When I grew up in the 1970s and 80s, the British MG car brand was a sporty and prestigious car brand that ultimately suffered its demise in 2005 when it went into receivership.
Back then the MG brand was an enviable one when car options were dull and somewhat restricted to unreliable British built cars.
Against that background the sporty MG BGT model was a more expensive and very enviable car to own.
The arrival of reliable Japanese brand cars led to the final demise of the MG brand which was then acquired by a Chinese car company and incorporated in the SAIC brand in 2007.
New MG branded cars appeared that year and more recently the brand has made a significant impression in Ireland since 2020 after a 15-year absence.
Now under the control of the Frank Keane Group the MG brand is growing from strength to strength.
During 2025 MG brand sales in Ireland increased by 36% to almost 1,500 new cars.
Revitalised brand
The revitalised brand is also now one of the top car exporting brands from China and making a strong impression across Europe and with a wider and more appealing range of cars.
I’ve had a few models from the MG brand on test in recent weeks, the most recent of which was the affordable battery electric (BEV) MGS5 model. MG also supplies plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and mild hybrid models starting with the affordable entry level MG3 Hybrid+ version that’s new competition in the small hatchback car market.
MG S5 – BEV model
The new MG S5 is a battery electric SUV that has all of the modern safety features and is affordable at €29,995 or £28,745 in N. Ireland.
The new MG S5 model is a mid-size hatchback SUV with an all-electric power system that can compete with any competition. The car has all of the safety features of a modern SUV, meets the top Euro NCAP safety demands and is more affordable than most of other equivalent SUVs.
The battery performance rating is at the top end of the segment with a range of over 480km on a full charge, extending to over 680km for lower speed city driving. While I didn’t achieve that level of driving economy, I did get close to the 400km range with a significant amount of motorway driving.
The acceleration performance is impressive as we now come to expect from electric cars, so driving the MG S5 is easy. The car has all the technology that we expect, maybe even too much.
The boot space is decent at 453 litres extending to over 1400 litres with the rear seats down. But like all BEV’s the rated towing ability is poor at just 750kg.
MG EHS Phev engine.
This is an easy car to get comfortable with, but I found the rear windscreen wiper to be less than adequate for our winter driving conditions.
Step in and you’ll feel that you’re driving a solid car that’s very affordable with a starting price from €29,995 (£28,745 in N. Ireland).
This is a huge part of the MG S5 appeal, and it’s backed by a 7-year warranty. So, with cost-effective home charging in place, this SUV has to be the potential to be among the most affordable BEVs on the market today and warrants deeper consideration.
MG EHS PHEV
Some months ago, I had the MG EHS, which is a PHEV version of one of MG’s larger SUV’s, on the road for a test drive. There is a slightly bigger feel to this car compared to the MG S5 above. This car is powered by a very smooth 1.5 litre petrol engine that’s supported by a battery pack to give the kind of driving range on a 37-litre capacity fuel tank that’s the envy of some new generation diesel cars. That’s why the range of over 1,000km without a fuel stop is possible with the car and I can vouch for that based on my test drive.
The dash for the MG S5 includes a large central infotainment screen and clear driving data behind the steering wheel.
While I’m not ordinarily a fan of PHEVs, this SUV was a little different and too was the other Chinese built competitor, the BYD Seal U.
These are two cars that easily beat the 1,000km target for hybrid supported petrol engines, making them possible diesel car replacements.
Towing ability
The one downside for both models with rural drive could be the towing ability, a low 750kg with a braked trailer. There were also technology issues with the Apple CarPlay system that need to be sorted for wider acceptance.
This is a bigger car than the MG S5 with more space inside and a bigger boot. It is only 200mm longer while it weighs in 200kg heavier. Entry prices, for what is a sizeable car, are competitive starting at €40,995 or £34,746 in N. Ireland.
You can take it that the MG car brand is here to stay with strong Chinese ownership backing.
The MG S5 test car was fitted with smooth Bridgestone Turanza 225/55 R18 tyres on stylish alloy rims.
These are cars that match the competition in almost every respect, including warranty, while being more price competitive. The octagon shaped MG logo is a homage to the past, the technology in this new Chinese car brand is a nod to the future.
The dash for the MG S5 includes a large central infotainment screen and clear driving data behind the steering wheel.
Price lift for 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota has added a mild hybrid drive system to the new generation Land Cruiser since the start of 2026 and with it comes a significant price increase.
Toyota Ireland had informed the Journal in late December 2025 that the price increase could be between €8,000 and €10,000, depending on the taxes.
This means that the entry price for the Toyota Land Cruiser commercial will now start at close to €60,000 before VAT.
When I grew up in the 1970s and 80s, the British MG car brand was a sporty and prestigious car brand that ultimately suffered its demise in 2005 when it went into receivership.
Back then the MG brand was an enviable one when car options were dull and somewhat restricted to unreliable British built cars.
Against that background the sporty MG BGT model was a more expensive and very enviable car to own.
The arrival of reliable Japanese brand cars led to the final demise of the MG brand which was then acquired by a Chinese car company and incorporated in the SAIC brand in 2007.
New MG branded cars appeared that year and more recently the brand has made a significant impression in Ireland since 2020 after a 15-year absence.
Now under the control of the Frank Keane Group the MG brand is growing from strength to strength.
During 2025 MG brand sales in Ireland increased by 36% to almost 1,500 new cars.
Revitalised brand
The revitalised brand is also now one of the top car exporting brands from China and making a strong impression across Europe and with a wider and more appealing range of cars.
I’ve had a few models from the MG brand on test in recent weeks, the most recent of which was the affordable battery electric (BEV) MGS5 model. MG also supplies plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and mild hybrid models starting with the affordable entry level MG3 Hybrid+ version that’s new competition in the small hatchback car market.
MG S5 – BEV model
The new MG S5 is a battery electric SUV that has all of the modern safety features and is affordable at €29,995 or £28,745 in N. Ireland.
The new MG S5 model is a mid-size hatchback SUV with an all-electric power system that can compete with any competition. The car has all of the safety features of a modern SUV, meets the top Euro NCAP safety demands and is more affordable than most of other equivalent SUVs.
The battery performance rating is at the top end of the segment with a range of over 480km on a full charge, extending to over 680km for lower speed city driving. While I didn’t achieve that level of driving economy, I did get close to the 400km range with a significant amount of motorway driving.
The acceleration performance is impressive as we now come to expect from electric cars, so driving the MG S5 is easy. The car has all the technology that we expect, maybe even too much.
The boot space is decent at 453 litres extending to over 1400 litres with the rear seats down. But like all BEV’s the rated towing ability is poor at just 750kg.
MG EHS Phev engine.
This is an easy car to get comfortable with, but I found the rear windscreen wiper to be less than adequate for our winter driving conditions.
Step in and you’ll feel that you’re driving a solid car that’s very affordable with a starting price from €29,995 (£28,745 in N. Ireland).
This is a huge part of the MG S5 appeal, and it’s backed by a 7-year warranty. So, with cost-effective home charging in place, this SUV has to be the potential to be among the most affordable BEVs on the market today and warrants deeper consideration.
MG EHS PHEV
Some months ago, I had the MG EHS, which is a PHEV version of one of MG’s larger SUV’s, on the road for a test drive. There is a slightly bigger feel to this car compared to the MG S5 above. This car is powered by a very smooth 1.5 litre petrol engine that’s supported by a battery pack to give the kind of driving range on a 37-litre capacity fuel tank that’s the envy of some new generation diesel cars. That’s why the range of over 1,000km without a fuel stop is possible with the car and I can vouch for that based on my test drive.
The dash for the MG S5 includes a large central infotainment screen and clear driving data behind the steering wheel.
While I’m not ordinarily a fan of PHEVs, this SUV was a little different and too was the other Chinese built competitor, the BYD Seal U.
These are two cars that easily beat the 1,000km target for hybrid supported petrol engines, making them possible diesel car replacements.
Towing ability
The one downside for both models with rural drive could be the towing ability, a low 750kg with a braked trailer. There were also technology issues with the Apple CarPlay system that need to be sorted for wider acceptance.
This is a bigger car than the MG S5 with more space inside and a bigger boot. It is only 200mm longer while it weighs in 200kg heavier. Entry prices, for what is a sizeable car, are competitive starting at €40,995 or £34,746 in N. Ireland.
You can take it that the MG car brand is here to stay with strong Chinese ownership backing.
The MG S5 test car was fitted with smooth Bridgestone Turanza 225/55 R18 tyres on stylish alloy rims.
These are cars that match the competition in almost every respect, including warranty, while being more price competitive. The octagon shaped MG logo is a homage to the past, the technology in this new Chinese car brand is a nod to the future.
The dash for the MG S5 includes a large central infotainment screen and clear driving data behind the steering wheel.
Price lift for 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota has added a mild hybrid drive system to the new generation Land Cruiser since the start of 2026 and with it comes a significant price increase.
Toyota Ireland had informed the Journal in late December 2025 that the price increase could be between €8,000 and €10,000, depending on the taxes.
This means that the entry price for the Toyota Land Cruiser commercial will now start at close to €60,000 before VAT.
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