MG Philippines is hot off the heels of launching a slew of vehicles at the 2026 Philippine International Motor Show last June, but it isn’t slowing down any time soon as it prepares to launch a new model that was previewed to journalists at a recent media drive.
This is the S5 EV, a subcompact crossover that is a full battery electric vehicle that aims to pad its lineup of electrified offerings once it’s launched this coming August.
This crossover shares its EV platform with the outgoing MG 4 (the current MG 4 Urban is based on a new platform), and it’s promised to be a “fun-to-drive” crossover unlike other typical electric crossovers thanks to a rear-mounted electric motor and low center of gravity thanks to its “ultra-thin battery design”.
This rear-wheel-driven crossover has a power output of 170 horsepower (ps) and 250Nm of torque, alongside a 49kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that should do up to 415km of range (NEDC) on a single charge. Charging is done via a Type 2 AC up to 7kW, or CCS2 DC fast charging at speeds of up to 120kW, allowing to be charged from 30 to 80% in around 26 minutes, and it also supports Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capabilities.
It achieves that thanks to a sleek, aerodynamic design with a drag coefficient figure of 0.28, way less than your conventional crossover. This is also thanks to its aerodynamic 17-inch wheels, which are single-tone black at least in this model.
Inside, it features a minimalist interior with soft-touch materials, dual fabric and leather upholstered seats, two screens—a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.8-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, several physical controls for the infotainment and climate control, and the suite of the MG Pilot advanced driver assistance systems, down to a driver monitoring system.
More details of this car will be revealed towards its launch in August, but what we can see from this preview is that it’s an interesting alternative to crossovers like the BYD Atto 3, Jaecoo J5 EV, Omoda E5, Lynk & Co 02, and the Toyota Urban Cruiser.
