MG IM5 and IM6 2025 Review

As they are essentially mechanically identical, the 2025 IM Presented by MG Motor IM5 and IM6 ranges mirror each other with the same three variants on offer and, unusually, with identical pricing.

The Premium introduces each line-up from $60,990 drive-away and includes a 75kWh battery, rear-wheel drive a host of cutting-edge tech and room for five adults. Above that, the Platinum increases the battery size to 100kWh with a corresponding bump in performance and a price of $69,990 drive-away.

At the top of the pack for now there is the Performance AWD, which gains an extra motor for all-wheel drive and some serious acceleration claims – 3.2s 0-100km/h for the sedan – and all for the reasonable-depending-on-how-you-look-at-it price of $80,990 drive-away.

All variants have rear-steering as standard – a feature not found in any other entire line-up regardless of price and brand. Identical pricing for the SUV and sedan is another product point rarely seen in any other family. There’s also a well-appointed cabin with minimalist design, good materials and digital screens that almost warrant measurement in acres.

An 800-volt main electrical system (875-volt peak power) for 100kWh battery versions is partly to thank for the impressive performance figures along with a maximum charge rate of 369kW and a range of up to 755km.

Power and torque ranges from 217kW/450Nm for the entry Premium, through to the 300kW/500Nm Platinum, while IM does not offer combined output for the Performance instead listing individual motor outputs of 200kW front and 375kW rear. Peak torque is said to be 302/500Nm front/rear, but don’t go adding those numbers together for a total as it doesn’t work like that.

If you can get over the initial recoil at a car ‘presented by MG Motor’ costing more than $80k, the IM’s price starts to make a lot more sense when you delve into what’s included.

One element you’ll have to wait for is a comprehensive review of the way the 2025 IM Presented by MG Motor IM5 and IM6 both drive as our first experience was in a very damp and cold carpark on Sydney’s docks. But the afternoon exploring some of the IM range’s features allowed a good understanding on some of the class-leading technology the company is including for the price.

As is typical for a Chinese challenger brand, the usual hyperbole is wheeled out in truck loads including many mentions of AI, super-intelligent this and iSmart that. In reality there is a lot of cutting-edge tech and while not all of it is as new as the brochure might imply, a lot of it has evolved to the forefront.

An example is the one-touch self-parking which, as the name suggests, requires the hit of one virtual button on the central 10.5-inch screen (separate to the 26-inch main digital display) before the car will conduct a completely hands-off reverse or parallel park.

While similar systems already exist, IM’s solution doesn’t require any ‘teaching’ by driving alongside the available spaces, nor does it require the driver to touch any pedals or the steering. It’s also very fast and performs the manoeuvre quicker than we would perhaps attempt in an unfamiliar car.

Another innovative feature is ‘trace-back’ which demonstrates that the IM is constantly recording data from its surroundings. If the driver should find themselves stuck in a dead-end alley for example, the feature autonomously reverses the vehicle up to 100 meters retracing its steps. It’ll also accommodates for any new obstacles that present in the meantime.

The final feature in our science-fair style tech showcase was the ‘crab’ enabled by the rear-wheel steering that features on all three IM5 and IM6 variants. With a rear axle that can angle up to 12-degrees, the effective turning circle is just 12m – not bad for a car with a near 3.0m wheelbase.

But it’s more unorthodox attribute is the ability to turn all four wheels in the same direction at low speeds – including up to 6 degrees for the rears and enabling the IM to perform a strange diagonal slip. Gimmick or genuinely useful trick to escape a looming kerb? You be the judge, but we can see this kind of feature becoming something less confident drivers increasingly demand in the future.

And if you’re wondering about outright performance, we were given a quick teaser of the Performance AWD’s zero to 100km/h ability in an acceleration demo. It’s fast. Traction in the horrid conditions was impressive thanks to four-wheel grip and Pirelli P Zero rubber on 20-inch wheels, but the linear acceleration at more than 40km/h is where the IM5 really stands out.

The official claim is standstill to 100km/h in a monstrous 3.2 seconds. For comparison, a Porsche Taycan Turbo will match the IM’s acceleration but has a price that requires about $200,000 more.

In terms of actual rivals, Tesla’s Model 3 will certainly be reviewing some of its life decisions, while the Kia EV6, Volkswagen ID.4, Mercedes EQE, Ioniq 5 and 6 and BMW i4 are all examples from mainstream brands, while challengers including BYD Sealion 7 and Deepal S07 will all be on the comparison list.

Other initial positives from our brief meeting were the nicely appointed interiors with generous space in both rows of seating, but particularly the second row. There’s also a pleasant, understated cabin with a minimalist design and good quality materials.

Other nice touches we encountered include a magnetic dash allowing devices to simply stick to the surface, doing away with mounts that might spoil the IM’s minimalist finish. A Snapdragon 8295 central processor promises fast tech functions while a Nvidia Orin N chip looks after the ‘digital chassis’ processing, there’s a 7.1.4 sound system with 20 speakers and double glazing in all side windows.

Subjective, we know, but a nod of respect must go to the exterior design – particularly the IM5 which certainly appears to have borrowed a few ideas from other brands but splices them into one look with good effect. Finally, the IM6 design proves that simply stretching a sedan upwards to create an SUV can work better than Tesla’s transformation from Model S to Model X.

There’s not a lot to gripe about in standard equipment with almost everything included in typical MG form.

Other omissions could surface when we get behind the wheel of the 2025 IM Presented by MG Motor IM5 and IM6 for longer, but for now air suspension is an expensive option of between $3990 and $4990 depending on the variant. We’ll have to wait on a drive outside a carpark to determine if it’s worth spending that extra cash.

We’ll also have to see how the lack of physical buttons goes with a longer test, but consolidating functions into digital screens and virtual buttons typically results in frustrating ergonomics. Although at least the IM has a second 10.5-inch screen to the main digital instrument and infotainment displays.

The range-defining 800-volt electrical system is only for 100kWh battery variants, with the entry level Premium getting a 400-volt main power system with its 75kWh battery. This means slower charging measure-for-measure and a corresponding drop in performance.

Safety systems feature heavily with all the top-shelf kit included such as AEB, lane departure, reverse traffic alerts and plenty of driver assistance steering features. Yet, while the model has achieved the full five-star safety rating through native C-NCAP, it awaits the eye of local ANCAP scrutiny with no current Australian testing.

And while you might be justifiably proud of taking the plunge with a new intriguing brand, you’ll probably feel a bit silly telling people the full name. We hope the company pares things back to simply ‘IM’.

If you’re prepared to take a punt on how the IM5 and IM6 will drive and place an order based on the impressive levels of technology and standard equipment, you certainly wouldn’t be the first customer to buy a car without driving it.

That said, it might be worth holding off just a little longer. If the rest of the IM experience matches the impressive tech and comfort features we’ve seen so far, the drive-away pricing could represent solid value — especially if you're open to trying something new from a still-emerging name.

If anything, the MG connection is a good thing. Have a look at the most recent reviews and comparisons on carsales to understand why it’s the seventh best-selling brand in Australia (at the time of writing) and improving with each update and generation.

There’s still a huge amount more to unpack with the new IM twins, including real-world range, charging speeds, driver assistance systems and, perhaps most importantly, how this intriguing new pair of cars drive. But a glimpse at what it has to offer is certainly encouraging.

2025 IM6 Performance AWD at a glance:
Price: from $80,990 drive-away
Available: September 2025
Powertrain: Two permanent magnet synchronous motors including Hurricane rear unit
Output: 575kW/302Nm and 500Nm (f/r)
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 100kWh lithium-ion
Range: 505km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: not available
Safety rating: Not tested

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