MG 4 review: A small electric hatchback that's surprisingly fun to drive

Some people equate powerful cars with fun. While having lots of horsepower can result in an exciting time, it's not always necessarily the case.

Cars can be fun to drive without having an overload of power, as demonstrated by the MG 4 electric hatchback here.

What's new with this MG 4?

The MG 4 is the brand's small electric hatchback offering, which is not a hugely popular body style in Singapore. Its current price point of $168,888 with COE (as of December 2024) means that it competes against the likes of the hugely popular BYD Atto 3 crossover, as well as Hyundai's Kona Electric.

The car was actually originally launched here in 2023 with a hefty 201hp, which is nearly hot hatchback territory. While it received plaudits for its performance, its power output meant that the MG 4 would only qualify for a Category B Certificate of Entitlement (COE) back then.

With COE premiums reaching record highs that year, that made the car extremely uncompetitive in the market.

It took them about a year, but MG has now introduced a version that would slot into COE Cat A, with a power output of 133hp, well under the Cat A threshold of 147hp for electric cars.

Has the reduced power affected the drive of the MG 4?

In truth, not really.

While the car takes a reasonable 8.5 seconds to go from 0 to 100km/h, it's not that far a drop from the more powerful version earlier, which took 7.9 seconds to perform the same sprint.

What has been retained though is the car's surprisingly decent driving manners. Despite the power reduction, the MG 4 still feels zippy and energetic under acceleration, without feeling too abrupt, as some as some electric vehicles (EVs) tend to be.

At the same time, the MG 4's power delivery comes across as smooth and effortless, with a sense of immediacy that feels like an old school sedan with a large and powerful engine.

It's not just in a straight line that the MG 4 feels delightful too. Show the car some winding roads and it rewards you with a sensational sense of sportiness, with its nimble nature and eagerness to change direction.

The steering is quick and direct, while the suspension is set slightly towards the firmer side, which does wonders for handling but results in a somewhat harsh, though not too uncomfortable, ride.

Delve deeper and you'll understand why the MG 4 is such a joy to drive. Rear-wheel-drive, 50:50 weight distribution and a low centre of gravity are all elements you'll find in some of the finest sports cars, but they are all present here.

As well, the car is relatively light for an EV, at just under 1.7 tonnes, compared to nearly two tonnes or more for other similar EVs of its type. The result is a car that feels amazingly agile and spirited when you want to indulge in some driving fun.

Sounds great. Are there any drawbacks though?

Of course, the MG 4 is not completely perfect by any means. It does have some flaws, and most of it pertains to its interior.

The cabin materials do seem a bit cheap and plasticky, but that's mostly forgivable given the target market for this car. What's more unacceptable though is the car's control setup.

For starters, the MG follows the modern EV template of having virtually everything controlled from the touchscreen only. There are a few buttons just below the screen, but their functions are limited to the audio volume, the heaters for the front and rear windscreens, and the fan speed.

Adjusting settings such as the air con temperature and level of regenerative braking requires one to navigate through several pages of the infotainment system. And to make matters worse, the system can be quite laggy, requiring several prods before it responds to your touch.

As well, the screen reflects sunlight badly, while there's also no wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity (only a wired connection). Certainly not the most ideal user experience that's for sure.

It's a bit of a pity, because the other parts of the car stack up quite well. For all the ergonomic flaws relating to the touchscreen, the rest of the interior feels quite thoughtfully designed.

For example, the high-mounted deck that houses the gear selector and wireless charging pad is easy to reach, and is supplemented by large storage areas below it.

There's also plenty of legroom for rear passengers thanks to the flat floor, despite the car's small size, while there are handy pockets in the seat backs for you to slot your mobile phone in.

It's fairly well-equipped too, with the usual driver assistance safety systems like adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist all present here, although the usefulness of a heated steering wheel in Singapore is debatable at best.

So, is it worth buying?

The MG 4 feels like a convention-defying EV, especially at the lower end of the segment where it is competing.

No mainstream EV has any right to be this fun to drive, but the MG 4 proves that things can be different. It demonstrates that paying a low price and getting less power doesn't mean that you'll have to settle for a dull and uninteresting experience.

If you're looking for a relatively affordable EV as a daily runabout without sacrificing on driving enjoyment, then the MG 4 should sit right at the top of the list.

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benjamin.chia@asiaone.com

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