Affordable electric cars are finally starting to come into the Australian market in a big way. Those drivers who have been waiting to buy their first affordable EV no longer need to choose between the earlier delivered, more expensive hatch options, or end up with a hybrid.
As someone who has always been a big supporter of affordable EVs and has tested a few recent options in China in 2025, I was super keen to get behind the wheel of the Geely EX2 to see if it lived up to the hype on Australian roads.
I spent a week putting the new hatch’s top Inspire variant through the daily driving routines to see how it did against one of my favourite EVs to launch this year in the budget hatch segment, the MG4 Urban.
As many would know now, my test loop covers city traffic in Melbourne, high-speed freeway runs down the Peninsula Link freeway to Rye, and mountain climb runs around Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula.
Here is how these two entry-level hatchbacks compare on real Victorian roads.
The new Geely EX2 is priced from around $30,990 before on-road costs for the top-spec Inspire test car which comes with a 47.1kWh LFP battery pack that delivers a claimed 345 km of WLTP range.
The pricing of the MG4 Urban is also quite aggressive and is currently the brand’s most affordable EV in Australia. The base level Essence 43 variant has a 43 kWh battery pack that delivers 316 km of range and starts at $31,900 driveaway, meaning that it’s actually cheaper than the EX2 ($33,000 driveaway, depending on the state or territory the car is registered).
It’s also worth noting that the EX2 is a rear-wheel drive while the MG4 Urban is a front-wheel drive setup, although the MG4 offers noticeably more power in daily driving.
Both cars sit right at the sharp end of affordability in Australia, but they do take very different engineering approaches. More on this later.
On the inside, both interiors make wise choices to keep costs down while delivering modern tech that we are all used to.
Geely EX2 Inspire does better than many rivals with clever storage solutions, including a rare 70-litre frunk, and yes, that is a luxury at this price point. That said, the cabin is tighter, and the front passenger seat doesn’t come with height adjustment.
The MG4 Urban’s interior offers a more standard European hatchback layout with quite a spaced out cabin, thanks to its width, comfortable seating, and clean minimalist screen layout.
Getting to drivin and on the freeway drive down to Rye, both hatchbacks sit quite comfortably at 100 km/h, although getting to the speed is quite different.
The Geely EX2 Inspire is smaller, coming in at a length of 4.14m but uses the previously mentioned, unconventional rear-wheel-drive setup in the affordable hatch segment. Its 85 kW motor delivers gradual acceleration and a reasonably keen throttle response around Melbourne city and suburban driving, though crosswinds on Victorian freeways need slightly more steering adjustment on the go.
The MG4 Urban is slightly wider and longer, coming in at almost 4.4 metres, which, combined with the front-wheel-drive setup, gives it a bit more planted feel on the freeways, which of course adds to the stability on the road.
On the mountain climbs around Red Hill, the Geely EX2 Inspire handled twisty mountain roads reasonably well, thanks to its lowered position of the LFP battery and its weight, but its steering does miss out on the natural weight and feedback found in the MG.
Speaking of which, in our earlier drive, the MG4 Urban feels a bit more composed, zippy through tight hairpins on Arthur Seat mountain pass, keeping the body roll at a minimum.
This highlighted the local tuning the MG4 Urban has gone through and the experience MG has of the previous-generation MG4 on this generation of the affordable hatch.
For most drivers, either of the cars would perform well on the city streets and suburban roads and offer good affordable entry into the electric hatch market, easily outdoing the ICE hatchbacks on offer.
During mixed test runs covering suburban stop-start traffic, highway cruising, and the previously mentioned hill climbs, the Geely EX2 Inspire got an efficiency figure of 15.5 kWh/100 km, which means a real-world range of roughly 300 km.
The MG4 Urban was a bit higher, averaging close to 16.2 kWh/100 km, getting a real-world range of 290 km on its smaller base battery.
The higher output motor also consumes a bit more energy but in my experience is worth it, especially how much more lively it makes the car when getting onto freeways and driving up mountain ranges.
Both cars prove that affordable EVs in 2026 do not have to feel cheap. For those wanting a rear-wheel-drive experience, bonus frunk storage, and a surprisingly composed ride, choose the newer Geely EX2 Inspire.
For those who appreciate driving on the highways, a space-filled cabin, and sharper handling through the mountains, test drive the MG4 Urban, especially while the $2,000 cashback offer is on, bringing the driveaway price to $29,990.
I could live with either, as both show just how far affordable EVs have come in our market, something many wouldn’t have expected even three years ago.
MG4 EV Urban Essence 43
- Up to 316 km of WLTP Combined Range
- 43 kWh LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) Battery
- 17” Starburst Alloy Wheels
- MG Pilot, including MG Pilot Custom Function
- Black and Grey Fabric Upholstery
- Full LED Headlights & DRL & Rear Lights
- Automatic Headlamps
- Roof Rails & Rear Spoiler
- 7” HD Driver Display
- 12.8” HD Infotainment Touchscreen
- Satellite Navigation
- Wireless Connection to Apple CarPlay® & Android Auto™
- iSMART Connectivity
Geely EX2 Inspire
- Power Front Seats
- Full Active Safety including Adaptive Cruise Control
- 14.6″ HD Multimedia Touchscreen Display
- Smart Key with Keyless Start
- 70 L Frunk with Remote Release
- 345 km WLTP Range
- Heated Front Seats and Steering Wheel
- Power Tailgate with Height Memory
- Surround View Monitor
- 256-Colour Ambient Lighting
- Contrasting Black Roof
