The Tesla Model 3 has almost single-handedly moved the needle for electric vehicles (EVs) ever since it was introduced over five years ago.
It was the country’s most popular EV before its SUV sister model, the Model Y, came along and even challenged stalwarts like the Toyota Camry as the nation’s best-selling mid-size sedan.
But it hasn’t had much competition in the medium electric sedan space… until now, with the arrival of the IM presented by MG Motors brand and its IM5 mid-size sedan and IM6 mid-size SUV siblings.
So, let’s charge into comparing the Model 3 and IM5 to see how MG’s new sub-brand stacks up against the American EV pioneer.
How much?
Tesla has had this niche segment of the market – an electric-powered mid-size sedan – pretty much sewn-up with the popular Model 3 since it was first introduced in early 2019, with the current facelifted version arriving in 2023.
As it has been since launch, the Model 3 is available in three variants with prices starting at $54,900 before on-road costs for the entry-level Rear-Wheel Drive with a single motor, rising to to $64,900 before on-roads for the Long Range with all-wheel drive, and topping out at $80,900 plus on-roads for the Performance flagship.
Now though, the Model 3 has a direct rival following the launch of the IM5, which is also offered in three model grades – Premium, Platinum and Performance.
IM has taken a slightly different approach with its powertrain and battery strategy, specifically for the mid-spec variant.
Similar to the standard Model 3, the entry-level Premium ($64,990 drive-away) has a single electric motor and a 75kWh battery, and the flagship IM5 Performance ($80,990 drive-away) matches the range-topping Tesla sedan with dual motors and a larger battery pack.
But, while the Model 3 Long Range has twin motors, the mid-spec IM5 Platinum ($69,990 drive-away) remains rear-drive but uses a larger 100kWh battery to maximise driving range.
Also, as mentioned, the IM5’s sticker prices are drive-away (including statutory on-road charges), whereas Tesla charges extra for them.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new MG IM5. Clickhereto get a great deal.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Tesla Model 3. Clickhereto get a great deal.
What do you get?
In both of these cars, it’s almost a question of what you don’t get, since the IM5 and Model 3 are among the most technically advanced vehicles on sale today and feature a generous level of standard equipment.
In the IM5, even the entry-level Premium comes with:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Automatic LED headlights
- Heated, power-folding exterior mirrors
- Hands-free power tailgate
- Proximity entry and start
- Panoramic glass roof
- Rear privacy glass
- 26.3-inch touchscreen
- 10.5-inch touchscreen
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- DAB digital radio
- Leatherette upholstery
- Heated and ventilated front seats
- Heated rear seats
- 12-way power driver’s seat
- 6-way power passenger seat
- 60:40 split/fold rear seats with adjustable backrest
- 256-colour ambient lighting
- 50W ventilated wireless phone charger
- 20-speaker sound system
- Road Noise Control
- 3 x USB-C outlets (2 x front, 1 x rear)
- Dual-zone climate control
- ‘Intelligent’ hidden front air vents
- Heat pump
Apart from the bigger battery and more powerful electric motor (which we’ll explain later), the Platinum variant adds 20-inch alloy wheels with high-performance Hankook tyres and the option to fit air suspension, which is standard on the dual-motor IM5 Performance along with continuously controlled dampers and Pirelli P Zero rubber.
By comparison, the entry-level Tesla Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive matches the IM5 on most key details, except it does have smaller 18-inch alloy wheels, only a single 15.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, a nine-speaker audio system and ventilated front seats – not heated and ventilated like in the IM5.
Stepping up a grade, the Tesla Model 3 Long Range adds a 17-speaker sound system while the Performance version has unique sports seats with ventilation, plus adaptive suspension, high-performance brakes, carbon-fibre interior and exterior trim highlights, and 20-inch alloys.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new MG IM5. Clickhereto get a great deal.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Tesla Model 3. Clickhereto get a great deal.
Are they safe?
Both of these vehicles come equipped with an extensive array of advanced collision avoidance systems and driver aids.
Standard features on both include:
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Adaptive cruise control
- Lane keeping assistance
- Driver attention monitoring
- Blind spot monitoring
- Rear cross traffic alert
- Front and rear parking sensors
- 360-degree parking display
While Tesla charges extra for advanced autonomous driving functions, including automated parking as part of the $5100 Enhanced Autopilot package, this is included in the IM5 through easily accessible one-touch widgets on the large multimedia screen.
The IM5 also has what MG calls a digital chassis, which employs an advanced NVIDIA Orin N processor and a myriad of high-tech components – 12 ultrasonic sensors, nine high-definition cameras, three millimetre-wave radars, a positioning unit and inertial measuring device – so that all the systems work in unison with the powertrain, braking, four-wheel steering and air suspension (when fitted) systems to deliver maximum safety.
It also has an ingenious Rainy Night Mode, which uses the high-resolution cameras and sensors to display a clear, real-time view of the vehicle’s surroundings while eliminating blind spots on the centre screen.
The IM5 has yet to be tested by ANCAP but is expected to match the Tesla Model 3’s maximum five-star rating.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new MG IM5. Clickhereto get a great deal.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Tesla Model 3. Clickhereto get a great deal.
What are they like inside?
There is a genuine wow factor to each of these cars in terms of interior design and packaging.
The Tesla Model 3 has a real minimalist vibe about it, with just a single 15.4-inch touchscreen floating above the centre of its horizontal T-shaped dashboard to control all vehicle functions beyond steering, acceleration and braking.
There’s a lot to navigate through, including the gear selector, ventilation controls, and so much more that it can be rather overwhelming at first. But it does have a host of fun features, such as classic video games and in-car karaoke.
With its standard black interior, it feels stark and clinical but offers plenty of space for both front and rear occupants, and has a range of useful small-item storage solutions.
The IM5 follows a similarly tech-heavy theme, but does so with a lot more style and organic shapes to its flowing dashboard design.
It is crowned by a 26.3-inch wide screen on top, which combines the driver’s instrument cluster and infotainment system, while a separate 10.5-inch screen in the centre console provides easy access to essential functions like the air-conditioning, vehicle controls, phonebook, audio and the four designated automated parking manoeuvres.
It has some fun features like in-car Karaoke as well. But with soft-touch synthetic leather covering almost every surface, the IM5 feels more premium and inviting.
It is also physically larger than the Model 3 too, riding on a 2950mm wheelbase that is 75mm longer, thereby creating an even more spacious cabin.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new MG IM5. Clickhereto get a great deal.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Tesla Model 3. Clickhereto get a great deal.
What’s under the bonnet?
As we’ve outlined already, the entry-level and flagship versions of the IM5 and Tesla Model 3 follow the same powertrain philosophy, while the mid-spec models are more unique.
The entry-level IM5 is driven by a single electric motor on the rear axle that produces 217kW of power and 450Nm of torque, powered by a 75kWh lithium iron phosphate battery supported by a 400V electrical architecture.
It can accelerate from 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.8 seconds, has a claimed driving range of 490km and a maximum DC fast-charging rate of 153kW.
Both the Platinum and Performance versions feature a more advanced nickel manganese cobalt battery with 100kWh of capacity, and an 800V electrical architecture for fast-charging at up to 396kW.
The single-motor Platinum produces 300kW and 500Nm, which helps it accelerate from 0-100km/h in a claimed 4.9 seconds, and delivers a claimed driving range of 655km, while the dual-motor Performance pairs a 372kW/500Nm rear motor with a 200kW/302Nm motor on the front axle, propelling it to triple figures in just 3.2 seconds (claimed), but reducing the driving range to a still-respectable 575km.
In comparison, the standard Tesla Model 3 has a single rear-mounted electric motor that produces 208kW and is paired with a smaller (and similarly LFP) 60kWh battery that can charge at a maximum rate of 170kW to deliver a claimed 513km of range.
Like the IM5, both the dual-motor Long Range, which produces 366kW, and the Performance with 461kW, feature a larger-capacity NMC battery pack with 79kWh of capacity and a maximum charge rate of 250kW.
As a result, neither can match the IM5 for driving range, with the mid-spec Long Range capable of a claimed 629km and the Performance covering 528km on a single charge.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new MG IM5. Clickhereto get a great deal.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Tesla Model 3. Clickhereto get a great deal.
Cost of ownership
Tesla offers a sub-par four-year warranty that only covers vehicles for the first 80,000km, with a separate eight-year guarantee for the battery and drive unit.
The IM5 is covered for up to seven years and unlimited kilometres if the vehicle is maintained within MG’s service network, otherwise (or if used for commercial purposes) it drops down to five years.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new MG IM5. Clickhereto get a great deal.
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Tesla Model 3. Clickhereto get a great deal.
CarExpert’s Pick
The Tesla Model 3 has been Australia’s most popular electric sedan for several years now without much in the way of a direct rival.
But the IM5 has arrived just at the right time to take advantage of the anti-Elon sentiment following his stint in the White House earlier this year. And it is more than a match in every technical aspect, including performance, driving range and fast-charging capability.
The sweet spot is undeniably the mid-spec IM5 Platinum, which virtually eliminates range anxiety with more than 650km of driving range, plus the latest in-car tech and a genuinely luxurious and spacious cabin for less than $70k.