MG4 Review (2022-present)
MG MG4 cars for sale
4.0
Expert review
Pros
Fantastic value for money
Surprisingly fun to drive
Generously equipped, even in entry-level SE spec
Cons
Not quite as accommodating for passengers or luggage as a Volkswagen ID.3
Sound system in SE models isn’t the best-sounding
Steering wheel infotainment controls a bit fiddly
The CarGurus verdict
The MG4 marks MG’s coming of age for the 21st century, especially when it comes to electric cars. Its design is distinctive, grown-up and well thought-through inside and out, its technology is up to date, and its price point is sufficiently low as to be genuinely embarrassing for its rivals. That it’s also enjoyable to drive, reasonably energy-efficient and has a great range of models – from the basic and affordable to long range or high performance – is also to its credit.
Okay, so its build quality isn’t up to what you’d call a premium standard, but then it’s not priced at BMW or Mercedes levels and you certainly won’t feel shortchanged when you compare it to the interior of a Volkswagen ID.3 – and when you’re saving some £8,000 with the entry-level model, you’ll almost certainly forgive it the odd scratchy-feeling plastic panel.
What is the MG4?
Since the MG4 electric hatchback is the first MG to be built solely as an EV, there’s no need for the body styling or engineering to accommodate a petrol or diesel engine. As a result, it looks a lot more funky and futuristic than the more traditional-looking MG5 or ZS. In fact, its pointy snout and dart-like shape make it look more than a little like the Cupra Born.
Like the Volkswagen ID.3 or Cupra Born, the MG4 has an airy feeling inside thanks to the flat floor and slim battery pack that sits beneath it. The modern-looking, slimline dashboard design with its tablet-style central touchscreen is much less bulky than the more old-fashioned dash in the MG5, too, adding further to the sense of spaciousness.
There are two trim levels to choose from: SE and Trophy. SE is the more basic of the two, but still packs plenty of standard equipment (including adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist), while the Trophy gets a Glitzier design that includes a smart-looking rear spoiler and a contrasting-coloured roof, while both versions get 17-inch alloy wheels. These will be the most popular options in the MG4 range, and are offered with two battery sizes to choose from: a 51kWh in the SE model with a claimed WLTP range of 218 miles, and a 64kWh battery pack that delivers a claimed range of 281 miles in SE trim and 270 miles in Trophy guise. The Long Range models get a 201bhp motor, along with their bigger battery, which is enough to propel the car to 62mph from rest in 7.9 seconds. The Standard Range model produces slightly less power, at 168bhp, but is lighter, so can sprint from 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds.
However, as of 2023, the range was expanded to include the MG4 Extended Range and the MG4 XPower. The former gets a 77kWh battery with a range of 323 miles, while the latter sticks with the 64kWh battery but gets a storming 429bhp, dual motors for all-wheel drive, and is capable of 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds. It doesn’t look much different to the standard MG4 models, but the bright orange brake callipers do give it away.
Charging can be done at up to 125KW. This is on par with the VW ID.3 and Cupra Born, and better than the 76KW maximum rapid DC charging capacity of the more expensive Kia Niro EV. Or indeed the 87KW maximum of the MG5 and MG ZS EV. It also means you can get an 80 per cent charge in just over half an hour on the 64kWh MG4 from a 150KW rapid charger. Charging up at home on a 7KW AC wallbox should take just over 10 hours.
How practical is it?
How practical the MG4 is depends on how you look at it. As the first MG to be built using underpinnings designed solely to be built up into electric cars (the modular scalable platform or MSP as it’s called) will eventually see service in a range of MGs, it has a packaging advantage over the MG5 or MG ZS EV – there’s no transmission tunnel or bulky space designed to accommodate a petrol or diesel engine, for example. However, compared to the similarly sized VW ID.3 or Cupra Born, there is a little less rear passenger and boot space (363 litres vs 385 litres for the ID.3).
But it is significantly cheaper than an ID.3. In fact, go for the standard-range SE and it’s in direct price comparison with much smaller supermini EVs such as the Peugeot e-208, Vauxhall Corsa E or Renault Zoe. Looked at as a competitor for those models and it’s much more generously proportioned in terms of front-seat space, boot space and passenger room.
One area where the MG4 misses out is under-bonnet storage space. Given that the MG4 has its motor located under the boot, you might reasonably expect a little storage space up front.
As for in-cabin storage, the MG4 has plenty of oddment bins and cupholders, plus a useful rubberised tray to hold your phone that also has small holes that allow you to neatly thread through the charging/connecting leads from the USB ports below.
What's it like to drive?
The MG4 is genuinely impressive to drive. All but the MG4 XPower get a rear-mounted motor and rear-wheel drive, which means the car’s front end is not only lighter, but the wheels don’t have to do anything but steer. As a result, the MG4 feels agile, lively and keen to change direction. You can even sense the rear wheels pushing you out of tighter corners.
Relatively soft suspension settings also help the MG4 feel grippy in corners, as the nose of the car is happy to turn into a corner, rather than ‘skating’ and bouncing as more stiffly sprung cars can tend to do – especially front-engined, front-wheel-drive ones.
Another benefit of this is the smooth and supple ride – at least for an electric car. EVs tend to ride rather firmly as a result of the heavy battery pack, but MG seems to largely have solved this issue.
A little less impressive is the occasional bassy shudder that you can feel running through the cabin if you happen to catch certain types of potholes when the suspension is under load during cornering.
The lane-keep assist won’t actively steer you and keep you centred in your lane as effectively as some similar set-ups from other manufacturers.
That being said, the MG4’s long-distance cruising credentials are otherwise impeccable – it’s quiet, stable at motorway speeds and the acceleration is seamlessly punchy coming off roundabouts or down slip roads.
Obviously, if you do a lot of miles then you may want to consider the MG4 Extended Range, although we’re yet to try it so can’t comment on how the heavier battery may affect the way it drives. We have, however, driven the MG4 XPower, so is it the electric hot hatch we’ve been waiting for? Well, not really, but it is a hugely impressive amount of performance for the money. It’s still nice to drive, of course, but the XPower actually feels a bit less entertaining in corners than the standard rear-wheel drive MG4.
Technology, equipment and infotainment
The level of standard equipment you get with the entry-level SE trim is impressively high. There’s active emergency braking that’ll spot cyclists and pedestrians as well as cars, adaptive cruise control, driver attention alert (all of which fall under the umbrella of ‘MG Pilot’ branding), and automatic high-beam assist on the headlights.
All MG4s also get a seven-inch digital driver display and a 10-inch central touchscreen, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The standard four-speaker stereo is a touch weedy, however.
Step up to the Trophy model (the Extended Range is only offered as a Trophy) and the stereo is improved to a six-speaker set-up, plus it gets satnav, heated seats and steering wheel, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, an adjustable boot floor, wireless phone charging and a 360-degree parking camera.
In general, the MG4 feels like a slick and modern product, with interior build quality about on par with what you’d expect from Kia, Toyota or Peugeot.
The user experience for the touchscreen and digital driver display isn’t the most intuitive we’ve seen, though. For example, the multi-function toggle switches on the steering wheel are a little complicated and you can end up inadvertently scrolling through the trip computer data instead of adjusting the stereo volume as both functions can be accessed by the same joystick/toggle switch on the right-hand side of the steering wheel.
And although there are physical buttons for the volume control, the climate control can only be accessed through the touchscreen, which is distracting and fiddly when you’re on the move. This aspect was improved across the whole MG4 range with the 2023 refresh, though, with bigger icons in the climate control menu. The whole system is also very configurable, especially the central touchscreen, so if given a little time to set it up you can customise it to suit your needs.
MG4 running costs
In terms of efficiency, the MG4 is good but not stellar. Official figures suggest between 3.6 and 3.8 miles per kWh overall, and although we achieved a little over 4 miles per kWh on our test route, that was with some deliberately energy-efficient driving. Driving with less of a focus on fuel efficiency, we saw a figure of 3.5 miles per kWh.
Where the MG4 really scores on its running costs, however, is in its claimed residual values – the likely future value of a car over a certain period. According to data analysts at CAP (the body that sets predicted residual values), it will still hold almost 65 per cent of its original value after three years – which puts it on par with the likes of Porsche and Tesla, and well ahead of the Volkswagen ID.3.
This is good news for those planning on financing an MG4, because it makes monthly PCP payments generally more affordable. And when the outright price tag is already significantly cheaper than that of its rivals, that’s an added bonus when it comes to affordability.
MG4 reliability
MGs, it has to be said, don’t have a sparkling reputation for reliability, though things seem to be improving. The MG4 itself was placed a disappointing 18th out of 20 electric cars rated in the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey, with bodywork and non-electrical issues the main gremlins reported by owners. Interestingly, the same survey showed that the MG5 is one of the most reliable electric cars, and another of the MG4’s big rivals – the Nissan Leaf – came in the top three most reliable EVs.
At least the warranty that MG offers is among the best in the business, so most complaints were sorted for free. The car and the high voltage battery are both covered for seven years and 80,000 miles.
- Every MG4 features Vehicle-to-load (V2L) technology, so you can power appliances such as laptops or camping fridges from the car’s high voltage battery. And don’t worry, you can set a minimum charge level, so that your camping mini-fridge doesn’t use up the power you need to get home…
- If you’re looking at buying a used MG4, it’s worth remembering that the company brought a few minor tweaks across the whole range in 2023 when it introduced the XPower and Extended Range. These included more usable in-screen climate control, and a rear windscreen wiper. Small updates, but useful nonetheless.
- Don’t be fooled into thinking that MG is a niche, small volume brand. MG has been owned by Chinese car maker, SAIC, for many years and has built up a big following in the UK as a provider of affordable EVs. It sold over 81,000 cars in the UK in 2023, and over 21,000 of those were the MG4 – making this the second most popular electric car in the UK, after the Tesla Model Y.
- If you’re after a bargain: MG4 SE Standard Range. The bottom of the MG4 range is perhaps the model’s sweet spot. The smaller, lighter battery pack still delivers a reasonable 218-mile WLTP range, while the standard equipment levels are generous. With a price tag of just under £27,000, to have a digital driver’s display, adaptive cruise control, high-beam assist and vehicle-to-load charging all included as standard is very impressive
- If you go on regular long drives: The 77kWh MG4 Extended Range promises to be the best option if you really do high mileage, with its range of over 320 miles meaning you won’t need to charge too often. However, don’t discount the MG4 SE Long Range. It’s loads cheaper, still gets good equipment, and it gets a WLTP range of 281 miles, so isn’t far behind the Extended Range. It charges just as quickly, too.
- If you want all the gadgets: MG4 Trophy Long Range gets quite a few extras on top of the regular SE, such as snappier styling, a wireless phone charger, built-in satnav and more sophisticated active safety aids (including blind-spot assist and cross-traffic alert). But despite all that it still undercuts the Volkswagen ID.3 by several thousand pounds.
- If you want the sportiest: It’s got to be the MG4 XPower. It may not be the best handling car in the class, but it’s still good fun thanks to the confidence and sheer pace that it offers. Given that it’s as fast as a BMW M3 and costs less than £37,000, you can’t really argue with it.
