THESE are difficult times if you're in the car making business.

Consider the climate for a moment - money in short supply, the costly push towards electric power and vacillating governments - all the factors that make for a perfect storm.

And yet some car companies are doing pretty well. Take MG, once a British heritage brand and maker of racy but affordable sports cars, and now Chinese-owned with a broad spread of full electric and hybrid models.

With the ability to undercut most European rivals, the recently introduced S5 EV presents a very real challenge to competitors from the East as well as those from the West with a price tag of under £30,000 for a mid-size SUV where the fiercest battle for sales is currently taking place.

With an overall length of almost 4.5 metres it possesses the right credentials for family transport, offering ample space for five plus their luggage.

What's more, while the early MG offerings were somewhat short on cabin chic and subtlety, this model steps up a stage in terms of quality materials such as Alcantara trim with dashes of mock carbon fibre. It's these touches that add the feel-good factor.

On a more day-to-day practical front, there are loads of cup holders, door pockets and storage bins. The boot, accessed via an electric tailgate, copes with up to 453 litres of cargo - somewhat less than some rivals but enough for the most families.

Front seats are well shaped and plenty large enough with enough lateral support to hold you in place over twisty roads.

As for the facia, there's the ubiquitous touchscreen. Too few real switches and knobs for our liking but as a concession there are rocker switches to work the ventilation system and heating which go some way to answering a call for easier access to controls while on the move.

The 47.1 kWh battery endows it with 168bhp which means performance is decently swift though not exactly seriously quick. Nevertheless 62mph comes in a reasonable 8.0 seconds. And, as with all EVs, power comes in the moment you hit the loud pedal.

Sadly, steering wheel paddles are not fitted which would have enabled regenerative braking when approaching a roundabout or corner and added to the driving appeal.

It feels well screwed together with an absence of flex, rattles or squeaks and there's little wind noise. Factors that tend to emphasise the road noise unfortunately.

Range is always a burning question and the model we drove, with the smaller of the two batteries available, allows a realistic range of just over 200 miles, which maybe a bit short of some owners' hopes.

Ride over decent surfaces is good to excellent and only becomes a tad harsh when traversing undulating or rippled surfaces. Cornering is safe and predictable and it's untroubled by body-roll.

The S5 is among the more attractive looking SUVs to come from China and sparked quite a few admiring glances from onlookers.

With a well-judged price tag, a seven-year warranty and smart trim, it is likely to build on the brand's success to date.

£28,745

49kWh battery, 168bhp, driving front wheels via automatic gearbox

101mph

: 8.0sec

211miles

29

0g/km

3%

: 7yrs/80,000 miles

4.0