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MG has been doing good business in recent years making sensible family cars and selling them for a sensible price. But the MG4 launched in 2022 is the first car since the brand’s former life building roadsters and sports saloons to really make people sit up and take notice.
That’s because it’s one of the more affordable family-sized electric cars on the market, but also one with a decent range and even more surprisingly, an engaging driving experience. In fact, it’s made cars like the Volkswagen ID.3 look a bit overpriced and dull to drive - not bad from a brand that hasn’t always had an easy ride in the market.
To get an EV of similar size that’s similarly fun to drive you’re looking at the Cupra Born. A Citroen e-C4 or Peugeot e-2008 is more stylish and feels more plush but new or used don’t quite match the MG4 for value, or driving experience for that matter.
We gave the MG4 nine out of ten in our full review, so you can probably guess what we’re going to say here. The MG4 is a genuinely impressive electric family car that happens to be pretty well priced as a brand new vehicle - and that means that MG4s only a year or two old are already dropping to tempting prices on the used market too.
The MG4 is essentially a Ford Focus-sized hatchback designed as an EV from the word go. So while it’s a little taller than a conventional family car, with the battery slung underneath, it’s still a convenient size and still feels reasonably roomy, if not as expansive as say, a Volkswagen ID.3 inside. The relatively short length means the boot isn’t class-leading either but again, still perfectly usable.
The exterior styling is a little odd from some angles - it’s more striking than chic, we’d say - and the same can be said of the interior, which feels modern but not as warm and inviting as some. Forward visibility is great though and it’s comfortable. The touchscreen could be easier to use, but the driver’s display is easy to interpret at a glance.
It’s the way the MG4 drives though which helps it stand out. The handling is agile and the car feels well balanced, while the accurate steering allows you to make the most of its grip and agility. The ride has a firm edge but it’s far from uncomfortable. Throw in strong performance in all models, and pretty decent range (especially for the price) and it’s a strong package.
Alongside the MG4, the Volkswagen ID.3 seems a bit expensive and not nearly as good to drive, though its cabin is a bit more inviting, despite its own touchscreen issues. A Cupra Born gets closer to the MG4’s handling, and while it’s more expensive, the Renault Megane E-Tech matches MG4 Long Range models for range, and is much more stylish and quality-feeling inside and out.
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There’s not really a bad choices here. Even at its most basic the MG4 is both well equipped and has a reasonable 200-mile-plus quoted range - it’ll likely be a little less in the real world and in cold weather, but it’ll also be the most affordable on the used market. That said, you’re most likely to find Long Range models on the market, and there’s only a small difference in range between SE and Trophy spec here.
SE is the value proposition without feeling meanly equipped, but Trophy gets a few sporty exterior touches and desirable features such as heated seats and a heated steering wheel, so it’s the one we’d be tempted by. And while the idea of the XPower’s seriously impressive performance is nice, it’s not actually much more fun to drive than the regular car and takes a real range hit, so we’d avoid it.
If choosing a battery size is a little confusing then the MG4’s trim lineup has been pretty straightforward so far, with two grades in the main range, SE and the sportier Trophy, and the hot XPower at the top of the range. All are pretty well-equipped and it’s worth pointing out that the Trophy is the only trim to offer the biggest Extended Range battery so far, so it’s the one to keep an eye out for on the used market.
The MG4’s dimensions are:
The MG4’s boot size is:
All variants of the MG4, however far they go on a charge or however much power they make, are currently free to tax under the government’s current VED system. This is likely to change in the future but for now it’s one fewer cost to deal with.
As we’ve come to expect even from modestly priced EVs, insurance costs are one area where they aren’t quite as affordable as combustion vehicles. The MG4 starts in group 27 for a standard range SE, and while even the regular car is pretty brisk, that’s still quite high - a Volkswagen Golf begins in group 14. A Long Range Trophy is group 29, while the XPower is up in group 40.
Read our full MG4 review