MG has a habit of launching cars seemingly out of the blue, and so it is with the MG4 Electric – a sporty looking hatch which will go up against the VW ID.3 among others. Based on the brand’s new MSP architecture, it comes at a time when MG has temporarily halted sales due to supply issues.
 

Those supply chain issues should have righted themselves by the final part of 2022 which is when MG will launch the MG4 Electric for sale in the UK and more widely across Europe. It’s a car worth anticipating – on paper at least – and looks like it will carry on MG’s trend of selling cars which offer almost as much capability and tech as ones way above their price point.

Powertrain and performance

MG will launch the MG4 Electric with two battery and two power output options – both of which will be rear-wheel drive. An all-wheel drive variant will follow down the line, but to start with buyers will have the choice of a 201bhp version with a 64kWh battery or a 168bhp version with a 51kWh battery.

The batteries themselves are the thinnest in their class at just 110mm thick and will provide a range of 280 miles from the 64kWh version or 217 miles from the 51kWh model. Zero to 62mph takes less than eight seconds – presumably in the higher-powered model – whilst the top speed is capped at 100mph. The 64kWh battery can be charged at a maximum of 135kW meaning 10 to 80 per cent takes just 35 minutes. 

MG states that the MSP architecture has been built with tech that will allow it to be upgraded from 400 to 800 volts to support faster charging. Additionally, the powertrain supports Battery as a Service (BaaS) otherwise known as battery swapping, albeit at the moment there is next to no penetration of this tech outside of China.

Exterior design

At 4287mm long, 1836mm wide and 1504mm tall, the MG4 Electric is very similar in size to the VW ID.3 – arguably its main rival. It’s not a bad looking thing either and is a significant departure from the MG ZS EV and MG 5 EV (recently refreshed in design) which make up the current electric line-up from the brand.

The front LED headlights are sharply raked back onto the car’s wings whilst prominent cheek air intakes are bordered by the car’s daytime running lights. A high waistline runs from the car’s front wings all the way back to the rear lamps which have a distinctive ‘boomerang’ shape. A rear light bar is only separated by the MG logo. Above the rear hatch is a split rear spoiler which should help with the car’s overall aero performance.

The platform on which the MG4 is based – named MSP (modular scalable platform) – can accommodate wheelbases of between 2650mm and 3100mm as well as batteries of up to 150kW.

Interior design and tech

Whilst MG doesn’t give us any dimensions, it tells us that the MSP architecture has allowed for greater increased space for relatively small external dimensions. The thin battery will certainly help this.

The interior appears to be a step up from current MG models with a floating centre console on which drivers will find the drive selector and electronic parking brake. Above this is a large, landscape orientated touchscreen whilst the driver’s instrument display takes the form of a floating screen behind the squared-off, multifunction steering wheel.

As standard, the MG 4 gets a 10.25 inch floating infotainment screen, with the system supporting both Apple Car Play and Android Auto. A 7 inch digital display caters for the driving information. Other standard kit includes MG Pilot advanced driver assistance alongside LED front and rear lights, rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise, climate control and MG iSmart app connectivity. Higher spec 'Trophy' models gain blind spot detection, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert plus a 360 camera and a range of other kit you'd usually find on far more expensive cars.

Price and availability

The MG 4 will be available to order from September with the SE Standard Range starting at £25,995, SE Long Range from £28,495 and the Trophy Long Range from £31,495, making the MG 4 an extremely compelling choice.