MG Marvel R electric SUV revealed

MG has officially unveiled its stylish new Marvel R Electric SUV, a car it hopes will take the European market by storm – but not, it seems, Australia.

The Marvel R was first revealed online as a Roewe-badged concept last May – at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading most western media to miss it.

The concept debuted as a futuristic reimagining of the Roewe/MG Marvel X that entered production for China and India in 2018, being built in both countries to suit their respective markets.

In this new form, the electric SUV made its Chinese-market debut in February this year. For its upcoming European debut, MG claims the Marvel 5 will “raise the bar even further in terms of design and appeal.”

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The MG Marvel 5 launches what the company is referring to as its “second generation” of design language, one defined by contemporary “Tech Style”.

The new-look SUV's front features a slim LED daytime running light along its leading edge, while matrix-style headlights are tucked into large apertures on either side of the car’s angular front grille.

That looks continues at the rear, with slender tail lamps connected by a thin LED band, set amongst deeply creased character lines. A pair of deep vents, likely cosmetic items, are set at the corners of the rear bumper.

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Inside, the Marvel 5 boasts a premium look matched to suitably modern technology – including a 19.4-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel.

Over and above its Marvel X predecessor, the Marvel 5 also benefits from a development plan that saw MG parent SAIC work with compatrior Huawei to develop critical 5G technology, enabling future-ready self-driving and communications capabilities.

Power and range

Spearheading the launch of the Marvel R’s drivetrain configuration will be a “tri-motor” all-wheel drive system, which will employ two electric motors on the rear axle and one of the front.

According to MG, the combined power of all three motors equates to 212kW and 665Nm, which is enough get-up-and-go to hurtle the SUV from rest to 100km/h in just 4.9 seconds.

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Driving range is rated at 400km (WLTP), and thanks to the use of an 11kW on-board three-phase charger, MG says owners will be able to fast charge the Marvel R’s batteries to 80 per cent full in just 30 minutes.

A V2L (vehicle-to-load) system, which allows for external devices to be charged by the car’s lithium-ion battery, will also feature on the Marvel R.

Towing capacity is rated 750kg unbraked, and the AWD variant will offer 357 litres of rear boot storage, or 1396 litres with the rear seats folded down.

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A rear-wheel drive version of the Marvel R will also be made available to European customers, which increases luggage space by a further 150 litres, thanks to an additional front storage area (frunk).

The mid-sized SUV will come equipped with a number of safe driver systems including MG Pilot driver assistance and i-Booster braking assistance.

Will the MG Marvel 5 come to Australia?

Alas, no, at least not in the near future. MG Australia has confirmed there are no current plans to bring the Marvel 5 here, although it says it will be monitoring availability.

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“We’re excited to see the potential of the MG Marvel R and its performance would certainly excite Australian buyers,” a spokesperson for MG Motor Australia says.

“There are currently no plans to introduce the Marvel R to the local MG line-up, but it’s one we’re watching with interest.”

The Marvel R is due to go on sale in Europe from May 2021.