MG4 EV review: range, battery & charging
For the money, the Long Range MG4 EV’s 281-mile range is hard to beat, while rapid charging speeds are on par with key rivals from VW and Cupra
| Model | Range | Wallbox charge time | Rapid charge time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Range | 218 miles | 8hrs 15mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 39mins (10-80%, 150kW) |
| Long Range | 270-281 miles | 10hrs (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 35mins (10-80%, 150kW) |
Underneath the eye-catching bodywork is a brand-new, EV-specific platform called MSP (Modular Scalable Platform) that, in time, will serve as the underpinnings for all sorts of electric MGs – including an electric convertible sports car that’s arriving in 2024.
From launch, the MG4 is available in Standard Range and Long Range forms, but it’s already confirmed that an Extended Range model will be introduced in 2023. That particular variant will use a 77kWh battery, and according to MG, offer a range of up to 329 miles, which is about 10 miles shy of the equivalent VW ID.3 or Cupra Born.
The brand also estimates the high-performance version of the MG4, which will pair the 64kWh Long Range battery with a dual-motor setup, should be able to cover around 250 miles on a charge.
MG4 EV range
The Standard Range MG4 starts at just under £27,000, for which you get a 51kWh battery and 218 miles of range. That might not seem like loads, but it’s further than more expensive EVs like the Fiat 500 or an entry-level Nissan Leaf can manage on a full battery.
Upgrade to the Long Range powertrain, which includes a larger 64kWh battery, and range increases to 281 miles for SE models, or 270 miles should you go for the range-topping Trophy model. Both figures are slightly longer than the range for a VW ID.3 or Cupra Born when fitted with a 58kWh battery, and for considerably less money.
The MG4 has proven itself to be extremely efficient, as we’ve seen it return up to 4.2 miles per kWh. Based on a usable battery capacity of 61.7kWh for a Long Range model like our Trophy-spec test car, that works out to a real-world range of 259 miles; that’s within 4% of its claimed figure, without any real concession to hypermiling.
If you’ve got a bit more of a lead foot or do lots of motorway miles, the MG4 will return closer to 3.8 miles per kWh, which works out to a real-world range of 235 miles. Cold weather, as you might expect affects battery performance; with an external temperature of around zero degrees, our car returned just 3.0mi/kWh. That equates to less than 200 miles on a charge.
Charge time
The Standard Range MG4 has a maximum charging speed of 117kW, while the Long Range models top out at 135kW – which is on par with the speeds you’ll get from the ID.3 or Cupra Born. That means if you plug the MG4 into a 150kW rapid charger, it'll take 39 minutes to top up the Standard Range model from 10-80% capacity, or 35 minutes for the Long Range version.
Fully replenishing the 51kWh MG4 at home will take around eight hours from a 7.4kW wallbox, or 10 hours if you go for the 64kWh battery.
