MG4 EV: performance, motor & drive

The MG4 manages to make up for any shortcomings with the way it drives. Its soft and forgiving ride means it is just as comfortable around town as it is on country roads and motorways. Meanwhile, the quick steering allows the family hatchback to dart through corners, so when face-to-face with a twisty British B-road, the MG4 is genuinely fun to drive. There is some noticeable road noise at higher speeds, which are easy to reach – especially in the hot XPower variant.

MG4 EV 0-62mph, top speed and acceleration

Officially, MG says both the Standard and Long Range models will hit 60mph in under eight seconds, while the Extended Range model slashed this time down to 6.1 seconds. We have no reason to doubt these times, either. Floor it from a standstill and the regular MG4s don’t feel like they’re jumping to lightspeed, but the instant torque does give the impression of much faster acceleration, with power delivery from the electric motor being linear even up past 60mph.

Once you’re on the move, it’s just a case of ‘point and squirt’; you’ll be surprised how fast the MG4 gains speed, meaning there’s plenty of poke for getting around town and overtaking on the motorway.

Those who are in a real hurry will be lured towards the MG4 XPower. While the lack of noise does mean the sportiest MG4 lacks the all-out character of traditional petrol hot hatches, its 429bhp dual-motor powertrain means it leaves most of them in the dust. 0-60mph takes just 3.7 seconds, which is on-par with many purpose-built sports cars. All of this feels as quick as you’d imagine, with the XPower’s special Bridgestone tyres scrambling for traction whenever you floor the accelerator.

Handling

The MG4 lives up to its looks on the road; it’s fun to drive, but still very comfortable. The steering is quick and nicely weighted in Sport mode, becoming lighter in Normal, and more vague if you switch to Eco for maximum efficiency. But still, because it’s so light and direct it offers a nice sense of agility that’s definitely useful around town and on twister roads, too. And for a car of this size, it’s easy to place on the road. Visibility is also good, and the car’s turning circle is tight, which should help parking and manoeuvring in tight spots.

The MG4 XPower takes things a step further with larger brakes, uprated suspension and, as mentioned, stickier Bridgestone-branded rubber. So what’s the result of this? Well, the 25% stiffer chassis is marginally noticeable if you drive different MG4 models side-to-side or if you’re really attacking a road. In practice, however, it's the extra power that’s the main differentiator of the XPower model. If power is your priority you can’t go wrong with the XPower – especially for the price – but a Cupra Born, or even the Abarth 500e, will offer greater driver satisfaction on a twisty back road.

Unlike the Volkswagen ID.3 or Cupra Born, the MG4’s regenerative braking system has four levels to choose from: Low, Medium, Strong and Adaptive. While it can be quite fiddly to adjust via the infotainment system (this can be shortcutted to the steering wheel via configurable buttons) the Strong regen mode was by far our favourite as it meant we hardly ever touched the brake pedal.