Why are there so few electric estate cars?
There are a few plug-in hybrid but as far as I’m aware the MG5 is the only fully electric estate car on the market.
That puts it in a class of one, but it’s a fairly decent performer.
For a start, it’s very well priced. Once the government’s £2,500 EV grant has been taken off the range starts at just £26,495. That’s way less than anything of comparable size or range.
Buyers can go for a 52.5kWh standard battery or a larger 61.1kWh long range version.
The former will cover 214 miles according to official figures, while the latter can do 250 miles on a full battery.
As is the case with MPG, these statistics need to be taken with a pinch of salt.
Charging up
During a dark Scottish autumn, with lights and heater on, and driving at 60mpg you’re looking at a range of 170-180 miles even in the version with the bigger battery pack.
That’s still plenty for all but the longest of journeys, though. And even on the rare occasions when I drive more than 200 miles, my 43-year old bladder means I need to stop anyway.
Charging up to 80% takes around an hour using a 50kW charger.
It’s good news inside as well. The MG5 has a spacious interior and a proper estate car boot. It will hold 464 litres or 1,456 litres if you drop the rear seats.
I drove the top of the range Exclusive trim level. It came with leather seats, an 8in touchscreen and 7in driver’s display screen, electric seats, heated seats, adaptive cruise control, and keyless entry.
The MG5 has three driving modes – Normal, Eco and Sport. The latter improves responsiveness and acceleration at the expense of battery power. After a brief play around I left the car in Normal mode.
With an 0-62mph time of 7.7 seconds the MG5 has plenty of pace for nipping out of junctions or pulling off overtaking maneouvres. It’s no sports car – handling is wallowy – but it’s a comfortable enough cruiser.
There’s very little to criticise the MG5 for, especially not when you consider its price. It’s great value, well equipped, and easy to drive. It’s refined at motorway speeds and has plenty of room inside for all the family. You have to spend a lot more to get a much better EV.
