MG4 EV brings elegant electrification to a much wider audience

Last time we got behind the wheel of an MG, we took the opportunity to summarise the convoluted history of this once mighty British sports car brand. In short, MG was founded in 1930, before eventually being messily processed through the British Leyland mill and ending up as a badge attached to lacklustre 1980s-era ‘performance’ cars. 

For many, the sale of the MG name to China in 2007 represented all that was rotten about the state of British industry, unable to leverage a hugely well-known brand name into a product people wanted to buy. For a time, it seemed like China’s SAIC could do no better, as the familiar MG octagon found its way onto a series of nondescript but affordable family cars.

But as we pointed out before, China was ahead of the game when it came to electrification, and a badge like MG’s was deemed a perfect fit for a new generation of modestly sized but well-equipped EVs. The company’s range is electrifying fast, beginning with the MG ZS and followed up by the MG5 SW, still one of the only electric estate cars you can buy.

MG4 EV

This, however, is the MG4. Designed in SAIC Motor Technical Centre in London, it is a game-changer for the brand, and perhaps for EVs in general. For a start, it’s the most coherent design to wear the badge since the 1970s, with an especially handsome profile. Although the front end has veiled overtones of current Lamborghini design, it’s distinct and different, setting it apart from similarly priced rivals. 

Balancing the right blend of battery weight and range is one of the primary considerations of any EV maker, and the MG4 gets it just about right, with the Long Range model getting a 64kWh battery that gives it an official range of 281 miles. For such a modest-sized car, this is quite impressive, and while the ‘Long Range’ doesn’t quite live up to its name, it’s more than enough to allay anxiety for the majority of journeys.

The interior is well equipped, although obviously built to a price, with some eccentric design options on the touchscreen and a few frustrating display quirks. On the plus side, there’s a wireless charging pad for your phone on the top-of-the-range Trophy models, as well as a 360-degree parking camera. Truly, tech that was once the preserve of the executive is now available to the masses.

On the move, it’s no sports car, but the MG4 soaks up the weight of the battery over bumps and the steering is responsive and direct. Five different driving modes run the gamut from ‘eco’ through to ‘sport’, and the thin design of the battery means there’s a bit more space than rivals can offer.

Other clever touches include the ability to support future battery swap systems, should they ever take root, and a front grille that closes up at speed to maximise the aerodynamics. The MG4 (which is called the MG Mulan in China) does so much more for this fabled badge than its predecessors. 

As the cultural memory of the original fades away with age, the modern-era’s MG finally has a chance to be much more than mere badge engineering. The company will soon launch a long-awaited sports car, the Cyberster (shades of noughties-era tech thrillers). The latter could well be the very first all-electric two-seat convertible to make it to market, even if it is substantially bigger (and probably pricier) than the cars that made the brand’s name. Then MG will have come full circle, after a long journey through brand misdirection, major shifts in economic and industrial power bases, and technological change. 

MG4 EV Trophy Long Range, £31,495, MG.co.uk