MG 2025 S5 EV Excite review: An electric addition to the family

For the past few months, my wife and I have been discussing getting a new car. And one part of that conversation was whether we would move to an EV or a hybrid. I am not a car person, so this is not a question I have even the slightest answer to.

So when the chance came through to grab the new 2025 MG S5 EV for a week to drive around, it seemed like the perfect chance to see what life might be like for us with an EV as our primary mode of transportation. At under $41K for the base “Excite” model I was testing, it’s certainly priced at the right level for us.

I only had the car for a week, but it answered the question about whether we could move to an EV with a resounding “yes”. It was easy to drive, comfortable to sit in with plenty of space, and was easy enough to keep charged.

What makes the 2025 MG S5 EV special

It’s been over a decade since I “tested” a car for work, and I had no idea what to expect when I went to pick up the MG S5 EV. After signing the papers, I had to wait a moment for the car to be brought to me in a large warehouse in Casula.

And so my first impression, despite seeing EVs everywhere on the road daily, was how quiet the MG was. In that environment, the quiet sound of wheels on concrete was the only sound I could hear as the car was brought to me.

Not being a car guy, I probably couldn’t pick out the MG S5 EV in a lineup of mid-size SUVs, but that’s not a bad thing. The car looks sleek, with contoured details on the side and rails on top for roof racks.

The handover was instant. The key fob was in the car, and the car was on (but not “running” because it’s an EV) and I hopped in not knowing what to expect.

It was comfortable and well-decked out, despite being the entry-level Excite model. The large 10-inch touchscreen sat in the centre of the dash, with a dial in the centre console for controlling the drive modes.

The car was a bit smaller than my usual drive (a Hyundai Santa Fe), but I felt like I had good vision and easy access to everything I needed. I popped the car into drive and slowly crept out of the warehouse before I realised I had no idea how to get home, and needed to set up the navigation.

I pulled out of the warehouse and into the parking lot to get set to drive it home.

Design and build quality

Driving the entry-level model meant the entry-level controls. The most noticeable element for me was the manual seat adjustments.

As the driver, it was easy enough to get everything setup just right, but my wife did flag as the passenger that she struggled to see over the dash in the passenger seat. She is quite short, but there wasn’t any way to adjust the passenger seat’s height.

Aside from that, the seats were quite comfortable for longer drives, I found I had a good level of vision while driving, and could easily reach the controls.

Over the weekend, we threw the kids into the back seat and went for a longer drive. I have two teenagers, and there weren’t any issues with legroom or car temperature. There were no fancy inclusions like window shades or a central arm rest in the review car, but the kids didn’t have any issues during the drive. You could fit three across in a pinch, but I think it would feel a bit crowded with three adult-sized people.

Between the two front seats, there’s a centre console with a few clever storage options. There are two cupholders right at the front in front of the driving controls, which are possibly too far forward. I tried using the Thermos drink bottle in there and while it did fit, it also ended up blocking the air conditioning vent and controls.

There’s a flat area for resting your phone that looks like it should wireless charge your device, but that’s only in the premium model. There’s also a secondary level below those controls for extra storage, as well as the central storage unit.

I did appreciate the sunglasses' storage up next to the rearview mirror as well.

From a safety perspective, the MG S5 EV comes with a five star ANCAP rating, with dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting airbags as standard.

Practicality and storage

Coming from a car with an automated boot, it did take me a few goes to remember that the MG S5’s boot was a manual open/close system. The good news is that there’s plenty of space once you open it up.

The back seats fold down easily for more space if needed as well. I don’t think you’d fit a bike in there, but there’s more than enough space for your groceries. Parents with a pram shouldn’t have a problem.

Underneath the boot’s floor, there’s a bit of extra hidden storage as well, which stores tools and the car’s charger cable.

You could easily load the back of the S5 up with luggage for a longer road trip and holiday.

Performance and driving experience

The thing that I found I had to get used to first was the fact that there’s no “pull” of the car when you pop it in drive as the engine starts to kick into action. To move forward, you need to actively put your foot on the accelerator.

MG says the S5 can hit 100 km/h in about 8 seconds, depending on the model and variant. Honestly, I don’t drive like that (and neither should you), so it’s not like I tested that out.

What I did find was that there was power when I needed it. Accelerating from a stop, or a bit of acceleration to help merge onto the motorway, was all fine.

Lights on the side mirrors help cover blind spots, and there’s a reverse camera in the base model I tested, but no side or front cameras. That makes sense and wasn’t a dealbreaker, though I did miss the front camera while parking a couple of times.

When it came to the adaptive cruise control, I did feel like the car did tend to creep a bit too close to the car in front for my liking before braking, rather than maintaining a further, safer distance.

But the biggest annoyance I think I had with the S5 was the driver alert alarms. While driving on a Saturday, the car started beeping loudly as I travelled at 60 kph – the speed limit – through an area that would be a school zone if it were a weekday.

The integrated mapping had recognised the slower 40 kph school zone speed, but not the times the school zone was active, and so it tried to alert me that I was speeding when I was not.

Another time, while driving on the M5 motorway in Sydney, it incorrectly informed me the speed limit was 60 kph instead of the posted 100 kph. Again, the alarm started beeping loudly.

It’s not just speed alerts, either. Focus too much on the dash, while setting the cruise control, for example, and it will loudly tell you off that you aren’t focused on the road.

Another time while I was travelling on the motorway, despite hands on the wheel and eyes on the road, it loudly told me I wasn’t controlling the vehicle.

Which is all to say that the driver awareness doesn’t feel especially well executed, though it is easy to turn off, which is a big plus.

When it comes to mileage and performance, I honestly can’t answer that. I know that at full capacity, the MG S5 EV I tested promised about 420 km, and in the week I had the car I managed to push it down to about 75% after a 100 km drive, so the 400 km range feels about right.

But with only a week to test the car, I wasn’t able to push it much further than that. I got home and plugged it in, and it was fully charged for the next day’s running around. It’s pretty effortless.

Technology and infotainment

MG doesn’t really seem to differentiate its entry-level model and premium model when it comes to the car’s infotainment system. The Excite version I tested offered wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as its own dedicated system on the 12.8-inch touchscreen.

The catch is that, for CarPlay at least, it’s buggy as hell.

During our weekend drive while connected to an iPhone 17 Pro, the display was showing the playback of music from two songs before what was playing. Trying to skip through tracks was delayed and laggy.

And while I initially suspected it may have been a connectivity issue as I drove along moderately remote roads south of Sydney, further testing showed that it was just as laggy at home, where my mobile connection is solid.

If you’re not using CarPlay, the infotainment system seems a bit more responsive. The menu is easy to navigate and control on the touchscreen, though you can expect to hear the driver assist warnings whenever you look at the central control unit while driving.

But it’s also a bit confusing: There’s a dedicated menu option for Bluetooth calls, but it doesn’t recognise a device paired through CarPlay. So to make a call, you need to go through the CarPlay menu, which isn’t easy to initiate, despite a CarPlay connected device being prominently displayed on the screen.

The Excite version I tested didn’t offer wireless charging, though there is a USB-C port in the central storage unit you can use to plug in your phone.

The sound system is decent. There’s a bit of spatial control buried in the settings to control the focus of the speakers, but even without that, you get good quality audio. I’m sure there’s better in higher end vehicles, but I found the MG’s speakers good enough.

The instrument cluster behind the screen is clear and easy to read, even in full sunlight. The on-wheel controls, meanwhile, do take a bit of getting used to.

Verdict

I think the MG S5 EV is a lot of car for its asking price.

It’s a comfortable drive, has plenty of features and makes a good addition to the family.

Because I don’t review many cars, it’s impossible for me to say whether this is better or worse than similar vehicles. A lot of the reviews I read while researching the car indicate that most motoring writers are impressed by what the car offers as well.

If I were looking to buy one, though, I would definitely spring for the Essence variant for the comfort features. For an extra $3K, you get extra speakers, motorised driver seat adjustment, wireless phone charging and an electric sunroof (plus a bunch of other specs).

Who should buy the MG S5 EV?

• People wanting a family-friendly electric SUV
• People who want a longer warranty
• Cost-conscious buyers wanting their first EV

Who should not buy the MG S5 EV?

• Those who want a flawless entertainment system
• People with shorter passengers
• People after a luxury experience

Specs

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