One of Britain’s most quintessential sports car brands has been Chinese-owned for many years — and after driving one of its best-selling cars, I could see the kind of innovation combined with competitive pricing that has Western automakers so worried.
MG was founded in Oxford in 1924 and its cars have appeared in countless films and TV shows, driven by stars from Elvis to Audrey Hepburn.
MGs were sold in the US until 1980, but their then-owner withdrew from the market amid financial difficulties. Things never really improved, and in 2005, MG Rover was bought by China’s SAIC, although production continued in the UK until 2016.
The MG badge never disappeared from British showrooms and the Chinese-made cars have become increasingly popular there. The brand notched up record sales of just over 81,000 vehicles last year, putting MG in 10th place for registrations, with a market share of almost 4.2%. About one in four MGs sold were electric.
The MG4 hatchback was the fourth best-selling EV in the UK last year and was the second most popular model with private (as opposed to fleet) buyers.
Part of the appeal is probably down to the prices, which range from £27,000 (just under $35,000) — about £13,000 less than the cheapest Tesla in the UK and about the same as a BYD Dolphin — through to £36,500 (about $47,000.)
So what’s the MG4 like to drive? I had the most expensive XPower version, which promises 0 to 62 miles an hour in 3.8 seconds from the 64kWh battery — half the time the long-range model takes. (A test by What Car? got the Xpower to 60mph in just 3.6 seconds — faster, they say, than a Porsche Taycan 4S.)
It also boasts all-wheel drive, enhanced brakes, launch control ,and has a claimed maximum driving range of between 239 miles on the WLTP measure, and 328 miles in the city.
I rather liked the shade of matte green, although the styling may not win any design awards. As far as Chinese EVs go, it could be much worse. The flashy alloy wheels with orange brake calipers are a nice touch.
Inside, the seven-inch screen behind the (leather-clad) steering wheel is complemented by a larger, wider central screen with entertainment and navigation options.
I was pleased to find a row of good, old-fashioned physical buttons for volume, fan, and hazard lights. However, connecting my iPhone to the sound system was a fiddlier experience than it needed to be.
I took the MG4 south of London one gloomy Sunday to a scenic spot called Box Hill. Unlike other cars I’ve driven for BI, it did not scold me the moment I exceeded the speed limit by even 1 mile an hour — a blessed relief given many roads have a 20 mph limit. More bonus brownie points. It’s a breeze to drive, and as I suggested above it goes like the clappers when required (on the freeway, of course.)
Other than delivering boy-racer levels of acceleration, that’s about the only relation to the MGs of yesteryear and this “hot hatch” is hard to get too excited about. Given that it’s almost certain to never go on sale in the US, you probably won’t have to grapple with that dilemma.
If I was in the market for an EV this size, I’m not convinced the XPower would make my shortlist (and that was before I learned the MG4 performed very poorly in What Car?’s annual reliability survey.)
No matter what I think, the MG is likely to attract some buyers who might previously have considered a Tesla Model Y, which is almost £18k more.
The MG4 has very respectable range, a decent amount of trunk space — and you could fit three adults in the back as long as they really like each other.
It may start at about £56,000 and only has two seats, but I think the real star of MG’s European model range may be the stunning Cyberster roadster.
