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Expert Rating

MG 4

Our unique Expert Rating Index combines scores from 35 of the top UK motoring websites to give you a definitive rating on every new car

Expert Rating

MG 4

(2022 - present)

    The MG 4 is The Car Expert’s Car of the Year 2024!

    Summary


    The MG 4 (styled by the company as MG4) is a five-door hatchback and one of the cheapest electric cars on the market, undercutting established battery-powered rivals like the Vauxhall Corsa Electric and Volkswagen ID.3.

    Officially marketed as the MG4 EV in Europe and the MG Mulan in China, this small family car is MG’s first full-electric hatchback, and going by to the glowing reviews published by the UK motoring media, the manufacturer seems to have hit the nail on the head in what the Carwow team calls “a landmark moment for the brand.”

    Besides its low price point that makes it an attractive gateway to EV ownership, reviewers comment that the MG 4 is one of the best options in its class thanks to its competitive battery range and generous seven year warranty, as well as its comfortable and rewarding driving experience.

    “It’s not just the budget brands who should be worried about this car stealing their sales”, Parker‘s Tom Wiltshire argues, “the established players ought to keep a look out too.”

    These established rivals do have more interior refinement – the MG 4’s cheap interior plastics a reflection of its low pricing. The car has also received some flack for its fiddly infotainment system, but What Car? comments that this touchscreen console is “still slightly better than the appalling infotainment in the Volkswagen ID.3.”

    Available for £10k less than the ID.3, the MG 4 is certainly an appealing value-for-money EV contender that many journalists believe is set to become a frequent sight on UK roads in the coming years. As Top Gear concludes, “When you dig into what the MG4 does for the money, it’s probably the only car in the class to recommend.”

    In December 2023, the MG 4 won The Car Expert’s Car of the Year Award 2024, as well as Best Medium Car 2024. The Car Expert editor, Stuart Masson said: “The MG 4 is, quite simply, a remarkable car. It’s fully electric, with a battery range of more than 300 miles on some versions. It has a five-star safety rating. It’s very well kitted out. It comes with a seven-year warranty. And its pricing makes every other family car on the road, let alone other electric cars, look silly.”

    A higher-performance model called the MG 4 XPower, which will generate more than 400hp, joined the range in 2023. We have a separate page for this vehicle here.

    As of December 2023, the MG 4 holds an excellent Expert Rating of 82%, based on 25 reviews published by UK media outlets to date.

    MG 4 highlights

    • Fun to drive
    • Competitive battery range
    • Comfortable ride
    • Long warranty
    • Unparalleled pricing

    MG 4 lowlights

    • Fiddly infotainment
    • Rather poor rear visibility
    • Some cheap interior plastics
    • No front boot storage
    • Road noise can be loud at speed

    Key specifications


    Body style: Medium hatchback
    Engines:
    electric, battery-powered
    Price:
    From £26,995 on-road

    Launched: Summer 2022
    Last updated: N/A
    Replacement due: TBA


    Media reviews


    Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

    The Car Expert

    +

    Auto Express

    +

    Auto Trader

    +

    Autocar

    +

    Business Car

    +

    Car

    +

    Carbuyer

    +

    Carwow

    +

    Driving Electric

    +

    Electrifying.com

    +

    Green Car Guide

    +

    Heycar

    +

    Honest John

    +

    Motoring Research

    +

    Move Electric

    +

    Parkers

    +

    The Sun

    +

    The Sunday Times

    +

    The Telegraph

    +

    Top Gear

    +

    What Car?

    +

    Which EV?

    +

    Safety rating


    Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

    Overall score: 5 stars
    Date tested: December 2022
    Read the full Euro NCAP review

    Adult protection: 83%
    Child protection: 80%
    Vulnerable road users: 75%
    Safety assist: 78%

    Eco rating


    No eco rating

    As of December 2023, the MG 4 has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.

    The Green NCAP programme measures exhaust pollution (which is zero for an electric car) and energy efficiency. Electric cars are much more energy-efficient than combustion cars, so the MG 4 is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing whenever it ever takes place. Check back again soon.

    Reliability rating

    MotorEasy logo 600x167

    The MG 4 is still a fairly new model, so we don’t have enough reliability data on the MG 4 to generate a reliability rating.

    The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively for us using warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the MG 4 we’ll publish the score here.

    Running cost rating

    Clear Vehicle Data logo close crop

    Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

    Battery rangeAverageScoreVariationScore
    EV models256 milesB218 – 281 milesB – B
    Electrical efficiencyAverageScoreVariationScore
    EV models4.3 m/KWhB3.6 – 4.4 m/KWhB – D
    Insurance groupAverageScoreVariationScore
    All models28B27 – 29B – C
    Service and maintenanceCostScore
    Year 1£139A
    Year 2£338A
    Year 3£590A
    Year 4£707A
    Year 5£979A
    Overall£2,753A

    As well as being cheap to buy, the MG 4 is very cheap to run. It’s electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for a petrol or diesel car) is good, while insurance premiums should be good compared to other cars as well. But the even better news is that scheduled servicing costs for the MG 4 are excellent.

    In addition, an official battery range of 256 miles (which varies from 218 miles to 281 miles, depending on which model you choose) is above average. So you shouldn’t need to worry about running out of charge in normal day-to-day driving.

    Awards


    Trophies, prizes and awards that the MG 4 has received

    2023

    • The Car Expert Awards – Car of the Year + Best Medium Car
    • UK Car of the Year Awards – Best Family Car
    • Auto Express Awards – Best Affordable Electric Car
    • Business Motoring Awards – Best Small EV
    • Carbuyer Awards – Best Family Electric Car
    • EcoCar Electrified Top 50 – Best Electric Medium Car
    • Parkers Awards – Car of the Year + Best Small Family Car + Best Value Car
    • Southern Group of Motoring Writers – Car of the Year
    • What Car? Awards – Best Small Electric Car
    • What Car? EV Awards – Best Electric Family Car

    2022

    • Carwow Awards – Car of the Year
    • DrivingElectric Awards – Car of the Year + Best Value Electric Car + Readers’ Favourite Electric Car
    • Scottish Car of the Year Awards – Best Sub-£40K EV
    • Top Gear Awards – Best Bargain

    Similar cars


    If you’re looking at the MG 4, you might also be interested in these alternatives

    Cupra Born | DS 3 E-Tense | Honda e | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | Hyundai Kona Electric Kia Soul EVMini Electric | Ora Funky Cat | Peugeot e-208 | Renault Mégane E-TechRenault Zoe | Smart #1 | Vauxhall Corsa ElectricVolkswagen ID.3


    More news, reviews and information about the MG 4 at The Car Expert

    Car of the Year 2024

    Car of the Year 2024

    Best Medium Car 2024

    Best Medium Car 2024

    The best new electric cars for every budget 2023

    The best new electric cars for every budget 2023

    MG 4 now available with bigger battery

    MG 4 now available with bigger battery

    MG 4 XPower

    MG 4 XPower

    Performance-enhanced MG 4 XPower debuts

    Performance-enhanced MG 4 XPower debuts

    MG 4 achieves top marks in crash safety test

    MG 4 achieves top marks in crash safety test

    MG 4 test drive

    MG 4 test drive

    MG 4 EV pricing and specs revealed

    MG 4 EV pricing and specs revealed

    All-new MG 4 EV set for September launch

    All-new MG 4 EV set for September launch

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    Subscribe to an MG 4


    Subscriptions are becoming a very popular way for consumers to try an electric car for a few weeks or months to help decide whether it’s a suitable alternative to a petrol car. If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help. (PS: What’s a car subscription?)

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    Other electric cars are more polished, but reviewers believe the MG 4 is one of the best in its class - its unbeatable pricing is a bonus.MG 4