In recent months, British-Chinese marque MG has shown signs of trying to force its way into new, premium marketplaces.
Cars like the Cyberster roadster, plus the Tesla-targeting IM5 and IM6 electric vehicles (EVs), have shown MG in a fresh light – one where it is capable of challenging the established automotive elite.
So while other previous everyday vehicles from the company, such as the MG 3, MG 4, ZS and HS, have all proven great-value choices, they’ve never really lit any fires of desirability.
But the S5 EV has already proven itself as what we feel is the most convincing and capable MG yet to hit these shores, so here comes its big brother: the 2026 MG S6 EV.
Ostensibly, MG is positioning this as a C-segment (small) electric SUV, rivalling the compact likes of the Kia EV3, the Skoda Elroq, and the incoming Renault Scenic.
However, so big and spacious a machine is it that we reckon MG has overshot its intended stop, because you could consider the S6 EV an alternative to the mighty Skoda Enyaq, the Toyota bZ4X – and even the Tesla Model Y.
We went to the European launch of the MG S6 EV in its ‘homeland’ of the UK, to see just how good – or otherwise – this new, all-electric, five-seat family SUV really is.
How much does the MG S6 EV cost?
This will be the fulcrum on which the MG S6 EV’s market success (or failure) pivots.
While we don’t know prices for Australia as yet, if the manufacturer is to be believed then the S6 should be in the same sort of fiscal ballpark as the Kia EV3 ($47,600-$63,950 before on-roads) or the Skoda Elroq ($54,990-$64,990 plus on-roads); that would tally, as the smaller S5 EV is priced from $40,490 to $48,990 drive-away.
However, when a Tesla Model Y ‘Juniper’ will set you back anything between $55,900 and $89,400, while the bigger Skoda EV in the form of the Enyaq is listed from $54,990 to $68,990 drive-away, you can see there’s a big window of opportunity for MG to exploit there.
That is, of course, provided you consider the S6 to be worthy of taking on the Model Y or Enyaq in the first place. Or, indeed, something like the Kia EV6.
We’re not sure what the trims will be here either, although we’d expect them to follow the Excite and Essence structure of the S5 EV range. That would mean the cars we were shown that were called SE in Europe would be analogous to Excite spec, while the Trophy vehicles represent our Essence grade.
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What is the MG S6 EV like on the inside?
MG interiors have always been fine, if not replete with the plushest of materials. That all changes with the S6 EV – this thing has an excellent cabin.
Sure, there are some ropier plastics if you want to go hunting in hidden places for them, but the main fascias and operating surfaces you interact with at a normal level of the cabin are all of a suitably high quality.
This looks and feels like a far grander car than any other MG we’ve been in, this side of the IM5 and IM6.
It’s also vast inside. The S6 is in excess of 4.7 metres long, with more than 2.8 metres of that sandwiched between its axles for the wheelbase.
Coupled to the completely flat floor that is typical of EVs, it results in masses of space in the second row for passengers, so that three normal-sized adults ought to be comfortable sitting back there – and even two taller individuals wouldn’t be too badly hemmed-in either.
MG also integrates its tech nicely, and none of it seems too irritating. The main 12.8-inch infotainment screen runs both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wirelessly, but even its proprietary software appears to be intuitive to use.
The 10.25-inch configurable instrument cluster, further, is pleasant to look at and concise in the presentation of relevant information.
Like the S5 EV, the MG S6 has a ‘Pilot’ setting where you can configure all the onboard safety systems to your preferences, so that every time you start the car afterwards it’s a couple of taps on the screen to deactivate the most bothersome electronic nannies. Top work.
Other gadget highlights, which are grade-specific, include a crisp head-up display for the driver, an 11-speaker top-end sound system to satisfy audiophiles and a 50W wireless and cooled charging pad for smartphone devices.
Practicality touches and useful USB sockets abound in the cabin too, and while the boot is a big one, the official capacity is a little misleading. MG quotes a whopping 674 litres with all seats in use, but that’s a floor-to-ceiling measurement, not up to the load cover as most manufacturers will quote.
However, 1910L with all seats folded down is a truly mammoth load figure, while a front boot is perfect for storing charging cables – it holds 104L in the dual-motor model and 124L for the rear-driven S6s.
What’s under the bonnet?
When this car was first announced, it appeared there was to be a choice of battery packs available for the MG S6 EV.
| Specifications | MG S6 EV RWD Long Range |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Single-motor electric |
| Battery | 74.3kWh NMC li-ion (usable) |
| Power | 180kW |
| Torque | 350Nm |
| Driven wheels | Rear |
| 0-100km/h – claimed | 7.3 seconds |
| Energy consumption (claimed) | 16.6kWh/100km (claimed) |
| Energy consumption (as tested) | 20.0kWh/100km |
| Claimed range – WLTP | 530km |
| Max AC charge rate | 7kW |
| Max DC charge rate | 144kW |
However, at the European launch, all the cars mentioned were solely running the larger 77kWh gross, 74.3kWh usable lithium-ion nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) unit, which confers the ‘Long Range’ epithet on every S6 derivative. Whether we get a smaller battery option here remains to be seen.
Anyway, opt for a single-motor 77kWh S6 and the propulsion unit is mounted on the rear axle, which is a boon. In base spec, it delivers 180kW and 350Nm, enough to punt the sub-two-tonne. rear-wheel-drive MG from 0-100km/h in a claimed 7.3 seconds.
Top speed (of all models) is 200km/h, while the range for the single-motor cars is pegged at a peak of 530km.
Step up to the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive MG S6 EV and the weight goes just the wrong side of 2000kg, but the accelerative performance is drastically improved.
The claimed 0-100km/h sprint now takes just 5.1 seconds, although the pay-off for such fleet-of-foot responses is an official range that drops down to 485km.
The range figures and performance stats are both fine for the MG S6 EV, but where it possibly – and crucially – lags behind key competitors is in its charging speeds.
Its max AC rate is just 7kW, while the 144kW DC figure is okay… but by no means brilliant in an era when many affordable EVs with long-range aspirations get much closer to 200kW.
As a result, you’re looking at 12 hours to charge the battery fully on an AC domestic connection, an hour and 10 minutes to do 10-80 per cent on a commonplace 50kW DC fast-charger, and a best of 38 minutes for a 10-80 per cent top-up on a 150kW DC unit.
How does the MG S6 EV drive?
In the initial stages of getting to know the MG S6 EV, which we drove as a single-motor, rear-drive variant, it was fortunate enough to be running in the 80-100km/h zone on smooth, recently laid tarmac. And it was an absolute delight to travel in as a result.
There’s no doubting the mechanical refinement of the MG.
At all reasonable traffic speeds, you’ll hear precious little of the tyres rolling along the asphalt, or wind flowing round the passenger compartment, or the suspension doing its best to mitigate the worst imperfections the surface can throw at it.
In terms of the isolation of exterior noise contributors, the S6 is right at the top of its game.
The problem, then, is a slightly dichotomous ride quality. As we say, at higher speeds and on favourable surfaces, the comfort levels are exceptional.
The way it deals with smaller flaws in the road finishing is always spot on, but it’s how the MG S6 copes in the wake of bigger hits to its suspension which suffers.
In urban areas, the car is wont to amplify what are only modest compressions in the tarmac into highly, and needlessly, informative responses that let the occupants of the car know almost to the millimetre what the depth of the manhole cover/pothole/other defect they’ve just bounced through is.
This can lead to the MG feeling a bit unsettled and fidgety in towns and city environments, and while it’s a lot better on the open road and high-speed freeways, this intransigence never quite goes away.
It’s a shame, because otherwise the MG S6 is almost faultless for that side of its dynamic character.
When it comes to handling, though, it depends on whether you remember MG was once a sporty brand, known for tuning its cars’ chassis to cater for enthusiast drivers, or whether you look at the EV and realise it’s a two-tonne SUV that’s designed primarily for family conveyance duties.
Heavy, informative steering and an admirable level of body control do bless the MG S6 with more capability in the corners than it strictly needs.
Furthermore, well-timed applications of the accelerator pedal in the single-motor cars can see the back-end squirt out into easily controlled oversteer. So this is not an EV platform without kinematic merit.
However, it’s rarely ever thrilling to pilot it quickly along a twisting road, while the mass of the car overrides everything it does.
Getting it to change directions quickly or hurling it aggressively into a tighter bend at speed will both show up that there’s a lot of weight to corral here, even though the MG S6 is relatively light compared to other electric SUVs in this realm.
Anyway, with a bit more finesse and sophistication to the damping for town-speed driving, we’d be giving this MG S6 a thoroughly glowing appraisal of its behaviour. As it is, the SUV is very good, but it’s not the best in its field.
What do you get?
We’d expect the MG S6 to offer a lot of kit as standard for whatever money the company is going to ask for it, which will make it a tempting proposition to value-savvy consumers.
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2026 MG S6 EV equipment highlights:
- 19-inch alloys
- 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen
- Dual-zone climate control
- Rear-view camera
- Eight-speaker audio system
- Heated front seats and steering wheel
- MG Pilot ADAS systems
Stepping up to the top grade adds:
- 20-inch wheels
- Ventilated front seats
- Heated outer-rear seats
- Leather and suede upholstery
- Head-up display
- 360-degree cameras
- 11-speaker premium audio
- 6-way power driver seat
- 4-way power passenger seat
- Power tailgate
- Ambient interior lighting
- Panoramic sunroof
Is the MG S6 EV safe?
ANCAP hasn’t tested the MG S6 EV as yet, while the smaller S5 EV has a full five-star rating under the safety body’s auspices. However, Euro NCAP has put the S6 through its paces and it, too, has the top five-star rating.
It was praised for the fact it has seven airbags as standard and is also made of 81 per cent high-strength steel for the optimum of protection, while its wealth of standard-fit ADAS gear ensured it picked up scores of 92, 85, 84 and 78 per cent respectively for the adult occupant, child occupant, vulnerable road users and safety assist disciplines.
How much does the MG S6 EV cost to run?
MG Australia offers a comprehensive seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty on all its cars, with a service-activated extension possible to 10 years or 250,000km. It also matches the warranty with the same amount of roadside cover, which is a bonus.
| Servicing and Warranty | MG S6 EV |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 7 years, unlimited kilometres – standard 10 years or 250,000km – service activated |
| Roadside assistance | Up to 10 years |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 25,000km – S5 EV |
| Capped-price servicing | 5 years – S5 EV |
The S6 EV is likely to mirror the smaller S5 EV in offering 12 month/25,000km service intervals, and a capped-price servicing program spanning five years.
Stay tuned for more details in the lead-up to the MG S6 EV’s Australian arrival.
CarExpert’s Take on the MG S6 EV
Early showings from this MG S6 EV are highly promising.
Aside from an infrequent tendency to bash its way about town, this new EV drives with an assured and enjoyable nature that should please the family-oriented end users.
It’s not the most dramatic-looking car in the world and it’ll be vital to see how much it finally costs here, as well as what the standard specifications look like.
But after this initial drive we have to ask: are you still absolutely sure you want that Enyaq?
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