MG S6 review: Chinese electric SUV offers value but falls short of rivals
The MG S6 is a bigger, mainstream SUV from the company – pretty much larger than anything they’ve made.
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MG S6 |
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Rating |
★★★☆☆ |
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Price |
from €39,495 - €42,495 as tested |
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Engine |
Full electric with 241bhp on tap |
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Range |
Claimed to be 530km, but 460km a more realistic estimate |
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The Spec |
Savage – for the asking price |
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Verdict |
Good but not great |
It is no coincidence that Chinese made vehicles have been taking up a lot of column inches here at Examiner Motoring in recent times.
The sheer volume of product coming from the Chinese has everyone sitting up and taking notice, not least the distributing operators who have been warmly embracing the invasion along with their dealer networks – both largely because of the upswing in consumer interest and therefore profit margins.
A lot of the Chinese product we’re seeing is perfectly good, albeit characteristically somewhat lacking in terms of handling ability and maddening to drive because of the distracting screen-based control systems.
Another thing is the lack of innovation or originality when it comes to the look of the vehicles, and while it would be unfair to characterise the products coming from Chinese factories – and in some cases their European manufacturing operations – as mere knockoffs, but some of the similarities to what the Europeans are doing is, well, uncanny.
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With certain individual cars it is obvious they’ve taken their cues from European designs – despite having their own design studios based here in this part of the world filled with people who’ve learned their trade here too.
This week’s tester, the MGS6, is a case in point.
Sure, viewed from the front, it looks pretty individual, but the side and rear views show it to have an uncanny resemblance to the Mercedes GLC. Side-on it’s a ringer for the Stuttgart car and the back-end view too demonstrates just how close in appearance it is to the Mercedes SUV.
This is far from being simple dumb luck. It is a determined effort by the Chinese company to take from the best of European design and utilise it for its own purposes. The great fashion designer Coco Chanel once said of (Yves) St. Laurent: “He has great taste. The more he copies me, the better taste he displays.” It is a bit the same with Chinese car makers – only choose the best to plagiarise.
Whatever about all that, the MGS6 is a bigger, mainstream SUV from the company – pretty much larger than anything they’ve made heretofore. The usual Chinese selling points are at hand and affordability, specification and spaciousness are all in play here.
It fits into their model line-up at the top of the pile for the moment and is the biggest car they make which is based on their Modular Scalable Platform.
Technically it is a C-segment SUV, but typical of the brand, their contender is larger than most in the category. It was a similar tale for the MG ZS and the MG S5 and both have been big sellers for the company. That template is now being used for this car.
So, it actually flirts with the next segment up and that’s why it’s drawing comparisons with such as the GLC – and not just on looks. In terms of roominess, boot space and passenger comfort, it is a car which feels like it belongs in a segment which is not the one it is officially listed as being in.
That said, it is far from being a tour de force of any description and while MG has proven that it capable of making cars which are – Cyberster take a bow, please – dramatic and hugely capable, this will not go down in the history books as being one.
But MG does have its corporate eye on the premium market and to that end two new SUVs will be hitting the streets here – most likely before the end of this year – the IM5 and the IM6 and both will be based on an-all new platform and aim to lure more affluent customers usually associated with Mercedes (natch) as well as BMW and Tesla.
That means, for now, that the MGS6 sits atop the currently configured MG range and will target customers who would normally be seen driving VWs, Skodas, Renaults, or any number of Stellantis products.
So, what is it? Well, it’s a comfortable, spacious and tech-laden (the latter not necessarily being fantastically appealing) SUV and, most importantly, it’s cheap at just over €40,000.
It does comes with a dual motor/4x4 option, but that, oddly, is not necessarily the best one. Rather, the two-wheel-drive Exclusive long-range version which we tested is as accomplished as anyone will need, even if the word ‘satisfactory’ is one that comes to mind here rather than any more complimentary.
It is aimed largely at the family market and, as such, will fulfil the needs of those customers without bother. It has some 241 bhp on tap from a 77-kWh electric motor which drives the rear wheels. The 0-100 km/h dash is achieved in a brisk 7.3 seconds and the top speed a tad over 200 km/h.
The claimed range is 530km, but a 100% charge on my elderly wallbox only managed to get it to provide a range of 460km and took just under 12 hours to achieve. MG says you’ll get a 10 to 80% charge in just 38 minutes on a 150kW DC fast charger.
Out on the road it is a settled handling performer, has decent turn-in characteristics with not too much lean; ride characteristics are not so hot and on those course surfaces which are second nature here it loses composure a little.
The interior is pretty upmarket what with faux leather and suede upholstery and the twin digital screens (10.25” instrumentation and 12.8” infotainment) are bright and responsive but if you want to shut off any of the battery of safety assist functions, you better do it at the start of your journey or else stop to do it, because trying it while on the move is not a good idea.
A powered tailgate, panoramic sunroof with blinds, 360-degree parking camera and front and rear parking sensors, 11-speaker audio system and heated rear seats are all part of the spec package. The ventilated phone charger is also a neat touch.
As ever with these things, the driver monitoring system is a pain, but physical volume and climate controls are welcome. The boot too is huge and the amount of room in the back for passengers is plentiful and although there’s not underfloor space for charging cables, there is a 124-litre frunk under the hood for just that purpose.
That the Chinese are getting closer and closer to making really good mass-market cars is unquestionable but, like this MG, there are still frailties in the product make-up which make them appealing on a purely value-for-money basis.
The MG S6 is a very competent bus, but it will be interesting to see what the forthcoming IM5 and IM6 bring to the party. One would have to suspect they will be better again and will have improved range characteristics as well.
As for this one, it’s a case of close-but-no-cigar. Value for money certainly, but dynamically not quite where it should be.
