MG4 review

Think electric cars are too expensive? Well, the MG4 EV is actually cheaper than many petrol or hybrid equivalents.

In fact, it's cheaper even than the other electric car offerings from MG – the MG5 EV and the MG ZS EV – both of which are famously value-focused in their own right.

Surely, then, the bargain-basement pricing (in electric car terms, at least) must mean the MG4 has a tiny range between charges, a cramped interior and not much equipment on offer? Well, that's what we'll be finding out in this review.

MG4 video review

Rivals range from the Citroën ë-C3 and Cupra Born to the Fiat 500e and Renault Megane E-Tech. Plus, you might consider some less-familiar models, including the BYD Dolphin, the Ora 03 (previously the Ora Funky Cat) and the Hyundai Inster.

Read on to find out how the MG4 EV compares with the best electric cars...

There are currently four versions of the MG4 EV, three of which have a single electric motor driving the rear wheels.

The entry-level model is called the SE and gets a 50.8kWh (usable capacity) battery, an official range of 218 miles and is said to cover 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds.

The MG4 SE's range is longer than an equivalent Citroën ë-C3 (201 miles), BYD Dolphin (211 miles) or Ora 03 (193 miles) and competitive with the Hyundai Inster Long Range (229 miles). It's our recommended version.

The MG4 Long Range has a more powerful 201bhp electric motor, gets a bigger 61.7kWh battery and can officially go up to 281 miles on a full charge. In our summer real-world range tests, it managed an impressive 253 miles, compared with 196 miles in our winter range test.

Those ranges are similar to the Cupra Born 58kWh and Renault Megane E-Tech, although both those rivals cost significantly more than the MG4.

The Long Range’s bulkier battery makes it heavier than the SE, so it’s a touch slower (0-62mph officially takes 7.9 seconds), but still plenty quick enough to nip into a gap in busy traffic and get up to motorway speeds with little fuss.

If you really must go quicker, there's the MG4 XPower, which delivers truly jaw-dropping acceleration. It has a second electric motor driving the front wheels to give it four-wheel drive and a colossal 429bhp in total.

In our tests, the XPower managed to sprint from 0-60mph in just 3.6 seconds – that's quicker than a Porsche Taycan 4S. However, while it has a relatively big 61.8kWh battery, it's heavier than other versions of the MG4 and has stickier Bridgestone tyres, so it's not as efficient. The XPower's official range is 239 miles (bank on 200 in warm weather).

There are five regenerative braking settings (including an adaptive mode) on all versions of the MG4. The strongest setting allows for one-pedal driving.

When you do need to use the brake pedal, you'll find it well-judged by electric car standards, making it easy to know how much pressure to apply to slow the car smoothly. Mind you, while the XPower has upgraded brakes to help cope with its performance, they can overheat surprisingly quickly under hard use.

Finally, there's the Extended Range version, which has a longer range than the Long Range version (officially up to 323 miles), thanks to an even larger 77kWh battery. It's nowhere near as fast as the XPower but offers snappier acceleration than the rest of the MG4 range (0-60mph takes 6.1 seconds).

All versions of the MG4 we've tested handle bumps better than a Citroën ë-C3 or BYD Dolphin, absorbing larger impacts quite well. However, on undulating country roads, there’s a subtle pogoing effect that’s absent in the more composed Cupra Born and Renault Megane E-Tech.

The XPower model jostles you around a bit more due to its firmer suspension, but by hot hatchback standards, it remains comfortable enough. Its stiffer suspension and anti-roll bars are meant to improve cornering over the regular MG4 models, though the difference is minor, and it doesn’t handle nearly as well as an Abarth 500e or Alpine A290.

In fact, we’d say the most enjoyable MG4 for a country road drive is the base SE. It feels surprisingly nimble, with light but precise steering, making it more engaging to drive than the Dolphin and ë-C3. And while it can’t quite match the Born’s composure, it also comes at a far more accessible price.

“In our most recent winter range test, an Extended Range Trophy version of the MG4 managed 227 miles before its battery was fully drained – more than a Long Range model managed previously in the same test.” – Dan Jones, Reviewer

The driving position in the MG4 EV isn’t ideal, as the steering wheel is slightly offset to the left, misaligning it with the seat.

In contrast, the BYD Dolphin positions the driver’s seat and pedals well, with everything lining up neatly. Plus, it comes as standard with a six-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat, while the MG4 requires you to upgrade to the Trophy or XPower trims to get the same feature – and neither of those includes adjustable lumbar support.

Every model gets a 7.0in digital display behind the steering wheel, although some drivers might find the wheel rim cuts off the top of the screen – hence why Cupra Born places its screen on the steering column itself. As always, it’s best to try before you buy to make sure it works for you.

Visibility is generally good, though parking can be tricky due to the shallow rear windscreen and the absence of a rear wiper to clear water and dirt. SE models also lack a rear-view camera, a feature that comes standard on an entry-level BYD Dolphin or Hyundai Inster.

To get camera assistance in the MG4, you’ll need to opt for the top-spec Trophy or XPower versions, which include a 360-degree parking camera to help offset these visibility challenges.

Most of the climate-control functions have to be adjusted through the 10.25in infotainment touchscreen, which is fiddly and distracting while you’re on the move (old-fashioned buttons like you get in a Citroën ë-C3 are much better).

You can save the temperature control as a favourite on the steering wheel to more easily adjust it with one of the wheel’s joysticks, but it’s a faff to set up. Plus, you have to remember to come out of that function if you want to adjust something else – the stereo volume, say.

Adjusting the regenerative braking and drive modes is done by navigating through the touchscreen’s many confusing menus while squinting at its tiny text. The BYD Dolphin and Fiat 500e have much more intuitive user interfaces, but the Renault Megane E-Tech system, with its crisp responses, logical layout and high-definition screen is in another class again.

Fortunately, all versions of the MG4 come with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay phone mirroring as standard, so you can use sat-nav apps or music from your smartphone on the infotainment screen.

Visually, the MG4’s interior is almost the antithesis of the colourful and playful Citroën ë-C3 and Hyundai Inster approach – business-like, no-nonsense and maybe a little too corporate.

It’s practical, with reasonable materials that feel more “airport conference room” than cosy cabin. Even the ledge for your phone is decidedly sensible because, while it lacks a wireless charging pad, it features slots on the sides for threading cables down to the USB ports below to keep things neat, if uninspiring.

“I think the soft-touch plastics on the MG4's upper dashboard slightly elevate the perceived quality, even though the interior still looks a bit drab.” – George Hill, Staff Writer

The MG4 EV is fairly practical by small electric car standards. There’s lots of room in the front – even for tall people – along with a helpful amount of storage space.

For example, there's a cubby under the central armrest, while further down on the centre console you'll find another lidded compartment. And just below the infotainment touchscreen there’s a spot for your phone (with wireless charging on Trophy and XPower versions). The door bins are quite small though.

Rear leg and head room is generous, providing enough space for six-footers to sit comfortably without feeling cramped. The MG4 is more accommodating for rear passengers than the Renault Megane E-Tech, although the BYD Dolphin and Cupra Born have an edge, with more supportive seats and three rear headrests (the MG4 lacks one on the middle seat).

The MG4 EV has 363 litres of boot space – which is a bit underwhelming. We managed to fit five carry-on suitcases below the parcel shelf, the same as in the BYD Dolphin and Citroën ë-C3 but one less than the Cupra Born and two less than the Renault Megane.

You can fold down the 60/40 split rear seats for extra storage capacity. Only the entry-level SE trim misses out on a height-adjustable boot floor, which helps reduce the loading lip and creates a flatter extended load bay. Note, too, that there’s no front boot on any version of the MG4.

“I find MG's decision to not fit a central rear headrest baffling. Surely it didn't save that much money.” – Claire Evans, Consumer Editor

Not too long ago you’d have struggled to find a new electric car that undercut the starting price of the MG4 EV, but recently there has been an influx of cheaper competitors including the BYD Dolphin, the Citroën ë-C3 and the Hyundai Inster. There's also the new all-electric Renault 5 to consider. 

Those cars will no doubt have MG worried, but when you take into account the MG4’s performance, range and practicality, it remains a superb all-round package, and its PCP rates are still competitive against those lower-priced rivals. 

So which version of the MG4 should you go for? Well, we reckon you're best off sticking with the smallest (50.8kWh) battery in entry-level SE trim.

That keeps the price down and you still get a reasonable amount of standard kit, including adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors and vehicle-to-load charging (V2L), which allows you to use your car's battery to power most things with a three-pin plug.

Trophy trim (available only in combination with the Long Range and Extended Range batteries) adds a few styling flourishes and a 360-degree camera, as well as heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. It's much cheaper than any like-for-like rival, but not such staggering value for money as the entry-level car.

The XPower offers incredible straight-line performance for the money, even though it's not huge fun through corners and has a shorter range than the cheaper Long Range. The Extended Range is the least recommendable MG4, although it's worth considering if you need to do 250-mile journeys in one go.

It's worth noting that you'll need to go for Trophy trim or the XPower to maximise safety kit. Those versions add blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and lane-change assistance. You get automatic emergency braking (AEB) and lane-keeping assistance on all models.

The MG4 scored the full five stars for safety when it was tested by Euro NCAP but it's worth noting that adult occupant crash protection was found to be significantly better in the Cupra Born. 

The Standard Range model can accept a maximum charging rate of up to 117kW, which means a 10-80% top-up takes less than 40 minutes in ideal conditions. The Long Range model can accept a maximum of 135kW (slightly more than the Born) and can go from 10-80% in roughly 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, the Extended Range and XPower versions can accept a little more charging power again, but a full charge will still take 35 to 40 minutes.

MG as a brand performed atrociously in the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey, finishing in bottom place out of 31 brands. The MG4 itself was found to be the least-dependable electric car in the survey.

Fortunately, you get a seven-year warranty (limited to 80,000 miles) as standard. Few rival car makers can match that (Kia offers a warranty of the same length but capped at 100,000 miles).

“When we pitted the MG4 against its Ora 3 rival, we found that the MG4 would cost less to run over three years of ownership, and would be worth more at the end of that time.” – Stuart Milne, Digital Editor

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here