MG 4 EV Review 2024

Proving that electric cars don't have to be prohibitively expensive, the MG 4 EV strikes an excellent balance of performance, practicality and desirability. It might undercut rivals like the Renault Megane E-Tech, Nissan Leaf and Cupra Born in price but you'd be hard-pushed to work out why it's so much cheaper than competitors.

MG has cornered the market for affordable electric cars in recent years - with cars like the MG ZS EV and MG 5 EV providing excellent value for money and selling in considerable numbers as a result. The MG 4 takes things a step further, though, as its head-turning looks and stylish interior mean it's actually quite a desirable choice. The fact it's priced below other models in MG's range just adds to the appeal.

So what is it? Well, it's an all-electric hatchback that's roughly the size of a Volkswagen Golf but priced from around £27,000 - less than smaller EVs like the Renault Zoe, Vauxhall Corsa-e and MINI Electric. It's also likely to tempt buyers away from electric SUVs like the Kia Niro EV, Mazda MX-30 and Vauxhall Mokka-e.

It's available with two battery sizes: there's the MG 4 Standard Range, which uses a 51kWh battery pack and 218-mile range, while the MG 4 Long Range has a 64kWh battery and can travel up to 281 miles between charges (depending on trim level).

Charging is easy, using a charging port at the rear of the car (where you'd usually find the fuel filler cap). A full charge will take between 7.5 and nine hours overnight, or around 35 minutes if you find a rapid public charger.

While MG's heritage as a manufacturer of twee sports cars feels like a distant memory, the MG 4 is actually one of the best electric cars to drive (certainly at this end of the market). You might expect a fairly anodyne driving experience (much like the Ora Funky Cat or even the MG 5), but the MG 4's rear-wheel-drive layout means it's a lot of fun to drive both in and out of town.

That doesn't have a negative impact on comfort, either, as the MG 4 rides pretty well for a relatively heavy EV. And there's plenty of technology fitted as standard to keep you safe - even entry-level models come with active emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist and intelligent speed limit assist with traffic sign recognition. The MG 4 has been awarded five stars for safety by Euro NCAP, too, which should put your mind at rest that any corners have been cut.

There has to be some compromise somewhere, though, and that's probably the interior. It looks swish enough on first impressions, but some of the finishes aren't as plush as you'd get in a Renault Megane E-Tech. It doesn't boast the biggest cabin in its class, either, but it is practical enough to use as your main family car - something that can't be said for a lot of EVs at this price.

A few less-than-plush finishes are a small price to pay for a car that's around £10,000 less than a Volkswagen ID.3 (a car which isn't exactly known for its classy cabin), though, while MG's seven-year warranty should put your mind at ease about buying an electric car from a relatively small brand.

The MG 4 is a family hatch for the price of an electric city car. It's similar in size to a Volkswagen ID.3 or Cupra Born, measuring 4287mm long, 1836mm wide and 1504mm tall.

While it has a relatively high seating position (the batteries under the floor prevent the driver's seat from being cranked too low), the MG 4 is not an SUV - you'll need the MG ZS EV if that's what you're after. The relatively low roofline does mean it feels a little dark in the cabin, but there's plenty of space for a pair of adults in the front. You get lots of useful stowage areas, too - including a cubby between the seats, a tray for your phone below the infotainment and some fairly generous door bins.

Head and legroom in the back is pretty good, while you'll even squeeze three adults side-by-side without too much discomfort. There are ISOFIX mounting points in the back, too, which helps when fitting child car seats.

The boot can carry up to 363 litres of luggage, which is less than the Volkswagen ID.3 or Kia Niro EV can manage. It's a fairly square shape, though, which is handy - while the rear seats split 60:40 and drop to provide up to 1177 litres of luggage space. And it's easy to forget that the MG 4 is priced up against much smaller cars like the Renault Zoe - we'd much rather carry a family and their luggage in the MG.

On first glance, the MG 4's interior looks pretty stylish for an affordable electric car. But you will have to lower your expectations in terms of quality - it's just not as well finished as a Renault Megane E-Tech, with some scratchy plastics and flimsy surfaces. It also feels pretty dark in the cabin, while some of the buttons and switchgear feel disappointingly downmarket.

Still, there's always going to be an element of compromise in a budget car like the MG 4. And the brand's seven-year warranty ought to help banish thoughts that it's going to fall apart around you.

A 'floating' 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment screen is standard across the range. This includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto - so you can connect your phone and access apps on the move. Upgrade to the MG 4 Trophy and you get built-in sat-nav, but it's not necessary in our view (we'd much rather use Google Maps via the aforementioned phone connection).

The system is well positioned for glancing at on the move, while the high-resolution display and sharp graphics mean it looks pretty good, too. It's not the most intuitive to use, but you'll soon learn your way around it, while physical shortcut buttons below the main display come in handy (although it's a bit annoying that you have to use the touchscreen display to adjust the climate control).

There are no two ways about it: the MG 4 EV is a bit of a bargain in the electric car world. Prices start from around £27,000 for an MG 4 EV SE - that makes it one of the cheapest EVs you can buy.

You're not getting a little city car with a pitiful range for that price, either, while standard equipment is pretty good. A 10.25-inch infotainment display (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), seven-inch digital instrument cluster, LED headlights, rear parking sensors and 17-inch alloy wheels are all standard on the entry-level MG 4 SE.

For all the bells and whistles, the MG 4 EV range tops out with the Trophy trim. This is priced from around £32,500 and comes with a sporty rear spoiler, 360-degree camera, two-tone roof, rear privacy glass, heated steering wheel, heated front seats, faux-leather upholstery and a plethora of extra driving-assistance tech.

If you buy the most affordable MG 4 EV, it'll be what they describe as the 'Standard Range' model. That means it comes with a 51kWh battery pack, which officially provides a range of up to 218 miles according to WLTP tests. Expect to see slightly less than this in reality, especially over winter - but it's still a very useable electric range.

If you'd like to travel further between charges, you'll need the MG 4 EV Long Range with its bigger 64kWh battery pack. Officially, this has a range of up to 281 miles in SE trim, or 270 miles in the Trophy. They're both very healthy range figures, especially for the money.

We'd recommend anyone considering an electric car to have a 7kW charger fitted at home for easy (and safe) overnight charging. The MG 4 SE Standard Range can be charged from 10 per cent to full in around 7.5 hours this while, while Long Range models will take nine hours.

When you're out and about, a 50kW charger can top up both models from 10 to 80 per cent in less than an hour. The MG 4 Standard Range has a maximum rapid charge capability of 117kW while the Long Range can be charged at a rate of up to 135kW. That means, if you can find a fast enough public charger, both can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in around 35 minutes or so.

You could forgive MG for quietly forgetting its sporting heritage when producing affordable electric cars. But it hasn't, certainly not with the MG 4. It's one of the most nimble electric cars we've driven (this side of a BMW i4, anyway) - helped by its low centre of gravity and 50:50 weight distribution.

Its darty steering feels much more direct than you get in the Ora Funky Cat (without feeling overly nervous), while the ride quality is also pretty impressive for a sporty electric car. You don't need to drive the MG 4 recklessly to appreciate how well it handles - it's fun at all speeds, while its agility helps around town, too.

Choosing between the MG 4 Standard Range and MG 4 Long Range probably depends on how big a battery you'd like, but there are some slight differences in power, too. The Standard Range car combines a 51kWh battery with a 170PS electric motor, while the Long Range model pairs a 64kWh battery with a more powerful 203PS electric motor.

Confusingly, though, the bigger (heavier...) battery of the MG 4 Long Range means it's actually slightly slower than the standard car, despite the extra power. Officially the MG 4 Standard Range accelerates from a standstill to 62mph in 7.7 seconds, while the Long Range takes 7.9 seconds.

Performance feels suitably urgent in either, especially if you're not used to driving an electric car. There's enough poke to spin up the rear wheels (or at least trigger the traction control) if you're heavy with the accelerator in wet conditions, while the lack of sound and instant torque means you could be in for a shock when you glance at the speedo.

There are faster electric cars on the market, though. The Cupra Born accelerates to 62mph in 7.3 seconds, while the Renault Megane E-Tech takes 7.5 seconds.

The MG 4 EV comes with the MG Pilot safety suite as standard. That means you get things like active emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, plus intelligent speed limit assist with traffic sign recognition. There’s also lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, driver attention alert and intelligent high-beam assist.

If that's not enough driver-assistance tech, you'll want an MG 4 Long Range. The bigger-battery model comes with all of the above, as well as blind spot detection, lane change assist and rear cross traffic alert (which will alert you to approaching vehicles when reversing out of a parking space). A door opening warning is also standard on the Long Range model.

In addition to all this safety tech, all MG 4 models also come with an alarm and immobiliser, hill launch assist, two rear Isofix points (for easy fitting of child seats) and the usual mix of airbags. The MG 4 EV was awarded a full five stars for safety when tested by experts Euro NCAP in 2022.

The MG 4 has a maximum towing capacity of just 500kg. That'll be enough for towing a small camping trailer, but don't expect to tow a caravan with the MG 4. If that's what you're after, you'll have to look at bigger EVs like the Nissan Ariya or Kia EV6.

Standard equipment on the MG 4 SE includes automatic LED headlights, LED rear lights, rear parking sensors and electrically adjustable heated door mirrors. The MG 4 SE also features 17-inch alloy wheels as standard, along with an extensive amount of driver-assistance tech (including adaptive cruise control, active emergency braking and traffic jam assist to name a few highlights).

Inside, the MG 4 SE comes with black fabric upholstery, six-way manual seat adjustment for the driver (four-way adjustment for the passenger) and climate control. A seven-inch digital instrument cluster is also standard on the SE, as well as a 10.25-inch central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Further standard equipment includes climate control, vehicle-to-load charging, a leather steering wheel (with reach and height adjustment) and front/rear electric windows with driver's one-touch up/down.

The top-spec MG 4 EV Trophy adds a six-speaker audio system, navigation with live services (including weather, live traffic and Amazon Music), a 360-degree camera and a wireless mobile phone charger. Trophy trim also comes with extra driver-assistance tech (including blind spot detection, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert and a door opening warning), while interior highlights include black faux-leather seats, six-way electric seat adjustment for the driver and heated front seats. A heated steering wheel is standard, too, as well as a height adjustable boot floor, mobile phone bluetooth key and one-touch up/down electric windows for the front and rear.