Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron vs MG IM5

The Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron costs £30,850 more than the MG IM5. For that premium it adds 71 litres more boot space, 33 kW more power and a 1.2s quicker 0-62mph time. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron comes out ahead overall.

The MG IM5 is £30,850 cheaper to buy. The MG IM5 is cheaper to charge, roughly £192 a year versus £224 for the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the MG IM5 comes out roughly £31,010 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.

EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 242 miles for the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron and 217 miles for the MG IM5 - both below their WLTP figures, because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV. The Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron goes roughly 24 miles further between charging stops. A rapid charge to 80% takes around 31 minutes in the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron and 65 in the MG IM5, so the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron loses less time at each stop. That makes the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron the stronger long-distance car.

The two are within 25 mm on width, so neither is meaningfully easier to thread into a tight space. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 465 mm of total clearance for the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron and about 440 mm of total clearance for the MG IM5. The MG IM5 also turns in a 2.2 m tighter circle, which helps with U-turns and multi-storey ramps.

Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 84% battery health for the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron and 90% for the MG IM5. That gives the MG IM5 a modest edge in retained real-world range. The MG IM5's LFP-type pack tolerates daily 100% charging, while the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron's NMC-type pack lasts longest kept to about 80% for everyday use. Both batteries carry a 8-year manufacturer warranty.