The price is right

Anyone looking for a new, affordable electric family SUV should have these contenders from MG and Skoda on their shortlist. But where is your money best spent?

- LAURENCE CHEUNG

MG APPEARS TO be on a bit of a roll. Last year, the MG 4 hatchback was one of the biggest-selling electric models to private buyers in the UK, while the HS family SUV is among the top 10 bestselling cars full stop. And although the flagship Cyberster electric roadster is a niche choice, there's no denying its concept car styling is getting the brand noticed.

MG is moving in the right direction, then, and the new S5 is the latest part of the equation, replacing the ZS EV as its smallest and most affordable electric SUV. As with its predecessor, the S5 looks like great value for money even against many smaller electric models, and by sharing its underpinnings with the MG 4, it promises to be better to drive than the ZS EV and has a smarter, more up-to-date interior.

We're lining up the S5 in range-topping Trophy trim, which comes with the larger of two battery options. Its 62.1kWh usable capacity gives the S5 a competitive official range of up to 288 miles.

Its price puts it up against the mid-level 60 version of our favourite family electric SUV: the Skoda Elroq. The 60 comes with a 59kWh (usable capacity) battery; as a result, it should be able to cover up to 265 miles between charges. We're testing the Elroq in high-spec Edition trim, which, as with the S5, comes with most of the kit you're likely to want.

DRIVING

Performance, ride, handling, refinement

Both of our contenders have enough performance to get up to motorway speeds keenly and have no trouble keeping up with fast-moving traffic. However, the lighter and slightly more powerful S5 is noticeably livelier than the Elroq when setting off from a standstill (getting from 0-60mph in 6.1sec versus 7.4sec) and when you ask for a burst of acceleration.