MG has started to deliver a smaller electric hatch in the right-hand drive UK market, receiving very positive reviews from UK auto journalists who have spent some time with this affordable ground-up EV.
And it could do well here also. MG raised the bar in late 2020 after announcing Australia’s most affordable EV. Despite MG being a relatively new brand, it sold like hot cakes in the EV market and reached the title of Australia’s second best-selling EV in 2021.
We look at what UK reviewers are saying and what this means for the Australian market if MG launches this EV here.
MG4, a stylish hatch
Prices of this newly launched hatch in the UK start at under 26,000 GBP (around $A44,000 converted.) For this, you get a stylish Golf-sized hatch with most of what you’d expect from a well-built EV in 2022.
AutoTrader, a leading car reviews website in the UK put the styling of the MG4 as: “MG4 is a much more stylish proposition, though, and is built on pure electric foundations, meaning more space inside, better range and improved tech. It also looks a lot funkier than anything MG has offered before.”
Tom Sharpe, a UK car of the year judge also gave the MG4 a good rap on Twitter, saying, “They will be snapped-up. Impressive value, cabin space & tech is coupled to a decent range and rapid performance. Commercial director Guy Pigoukanis says it represents the “start of a new phase” for the brand.”
Around 2,000 @MGmotor #MG4 #EVs will come to the UK this year. They will be snapped-up. Impressive value, cabin space & tech is coupled to a decent range and rapid performance. Commercial director Guy Pigoukanis says it represents the “start of a new phase” for the brand. pic.twitter.com/B3L89RTDal
— Tom Sharpe (@Sharpe_Tom) August 24, 2022
MG really hit the ground running with their EV range here in Australia last year with the ZS EV. The MG4 though is yet to be announced as a product MG aims to bring into Australia but the signs look positive.
Value-packed EV
Amazing value, looks cool & good to drive are three ways that AutoTrader described the newly delivered MG4 EV hatch in the UK. That’s promising if this EV with similar specifications is delivered to Australia.
The base model comes with a 51kWh battery pack with a range of around 350kms. The base SE model in UK also comes with MG Pilot safety suite, a 10.25” screen and Android Auto/Apple Carplay. There is also a bigger battery available in the two other variants offering 450kms of range.
MG4 ground-up EV likely to arrive in Australia
Late last month, we got a confirmation from MG Australia that they are evaluating the MG4 as a potential EV model for Australian launch in early 2023. Having already arrived in the UK – a right-hand drive market like ours – all the right signals are there for its arrival here.
Many people I have spoken to are looking for a nice-looking EV under the $45,000 price point. The MG4 from all the things we are herding from the UK seems to tick all those boxes.
More importantly, the more variety of affordable ground-up EV models that are available in the market, the more likely the chance that Australia will hit 5% of new registrations to be EVs by the end of 2023. From that point onwards, the EV uptake is only heading in one direction which is very exciting.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.