In-depth reviews

MG5 EV review: boot space, seating & practicality

A practical estate bodystyle pays dividends when it comes to both passenger space and luggage capacity in the MG5, but the gains aren’t as significant as you might think

Overall rating

4.0 out of 5

Boot space, seating & practicality rating

4.0 out of 5

Price
£30,995 - £33,495
Fuel Type:
Electric
LengthWidthHeightBoot volume (seats up/down)
4,600mm1,818mm1,543mm479/1,367 litres

The MG5 has become the ride-sharing car of choice in recent years, largely because of the amount of cabin space and luggage capacity offered by the budget-friendly estate car. Thankfully, the new MG5 continues that tradition, but annoyingly MG no longer offers the wide range of sensible accessories (such as rubber boot mats and dog guards) it used to for the MG5.

MG5 EV interior space, storage & comfort

Room inside is decent, with rear passengers treated to a relatively generous level of legroom thanks in part to a 2.65-metre wheelbase. However, headroom is a little tighter, especially in the front. That’s a result of the MG5’s relatively low roofline and the driver’s seat being mounted on top of the battery, so you sit high up. But this does provide a good view out, at least.

Boot space

The main reason you’re going to pick the MG5 estate over electric SUVs like the MG ZS EV or Kia Niro EV is boot space. Or at least it used to be. The MG5 now offers 479 litres with the parcel shelf in place, or 578 litres loaded up to the roof. The former is only four litres more than the Niro EV can muster, and that’s before you take the storage space under the bonnet into consideration – a feature the MG lacks.

It’s a similar story when you fold the rear seats down. Doing so opens up 1,367 litres of luggage capacity, which is not only less than the Niro EV, but close to a 100 litres less than the pre-facelift MG5 offered. The rear seats also don’t fold flat in the MG5, which isn’t great when you’re trying to load flat-pack furniture or other stuff you’d think an estate car would take in its stride. If practicality is your top priority, we recommend taking a look at the Skoda Enyaq iV with its 585-litre boot that expands to a gigantic 1,710 litres with its rear seats folded flat.

Welcome one and all, I’m Ellis the news reporter on Auto Express, the brand’s former online reviews editor and contributor to DrivingElectric. I’m proud to say I cut my teeth reporting and reviewing all things EV as the content editor on DrivingElectric. I joined the team while completing my master’s degree in automotive journalism at Coventry University and since then I’ve driven just about every electric car and hybrid I could get my hands on.

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