2025 MG ES5 revealed as ZS EV replacement

If you’re looking forward to the new generation MG ZS EV, then you’ll have to get used to a new name. The 2025 MG ES5 is the indirect replacement for the brand’s all-electric small SUV and heralds a raft of changes compared to what’s come before it.

Whereas the current MG ZS EV essentially just replaces the regular model’s petrol engine with a battery pack, the ES5 is based on the same Modular Scalable Platform (MSP) that underpins the MG4 hatch.

Power and Range

While the MG ES5 pinches its 125kW/250Nm rear motor – making it rear-wheel drive rather than front-drive like the ZS EV – and lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry from its base-model hatchback sibling, the battery sizes themselves differ.

Whereas the MG5 is offered with a 51kWh or 64kWh battery pack, ES5 buyers can choose between 49.1kWh or 62.2kWh options. Measuring just 110mm in height, the batteries, developed by MG’s parent company SAIC in conjunction with CATL, are some of the thinnest in the industry.

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Using China’s CLTC standard, the smaller battery offers 425km of range, while the larger pack increases this to 515-525km depending on whether the vehicle is fitted with 17- or 18-inch wheels. Expect the more stringent WLTP figures to be around 20 per cent lower than this.

It’s unclear whether the ES5 will be offered with more powerful motors like the MG4, which can be had with 150kW/250Nm or 180kW/350Nm, but even the standard car can hit 100km/h in 8.0sec and cruise to a 170km/h top speed.

Dimensions

The MG ES5 is a decisively larger car than the ZS EV, almost straddling the small and medium SUV segments. At 4476mm long, 1849mm wide and 1621mm tall with a 2730mm wheelbase, the ES5 is 153mm longer, 40mm wider and 4mm lower than the ZS, with an extra 145mm of wheelbase.

By way of comparison, the current ZS’s closest competitor in the small SUV class, the Hyundai Kona, measures 4350mm long, 1825mm wide, and 1585mm tall with a 2660mm wheelbase. This will make the ES5 one of the largest vehicles in its class.

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Safety and Assistance

Exact specifications for the MG ES5 have not yet been announced, but with the company targeting a five-star Euro NCAP score we’d expected the MG Pilot active safety system to be included in its entirety.

This features adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure warning, blind-spot detection, forward collision warning and traffic jam assist.

Rear parking sensors are also standard and you can expect a reversing camera on all variants, with higher specs likely to have a 360-degree camera.

Pricing and Features

Once again, we’re left to speculate on the MG ES5’s specifications, but plenty of equipment is visible on the (presumably high-spec) press images, including 18-inch wheels, LED lighting front and rear, keyless entry and a panoramic sunroof.

Inside, there’s the familiar combination of a large central infotainment touchscreen with a smaller digital instrument display ahead of the driver, with a wireless charging pad, leather-style upholstery and plenty of interior storage also visible.

Attempting to pinpoint how much the ES5 will cost is very difficult due to MG’s incredibly aggressive recent pricing manoeuvres.

It slashed up to $8700 from the base MG ZS EV in August, dropping it to $34,990 driveaway nationwide, while the Essence and Long Range were cut to $41,990 and $46,990 respectively.

However, this is before MG took a samurai sword to MG4 prices, briefly dropping the entry price of $30,990 driveaway. Regardless, it will be covered by MG’s recently announced 10-year/250,000km warranty.