. I know in my hundred acre estate in Shropshire none of my shooting dogs would wish to be squashed up on those tilted seats, and getting my antique furniture in would be a trial. So, a somewhat missed attempt at real estate car. We still await one.
Thanks for sharing. It's been a while since we've seen such a feature in a vehicle to be honest.
The car speaking Chinese is the most 21st century thing in a v 21st century car
Haha, potentially!
It looks like the new Fiat tipo
Similar, yes!
estate looks like grandmas car...
Not sure you'd say that about some of the sportier estates, haha!
@@TotallyEV lol
Is it just me or does that look like a ripped off Volkswagen? at first I thought it was a VW.
Someone else said it looks like one too, haha.
@@TotallyEV well the parent company SAIC also manufacture VW for the Chinese Market............
Great review 😁 well done China MG" shame Britain could not engineer build green estate cars🙄. I like the practical side and given it some zoom but no front frounk space 😲. Some how reminds me of our old toxic fuel Ford 1990s Sierra Estate. Thank you great to see our World going ev keep up the good work. Me its a bit boring 👀😄 but prefer it to the obsessing SUVs #buzzofftoxic #nonproftleadership #ClimateCrisis
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Just an FYI - using hashtags, your comments get flagged by UA-cam's spam filter; would suggest not using them going forwards, namely on other channel where they might not be on top of their comments section haha!
@@TotallyEV thank you great advice no hash tag thank you buzz buzzofftoxic 😊👏🌍keep up the good work 😊🌍👏
@@buzzofftoxicblog791 no worries, and thank you!
Good👍👍👍👍
Thanks!
The step and ramp in the folded down rear seats is a deal breaker for me. I was quite shocked when I went to look at one. It pretty much negates the positives of owning an estate in one lazy bit of dreadful design. Other than that I'd have bought one of these by now. Chinese manufacturers also need to wake up to European and US desire for a tow bar as well. Boring but practical reasons it doesn't quite hit the mark for me.
Thanks for sharing, Jonathan!
Oh dear. Another person who thinks that the foot brake doesn't used regenerative braking!
Not sure we claimed that in the review? We mentioned, however, about one pedal driving and the regen affect that has on braking. Don't forget, MG also label it as KERS.
How very vauxhall astra SW of mg 😂
Haha, good comparison there!
💙💙💙💙
Hi Chris, have you watched this video before uploading it onto UA-cam, you really should. Your mixture of language styles was distracting to me and took away from the information you are sharing with your audience.
Are you are aware that there are new models coming this year from MG? An updated MG5 which looks very smart and a totally new "Marvel R" suv style very high spec car. The new MG5 knocks spots off the existing model - all announced yesterday 22 march 2021.
All the information known at the time of making the video is accurate. We don't work for or at a manufacturer's marketing/dealership/design team to know the roadmap of there upcoming vehicles. Often, very little is shared with the media on upcoming vehicles, let alone the specifics of how a certain model will look in the future.
Suggest you alter your tone, as it's not appreciated.
Useless as an estate🤣 it has a high boot acces, no flat bottom because the seats don't go flat , it's just a car with a big boot🤮🤮🤮
Ouf
If no one is gonna say it this car is a clear ripoff from vw passat
Haha in what way?
I will not buy a Chinese car.
Why not?