2023 MG4 Essence 64kWh review: Australian launch

Advancing the auto industry is often tasked to the Mercedes-Benz S-Classes of this world with technology left to trickle down to mere mortals. But change comes in many forms.

The real champions of the automotive world are those that revolutionise the mass market. The original Volkswagen Golf is a perfect example of this, and the 2024 MG4 Essence? Well, for Australians, it may be the car that makes electric motoring truly accessible.

Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y have already changed the semi-premium landscape, arriving loaded with technology in huge numbers at tempting prices. The Model Y even outsells Toyota’s RAV4, proving price isn’t as much of a barrier as you might expect.

An MG4, though, with its $38,990 starting price (before on-road costs and incentives) is a car that an even larger slice of the population can afford.

Like the Model Y, it might be able to outsell Toyota’s incumbent in the small car segment, the Corolla hatch.

Although the official forecast was for 3000-or-so MG4 sales by the end of 2023, typically bullish MG Motor Australia CEO Peter Ciao reckons this figure could climb as high as 2000 each month – if there’s enough demand. For reference, Toyota sold 2145 Corollas last month.

The MG4 will be vying for sales supremacy in a trio of affordable Chinese rivals with the BYD Dolphin and GWM Ora set to launch imminently. We’ll be sure to have a comparison test between the three, but right from the off MG’s effort oozes maturity and sensibility that the others trade for bright colours and cabin gimmicks.

28

JUMP AHEAD

• How much is it, and what do you get?
• How do rivals compare on value?
• Interior comfort, space, and storage
• What is it like to drive?
• What’s the MG4’s driving range and charging?
• How safe is it?
• Warranty and running costs
• VERDICT
• Specifications

How much is it, and what do you get?

We nabbed an MG4 fitted with the medium 64kWh (gross, 61.7kWh usable) ternary lithium-ion battery pack for 435km of WLTP driving range in Essence trim – the top spec in Australia until the XPower hot hatch arrives.

It costs $47,990 before on-road costs and government incentives, so splits the difference between price leader and more premium rivals such as the Tesla Model 3 sedan.

Underpinning the MG4 is the brand’s new ‘MSP’ scalable architecture. Developed in collaboration with IDIADA, a Spanish company that provides design, testing, engineering, and homologation services for automotive companies, it boasts a ‘perfect’ 50:50 weight distribution paired with front struts and five-link independent rear suspension.

28

You also get sheet metal designed with input from MG’s Longbridge design centre in the British Midlands.

Although some of the detailing is a little fussy and the car’s appearance is not entirely conventional, in bright colours such as Volcano Orange and Brixton Blue, the MG4 cuts an attractive and memorable silhouette.

Compared to the base car, the Essence features more technology as detailed below.

The Essence also brings driver assistance technology such as blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and an excellent 360-degree camera.

MG said it sees the Essence being bought by fleets, but we reckon this ‘Goldilocks’ combination of decent driving range and extra creature comforts that remains under $50K is the MG4 sweet spot.

⬆️ Back to top

28

How do rivals compare on value?

The MG4 is not the cheapest brand-new electric vehicle on sale right now – that accolade goes to the BYD Dolphin ($38,890 before on-road costs), though $100 here goes a lot further than a regular green bill would.

Compared to the BYD Dolphin, it’s 4.6 seconds faster to 100km/h with 11km more driving range.

We aren’t driving the base MG4 today, and the Essence measures up well against its EV price-mates. It’s rated with a greater driving range than the equivalently priced Dolphin and Ora, and has comparable levels of cabin technology.

Given the MG4’s more conventional design and presentation than a Tesla, it’s also likely to be cross-shopped with typical family hatches. A Volkswagen Golf 110TSI R-Line has comparable straight-line performance and similar levels of interior technology but is $7500 more affordable to purchase before incentives.

⬆️ Back to top

28

BYD Dolphin

Interior comfort, space and storage

The MG4’s dimensions line up with the conventional family hatch, measuring 4287mm long (identical to a Mark 8 Golf) and 1836mm wide.

Its party trick, though, is a 2705mm wheelbase (70mm longer than a Golf). With the added benefit of no combustion engine to package up front, the MG4 offers stacks of cabin space.

The central seating position of the MG4’s rear bench sits proud and there’s a small hump in the middle of the floor. Although five will fit, four passengers will be very comfortable thanks to plenty of headroom, a supportive, well-cushioned bench, and plenty of knee room.

28

Beneath the floor are some battery gubbins so there’s no provision for a spare tyre.

It isn’t perfect – behind the power-adjustable driver’s seat there’s limited toe-room (the front passenger seat has fixed height; great for foot room but not ideal for taller occupants) and although there’s a USB charge point, the MG4 lacks vents and a fold-out armrest in the rear seat.

The 350-litre boot with adjustable height floor is of reasonable size. The MG4 doesn’t come with a cargo net, but there are cordoned-off cubbies to the side and some shopping bag hooks. Beneath the floor are some battery gubbins so there’s no provision for a spare tyre.

Front seats are very comfortable and – the driver’s seat at least – can be set low in the car for an excellent driving position. The not-round two-spoke steering wheel wears leatherette upholstery with real stitching.

28

Although unconventional in shape (and a little bit Lotus Emira-ey) it proved ergonomic while driving.

MG’s done a good job of material selection, not cheaping out on the flat, broad dashtop with soft material to minimise reflections and noise. The door cards are hard to the touch, but pleasant patterning and moulding choices make them feel more high quality than those you’d find in a dearer Kia Niro.

The Essence’s rotary gear selector is proudly presented atop a piano black console. Its action is well-damped, and the knurled edges add to the high-quality feel.

28

The cabin design is simple but in no way boring with elements of VW in the air vent that sweeps across the dash, and the shapely indicator stalks remind me of an Audi A4's.

Technology is taken care of by a 10.25-inch central touchscreen and a 7.0-inch digital driver’s display. It features wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the Essence gets live traffic navigation, a wireless charging pad, and an average six-speaker sound system. The steering wheel buttons and software are unfamiliar at first, though it’s likely you’ll get used to interacting with the MG’s tech over time.

Beneath the touchscreen is a row of shortcut buttons that aid menu navigation, but the choice of front and rear demister shortcuts and an air-con off button is baffling. The physical controls would be better assigned to air recirculate and either fan speed or temperature up/down.

28

At least the up-spec Essence has a responsive voice control system that allows you to adjust fan speed, temperature, and other settings without touching the screen.

Cabin storage is another win for MG, and is clearly influenced by the expectations of UK buyers. The airy centre stack has a large area for odds and ends storage, with a roller cover to hide valuables.

There are two cup holders, another deep cubby under a squishy centre armrest and a neat elastic netted pocket perfect for a pack of chewing gum or the car’s key.

⬆️ Back to top

28

What is it like to drive?

MG’s first attempt at an electric car, the original ZS EV, had an absence of body control that was unnerving and borderline dangerous. The MG4, though, is a different story.

The ground-up MSP architecture underpins a hatch that rides and handles admirably. The MG4’s dampers run smoothly through their travel and round out sharp-edged hits around town, yet hit an offset spoon drain or speed hump a little too fast and the body remains entirely in control.

There’s a sporty edge to the MG4’s ride that limits lean mid-corner. It feels as though MG benchmarked the Peugeot 308 and Volkswagen Golf, and the team has done a good job getting close with a great balance of chassis feedback and control.

28

Aside from a rear axle that could do with a little more rebound control to settle it on big mid-corner bumps and lifeless steering (that, to be fair, is accurate and easy to turn in town), the MG4’s chassis is excellent.

The 235/45 R18 Bridgestone Turanza T005 EV tyres don’t introduce any undue harshness so there’s no need to limit yourself to the 17-inch alloyed base model. The compound is grippy enough and, because they’re EV-specific, the tyres are quiet on open roads and during freeway driving.

In fact – aside from some wind whistle from the driver’s side mirror above 100km/h – the MG has excellent NVH insulation, something that not all EVs can boast.

28

Only on particularly craggy coarse chip bitumen can you hear resonant frequencies, but cruising at 110km/h on the Hume – even in the back seat – it’s easy to hold a conversation.

Starting the MG4 is a little unconventional for those used to combustion cars; you simply hop in with the proximity key (after pressing a little button on the door handles to unlock), twist the gear selector to Drive, and you’re off.

With the Essence 64kWh able to hit 100km/h in 7.2 seconds it's plenty brisk on the move. The 1672kg Essence’s 61.7kWh battery is paired with a 150kW/250Nm eight-layer hairpin permanent magnet synchronous motor and a single-speed reduction gear; top speed is limited to 160km/h.

You can choose from three levels of regenerative braking and a true one-pedal drive mode.

None feels quite as natural as Polestar and Tesla’s integration, and the brake pedal requires quite a push to bring the car to a stop as the motor regen blends out and the physical brake calipers bite.

As well as five drive modes from Eco and Snow to Sport, there is a Custom setting. Normal and Sport have the most natural blend of response from the steering and throttle, with Eco being a little too dull.

The Long Range’s 77kWh battery is paired with a 180kW/350Nm motor that shoots the MG hatch to 100km/h in a Cupra Born-beating 6.5 seconds. Worth it if you want a warmed-through hatch, but for most buyers the 150kW power unit will be plenty – those after a hotter version should wait for the 320kW AWD MG4 XPower that’s confirmed for Australian release.

⬆️ Back to top

28

What’s the MG4’s driving range and charging?

Across the MG4 line-up, the WLTP driving range fluctuates between 351km-530km. The Essence we drove is rated at 435km in the combined WLTP cycle from a full charge of its 110mm-thick 61.7kWh battery.

On the MG4’s national media launch south of Sydney, we averaged 19.7kWh/100km over 160km of brisk driving. That equates to 313km of range, though the route wasn’t representative of an everyday driving scenario.

With the higher output battery, the MG4 can fast-charge at up to 140kW on public DC infrastructure, rejuvenating battery percentage from 10-80 in 26 minutes.

28

For home charging, the MG4 takes AC electricity on at a rate of 6.6kW for a 0-100 per cent charge of around 10 hours.

MG recommends only charging the 61.7kWh battery to 80 per cent to preserve its life, and not letting it fall below 20 per cent where possible.

Using MG’s ‘iSmart’ telematics app, owners can schedule charge times to take advantage of cheaper electricity prices, or best utilise their home solar power – this can also be done using the MG4’s on-board infotainment system.

The iSmart app can also pre-condition the climate control and lock/unlock the vehicle but the physical key is still needed to drive off. A 12-month subscription is included in the purchase, and afterward, MG will offer customers the ability to continue paying for the features. Pricing is yet to be confirmed.

The MG4 is also capable of vehicle-to-load (V2L) functions. Using the onboard cable and 10-amp controller, you can plug into the front charge port and dish out 2.5kW of electricity.

⬆️ Back to top

28

How safe is it?

The 2024 MG4 was awarded five stars in ANCAP testing under the 2020-2022 criteria.

ANCAP’s scoring was promising across the board, with good scores for adult occupant (83 per cent) and child occupant (86 per cent) protection, as well as solid vulnerable road user protection (75 per cent) and decent safety assist (81 per cent).

The car does miss out on a centre airbag, bringing its total to six, though is fitted with driver assistance systems such as AEB, adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist. The MG4’s calibration is better than we’ve experienced from other Chinese brands, such as GWM/Haval and Chery, as well as MG’s previous efforts.

⬆️ Back to top

28

Warranty and running costs

The MG4 is backed by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and an equal period of capped-price servicing.

The MG4 can travel 24 months or 40,000km between visits to the dealer. Over six years/120,000km, servicing will cost $1478. Twelve months of roadside assistance is included.

⬆️ Back to top

28

VERDICT

If Tesla's Model Y has become the must-have electric automotive accessory, the MG4 electric hatchback is an egalitarian electric car.

The MG 4 brings electric car ownership to the Australian masses in a complete and pragmatic package – the same sort of revolution the Volkswagen Golf ushered in at its 1974 launch, or more recently, Hyundai’s transformative FD-gen i30 did in 2006.

28

There are a few gripes – the lack of rear air vents and fold-down armrest are two we’d love to see addressed.

A petrol car still gives you more bang for buck on a spec sheet, too, but this electric hatch exudes maturity and completeness in a way its EV price rivals don’t.

The MG4 is a normal car with an electric powertrain, and it’s all the better for it. This mid-spec Essence 64kWh is our pick of the bunch, with all the technology, safety, and creature comforts you need for under $50K.

⬆️ Back to top

⬆️ Back to top