MG Im6 vs Subaru Trailseeker

What's the difference?

Meet the IM6 Performance, “presented by MG”. And that last bit’s important, because while it’s marketed and sold by the Chinese mainstream player, it really is unlike any other MG going around.

Think of it as like a Lexus to Toyota, or an Audi to Volkswagen, with the Chinese brand going premium, and seemingly making a direct play for Tesla’s fan base. How so? Well, there’s only two models in IM line-up (sound familiar?) with the IM6 a rival for the Model Y, and the IM5 (which we’ve also tested) a competitor to the Model 3.

The IM6 is spacious, pretty sumptuous and ridiculously fast. And it offers up some features I’ve only ever really seen in high-end German metal. But it’s also got some quirks.

So, can MG run with the big dogs of the premium car world with the IM6 Performance? And should Tesla be worried? Let’s find out.

For a vehicle that Subaru has touted as a Sport Electric Vehicle, promising the all-terrain adventuring the brand is known for, the Trailseeker AWD looks like it should be stepping up to the plate with plenty of confidence.

It has all the ingredients on paper: electric power, decent driving range, all-wheel drive and the sort of go-anywhere credentials Subaru buyers have come to expect.

But is an electric wagon-SUV-crossover really the product Aussies have been screaming out for? Will you happily point this towards Alpine country and strap your skis to the roof, or has Subaru swung a little too hard here?

Because the electric vehicle market is getting crowded, with what seems like a new brand arriving every other week. The Trailseeker has some serious competition from the likes of the Skoda Enyaq, Tesla Model Y and Zeekr 7X and they're all vying for attention.

I've spent the week finding out what makes the Trailseeker AWD stand out.