2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Top 8: IM5 Performance

MG faced a conundrum for Wheels Car of the Year this year. The judging team had asked for the IM5 to be delivered for consideration, with a crucial caveat: the judges wanted the entry-grade IM5 Premium, which would give the new electric sedan from MG a better shot at competing with the rest of the entrants. The Premium rings the till at $60,990 driveaway.

Unfortunately, the MG Australia team couldn’t get its hands on an IM5 Premium in time and asked that the IM5 Performance be considered instead. Price is a huge barrier for any brand to overcome, especially a brand new to the market in this country. MG has a foothold, but sub-brand IM is just starting out. As such, the IM5 Performance, which costs $80,990 drive away, was going to be hampered in a COTY field that was – on average at least – much more sharply priced.

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The Performance model to be assessed by the COTY judges, then, packs some serious, Tesla Model 3-rivalling heat. AWD via two electric motors, with a 0-100km/h claim of 3.2 seconds, and a claimed range of 575km. With 200kW and 320Nm available from the front motor, and a meaty 372kW and 500Nm from the rear motor, the IM5 Performance should be fast – and it was.

The IM’s styling is classy, the swoopy lines hiding some of the cabin space on offer and making it appear smaller than it is. You get a raft of standard equipment across the range, with a whopping 26.3-inch touchscreen dominating the middle of the cabin. It’s got beautiful, clear graphics, easy functionality and wireless smartphone connectivity as well. Interestingly, the judges noted the lack of DAB or AM radio as a negative, with only FM included in the system as standard. The tech tour de force continues with a second 10.5-inch screen for major control functions like AC, mirrors, seats, safety and driver assist systems.

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As an all-round driver, the IM5 Performance is a serious weapon – comfortable, capable and way faster than you’ll ever need. Check out Reindler’s verified 0-100km/h time (pg 49) if you don’t believe the MG claim. This is a fast sedan in the real world – faster even than it is on paper. Morley noted the ride being better than expected, while Robinson and Gover both remarked, “It’s fast, really fast”.

For the judges though, the issue centred around price. In a field where the average price is significantly below the ask of the IM5 Performance, the judges couldn’t look past it for a brand that is new to the market. If your budget stretches to the Performance, the judges are happy for you to consider it, given just how formidable it is.

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However, if MG had been able to provide the base model as requested, the IM5 would certainly have gone deeper into the COTY judging rounds. It’s fair to say that even in more affordable guise, it’s not an overall Wheels COTY winner, but it is an impressive and capable entrant from a brand looking to establish traction in the Australian new car market.

Specs

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