MG IM5 review: Executive ambitions, budget price

Join us as we take a closer look at the MG IM5, the saloon that's asking company car drivers to think twice about the badge

MG has spent years building its reputation on value, but the IM5 is a different proposition altogether.

Sitting above the regular MG4 and MGS5 in the line-up, the IM5 is built on underpinnings from IM Motors, MG's SAIC-owned sister brand — and it's aimed squarely at the premium saloon crowd.

Think Tesla Model 3, Polestar 2, and BYD SEAL, rather than anything MG has offered before.

It's fully electric, with a range of up to 441 miles (WLTP Comb) across the line-up, and performance figures that hold their own against far pricier rivals.

The real question isn't whether the IM5 has the numbers to compete. It's whether brand loyalty will stop people and businesses from considering an unfamiliar badge.

We spent time behind the wheel of the Performance model to find out.

What we drove

Model: MG IM5 Performance AWD

Body Style: Saloon

Power: Electric, dual motor AWD (553 kW / 751 PS)

Battery: 100 kWh

Range: Up to 441 miles (WLTP Comb)

Acceleration: 0-62 mph in 3.2 seconds

Colour: Black Pearl

Euro NCAP: Five stars

Specifications correct at the time of publication

A silhouette that does the talking

The IM5 has a sleek, fastback-shaped saloon silhouette.

The low, long stance carries a genuinely premium presence, making it an ideal car to show up to business meetings in.

And on its bonnet? A distinctive badge made especially for the IM line; a premium touch for a premium lineup.

Space and screens galore

Step inside and it's a minimalist's dream.

Two screens dominate the dash; one for infotainment, the other replacing physical controls like climate control.

The panoramic sunroof floods the cabin with light, giving it an open, airy feel.

There's plenty of room for everyone on board, and the middle rear seat drops down to reveal a set of cupholders. A small but useful touch.

The boot comes in at 457 litres, which is impressive, and the saloon shape means it's a long boot rather than a tall one — no bad thing when it comes to loading longer items.

There's no button to open the boot either. The control lives on the key, and it can be a little stubborn when you're trying to get in.

Up front, there's even more space in the form of a frunk under the bonnet — although the release lever is a bit hidden, and needs pulling twice to actually pop it open. We only worked that out after a hunt on YouTube.

Smooth, powerful, and properly quick

Put your foot down and it's obvious why this is the performance variant.

The IM5 is smooth, with seriously powerful delivery. 0-62mph in just 3.2 seconds tells you everything you need to know.

Road noise is a touch more noticeable than expected, though nothing major.

Visibility isn't great — the rear window is tiny and angled, making it smaller still and rendering the rear-view mirror pretty much pointless. Thankfully, a scroller on the steering wheel calls up a live feed from a rear camera, so you're never really driving blind.

The same trick works when indicating too, bringing up a live feed of your blind spot on the driver's display.

Go the distance in the IM5 Performance

The variant we drove has an official range of up to 357 miles (WLTP Comb), with real-world driving still achieving around 300-313 miles.

Other variants in the range stretch to 441 miles (WLTP Comb), which is seriously impressive for a car at this price point.

A 100kWh battery and 800V architecture mean DC rapid charging takes just 17 minutes for a 10-80% top-up.

Safety and warranties

The MG IM5 backs up its executive ambitions with a genuinely reassuring safety and warranty package. It achieves a five-star Euro NCAP rating, with strong scores across the board:

• Adult occupant protection: 89%
• Child occupant protection: 85%
• Vulnerable road user protection: 85%
• Safety assist: 87%

The passenger compartment remained stable in the frontal offset test, with good protection recorded for the knees and femurs of both the driver and front passenger — and a similar level of protection shown across occupants of different sizes and seating positions.

That's a properly comprehensive result, matching five-star ratings from rivals like the Tesla Model 3 and BYD SEAL.

Onboard safety tech includes:

• Emergency brake assist
• Forward collision warning
• Speed detection warning
• Blind-spot monitoring

Beyond the safety kit, MG backs the IM5 with a seven-year factory warranty from the date of registration, plus a seven-year anti-perforation and paint warranty (subject to annual dealer inspection).

For company car drivers weighing up an unfamiliar badge, that's a genuinely reassuring stats.

What's good, and what's not

The good bits:

• Blistering 3.2-second 0-62mph
• Twin-screen minimalist dash
• Clever camera workaround for poor rear visibility
• Generous 457-litre boot plus a useful frunk
• Seven-year warranty and anti-perforation cover

The not-so-good bits:

• Poor rear visibility from a tiny, angled window
• Reliance on camera tech for visibility won't suit everyone
• Fiddly boot opening — no external button, key-operated
• Physical controls minimised in favour of touchscreen

What's the verdict?

Overall rating: 8

The MG IM5 Performance makes a genuinely strong case for itself in a segment that's traditionally been the preserve of German and American badges.

It's quick, it's smooth, and it looks the part — a proper answer to the "should company car drivers think twice about the badge" question posed at the top of this review.

The rear visibility issue is a genuine quirk, but MG's camera workaround is clever enough to stop it becoming a dealbreaker.

Road noise is a minor blemish rather than a major flaw. And when you factor in the five-star safety rating and a seven-year warranty that rivals some of the best in the business, the IM5 starts to look like a seriously sensible choice dressed up as an exciting one.

It's not perfect.

But for a brand still finding its feet in the premium space, it's an impressively convincing first attempt.

Top five reasons to consider the MG IM5 Performance:

1. Genuinely quick — 0-62mph in just 3.2 seconds
2. Distinctive, premium-feeling exterior presence
3. Clever camera tech that solves its own visibility problem
4. Five-star Euro NCAP rating for real peace of mind
5.  Seven-year warranty that puts pressure on established rivals

Would we recommend leasing the MG IM5 Performance?

Yes — especially if you're a company car driver after something that feels a step up without the badge premium you'd usually pay for it.

The performance is genuinely exciting, the safety credentials stack up, and that seven-year warranty takes a lot of the risk out of choosing a still-unfamiliar name.

Yes, the rear visibility takes some getting used to, and the badge might raise an eyebrow or two in the car park.

But spend any time behind the wheel and the IM5 Performance backs up its executive ambitions convincingly.