New MGS6 EV revealed – before you’re supposed to see it!

The new MGS6 EV has been inadvertently revealed by Euro NCAP, even before the brand has had a chance to confirm the car itself. It means our first look at the new MG shows it being smashed to smithereens, rather than via the glossy hi-resolution press pictures we’d usually publish when a new car is unveiled.

The positive for MG is that its latest model has received a full five-star Euro NCAP rating, as well as strong scores for adult and child-occupant protection. The S6 EV scored 92 per cent and 85 per cent respectively in the two categories, as well as 84 per cent for vulnerable road users, and 78 per cent in the safety assist test.

Taking overall design inspiration from the smaller MGS5 EV, the MGS6 is marked out by a tweaked headlight design and reprofiled bumpers. It also gets a visibly longer wheelbase and a boxier rear end, which should help make the larger model feel far bigger inside. 

We need to look at NCAP’s crash-test video to get a glimpse of the rear, which highlights significant design differences between the S5 and S6; the S6 gets a much longer overhang and a slimmer, full-width lightbar, while the lower part of the bumper gets some chrome trim and a faux rear diffuser.

We’ve not been able to get a proper look at the car’s interior, but another screengrab from the video shows a familiar steering-wheel design and fully digital instrument cluster. The rest of the cabin remains under wraps, although we assume MG will choose to fit a large central display, similar to that seen in the smaller S5.

Speaking to Auto Express earlier in the year, David Allison, MG UK’s Head of Product and Planning, said the firm would need to “explore new segments to grow”, with one of those being an “all-electric C-segment SUV” that’ll apparently arrive in the next few years. 

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When pushed on what cars MG’s new SUV might rival, Allison listed the Renault Scenic, Volkswagen ID.4 and Nissan Ariya, suggesting that the new car would sit below the recently launched IM6 SUV, but above the MGS5 EV.

If you don’t want to wait for the MGS6 EV, there are plenty of alternatives available through our Buy A Car service, including the aforementioned Renault Scenic from just over £32,000 or the Volkswagen ID.4 from just over £34,000.

With this in mind, we expect MG’s next mid-size SUV will feature a variation of the Modular Scalable Platform (MSP) that underpins the MG4 and S5 EV, rather than the new 800V architecture that the more premium IM5 and IM6 use. 

MSP is able to support wheelbases of up to 3,100mm, meaning there’s plenty of room to extend the 2,730mm between the S5 EV’s front and rear wheels. That should also allow for a larger battery than the 64kWh unit found in the S5 EV Long Range – most likely the 77kWh unit found in the MG4 Extended Range. 

The S5 EV is the latest car to sit on MG’s MSP architecture and comes with up to 298 miles of range. We expect the larger car to easily eclipse this thanks to a bigger battery, rivalling the likes of the Skoda Enyaq, which can reach up to 356 miles on a single charge. Despite the MG4 and MG S5 EV sharing a platform, the hatchback can recharge at up to 150kW while the S5 EV tops out at 139kW. We expect similar charging figures for MG’s new model.

Auto Express approached MG UK for comment, with a spokesperson telling us that three variants of the car will be available to order from the end of November, although plans for a full unveiling remain hushed for now. Pricing will also be revealed later, with the brand saying customers can expect MG “to maintain its reputation for highly competitive pricing and excellent overall value”.

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