Test drove and then put my order in

olliewebb

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Lincolnshire
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MG4
Had my MG4 XPOWER since November 2023 and it's been okay apart from the usual XPOWER issues (70mph vibrations, black screen when using cameras when turning and CarPlay, etc, etc).

It goes back to the lease company soon so we went and tried the IM5, ended up not bothering with the Performance variant and going just Long Range as it feels about as quick as the BMW M140i I used to have. Have to say I'm quite impressed, it likes to kick the back end out setting off and although the steering is very numb even compared to the XPOWER it's a big comfy barge.

What I will say though, the self parking goes way too quick, and absolutely hammers it into spaces backwards. Also the lack of one pedal driving mode is a bit annoying.

Thought about loads of other cars before, Smart #3 Barbus (poor range), Volvo EX30 Dual Motor (awful ride), new Merc CLA (too slow!), Polestar 4 (ADAS is more murderous than the MG4!), BMW i4/i5 (fine, but again slow unless you spend massive amounts of money), Hyundai IONIQ 5n (ride too hard), IONIQ 6 (not quick enough).

There was a smile and wave to the guy in the nearly 20 year old SEAT Leon with tatty looking graphics all over it who nearly crashed looking at the demo car with a confused look on his face.
 
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Had my MG4 XPOWER since November 2023 and it's been okay apart from the usual XPOWER issues (70mph vibrations, black screen when using cameras when turning and CarPlay, etc, etc).

It goes back to the lease company soon so we went and tried the IM5, ended up not bothering with the Performance variant and going just Long Range as it feels about as quick as the BMW M140i I used to have. Have to say I'm quite impressed, it likes to kick the back end out setting off and although the steering is very numb even compared to the XPOWER it's a big comfy barge.

What I will say though, the self parking goes way too quick, and absolutely hammers it into spaces backwards. Also the lack of one pedal driving mode is a bit annoying.
Yes I liked the IM5 a lot, and also interested in the yet to be properly revealed larger MGS6, but I'd prefer you younger lads iron out the glitches in the first few months, ended up with the well-reviewed and sorted MGS5 and nearly 30% discount for cash, it's a very agreeable car, lots of nice tech, much better than my MG4 Trophy to drive, and a fair bit quicker to 60 mph, not overly enthusiastic on the "generic" look, The phisical buttons are excellent and well laid out, all except the emergency SOS button, which is next to the internal light switch, had an unexpected polite chat to emergency services.
But it'll have to do for now.
Keep us up to date on the IM5.
 
Yes I liked the IM5 a lot, and also interested in the yet to be properly revealed larger MGS6, but I'd prefer you younger lads iron out the glitches in the first few months, ended up with the well-reviewed and sorted MGS5 and nearly 30% discount for cash, it's a very agreeable car, lots of nice tech, much better than my MG4 Trophy to drive, and a fair bit quicker to 60 mph, not overly enthusiastic on the "generic" look, The phisical buttons are excellent and well laid out, all except the emergency SOS button, which is next to the internal light switch, had an unexpected polite chat to emergency services.
But it'll have to do for now.
Keep us up to date on the IM5.
Not a fan of any SUV really, they make me feel physically sick to look at and they drive like poo aside from the really expensive performance ones. Plus I like to be sat lower so something like a MGS5 or 6, or even IM6 (which I think looks awful in person - really awkward looking much like the awful Tesla model Y which just looks like a big egg) would be an absolute no-go for me, one major plus on the IM5 over the MG4 I have is how much lower I can get the seat. Feeling like you're sat on the car rather than in it has just never worked for me, feels like driving a van.

Plus the SUV shape knackers your efficiency - in both EV and ICE.

With the IM5 being i5 sized and a hatch I reckon it'll be nicely practical.
 
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Not a fan of any SUV really, they make me feel physically sick to look at and they drive like poo aside from the really expensive performance ones. Plus I like to be sat lower so something like a MGS5 or 6, or even IM6 (which I think looks awful in person - really awkward looking much like the awful Tesla model Y which just looks like a big egg) would be an absolute no-go for me, one major plus on the IM5 over the MG4 I have is how much lower I can get the seat. Feeling like you're sat on the car rather than in it has just never worked for me, feels like driving a van.

Plus the SUV shape knackers your efficiency - in both EV and ICE.

With the IM5 being i5 and a hatch I reckon it'll be nicely practical.
We have no real need for an SUV, but it was very well priced and sub 6 seconds 0 to 60 mph, it motors extremely well, but a lower slung job is what I'd like to go for next, with the money I paid for the new MGS5, I can't possibly loose as much as I was likely to on the MG4 PCP, which goes back to the finance company in a short while, so may change it next year, if I get my way. 😂🤔
 
Interestingly all of those cars were on my radar too, against the IM5, so that's very useful feedback! In the end, we've decided on the CLA because <7s is fast enough for us, particularly with wife and dog on board (I've done the sub 5s thing a few times now so the novelty has worn off ;) ).
If they'd made an IM4, i.e. a car the size of (say) a Polestar 2 but with the spec and comfort of the IM5 (and the value), then we'd have placed an order.
 
Interestingly all of those cars were on my radar too, against the IM5, so that's very useful feedback! In the end, we've decided on the CLA because <7s is fast enough for us, particularly with wife and dog on board (I've done the sub 5s thing a few times now so the novelty has worn off ;) ).
If they'd made an IM4, i.e. a car the size of (say) a Polestar 2 but with the spec and comfort of the IM5 (and the value), then we'd have placed an order.
I agree it's just too big, if it was Tesla 3 or polestar 2 size (as you mentioned) then it would be in the mix but it's just about Tesla model S, land rover discovery size
 
I agree it's just too big, if it was Tesla 3 or polestar 2 size (as you mentioned) then it would be in the mix but it's just about Tesla model S, land rover discovery size
I know it is big ‘on paper’ but although it is supposed to be a fair bit wider (100mm excluding mirrors and 40mm with) than my Ioniq 5 it was not a problem to get through my narrow gate posts. I have to be careful with the I5 but the IM 6 seemed no more awkward and the 4 wheel steering made reversing in much easier.
 
I know it is big ‘on paper’ but although it is supposed to be a fair bit wider (100mm excluding mirrors and 40mm with) than my Ioniq 5 it was not a problem to get through my narrow gate posts. I have to be careful with the I5 but the IM 6 seemed no more awkward and the 4 wheel steering made reversing in much easier.
It's not the driving that bothers me, I had an arteon that was just a few cm's shorter, it the leaving it in public/private car parks nobody else gives a toss about other people's cars I came back to a ding to the front rear and side with that car
 
Agree. That's why I'm very careful where I park. But you'll still get the tossers, who are not as careful. 😡
Gets to the stage where you look for a nice clean car to park next to as you think the owner probably looks after it. Never park next to people carriers as kids don't care about the car next to them.
Harder to be fussy when you have a massive motor though
 
It's not the driving that bothers me, I had an arteon that was just a few cm's shorter, it the leaving it in public/private car parks nobody else gives a toss about other people's cars I came back to a ding to the front rear and side with that car
It's why I always have scratch and dent insurance, also a dash cam with parking mode.

Interestingly all of those cars were on my radar too, against the IM5, so that's very useful feedback! In the end, we've decided on the CLA because <7s is fast enough for us, particularly with wife and dog on board (I've done the sub 5s thing a few times now so the novelty has worn off ;) ).
If they'd made an IM4, i.e. a car the size of (say) a Polestar 2 but with the spec and comfort of the IM5 (and the value), then we'd have placed an order.
My other half won't accept a car that doesn't do 0-60 in under 5 seconds. Even the LR IM5 was a hard sell over the Performance.

Even when we had a MINI F55 Cooper S I ended up with a tune on it to make it quick enough for her.
 
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I guess she doesn't drive the MG Midget that often then ;)
Refuses to drive either the Midget or TF.

To be fair to the Midget it's not stock and is 55bhp at the rear wheels last time it had a dyne run to set up the carb - it's a lot quicker than people think. I kept up easily with a Octavia vRS last time I had it out.

It's faster than a lot of modern cars off the line due to being so light and having way better tyres than they could ever have imagined in the late 60s.
 
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First thing to do is switch to proper all season tyres. There's no such thing as an unsuitable car for the weather, it's unsuitable tyres. It really shouldn't be legal to sell cars with summer tyres on these days, they're just inappropriate...
 
First thing to do is switch to proper all season tyres. There's no such thing as an unsuitable car for the weather, it's unsuitable tyres. It really shouldn't be legal to sell cars with summer tyres on these days, they're just inappropriate...
I guess it depends where you live. Rarely gets below 0 degs where I am these days.
 
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