MG4 EV REVIEW & PRICES

Seemingly arriving out of nowhere and immediately wowing us as a fantastic value electric car, this is the MG4 EV. It’s an electric hatchback market that's an affordable alternative to the likes of the Volkswagen ID3, BYD Dolphin and Renault Megane E-Tech.

However, it’s priced closer to smaller alternatives, such as the Fiat 500 Electric, making it an appealing value for money prospect and earning it a highly commended spot in both the Outstanding EV and Urban Living categories at the 2024 Carwow Car of the Year Awards.

Like a Lenovo phone, the MG4 is a budget option from China that may not have crossed your mind, but getting some hands-on time reveals it has plenty to offer.

For a start, it’s a seriously sharp-looking thing. MGs of recent times have felt like a mish-mash knock-off of everything else on the market. With the MG4 though, it’s as if the designers finally got free reign and the result is fantastic — especially on sporty-looking Trophy cars. Plus, you’ll get 17-inch alloy wheels and LED head and tail lights as standard.

MG4 EV: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 218-331 miles
Efficiency: 3.6-3.8 miles per kWh
Battery size: 51kWh / 62kWh / 74kWh
Max charge speed: 150kW
Charge time AC: 6hrs 12mins, 10-100%, 7kW / 7hrs 30mins, 10-100%, 7kW / 9hrs, 10-100%, 7kW
Charge time DC: 39mins, 10-80%, 150kW / 35mins, 10-80%, 150kW
Charge port location: Left rear
Power outputs: 170hp / 204hp / 245hp

The layout of the interior isn’t quite as inspiring, but it does look pretty clean thanks to a minimalist approach. Interior quality is better than what you’d expect for the price too, comparing favourably with pricier alternatives.

All versions of the MG4 come equipped with a 10.25-inch infotainment system and a 7.0-inch driver’s display. The built-in software is pretty basic (navigation is only available at the top of the range, for example), though you do get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.

It’s quite a fiddly system to use, though. Climate controls are tricky to work with as you’re driving, plus changing the driving modes requires you to go into settings menus. There’s plenty of room for improvement here.

Otherwise, there’s little else to fault inside the MG4. Space for passengers in the rear is really good — even taller adults should have plenty of headroom.

The MG4 gets 363 litres of boot space, which is marginally behind the 385 litres in the Volkswagen ID3, though that car doesn’t have a dedicated spot for the charging cables, unlike the MG, which will eat into space a little.

There are three battery options on the MG4, with the basic model offering up to 218 miles, the Long Range up to 281 miles, and the Extended Range coming in at 323 miles. There's also the high-performance MG4 XPower, which can go up to 239 miles.

The MG4 is most at home in town. Well-weighted steering makes it easy to manoeuvre, and there’s decent visibility out of the front. The car does a good job of insulating you from lumps and bumps in the road, which also comes in handy for a comfortable drive when you’re cruising at motorway speeds. You’ll need to contend with a bit of road noise, though.

What may come as quite a surprise though is just how fun the MG4 is to drive. It responds really well to quick direction changes at speed, and both motor outputs feel plenty fast enough. That said, there’s a 442hp version coming soon…

MG cars of recent years have often come with the caveat of being good for the price. With the MG4 though, there’s none of that — it’s simply very good regardless of cost, outshining much pricier alternatives from much higher-selling brands.

Keen on making an MG4 EV your next car? Check out deals on new models through Carwow to see how much you could save or browse the latest used MG4 stock. You can also browse other used MG models, and if you need to sell your car first, you can do that through Carwow too.

Based on its size, the MG4 EV goes head-to-head with the likes of the Volkswagen ID3, Cupra Born, Renault Megane E-Tech and BYD Dolphin. However, it undercuts all these models considerably on price, with the VW starting at just under £40,000, both the Renault and Cupra around £37,000 and the BYD from £30,000. A Nissan Leaf is only a little more expensive than the MG, but it doesn’t feel as posh or modern inside.

The MG4 range starts with the SE trim and smaller, 218-mile battery and is topped by the Trophy Extended Range model, which packs more kit and the biggest battery. However, this version is about £10,000 more expensive than the base version.

Comfortable in town and surprisingly nimble in bends, but there’s a bit of wind noise on the motorway

In town

One of the first things you notice when driving the MG4 is that it’s very comfortable. EVs tend to have stiff suspension because this helps stop cars with heavy batteries from wobbling around in corners, but the MG4 manages to smooth out lumpy roads and speed bumps with little fuss.

It’s pretty agile too, thanks to the responsive motors and light steering. There are multiple steering settings in the menus, but putting it in its lightest mode removes so much feel that we’d recommend leaving it in ‘normal’. The 10.7-metre turning circle isn’t quite as good as the VW ID3, but it’s enough to navigate busy urban areas with ease, while good forward visibility is another boon. Rear visibility not so much, though, meaning it can be tricky to see what’s around when looking over your shoulder.

Another complaint is the lack of ‘one pedal driving’. The MG4 will not come to a complete stop if you lift off the throttle and let the regenerative braking do its thing, instead creeping along once you get to low speeds. You’ll get used to it, but it’s mildly annoying that you need to use the brakes to stop in traffic, while other EVs will bring the car to a halt. When you do use the brakes, though, they’re smooth and avoid the jerkiness found in some electric cars.

On the motorway

Those punchy electric motors are useful out on the motorway too. When accelerating up to the national speed limit the MG4 pulls quickly and smoothly, getting you up to a cruise with little fuss.

Once you’re there, the MG4’s soft suspension again makes itself known by proving to be a comfortable companion on long journeys. Minor road imperfections are barely noticeable so you’ll get to your destination feeling relaxed.

The MG4 is not the quietest EV at motorway speeds though, with a bit of wind noise to contend with. Meanwhile, that light steering is less welcome at high speeds, though you can increase the weight a bit in the settings.

On a twisty road

Again the MG4 impresses, and this time it’s in corners. You might expect that soft suspension to mean it’s not particularly confidence-inspiring on a winding road, because there’s usually a trade off between comfort and cornering ability. However, while it’s no sports car, it’s easy to have fun behind the wheel.

Pitch the car into a corner and it doesn’t lean too much, so you don’t feel like you might fall into the opposite lane and can instead focus on enjoying the power from the electric motors. We've tested both power outputs and can happily say that each had more than enough oomph to enjoy and, thanks to sending power to the rear wheels, feel agile as you accelerate out of a turn.

Despite this corner carving positivity, the MG4 is no hardcore hot hatch replacement and prefers a more laid back approach, encouraging you to get into a rhythm rather than attack corners with rubber-shredding enthusiasm.

Decent space and storage up front, but it’s hit and miss in the rear seats and the boot could be bigger

Getting comfortable as the driver in the MG4 EV is easy, thanks to electrically operated seats and great steering wheel adjustability, which has a wide range of movements for reach and rake.

Once in position there’s a load of space to store whatever’s filling your pockets, with a large bin beneath the armrest, a shallow, coverable space in the centre console and a phone charging pad that sits on a plinth behind the gear selection dial. There are large door bins, a felt-lined glasses storage box and a reasonably sized glovebox, too.

The cup holders are a good size and within arm’s reach, but sitting beneath the aforementioned plinth means that it’s tricky to slot bottles in on the move. It could be easy to knock the top off your coffee while keeping your eyes on the road. This section is also quite close to the driver, meaning those with longer legs might find they're resting their knee on the hard plastic, which can get a bit sore on longer trips.

Space in the back seats

Rear passengers are generally well catered for, with subtle cutouts in the roof helping provide ample headroom, while even taller passengers should have no issues with knees banging the seat in front.

Foot space is okay but it’s tricky to get your feet under the seat in front. This can make longer journeys uncomfortable as the seat cushion is quite close to the floor of the car, forcing your legs up so your thighs are not supported.

Put three adults in the back and it’s a squeeze for shoulder space, while the lack of central armrest is a shame when you don’t have a third person in the middle seat. The door bins are smaller back here and there’s only one USB slot for those in the back to fight over. The mobile phone holders in the back of the seats in front is a cool touch though, while the ISOFIX points are easy to access.

Overall rear seat space is fine, but it doesn’t quite feel as polished as it does up front, with cheaper materials, too.

Boot space

At 363 litres the MG4’s boot is not terrible, but does lag a little behind the ID3’s 385 litres and Nissan Leaf’s cavernous 435 litres. However, it is slightly bigger than the BYD Dolphin's 345 litres, and the similarly priced Fiat 500 Electric is much smaller at 185 litres, giving some context to the value proposition here. Fold the rear seats down and you get a decent 1,117 litres of space.

Practicality is also not great, with just the one tie-down hook and no 12V charge slot. However, you can store the charging cables beneath the boot floor so you don’t have to eat into cargo space, unlike in the VW, while folding the rear seats down reveals a flat floor that’s easy to push large, heavy items across.

Some EVs have a smaller front boot beneath the bonnet, because there’s no need to slot a big petrol or diesel engine in there. However, the MG4 has no extra space up front, which is a bit of a shame. But then neither does the ID3 or Leaf, so it’s not a deal breaker in this class.

Interior fit and finish is mighty impressive for the price point, but the infotainment can be tricky to use

If you’ve sat in an ID3 and been left disappointed by the interior look and quality, the MG4 is sure to surprise you. Despite costing considerably less than its German counterpart, the fit and finish feels more premium thanks to soft-touch materials throughout.

The 10.25-inch infotainment screen perched atop the dashboard has a clear display, but the graphics look a touch dated and its response to inputs is quite laggy. Couple this with climate and drive mode control functions buried in menus, and it can be quite fiddly to use on the move.

You also only get sat nav on the top-spec Trophy model, but that’s actually not a big deal because wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included as standard and work better than MG’s system anyway.

While there are a few physical buttons beneath the screen, they feel pretty cheap and let the side down when everything else feels so solid.

The digital display ahead of the driver is more impressive though, boasting a crisp, clear display and plenty of customisation options, so you can use the wheel-mounted buttons to show the most relevant information to you.

There’s also a storage tray for your mobile phone that sits conveniently above the USB slots in the front. This has a hole to feed the wire through to keep things neat, but it’s very fiddly and some wires don’t actually fit through...

There are five variations of MG4, spanning two trim levels, three battery sizes, and the separate high-performance model called XPower.

Entry-level SE models have a 170hp motor and 51kWh battery with a 0-60mph time of 7.5 seconds and a range of 218 miles.

Step up to the SE Long Range and Trophy Long Range and you get 203hp with a 64kWh battery, but the extra weight drops the 0-60mph time a fraction to 7.7 seconds. They have a maximum range of 281 and 270 miles respectively.

At the top of the range is the Trophy Extended Range model, which has a 77kWh battery and a 323-mile range. It's also the most powerful version (excluding the XPower), with 241hp and a 0-60mph time of 6.5 seconds.

The smaller battery can be charged at a rate of up to 117kW, which will top the battery up from 10 to 80% in 39 minutes. The Long Range battery has a 135kW charge rate, meaning it’s slightly quicker from 10 to 80% at 35 minutes. The Extended Range model takes slightly longer to do the same charge at 39 minutes.

When we tested the Trophy Long Range model, we achieved a 0-60mph time of 7.1 seconds, which is a good chunk quicker than the official figures suggest. We also saw efficiency of 3.8miles/kWh, which would equate to a range of 232 miles. Although this is down on the official figure, it’s an impressive number for real world driving.

During our time with the entry-level SE version, we saw the same efficiency figures, which would put the range of its smaller battery at just under 200 miles. Again, this isn't too far off its claimed figures and a perfectly useful amount for most.

As an electric vehicle, the MG4 will be Vehicle Excise Duty-free until 2025, and also benefits from very low company car tax.

Even the cheapest MG4 gets MG Pilot as standard, which is a driver assistance package that includes active emergency braking, lane keep assist, driver attention alert and intelligent high beam assist. Trophy models also get door opening warning, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert and lane change assist.

Even more impressively, this includes adaptive cruise control as standard. This means the car will adapt its speed when approaching slower cars on the motorway, and will even stay in control in stop-start traffic.

The MG4 received the full five stars in Euro NCAP safety testing, scoring over 80% for occupant safety and over 70% in the vulnerable road users and safety assist sections.

There have not been any recurring issues flagged with the MG4 as yet, and there are no recalls to worry about, either. EVs tend to be more reliable than petrol and diesel cars, so could be a good bet if you want to avoid worrying about repairs.

Giving further peace of mind is MG’s excellent seven-year/80,000-mile warranty, so even if something does go wrong, you should be covered. It’s fully transferable too, so if you’re buying a used example you’ll still benefit, providing it falls within the age and mileage limit.