MG4 EV REVIEW & PRICES

MG pulled an absolute blinder with the MG4, and much like the lovable underdog in a boxing movie it punches well above its weight division. It’s more affordable than alternatives such as the Renault Megane E-Tech and Cupra Born, costing around the same as the smaller Vauxhall Corsa Electric and Fiat 500e.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that MG have taken a ‘cheap and cheerful’ approach to engineering the MG4, but that’s far from the truth. So far from it, in fact, that the MG4 received high commendations in the 2024 Carwow Car of the Year Awards’ Outstanding EV and Urban Living categories.

Just look at it, a mix of pointy details, sharp creases and funky shapes such as the lower body cladding and split roof spoiler. It’s a refreshing looking thing; it still stands out against newer MGs such as the MG S5 and MG HS as much as it does its alternatives.

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

It’s a shame the interior isn’t quite as novel, with a dashboard layout that’s so simple it verges on boring, but the material quality, fit and finish and standard kit is better than you might expect for the price.

A 10.25-inch infotainment display comes as standard on all trim levels of the MG4, and though it comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, MG’s own software is rather basic. It’s frustrating to operate too, especially on the move, with too many menus to navigate.

There’s plenty of room in the MG4 though; plenty of adjustability for you to get comfy behind the wheel and enough head and leg room for tall passengers in the rear - though it’s a bit of a squeeze when you’ve got three in the back. The 363-litre boot capacity trails the Volkswagen ID3 for space, and puts it well behind the Megane E-Tech.

The MG4 comes with two battery options, offering 218 claimed miles of range in its most basic trim through to 323 miles for the Trophy Extended Range model. The top-rung MG4 XPower, which we’ve reviewed separately, offers a big power hike over the rest of the trim levels, but makes do with a 239-mile range.

Around town the MG4 is easy to potter about in thanks to its light steering, peppy electric motors and most importantly, its comfortable suspension. It takes potholes, speed bumps and cracked roads in its stride, and the same applies to motorways where the MG4 just soaks up the miles with ease.

Yet even with its soft suspension the MG4 is rather fun to drive on a twisty road, feeling agile and grippy with little in the way of body lean. The X-Power is particularly rapid, but it’s different enough that we've reviewed it separately here.

For a stonking value for money proposition, have a look at our new MG4 deals as well as our MG4 lease deals. You can also check out used MG4s from our network of trusted dealers as well as other used MGs. When it’s time for a change, you can even sell your current car through Carwow.

While the MG4 is a similar size to the Volkswagen ID3 and Volvo EX30, it comes in much cheaper without feeling like a compromise. Entry-level SE cars are equipped with automatic LED headlights, tinted windows and a leather steering wheel as standard.

Trophy cars bump up the standard kit with a heated sterling wheel, adjustable-height boot floor, 18-inch alloy wheels and a bolstered suite of drivers assistance systems with blind spot detection and lane assist on top of the SE’s adaptive cruise control. You can also get the Trophy spec cars in a rather bold orange paint finish with a two-tone black roof.

There’s a £10,000 price difference between the entry-level and top-rung MG4 models, so you need to consider whether the extra range and kit is worth it.

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 is subject to the minimum Vehicle Excise Duty of £10 in its first year, then £195 from its second year onwards. It also benefits from very low benefit-in-kind tax, making it an affordable choice for company car buyers.

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 in 2022, scoring over 80% for occupant safety and over 70% in the vulnerable road users and safety assist sections, though the test has become stricter since the MG earned its stars.

MG came dead last in the 2024 Driver Power reliability survey, which isn’t confidence-inspiring if you’re a prospective owner. EVs tend to be more reliable than petrol and diesel cars, so could be a good bet if you want to avoid worrying about mechanical repairs.

There was a 2022 recall for the MG4 locking itself and shutting off the key and windows at a standstill, though that should have been rectified by now.

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.