S5

Both grades are Essence trim with identical equipment, so the choice is purely about the battery. The Essence 49 offers 335km of WLTP range and a 125kW motor for $41,990 drive-away. The Essence 62 costs $46,990 drive-away and lifts range to 450km, while its MY26 upgrade to a 150kW/350Nm motor cuts the 0-100km/h sprint to 7.0 seconds and adds faster 150kW DC charging. For most buyers the extra range and performance justify the step up, which is why the 62 accounts for the majority of sales. The 49 makes sense if your driving stays short and city-based.

The Essence 49's smaller 49kWh battery is rated at 335km on the WLTP cycle, held back slightly by its 18-inch wheels and weight. The Essence 62's 62kWh pack is rated at 450km after the MY26 update lifted it from 425km. As with any EV, real-world range depends on speed, climate and load, and reviewers found consumption tracking close to MG's claims. The figures are competitive with rivals rather than class-leading, so if maximum range is your priority the Essence 62 is the one to have.

AC charging is capped at 6.6kW on both grades, which suits overnight top-ups at home. On DC fast chargers the Essence 49 accepts up to 120kW and the Essence 62 up to 150kW, so a public splash-and-dash is quick enough for real family trips. MG quotes a 30 to 80 per cent DC charge in under 20 minutes. The S5 EV uses a CCS Type 2 port and also offers vehicle-to-load at 3.3kW, letting you run camping gear or appliances straight from the battery.

Running costs are a real strength. Energy consumption sits around 169Wh/km, servicing falls due every 15,000km or 12 months, and MG caps each visit at $300, for roughly $1,500 across five years on 2026 pricing. The headline is the warranty: 10 years or 250,000km when serviced through an MG dealer, backed by an eight-year, 150,000km battery warranty and three years of roadside assistance. For a budget EV, that cover directly answers the long-term-reliability worry that still hangs over the category.

The S5 EV holds a five-star ANCAP rating from 2025 testing. It scored 90 per cent for adult occupant protection, 86 per cent for child occupant, 82 per cent for vulnerable road users and 79 per cent for safety assist. Both grades get the same standard suite, including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Reviewers note the driver-monitoring and speed-limit alerts can be over-eager, but MG now lets you save your preferred settings, which takes the sting out of the usual EV safety-nanny gripes.

The Essence 49 is $41,990 drive-away and the Essence 62 is $46,990 drive-away for a NSW private buyer, priced 12 August 2026. The MY26 update discontinued the cheaper Excite grades for private buyers, so the Essence 49 is now the entry point. Even so, the S5 EV remains one of the most affordable electric SUVs on sale in Australia, undercutting most of its direct rivals.