Zakirin
The MG S5 EV COM (CKD) enters Malaysia’s electric crossover market locally assembled from RM 103,900 (RM 104,468 OTR w/o insurance), featuring a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) chassis, a 49 kWh LFP battery, 120 kW DC fast charging, 7 airbags, and standard MG Pilot Level 2 ADAS. The Leapmotor B10 (RM 99,800 to RM 118,800) counters as Stellantis Malaysia’s C-segment electric SUV built on the LEAP 3.5 architecture, powered by a 218 PS rear electric motor, an available 56.2 kWh to 67.1 kWh battery with up to 434 km WLTP range, standard 11 kW three-phase AC charging, and a 14.6-inch 2.5K touchscreen.
Quick Verdict:
- Choose the MG S5 EV COM (CKD) if: You want a locally assembled (CKD) RWD electric crossover with a 5-link rear axle and XDS electronic differential, standard Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, a larger 453-litre boot, and segment-exclusive 7 standard airbags (including a front-center airbag).
- Choose the Leapmotor B10 if:You want higher motor output (218 PS), longer driving range (up to 434 km WLTP on 67.1 kWh Design), standard 11 kW three-phase AC charging, a 25-litre front trunk (frunk), standard panoramic glass roof, and a high-resolution 14.6-inch 2.5K cockpit.
💰 Estimated Monthly Ownership Breakdown
| Cost & Ownership Factor | MG S5 EV COM (CKD) | Leapmotor B10 (Life / Design) |
| Price (OTR w/o Insurance, Peninsular) | RM 104,468 (Selling: RM 103,900) | RM 99,800 – RM 107,800 (Life) / RM 118,800 (Design) |
| Price (OTR w/o Insurance, East Malaysia) | RM 107,228 (Selling: RM 106,900) | RM 101,800 (Life) – RM 120,800 (Design) |
| Standard Vehicle Warranty | 7 Years / 150,000 km | 6 Years / 150,000 km |
| High-Voltage Battery Warranty | 8 Years / 160,000 km | 8 Years / 160,000 km |
| Estimated 5-Year Maintenance Cost | ~RM 2,500 – RM 3,200 (Wear & tear, cabin filters, brake fluid) | ~RM 2,600 – RM 3,300 (Stellantis Scheduled EV Service) |
| Annual Road Tax (Peninsular MY) | RM 120 (Private Individual EV rate) | RM 120 – RM 200 (EV Rate) |
| Claimed EV Range (WLTP / CLTC) | 340 km WLTP (415 km NEDC) | 361 km (Life) / 434 km WLTP (Design: 516–600 km CLTC) |
| Luggage Space (Boot Capacity) | 453 – 1,441 Litres | 430 – 1,700 Litres (+ 25 Litres Frunk) |
| Est. Monthly Loan (9-Yr @ 3.0%–3.5%) | ~RM 1,105 – RM 1,125/mo | ~RM 1,055/mo (Life) – ~RM 1,255/mo (Design) |
📊 Comprehensive Specification Comparison
| Feature / Spec | MG S5 EV COM (CKD) | Leapmotor B10 (Life / Design) |
| Segment / Body Style | 5-Seater B/C-Segment Crossover SUV | 5-Seater C-Segment Electric SUV |
| Underpinning Architecture | Modular Scalable Platform (MSP/Nebula) | LEAP 3.5 Platform (Cell-to-Chassis / CTC 2.0) |
| Assembly | CKD (Local Assembly, Melaka / Pekan, Malaysia) | CBU (Imported, Jinhua, China) |
| Drivetrain Layout | Single-Motor Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) | Single-Motor Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) |
| Motor & Transmission | Rear Electric Motor with Single-Speed Direct Drive | Rear Permanent Magnet Motor Single-Speed Drive |
| Max Power Output | 170 PS (168 hp / 125 kW) | 218 PS (215 hp / 160 kW) |
| Max Torque | 250 Nm | 240 Nm |
| 0–100 km/h Acceleration | 8.0 seconds | 8.0 seconds (Life) / ~7.5 seconds (Design) |
| Top Speed | ~160 km/h | 170 km/h |
| Battery Type & Chemistry | 49.0 kWh LFP Battery | 56.2 kWh (Life) / 67.1 kWh (Design) LFP Battery |
| Maximum WLTP Range | 340 km (415 km NEDC) | 361 km (Life) / 434 km (Design) |
| DC Fast Charging Rate | 120 kW (30–80% in ~20–26 mins) | 140 kW – 168 kW (30–80% in ~20 mins) |
| AC Charging Capability | 7.0 kW Single-Phase | 11 kW Three-Phase Standard |
| Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) | Standard | Standard (1.7 kW – 3.3 kW) |
| Suspension (Front / Rear) | MacPherson Strut / Multi-Link (5-Link) | MacPherson Strut / Multi-Link Independent |
| Differential & Dynamics | XDS Electronic Differential | Electronic Stability Dynamic Control |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 4,476 mm x 1,849 mm x 1,621 mm | 4,515 mm x 1,885 mm x 1,655 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,730 mm | 2,735 mm |
| Front Trunk (Frunk) | Not Available | 25 Litres |
| Rear Boot Space | 453 – 1,441 Litres | 430 – 1,700 Litres |
| Wheels & Tyres | 17-inch Alloys (215/60 R17) | 18-inch Alloys (225/50 R18 Front / 235/50 R18 Rear) |
| Glass Sunroof | Not Available (Standard on LUX) | Standard Panoramic Sunroof with Electric Shade |
| Front Seats | 6-Way Driver / 4-Way Passenger Manual (Fabric) | Power-Adjustable Front Seats (Ventilated on Design) |
| Infotainment Screen | 12.8-inch High-Definition Touchscreen | 14.6-inch 2.5K Touchscreen (Snapdragon 8155) |
| Driver Display Cluster | 10.25-inch Virtual Cluster Display | 8.8-inch Digital Instrument Cluster |
| Smartphone Connectivity | Wireless Apple CarPlay & Wireless Android Auto | Leapmotor OS 4.0 (Wireless Phone Mirroring) |
| Audio System | 4 Premium Audio Speakers | 6 Speakers (Life) / 12-Speaker Surround (Design) |
| Parking Camera | Reverse Camera with Rear Parking Sensors | 360-Degree Panoramic View Camera |
| Airbags | 7 Airbags (Front, Side, Curtain, Front-Center) | 6 Airbags (Front, Side, Curtain) |
| ADAS Safety Suite | Full MG Pilot Suite (ACC, AEB, LKA, BSD, RCTA, TJA) | Leapmotor Pilot (17 ADAS Functions, ACC, LCC, AEB, BSD) |
⚡ Key Differences Breakdown
🚗 Powertrain, RWD Architecture & Charging Speed
- MG S5 EV COM (CKD): Features a dedicated Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) platform powered by a 170 PS (125 kW) and 250 Nm electric motor. Sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.0 seconds. Its 49 kWh LFP battery delivers a 340 km WLTP range and accepts up to 120 kW DC fast charging (30–80% in ~20–26 mins). Home AC charging is limited to 7 kW single-phase.
- Leapmotor B10: Utilizes Leapmotor’s LEAP 3.5 architecture with Cell-to-Chassis (CTC 2.0) integration. Its rear-mounted electric motor produces a higher 218 PS (160 kW) and 240 Nm. It offers two battery choices: 56.2 kWh (361 km WLTP on Life) or 67.1 kWh (434 km WLTP on Design). DC fast charging peaks higher at 140 kW to 168 kW (30–80% in 20 mins), backed by a standard 11 kW three-phase AC onboard charger.
🎨 Chassis Dynamics, Dimensions & Frunk Utility
- MG S5 EV COM (CKD): Measures 4,476 mm long with a 2,730 mm wheelbase. It is engineered with a 5-link independent rear suspension and an XDS Electronic Differential that brakes the inside wheel during fast cornering to reduce understeer. Rear luggage volume is larger at 453 litres, but it lacks under-bonnet front storage.
- Leapmotor B10: Sits in a larger C-segment footprint (4,515 mm length, 1,885 mm width, 1,655 mm height) with a 2,735 mm wheelbase. It includes a dedicated 25-litre front trunk (frunk) for charging cable storage alongside a 430-litre rear boot (expandable to 1,700 litres). It rolls on staggered 18-inch tyres (225 mm front / 235 mm rear) for increased rear traction.
🛋️ Cockpit Tech, Infotainment & Safety Architecture
- MG S5 EV COM (CKD): Features a 12.8-inch central screen and a 10.25-inch virtual cluster. It comes standard with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Wireless Android Auto out of the box. Safety is a class-leading highlight: it includes 7 airbags as standard (featuring a front-center airbag between driver and passenger) and the complete MG Pilot Level 2 ADAS suite (ACC, AEB, LKA, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Traffic Jam Assist). It utilizes manual fabric seats and a polyurethane steering wheel on the COM trim.
- Leapmotor B10: Fitted with a 14.6-inch 2.5K high-definition touchscreen running Leapmotor OS 4.0 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chipset), an 8.8-inch driver cluster, a standard opening panoramic glass roof, power-adjustable front seats (with ventilation on Design), a 360-degree camera, and up to a 12-speaker audio system. Passive safety is covered by 6 airbags alongside 17 active ADAS functions.
🌟 3 Things We Love
MG S5 EV COM (CKD)
- Locally Assembled Pricing & Standard 7 Airbags: Under RM 105,000 OTR, the inclusion of 7 airbags (with a front-center airbag) and full Level 2 ADAS sets a high safety standard.
- Native Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto: Seamless smartphone screen integration out of the box avoids reliance on third-party software updates.
- Agile 5-Link Rear Suspension with XDS: Combining a rear-motor layout with 5-link rear suspension and electronic torque vectoring provides sharp handling.
Leapmotor B10
- Longer Range & 11 kW AC Home Charging: The 67.1 kWh Design variant delivers 434 km WLTP range, and its standard 11 kW AC onboard charger cuts home charging times down to ~5.5 hours.
- Standard Panoramic Sunroof & 25L Frunk: Including an open-air panoramic glass roof and dedicated under-bonnet cable storage enhances cabin ambiance and convenience.
- High-Resolution 14.6-inch 2.5K Cockpit: The Snapdragon 8155-powered 2.5K screen delivers sharp graphics, smooth menu responsiveness, and pet/camping climate modes.
⚠️ 2 Things That Need Work
MG S5 EV COM (CKD)
- Spartan Entry-Level COM Cabin: Uses manual fabric seats, a polyurethane steering wheel, and a standard reverse camera instead of the 360-degree camera found on the LUX trim.
- 7.0 kW Single-Phase AC Charging Limit: Lacking an 11 kW three-phase onboard AC charger means overnight AC wallbox charging requires 7 to 8 hours from flat.
Leapmotor B10
- Imported (CBU) Status: As a fully imported EV from China, it does not benefit from local assembly production incentives compared to CKD competitors.
- Capped at 6 Airbags: Lacks the front-center far-side airbag found in the MG S5 EV.
🏁 Buying Conclusion
The MG S5 EV COM (CKD) is the smarter financial and safety-conscious choice for urban drivers. Locally assembled from RM 103,900 (RM 104,468 OTR w/o insurance), it delivers a balanced Rear-Wheel Drive chassis with 5-link rear suspension, 120 kW DC fast charging, standard Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a 453-litre boot, and 7 airbags with the complete MG Pilot ADAS suite. For buyers wanting an agile, fast-charging RWD electric crossover with lower monthly installments and maximum airbag protection, the MG S5 EV COM provides outstanding value.
The Leapmotor B10 is the superior long-distance tourer and tech powerhouse. Priced between RM 99,800 and RM 118,800, it delivers more power (218 PS), longer driving range (up to 434 km WLTP), standard 11 kW three-phase AC charging, a dedicated 25-litre frunk, and a rich standard feature list (panoramic glass roof, power seats, 14.6-inch 2.5K screen). If you frequently travel cross-country and want faster home AC charging with a tech-loaded cabin, the Leapmotor B10 is a compelling electric SUV.
