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The MG4 is probably our most anticipated new EV launch of the year. It’s the cheapest electric car on the Kiwi market (as of August 2023), the first to get under the $40k mark with the Clean Car rebate in entry-level 51kWh Excite trim, and another option for those wanting a electric vehicle that isn’t an SUV. The first shipments have arrived in New Zealand but we headed to Sydney for an initial taster.
Make me an instant expert: what do I need to know?
The MG4 is small, measuring 4287mm long,1836mm wide, and 1504mm high, with a 2705mm wheelbase. It’s shorter, wider and lower to the ground compared to the MG ZS EV, but it also has a longer wheelbase, with the axles pushed right to the edges of the car, which gives it a rather aggressive stance.
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Hatchback dimensions with aggressive styling – the MG4 is already starting off strong.
These dimensions are partly due to the fact the MG4 was built on a dedicated EV platform rather than converting an existing architecture to electric power, akin to the MG ZS EV.
Paired with MG’s new styling, the MG4 has a real road presence. Those angular, angry headlights and thick rear LED light bar with the constellation styling look brilliant while the refreshed interior is a decent upgrade over the ZS EV’s cabin.
There’s a redesigned two-spoke steering wheel, new-look screens with an updated operating system, and thankfully MG has retained a handful of physical buttons for HVAC and audio controls.
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MG’s new minimal interior is a nice upgrade over the ZS EV.
Using a specialised platform meant MG has more scope to play with the powertrain. We get three different battery sizes in New Zealand, a 51kWh pack, a 64Wh pack and the range-topping 77kWh version. Claimed range for each is 350km (51kWh Excite), 450km (64kWh Excite), 435km (64kWh Essence), and 530km (77kWh Essence). The changes in range estimates between the two 64kWh models is due to difference specifications and wheel sizes.
The 51kWh battery is an LFP design, while the 64kWh and 77kWh packs are both ternary lithium-ion. MG said it put the batteries through 960,000km of punishment, including dust and water tests as well as temperature, needle tests, even pouring petrol over the packs to see if they failed, and they didn’t.
The big questions marks hanging over MG aren’t so much to do with value, but more in the way of competition. The Mini Electric, Nissan Leaf and Fiat 500e are established options in the electric hatchback market, as well as the GWM Ora, though they are admittedly much smaller than the MG4, while the also competitive BYD Dolphin is due imminently.
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It’s a bit hard to make out in the light but the light bar across the rear features a constellation design that looks great at night.
But with price on its side, MG has something of a leg up on its rivals.
What’s it like to drive?
MG took us to Sydney for the launch, which is always good because it gives us a chance to see how the vehicles perform on roads similar to our own.
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The roads around Sydney are quite similar to our own, revealing a surprisingly firm ride.
I was in the mid-range 64kWh Essence to start with, which gets a healthy array of basic kit like a 360-degree camera, wireless phone charging, the twin-spoiler roof, a six-speaker audio system and built-in sat-nav. The displayed range was about 410km when we set off, not far away from the WLTP figure of 435km.
I really like the new interior, especially the refreshed steering wheel with its joystick controls. It’s so much nicer to use than the old one. By default, the left stick operates the cruise control (up and down for speed, left and right for distance to the car in front, engage the system with the steering wheel button), while the right works the media controls (up/down for volume, left/right for track skip).
It’s a minimalistic cabin, fairly plasticky but that’s to be expected at the price. A bit of cushioning on the sides of the centre console wouldn’t go amiss for your inside knee. The infotainment screen is only okay, I found it to miss a few taps and be slow on the swipes but using Android Auto bypassed a lot of the issues. Unfortunately, phone mirroring for both Apple and Android is wired only.
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Android Auto and Apple Carplay are both included, but wired only.
The first impression was of the ride, which errs on the side of firm. Makes sense, as MG is pushing its sports heritage quite a bit with the MG4, and goes some way to differentiate it from the ZS EV SUV.
Five drive modes are included: Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow and Custom. I spent most of my time in Normal, with Sport sharpening the steering and throttle response and Eco pulling things back to eke out more range.
I would have liked Sport to be a bit more vicious in the power delivery – a full throttle boost on a green light revealed a fairly sedate power curve, not unlike the facelifted ZS EV compared to the rather rorty pre-facelift model.
Most of our drive ended up being highway cruising but a small blast through the Royal National Park revealed some of the work MG has done on the handling. The tauter suspension set-up plus a 50:50 weight distribution translated into a well-balanced drive through the twistier bits, although 60kph speed limits and a handful of cyclists did put something of a damper on things.
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You can’t tell the models apart from the outside, save for the different wheel designs.
Jumping into the 51kWh confirmed the cheapest model isn’t massively stripped-out to hit its price point. It gets the same 10.25-inch infotainment display with 7-inch instrument cluster, automatic LED headlights, a reversing camera and adaptive cruise control as the other models, but goes with smaller wheels, a lesser four-speaker audio system, manual fabric seats and less motor output. It also rolls on Continental rubber rather than Bridgestone, and doesn’t have the full constellation design on the rear light bar.
Crucially, it doesn’t feel like you’re sacrificing a lot in the entry model. It drives fine, has a decent range of over 300km (I got in at the halfway point so can’t confirm a full-charge reading), and feels premium enough. Definitely worth considering if you can get it at the sub-$40k price. Funnily enough, the 51kWh is about 0.2 seconds quicker to 100kph than the 64kWh, probably due to the lighter battery.
On the other side of things, the 77kWh boasts the most range and the most power, but could do with a few extra trim bits to bump up its flagship status. As it stands, it gets exactly the same kit as the 64kWh Essence model, just with a larger battery.
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If you want more power, the MG4 XPower is due here by the end of the year.
Why would I buy it?
You want a well-specified, genuinely affordable electric hatchback with a lower driving position and smaller footprint compared to an SUV but aren’t interested in the Mini Electric or Fiat 500e, and don’t want to wait for the BYD Dolphin.
Why wouldn’t I buy it?
You’re waiting for the BYD Dolphin to land and make your decision then, you’ve already pulled the pin on one of the European alternatives, or you need the extra space afforded by an SUV. There’s also the 320kW, dual-motor XPower coming around the end of the year for those that want the MG4 package with a huge amount of power
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