MG IM5 vs Tesla Model 3

The MG IM5 costs £1,460 more than the Tesla Model 3. On the headline specs that premium buys little measurable advantage - the two are closely matched on range, charging and space. The Tesla Model 3 is not just cheaper - it also offers 27 miles more WLTP range, 225 litres more boot space and lower energy use, 130 versus 175 Wh/km. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the Tesla Model 3 comes out ahead overall.

The Tesla Model 3 is £1,460 cheaper to buy. The Tesla Model 3 is cheaper to charge, roughly £144 a year versus £192 for the MG IM5, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the Tesla Model 3 comes out roughly £1,700 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 217 miles for the MG IM5 and 229 miles for the Tesla Model 3 - effectively matched, and both well below their WLTP figures because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV.

The two are within 27 mm on width, so neither is meaningfully easier to thread into a tight space. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 467 mm of total clearance for the Tesla Model 3 and about 440 mm of total clearance for the MG IM5. The MG IM5 also turns in a 1.6 m tighter circle, which helps with U-turns and multi-storey ramps.

Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 90% battery health for the MG IM5 and 92% for the Tesla Model 3. That gives the Tesla Model 3 a modest edge in retained real-world range. Both use LFP-type cells, which are happy charged to 100% every day. Both batteries carry a 8-year manufacturer warranty.