Big battery Essence variant gets updates.

BARELY 10 months on from launch, a battery update and price decrease has come for the successor car to an MG that was an earlier pioneer.

The MG S5, a compact rear drive car that has become heir apparent to MG’s first mainstream electric car here, the previous generation ZS, has come in for remedial attention.

Enhancements are specific to the Essence 62kWh variant and include a new interior trim and an upgraded B-Axial motor.

The powertrain upgrade is significant as it now produces 151kW of power and 350Nm of torque, up from 125kW and 250Nm.

Range measured to the WLTP scale increases from 425km to 465km.

These developments are paired with a $2000 price reduction, resulting in a $52,990 sticker, plus on road costs.

MG S5 released here in late 2025 with two sizes of battery and two trim levels, the Essence and Excite.

Then the flagship was $10,000 dearer that the comparable Excite with the same battery.

Now the gap has narrowed to $6000 and the Excite has gone, with the only alternate being an Essence 49 with a (yes, you guessed) 49kWh battery and a range of 335km.

The model provisions as MG’s first dedicated battery-wed sports utility, albeit sharing a platform with a more recent hit, the MG 4 electric hatchback. The ZS, meantime, continues, but now as seperate, petrol car.

The trim includes 18-inch alloys wheels, a 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 10.25-inch digital instrument display. Wireless and cabled Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is satellite navigation.

A panoramic glass sunroof is standard in Essence, as is synthetic leather, a powered tailgate, 360-degree camera, wireless smartphone charging and rain-sensing windscreen wipers.

The updates has announced as MG has broadened its offer in the category, adding in the MG S6.