The MGS6 EV boasts some elements that hark back to historic Morris Garages' offerings
If you’ve spent time with classic MG models as this writer has, the new breed of MG electrified cars could cause some consternation.
From building wallet-friendly sports cars (in its past life during the 1950s to 1980s), MG has since undergone both evolutionary and ownership shifts, with SAIC Motor, a Shanghai-based Chinese state-owned manufacturer, the current steward of the once-British marque.
Today’s MG encompasses a raft of electrified cars that spans hatchback (MG4), crossover (MGS5 and MGS6) and MPV (M9), but also includes a nod to its British sports car roots, the Cyberster, an all-electric roadster with dramatic scissors-doors.
With constantly fluctuating COE premiums, the lower-powered Cat A cars aren’t always necessarily cheaper than their Cat B counterparts, as the detuned former offerings see similar fluctuations in sales cycles (case in point: at time of writing, Cat A is $106,501 and Cat B is $105,001).
Happily enough, we are firm believers that for city commuter use, there is little sense in having an overpowered electric vehicle (EV), especially since an EV’s immediate response and gobstopping torque give them a head-start in start-stop traffic, yes, even for the detuned Cat A models.
Besides, have you seen the road tax that high-powered Cat B EVs attract? If I really wanted to drop $6k a year on road tax alone, I’d rather spend it on a V8 or a classic-car side-piece with some personality, which brings us back to the Cat A MGS6 EV and its wallet-friendly ~$1.5k annual road tax.
The MGS6 EV is a proportionally stretched version of the MGS5 and certainly cuts a striking, stylish figure in the test car’s subtle Stratford Gold hue.
Folks often make that face at the mention of “gold”, but in the right shade, it is a very sophisticated colour choice and the MGS6 nails it well.
The MGS6’s 4,708mm x 1,912mm x 1,672mm (LxBxH) and 2,835mm wheelbase has the right amount of stretch over the MGS5’s 4,476mm x 1,849mm x 1,638mm and 2,730mm wheelbase for family-ferrying utility, yet never slips into MPV territory.
This writer likes the MGS6’s nuanced design. MG doesn’t try to be bold or brash with OTT cuts and slashes, so it exudes style and sophistication without the unnecessary fanfare.
The doors open to a comfortable and chic cockpit that features a familiar touchscreen centrepiece (12.8-inch here), but unlike the minimalist aesthetic of many modern EVs, the MGS6’s cabin is not dominated by it.
Instead, we have a nice fusion of tactile switchgear (for essential functions) and touch controls, which continues to characterise the interface in legacy car brands. If you ask us, going all-digital for every feature is good only for frills, but less so for function.
For rival EVs to the MGS6 that boast all-digital operation, it isn’t much different from fiddling with one’s phone on the move, so it is mind-boggling to perpetuate this when drivers should be focusing on driving.
However, we understand that some quarters venerate such full-digitalisation touch-everything features as an indication of breakneck technological progress.
This writer cannot disagree more, because as far as I am concerned, progress is the ability to slow things down to properly enjoy life, and one of life’s joys comes from tactile feel, not aimless jabs at an unfeeling screen.
The MGS6 acquits itself admirably in terms of practical function. For starters, the second row features a flat floor — as far as we are concerned, this is an integral quality of proper EVs.
Furthermore, both frunk and rear trunk have useful stowage ability for all one’s knick-knacks: 86 litres in front (pictured above) and 674 litres at the back (pictured below).
The latter is also expandable to 1,690 litres with the rear seats folded flat.
The Long Range 77kWh battery delivers up to 530km in the WLTP combined cycle, and offers 109kW (148hp) and 350Nm for reasonably brisk progress in the city.
The single motor delivers rear-drive motoring, working with the feelworthy steering to make for reasonably entertaining dynamics when one succumbs to the red mist!
Mind you, the MGS6 may not be outright fast, but it boasts a sporty agility to its go-faster shenanigans that is a nice throwback to Morris Garages' historic sports car offerings of yesteryear.
All in, the MGS6 is an appealing alternative for those seeking an EV that straddles the line between analogue and digital.
MGS6 EV Luxury 77kWh Long Range
Battery: 77kWh, 400V, RWD
Power: 109kW (148hp)
Torque: 350Nm
0-100km/h: 9.8secs
Top Speed: 200km/h
WLTP range (combined): 530km
Kerbweight: About 1.9 tonnes
