Twin test: MG 5 vs Volkswagen ID.3

Value-for-money electric cars are a bit of a hot topic on DrivingElectric, and one company that’s rightfully garnering praise for its range of affordable zero-emissions offerings is MG. For 2022, we crowned the new MG ZS EV our Car of The Year and named it the Best Value Electric Car in the UK. However, if you’re simply after the most EV for your money, then perhaps the larger MG 5 estate car is the pick of the bunch.

The MG 5 may be in a class of its own as an electric estate car – the Porsche Taycan Cross and Sport Turismo are more shooting brakes than genuine family haulers – but the Volkswagen ID.3 certainly has a lot of appeal in its own right as a down-to-earth EV. It also starts at around £30,000, yet boasts a few more modern flourishes.

MG 5

Pros: Practical, lots of standard equipment, starts from under £30,000

Cons: Plasticky interior, not the best to drive, refreshed model slow to arrive

Volkswagen ID.3

Pros: Good to drive, decent range and power, stylish looks

Cons: Disappointing interior quality, fiddly infotainment, weak regenerative braking

We need to acknowledge two things at this point: a facelifted MG 5 is arriving in the UK later this year and Volkswagen has temporarily removed all but one version of the ID.3 from its range due to the global semiconductor shortage. That particular model is a more expensive variant than the one tested here, but perhaps the entry-level VW ID.3 is the value-for-money EV worth waiting for? Let’s find out…