Finally - my new car

Grimbo

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Joined
Sep 29, 2025
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Location (town/city + country)
Newcastle upon Tyne
Driving
Not an MG
Ordered October from Arnold Clark - arrived this morning.

IM5 performance, white/white.

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I've come from a Jaguar i-Pace which is an incredibly well put together car which cost £85K new and this is almost as good (which is a compliment because that Jag was amazing).

My first surprise was that this is the first new car I've had (and I've had about 15 over the years) which doesn't have "new car smell". It has no smell! I'm guessing that there's no real leather in here.

Next reaction is that the interface is awful and was obviously designed by a car person and not an interface person. It's all over the place! I'm sure that I'll get used to it, but it's going to be a case of remembering where all the things I need are rather than any kind of logic!

Good points...

Looks gorgeous, inside and out.

Comfortable and quiet to drive. Can't comment on efficiency yet as I've not had it our of Performance mode :cool:

Packs a punch.. Early tests indicate that it can really really perform!

Setup was (pretty) easy.. Binding worked first time, Carplay was easy (when I worked out how to do it).



Bad points...

The keys! 3 different keys, none of which are really convenient. The car shaped one (which doesn't look like an IM5) has no hole to attach to a key ring (I'll have to buy something)... The card which will fit in my wallet I suppose, and a physical key which is just the metal part of a key! I've read on other posts that you really should keep this with you (although I doubt that I will).

No auto-dimming headlights? This is a puzzle! I've had auto-dimming headlights for maybe 15 years!

Dashcam... It's great that it has a dashcam, but why do I have to fit something after-market to record the rear image (the data is obviously being sent to the computer).

Bings and bongs are annoying (I know it's a legal thing and I know I can turn them off but it's still annoying).
 
Ordered October from Arnold Clark - arrived this morning.

IM5 performance, white/white.

View attachment 45600View attachment 45601

I've come from a Jaguar i-Pace which is an incredibly well put together car which cost £85K new and this is almost as good (which is a compliment because that Jag was amazing).

My first surprise was that this is the first new car I've had (and I've had about 15 over the years) which doesn't have "new car smell". It has no smell! I'm guessing that there's no real leather in here.

Next reaction is that the interface is awful and was obviously designed by a car person and not an interface person. It's all over the place! I'm sure that I'll get used to it, but it's going to be a case of remembering where all the things I need are rather than any kind of logic!

Good points...

Looks gorgeous, inside and out.

Comfortable and quiet to drive. Can't comment on efficiency yet as I've not had it our of Performance mode :cool:

Packs a punch.. Early tests indicate that it can really really perform!

Setup was (pretty) easy.. Binding worked first time, Carplay was easy (when I worked out how to do it).



Bad points...

The keys! 3 different keys, none of which are really convenient. The car shaped one (which doesn't look like an IM5) has no hole to attach to a key ring (I'll have to buy something)... The card which will fit in my wallet I suppose, and a physical key which is just the metal part of a key! I've read on other posts that you really should keep this with you (although I doubt that I will).

No auto-dimming headlights? This is a puzzle! I've had auto-dimming headlights for maybe 15 years!

Dashcam... It's great that it has a dashcam, but why do I have to fit something after-market to record the rear image (the data is obviously being sent to the computer).

Bings and bongs are annoying (I know it's a legal thing and I know I can turn them off but it's still annoying).
Looks good, maybe there is a programming device available you can plug and rearrange the interface menu to put them in an order that is easier to get along with ..... like things you would use all the time in the first menu and things you would probably use once in blue moon, like towing mode, buried deep enough you were unlikely to find it without a directory .... just be thankful it isn't set out that way, main directory menu to get you to sub menus that you end up searching every one to find what you are looking for .... then a glossary of terms like ACC is not the air conditioning or accessory mode and similar acronyms that make little sense for the first 12 mths .....

I guess we should be thankful it isn't in Chinese or Chinglish

Lucky you got your order in early, at our electric vehicle meeting, the national rep gave the figures for EV to ICE new car orders, EV's are up 150% on the same number this mth last yr, and wait times are now at 6 to 12 mths and the buyer will have to make up any price increases when the vehicles arrive .... all in 1 mth of crazy fuel prices ...... The move is on, from early adopter to main stream it seems

T1 Terry
 
Bad points...

The keys! 3 different keys, none of which are really convenient. The car shaped one (which doesn't look like an IM5) has no hole to attach to a key ring (I'll have to buy something)... The card which will fit in my wallet I suppose, and a physical key which is just the metal part of a key! I've read on other posts that you really should keep this with you (although I doubt that I will).

No auto-dimming headlights? This is a puzzle! I've had auto-dimming headlights for maybe 15 years!

Dashcam... It's great that it has a dashcam, but why do I have to fit something after-market to record the rear image (the data is obviously being sent to the computer).

Bings and bongs are annoying (I know it's a legal thing and I know I can turn them off but it's still annoying).
There are plenty of key holder options and I have a leather one that holds the fob and the mech key (if you do not have the mech key and there is a 12v problem you will be stuck with no alternative solution so bet to carry it!)

Auto dim issue has been mentioned loads of times…….

You can put tape over the distraction camera to stop the driver attention warnings. If you really do not want the safety warnings you can set the car up so you can disable them easily for each drive. However, you get used to the bings very quickly.
 
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