MG presented to the press the brand’s very first electric station wagon, called MG5 and part of the second generation of electric cars of the house. It is also the first C-segment with a “long tail” to have an electron motor.
PLENTY OF SPACE ON BOARD
Who is it for? To large families who want to enter the world of electrification and who need a lot of space available. Of course, there are SUVs. But swas still maintain a good share of the market and attract the attention of large households.
There is plenty of space on board thanks to the 27 storage compartments scattered around the passenger compartment, with a trunk that starts from 479 liters of capacity, with the rear seats (splittable 60/40) placed in their right configuration, or 1,400 liters if we decide to break them down completely.
INTERIORS
But on the rear sofa how are you? MG has not allowed us to get on the new SW, but it promises that passengers will have the right space for head, shoulders and legs. The cockpit has a good build quality, and every part of the dashboard is covered with soft to the touch materials. Only in the lower areas we will feel with the fingertip the most crisp part of the interior.
The dashboard has a style already seen but not for this reason it makes you turn up your nose. The design is sober and minimal, almost of “Skodiana philosophy” with the air vents half-hidden in the dashboard. The unique aesthetic tinsel is instead blue, and furrows the entire interior, starting from the doors and then joining under the infotainment touchscreen. Of note is a very raised central tunnel with, at its center, the gear selector and more under the USB sockets in the inevitable cavity that serves as a large glove box.
INFOTAINMENT AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER
Here, about infotainment. The MG iSMART system (with attached app included) is similar to the one briefly tested on Marvel R Electric and ZS with gasoline engine; this has a fairly responsive touch with clear graphics but certainly not very high definition. The interaction is not immediate in the transition from one menu to another, while this is more fluid within the same menu.
The infotainment system is enclosed in a floating screen, slightly inclined towards the driver, 10.25″and is equipped with an IPS screen. Of note is the possibility of using both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Through the spokes of the steering wheel with the physical controls present, you can see the 7″ fully digital instrument panel and you can sit on ergonomic seats (also heatable) with 20 cm more spongy material. In short, we will be seated comfortably and also warm in winter.
ELECTRIC MOTOR AND BATTERY
To move the MG5 station wagon there will be an electric engine with 156 hp of power and 260 Nm of torque. The traction will be only front with a 0-50 km / h burned in 3.4 seconds and a self-limited speed of 180 kilometers so as not to see the autonomy go down too quickly.
The engine goes hand in hand with a battery of 61.1 kWh of energy and this allows to have, according to the House, a range of 400 km (measured according to WLTP cycle). Nothing has been confirmed by MG for a second version with a 50.3 kWh battery and, therefore, with a lower range (320 km) and consequent cheaper price list.
Present the fast charging system thanks to the 11 kW three-phase on-board charger that allows faster charging in alternating current. The 87 kW charging power allows the batteries to be recharged, up to 80%, in 40 minutes.
AESTHETICS AND DESIGN
The MG5 shows a dynamic aesthetic but there is nothing particularly new. The most successful part is the face that shows LED headlights, with different chrome plating that starts directly from the headlight itself and concentrates towards the center of the grille, where the charging plug is located.
Below it there is a large grid-slit with vertical strips and, at the ends of the face, two fake air intakes. Nerboruto is the hood, with its streaks that make it muscular. The same aesthetic frills are also found on the rest of the bodywork, so as to emphasize the dynamic character of the car.
At the end of the day, a hint of spoiler and the diffuser conclude the glance, with the generous rear light clusters. The MG5 has a more elegant look with the chrome plating that surrounds the windows and the silver band at the rear.
