MG IM5 in Australia: The Quietly Plotting EV Sedan Hostile Takeover of Your Driveway
The 2025 MG IM5 is not another electric vehicle — it’s MG’s luxury raid on Australia’s EV landscape. With a range of up to 655 km, supercar performance, and tech that skims the surface of science fiction, here’s why Tesla, BYD, and Polestar should be worried.
The Story: From Pub Gossip to Powerhouse
Back in the day, MG stood for roof-down weekend cruises, fiddling with carburettors, and perhaps the occasional roadside breakdown or two (all romance, naturally). The company was the essence of British motoring romance — less about smiles per mile than it was about actual speed.
Fast forward to the 2020s, and the MG name has been revived by Chinese behemoth SAIC Motor. They’ve spent the past ten years pumping out budget EVs that Australians have flocked to in numbers — the MG4, ZS EV — but something was lacking: prestige.
Enter IM, MG’s upscale sub-brand. Think of it as MG’s “double-shot espresso” — more sleek, more sharp, more powerful. And at the forefront of the push into Australia is the MG IM5, a low-riding electric sedan that’s as much about performance and refinement as it is about affordability. The challenge? Prove that MG can play in the same ballpark as Tesla, Polestar, and even the Germans, but do it for thousands cheaper.
Inside the MG IM5: Joyful Luxury Takes on Premium make
As soon as you close the door, you realize it: this is not “good for the money” — it’s just good. The dash is covered in soft-touch material, the armrests are lined with stitched leather, and the steering wheel feels borrowed from a luxury coupe. Even the plastic components? Solid, textured, and confidence-building.
Front and center is the 26.3-inch widescreen — sharp, high-contrast, and large enough to make your home TV look puny. Under it is a 10.5-inch climate and vehicle control screen. The system is speedy, intuitive, and blessedly lag-free.
And then there are the niceties that make you smile:
Ambient lighting that can match just not your mood but your clothing.
Heated, ventilated, and massaging seats that make peak-hour traffic feel like a spa.
Rear-seat entertainment screens in the Performance trim (because your passengers deserve to be fun too).
Cabin quietness is excellent thanks to acoustic glass and careful sound-deadening. On the highway, wind noise is minimal, and the only hum you’ll hear is from the tyres — and only if you’re just listening for it.
Performance: Three Flavours of Fun
The MG IM5 range is a menu at a high-end cafe: no poor options, simply degrees of excess.
Premium — 75 kWh battery, rear-wheel drive, 6.8 seconds to 100 km/h. Smooth, stable, great for everyday use with sufficient oomph for passing maneuvers.
Platinum — 100 kWh battery, rear-wheel drive, 6.0 seconds to 100 km/h, an astonishing 655 km WLTP range. The “distance king” of the family.
Performance AWD — Two motors, 553 kW of peak power combined, and a 3.2 second 0–100 km/h acceleration time. That is quicker than certain Porsche Taycans and faster than most reflexes.
All models feature four-wheel steering — not common in this segment — which makes tight U-turns and parking maneuvers a breeze. The AWD variant throws in adaptive air suspension that will keep it level through corners but soft over Sydney potholes.
Safety: A Digital Bodyguard
The MG IM5 is not all about pace — it’s loaded to the gunwales with driver-assist technology:
Adaptive Cruise Control with stop-and-go
Lane Keep and Lane Change Assist
Blind Spot Monitoring
Automatic Emergency Braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection
Traffic Sign Recognition
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
360-Degree Surround Camera
Armed with this weaponry, the IM5 is targeting a 5-star ANCAP safety rating, and on the basis of its tech arsenal, that’s more of a “when” than an “if”.
Capabilities: More than the Numbers
What the spec sheet won’t tell you. The IM5 isn’t only quick and long-legged; it’s smart.
Range — Up to 655 km WLTP (Platinum), 575 km on the Performance AWD.
Charging — Rapid DC charging of up to 396 kW. The Performance AWD takes from 30–80% in 15 minutes. Time enough for a coffee break.
Handling — Four-wheel steer and adaptive suspension make it feel like it’s smaller and nimbler than it actually is.
Space — Large boot at the rear, useful frunk at the front, and lots of room in the cabin for five grown-ups.
Pricing and Availability in Australia
This is where the IM5 draws its ace in the hole. In a world with six-figure EVs aplenty, the MG IM5 begins at $60,990 drive-away for the Premium, increases to $69,990 for the Platinum, and tops out at $80,990 for the supercar-baiting Performance AWD.
In stores now, with shipments already rolling off since late July 2025, you can purchase one at MG IM showrooms across the country — although early indications are that Performance variants are selling quickly.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Supercar performance for family-sedan prices
Class-leading range (Platinum)
Luxurious interior feel
Loaded up with cutting-edge tech and safety equipment
Ultra-quick charging
Cons:
New luxury sub-brand in Australia — resale prices unknown
Dealer network for IM still smaller than volume MG
Styling might polarize opinion
Final Verdict: Should You Buy One?
The MG IM5 is a bold, brash, and slightly cheeky. It’s MG making the point: “We can do luxury. We can do performance. And we can do it for less than the other boys.”
If you desire an EV that combines long range, serious pace, a luxury interior, and advanced technology — without mortgaging the house — the MG IM5 must be shortlisted. It’s not merely an electric substitute; it’s a real game-changer in Australia’s performance-luxury EV market.
FAQ – MG IM5 Australia
Q: What is the MG IM5’s longest range?
Up to 655 km WLTP in the Platinum model.
Q: How rapid is the MG IM5 Performance?
0–100 km/h in 3.2 seconds.
Q: Is the MG IM5 on sale in Australia today?
Yes, from MG IM dealerships across the country from August 2025.
Q: How rapidly can it charge?
Up to 396 kW DC, 30–80% in ~15 minutes on the Performance model.
Q: Is it superior to a Tesla Model 3 Performance?
On paper, it equals or surpasses it in range and acceleration, and undercuts it in price
