MG S5 EV spied in Malaysia – ZS EV replacement targets Proton eMas 7, BYD Atto 3; launching May
No, this is not the fifth iteration of Metal Gear Solid, but the latest compact electric SUV from MG. The MG S5 has already been launched in Thailand and its May launch in Malaysia has been teased, and now it’s been spotted by reader Arvin Raj on a trailer wearing some swirly camouflage.
Despite the hypnotic disguise doing its best to confuse our eyes, the S5’s distinctive full-width taillights with T-shaped corners leave little doubt as to its identity. The car is seen here with the base 17-inch turbine-style rollers, although snazzier 18s are also available globally. Other notable design cues not seen in these images are split LED headlights – the upper “eyebrows” incorporate chequered flag-inspired daytime running lights – and a split centre air intake with an active shutter.
Also not seen here is the S5’s interior, which takes after the MG4 hatch with similar controls for the three-spoke oblong steering wheel (the MG4 uses a two-spoke tiller), a clean horizontal dashboard, a freestanding 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen and a tall centre console with a rotary gear selector.
Other features include a 10.25-inch digital instrument display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Qi wireless charger, power-adjustable front seats, a panoramic glass sunroof and a 6 kW vehicle-to-load (V2L) function. There’s also a full complement of driver assists such as autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane centring assist and blind spot monitoring.
Measuring 4,476 mm long, 1,849 mm wide and 1,621 mm tall, the S5 is 153 mm longer, 40 mm wider and four millimetres lower than its predecessor, the ZS EV, while its 2,730 mm wheelbase is 149 mm longer. Next to its main rival, the Proton eMas 7, the MG is 139 mm shorter, 52 mm narrower and 49 mm lower and has a 20 mm shorter wheelbase; it’s also slightly larger than the BYD Atto 3.
In Thailand, the range starts with the D variant, powered by a single rear motor that makes 170 PS (125 kW) and 250 Nm of torque, good for getting it from zero to 100 km/h in eight seconds flat. It’s juiced by a 50 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that provides a WLTP-rated range of 340 km. The car accepts up to 88 kW of DC fast charging power and 11 kW of AC charging. The same powertrain motivates the mid-spec X.
The range-topping V gets boosted to 245 PS (180 kW) and 350 Nm, slashing the century sprint time to 6.1 seconds. This variant also gains a 64 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery that increases the range to 463 km, while a jump in maximum DC fast charging input to 140 kW enables the pack to be topped up from 10 to 80% charge in under 30 minutes.
What about pricing? Well, the S5 is sold in the Land of Smiles from 739,900 baht (RM95,600) to 949,900 baht (RM122,700), although a launch promo brings those figures down to 719,900 baht (RM93,000) to 899,900 baht (RM116,200).
Factor in a slight price bump to put the car above the RM100,000 floor price for CBU EVs and the S5 will be right in the ballpark of the eMas 7 and, at the top end, the new BYD Atto 3 Ultra. It will, at the very least, offer a damn sight more value for your money than the ZS EV, which launched last year at RM126,629 with just 320 km of range.
GALLERY: MG S5 at 2025 Bangkok Motor Show
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