MG IM6 review

Our opinion on the MG IM6

Launching the MG IM6 could possibly be a leap too far for the Chinese company. It’s designed to meet premium electric SUVs such as the Tesla Model Y head-on, but it comes up short in a few areas. There’s no arguing with the performance on offer, especially in top-spec guise, but the chassis struggles to cope with the power, so it’s not enjoyable to make the most of it. Comfort is a strong point, though, as is the ultra-rapid charging capability, but the large touchscreen infotainment displays have their quirks and take some getting used to, while the IM6’s heavy weight hampers its overall efficiency.

About the MG IM6

Launching the MG IM6 marks a new chapter in the Chinese firm’s story. It foregoes the value-driven philosophy of existing cars such as the MG ZS and MG4 and aims directly at the heart of the premium electric SUV market.

It shares its platform with the IM5 executive model, but there’s just one battery option here, a 100kWh unit, which is offered in Long Range or Performance guises. The IM6 has a long list of standard kit even in Long Range form, though, while the battery and electric motor set-up looks promising in terms of range, power and charging. We’ve tested the top-spec Performance model so far, while the Launch Edition that appeared when the model was first revealed is largely the same car, but with the addition of adaptive dampers and air-suspension. 

MG IM6 prices and latest deals

The MG IM6 is the most expensive car that MG has sold in the UK, and it starts from around £48,000, which places it directly in competition with the Tesla Model Y. The Performance model starts from £51,000, although there isn’t much more to add because the only option is metallic paint. 

However, if you buy through the Auto Express Buy a Car portal, you can make savings of £8,000, bringing the price of a new MG IM6 below the £40,000 threshold.

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While the IM6 has the power to impress in a straight line, the rest of the driving experience struggles to keep pace.

Electric motors, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed

Two powertrain options are available in the IM6 from launch, both of which are based around a 100kWh battery. The IM6 Long Range comes with a single electric motor that drives the rear wheels and has a healthy 401bhp and 500Nm of torque. This gives the car a 0-62mph time of 5.4 seconds, while its top speed is quoted at 146mph.

That’s probably fast enough for most people, but if you need a bit more, the IM6 Performance and Launch Edition variants come with a two-motor, four-wheel-drive set-up that packs a huge 742bhp and 802Nm of torque. To put that power figure into perspective, the £199,000 Porsche 911 Turbo S comes with ‘only’ 711bhp. 

The IM6 Performance can go from 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds, the same time as the less powerful Model Y Performance. The difference can be explained in part by the MG’s kerbweight. It tips the scales at nearly 2.4 tonnes, which is almost 400kg more than the Tesla, or the equivalent of driving around with a grand piano on board at all times.

Town driving, visibility and parking

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One neat addition to the IM6 is rear-wheel steering, so while the car is larger overall than a Model Y, a 10.18-metre turning circle means it’s far more manoeuvrable. For reference, a VW Polo has a 10.7-metre turning diameter.

MG has also included a ‘Crab’ mode that sees the rear wheels steer in the same direction as the fronts at low speeds. However, we found this system was of limited use, because there isn’t enough lock on the rear wheels to help when exiting parking spaces. And as soon as you add more than around five degrees of front steering angle, or go faster than 11mph, crab mode deactivates.

Another niggle is visibility. The IM6 has 360-degree parking cameras, but rear vision is compromised by the small rear-view mirror and window. The screen is no smaller than a Tesla Model Y’s, but the high position of the tailgate means you can’t see as much out of it. 

MG does fit a rear camera, but rather than incorporating it in the mirror, images appear in a boxout on the dashboard when it’s activated via the thumbwheel on the steering wheel. It’s also obscured by the rim, which is a little frustrating. There are additional cameras when indicating, too, with Hyundai/Kia-style rear side monitors appearing on the dashboard when changing lanes.

Country road driving and handling

Pick up the pace (easy to do with so much power on tap) and the IM6’s driving experience starts to unravel. Try to use the powertrain’s performance in any meaningful way, and the chassis contorts itself as the tyres struggle to put the power to the tarmac smoothly, even though Pirelli Scorpion EV tyres are standard.

On the Launch Edition, the standard-fit air suspension is too wallowy and slow to react on bumpy country roads, resulting in plenty of lateral movement from the body, which is exacerbated by the amount of weight that the IM6 carries. It’s better in Sport mode, which lowers the ride height by 10mm and firms up the suspension, but then the whole bodyshell reacts sharply to uneven surfaces.

A shortage of feedback from the steering doesn’t help, although at least the rear-steer element is tuned out at faster speeds, so the rack doesn’t over-react to inputs. MG has called in Continental to provide braking power for the IM6, and overall the system is strong, but the sheer weight of the car can still be felt under hard braking. 

Motorway driving and long-distance comfort

High-speed cruising is one area where the IM6 performs well. There’s double glazing for the frameless door glass, and because the cabin is so quiet, there’s only a slight rustle from the base of the windscreen to be heard at motorway speeds.

The ride is largely settled, although there is a slight patter to the suspension over smaller bumps. The 21-inch wheels on Performance models are likely to exacerbate this, even though the tyres have a reasonable sidewall.

In a straight line the IM6’s performance is genuinely breathtaking – especially so if you jump in thinking this is another regular family SUV. It doesn’t feel particularly different to any other fast electric SUV with a big dollop of torque catapulting you off the line; in the IM6 there’s a distant hum of the electric motors, but no augmented noise to hint at how fast you’re going. - Alastair Crooks, senior news reporter.

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Prices for the IM6 are high when compared with the rest of the MG line-up, but are on a par with premium electric SUV rivals. We just wish that efficiency was better to help with everyday running costs.

Electric range, battery life and charge time

All versions of the IM6 come with a 100kWh battery, while official range figures are 313 miles for the Performance/Launch Edition model and 388 miles for the Long Range car. For that reason alone we’d pick the latter, while respective city driving figures of 398 and 510 miles show that keeping your speed down really enhances the IM6’s capability. All cars come with a heat pump to help maintain battery range in cold weather.

When we tested the IM6 Performance against the Tesla Model Y Performance on a route that covered plenty of motorway miles and some country and urban driving, we could only achieve 2.5 miles per kWh in the MG, which was significantly less than the 3.3mi/kWh that the Tesla managed. Match those figures, and you’re looking at a range of around 240 miles in the MG.

The large battery will take a long time to fully charge from a domestic source (16 hours from 10-100 per cent via a 7kW AC charger), but DC charging speeds are among the fastest around. MG claims that a 350kW source can take the battery from 10-80 per cent capacity in 17 minutes, enough for nearly 240 miles of range.

Insurance groups

Group 50 car insurance rankings for the Performance model take into account its 700bhp-plus power output, although the Long Range car also falls into the highest bracket.

Tax

As with all EVs, the IM6 sits in the lowest Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company car tax bracket, and competitive P11D prices mean it will be a tempting option for business users.

Depreciation

Compared with the Tesla Model Y, the IM6 isn’t quite as strong a performer for retained value. The line-up sits at around 48 per cent after three years and 36,000 miles, but the Tesla is in the 50 per cent bracket.

Check the price of an MG IM6 with our free car valuation tool...

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From the outside, the IM6 is a mish-mash of looks; there are some elements of Tesla up front and Aston Martin DBX at the rear, while the only MG badge to be found is on the tailgate. That’s because the car is sold under the IM Motors brand in other territories.

Interior and dashboard design

Large touchscreens break up a cabin that is otherwise pretty grey and featureless. Minimalism is the current fad for interior car design, and the IM6 is very much on trend with its shortage of buttons. But there are wood-effect door inserts and metal speaker grilles, while the high-set centre console puts the secondary touchscreen at close quarters. 

Materials and build quality

There’s lots of grey plastic and artificial leather inside, with a very squidgy section across the top of the dashboard and armrests. The silence in the cabin at motorway speeds is perfect for picking out squeaks and rattles, although there were none to be heard in the cars that we have driven.

Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo

While the upper screen measures a vast 26.3 inches across, it doesn’t look much different from the twin-screen set-ups used in assorted Kias or BMWs. The left side is a touchscreen that is chiefly used for infotainment and navigation, while the second panel below the air vents is used to control nearly everything else, including the vents themselves – only the steering wheel and seats have their own controls.

Screen resolution is fine, but the lack of physical controls means you need to use the menu system and its many sub-menus for every function. Do that, and the driver-alert system beeps to tell you to look at the road. Frustratingly, when you press the Home shortcut in the bottom right of the lower touchscreen, it cancels any smartphone display you might be using on the upper screen. 

The steering wheel is quite easy to use, with big buttons and lots of menus to choose from, but we’d like it to have more functionality. The unmarked control wheels on the spokes are a bit fiddly to use, while the four large paddles on the backs of the spokes are just there to adjust the speed and following distance of the adaptive cruise control system when it’s active.

I like that you can customise your own shortcut page on the touchscreen and assign your own shortcut to the right-hand steering wheel control. The ADAS menu is the obvious choice to put there. But it’s a bit of a ritual to set up the safety systems as you like them, because once you’ve selected whether you want a speed-limit warning and lane centring the way you like them, you then have to hit two more confirmation buttons to complete the process. It’s not as simple as some rival set-ups that just require a single button press. - Dean Gibson - Senior test editor

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Large overall dimensions create plenty of interior space on board the IM6. 

Dimensions and size

While it has a similar shape to a Tesla Model Y, the MG IM6 is slightly larger all round, hence why it offers more space overall. The Tesla’s boot measurement is to the roof, so can’t be compared, while the IM6 adds a 32-litre storage compartment under the bonnet, but it’s awkwardly shaped and is 56 litres down on the Model Y’s similar nose storage.

Seats & passenger space

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The large, swooping centre console creates a distinct divide between the front passenger seats, but there’s still lots of room to get comfortable. The driver’s seat is electrically operated via buttons on the side of the squab, while the steering wheel has a manual lever under the column, although the range of adjustment isn’t as wide as we’d like. As with a Tesla, you select mirror adjustment via the central screen and then move them using one of the steering wheel thumbwheels.

Storage is reasonable, with a decent armrest bin featuring two USB-C sockets, plus there are relatively deep door pockets, but there’s no glovebox. The tray beneath the centre console has good access, but the shallow sides mean that it’s easy for loose items to slide out when going round corners.

Above this, the wireless charging pad has a cooling vent, while next to that is a smaller slot for small trinkets, plus two cup-holders.

Chinese cars have a reputation for offering plenty of back-seat space, and that’s true in the IM6. There’s lots of legroom, and the deep-pile carpets add a sense of luxury, while the backrests can go from bolt upright to reclined to suit most tastes. Headroom is excellent, thanks in part to the standard-fit insulated panoramic roof, while shoulder room impresses, too. There are two air vents and the centre seat folds to reveal two cup-holders, but there’s just one USB-C socket to share between passengers.

Boot space

The power-operated tailgate is slow, but once open, there’s a 665-litre capacity. The large, square floor has lots of room, plus there’s a storage slot under the floor, or you can use the space under the bonnet to store cables. Be careful when loading taller items in the boot, because the tailgate is rather shallow.

Towing

If you’re looking to take advantage of the IM6’s power to tow, it’s worth noting that the car only has a maximum capacity of 1,500kg, which is a little short of the best EVs for towing.

We’re getting used to car makers reinventing the door handle, whether it’s Tesla and its pop-out levers or the ‘one-touch’ handles favoured by Lexus, but MG has created something different again. Unlock the car and the flush handles sprout from the doors, as they do on a number of other cars, but rather than pulling on them to open, you simply stick your hand in the slot and a sensor pops the door latch. Then you gently pull the handle to open. Exiting is via a push button on the side of the armrest, which is a little hidden. - Dean Gibson - Senior test editor

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There’s a five-star Euro NCAP rating that will bring peace of mind, while the IM6 has plenty of active safety features as standard. Since the IM6 is so new, it’s too early to judge reliability, but hopefully MG’s move upmarket with this car will coincide with an uptick in customer satisfaction; the brand came 31st and last in the most recent Driver Power ownership poll.

MG matches Kia with a seven-year warranty, but the mileage limit is 80,000 miles, which is 20,000 miles short of Kia’s limit. A 12-month roadside-assistance package is pretty stingy when compared with the warranty.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first, while MG offers packages that can last as long as the warranty, if you plan on keeping the car for that long.

• Best buy: MG IM6 Long Range

As with many other EVs, the best option is the entry-level IM6 - it has the longest range, still has enough power for most needs and the chassis will be better able to cope with the lower power output it offers.

MG IM6 alternatives

As we’ve made clear throughout this review, the Tesla Model Y is a direct rival to the IM6, and overall the US car is a better option in every respect – the MG can only really match it for acceleration and motorway comfort. Elsewhere, other models worth considering over the IM6 include the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Skoda Enyaq, Ford Capri, Polestar 2 and Cupra Tavascan.