- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
NA
- Engine Power
NA
- Fuel
9h 0m chg, 435km range
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Red'n Gear
- Warranty
7 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2022)
2023 MG 4 Essence 64 review
The MG 4 is one of this year’s most hotly anticipated electric cars, and represents a new era for its Chinese manufacturer. Here’s why the second-most expensive model, the Essence 64, might be the pick of the range.
- Sharp price for an electric car, well equipped vs competitors
- Good energy efficiency, faster charging than claimed
- Fun to drive
- Sluggish infotainment system with temperamental Apple CarPlay connection
- Too many air conditioning controls in the touchscreen
- Advanced safety systems need fine-tuning
2023 MG 4 Essence 64
In a matter of months – and thanks to Chinese car companies – the arrival of new electric cars priced from less than $50,000 has surged from a trickle to a flood.
This time last year there were four electric cars on sale for less than $50,000 plus on-road costs: the MG ZS EV and BYD Atto 3 SUVs, and the Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Ioniq Electric hatchbacks.
Now three new contenders – all Toyota Corolla-sized five-door hatchbacks, and all from China – have arrived within months of one another, with prices less than $40,000 plus on-road costs in their base formats: the GWM Ora, BYD Dolphin, and the focus of this review, the MG 4.
The MG 4 is the first new model on parent company SAIC’s ‘MSP’ (or Nebula) dedicated rear-wheel-drive electric-car architecture, which promises sharper handling and more technology than previous MG models.
We were impressed by the MG 4 in our first tastes on Australian roads earlier this year, but how does it stack up after a full week through the Drive garage?
How much does the MG 4 cost in Australia?
There are currently four models in the MG 4 range – the Excite 51, Excite 64, Essence 64 and Long Range 77 – with a fifth, the XPower all-wheel-drive performance edition, due to follow by the end of this year.
On test here is the Essence 64, which combines the middle-of-the-range battery capacity – 64kWh gross, for a 435km claimed driving range in European WLTP testing – and a 150kW single electric motor driving the rear wheels, with the top-of-the-range equipment level.
It is priced from $47,990 plus on-road costs. Our test vehicle, with $700 Volcano Orange Metallic paint optioned, costs $48,690 plus on-road costs (RRP), or $50,409 drive-away in NSW (according to MG Australia’s online price calculator).
At its RRP, the Essence 64 costs $3000 more than the Excite 64 – with the same battery and motor but less equipment, and a slightly longer driving range due to smaller wheels, different tyres and no rear spoiler – but $8000 less than the Long Range 77 with the same equipment but a 180kW motor, and a 77kWh battery for 530km of claimed driving range.
Competitors include the GWM Ora in Extended Range Ultra trim ($48,990 RRP), BYD Dolphin Premium ($44,890 RRP) and Nissan Leaf 40kWh ($50,990 RRP), as well as similarly priced electric SUVs such as the MG ZS EV Essence ($44,990 RRP) and BYD Atto 3 Standard ($48,011 RRP).
Standard features include LED headlights and tail-lights, a 7.0-inch instrument display, 10.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and satellite navigation, single-zone climate control, a 360-degree camera, rear parking sensors, vehicle-to-load technology, heated synthetic leather-look and cloth front seats, keyless entry and start, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.
Key details | 2023 MG 4 Essence 64 |
Price | $47,990 plus on-road costs |
Colour of test car | Volcano Orange |
Options | Metallic paint – $700 |
Price as tested | $48,690 plus on-road costs |
Drive-away price | $50,409 (NSW) |
Rivals | GWM Ora | BYD Dolphin | Nissan Leaf |
How much space does the MG 4 have inside?
The MG 4’s dedicated electric-car platform gives its interior an airy feel for a small hatch, with no centre tunnel to house an old-school transmission as it would in a petrol car, and instead an open storage area on the front floor of the car.
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As with a growing number of electric cars, there is no starter button. The screens turn on when the car detects you’re sitting in the seat, while to move off it’s as easy as pushing the brake pedal and rotating the gear selector dial – which is easy to get used to, and sits on a small shelf beside the electric parking brake.
The synthetic leather-look seat trim – matched with cloth inserts and tasteful blue stitching – on this Essence model is not particularly convincing, but the front seats offer decent comfort and support with six-way power adjustment and heating.
Space for taller drivers is good with a driving position that can be set low, by electric-car standards, and a floor that does not feel too high or SUV-like; a common pitfall of electric vehicles with batteries under the floor.
The doors open wide for easy ingress and egress, but the sill of the car – the metal under the door when it’s open – is quite large and a touch sharp on its outside edge. So I found myself constantly brushing my jeans on it during our time with the car, which is something that got frustrating quite quickly.
Unlike some modern MGs, the steering wheel offers tilt and reach adjustment, and while it was unusual at first, we got used to the squared-off top and bottom sections of the wheel after a few minutes in traffic. The steering wheel is heated in this model.
While there are conventional switches for changing the volume – and toggles for enabling/disabling the air conditioning, or the front and rear window defrosters, all under the screen – there are no controls for changing the air conditioning temperature or fan speed, or the heated seats and steering wheel.
Instead, drivers and passengers must delve into a menu in the touchscreen, which can only be accessed from the MG-designed parts of the infotainment screen – meaning there is no quick, one-tap shortcut from Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
There is a way to skip this step using one of the steering wheel ‘star’ buttons, so the rocker switches on the wheel can change the temperature and fan speed. However, it is an imperfect solution, and one that’s not very useful if the front passenger gets cold.
Most of the materials in the MG 4’s cabin are hard to the touch. But aside from the scratchy finish on the tops of the door cards – and the door armrests that aren’t well padded – the design of the interior means most hard surfaces are kept out of the driver’s reach.
Perceived build quality was fair in our near-new test vehicle, with no squeaks or rattles.
Amenities up front are relatively limited, with one USB-A port and one USB-C port – though only the USB-A port can be used for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto – plus a 12-volt socket, keyless entry and start, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and a wireless phone charger.
Front-seat storage is also reasonable, with two cupholders, a large open centre storage area for phones and wallets, a centre console that is on the small side, sunglasses storage space in the roof, and a modestly sized centre console box and door pockets.
The electric-car platform means the MG 4 is shorter bumper to bumper than a Toyota Corolla or Hyundai i30, but longer between the wheels, which allows for more interior space.
At 186cm (6ft 1in) tall, I can sit behind my driving position with modest leg room and head room – a couple of centimetres between my knees and the front seats, and my hair and the roof respectively – and enough to slide my toes under the seat. Though as with most electric cars, the floor is a touch high and reduces under-thigh support for tall passengers.
The width of the cabin feels par for the class – broad enough for three passengers abreast on short journeys – and there is only a small hump in the floor, though there’s less head room in the middle seating position.
There are no rear air vents, storage is limited – with no fold-down centre armrest with cupholders, and small door pockets – and there is only one USB port (of the USB-A variety). However, each front seatback has a map pocket and two smartphone-sized upper pockets, and there are the typical three top-tether points and two ISOFIX anchors.
MG quotes 350 litres of boot space behind the rear seats in the MG 4 Essence and Long Range – compared to 363L in Excite versions – which is enough for one large suitcase and a few backpacks.
The rear seats fold down 60:40 to fit longer items, and there are netted pockets on either side of the cargo hold, but there is only a tyre repair kit under the floor – though that’s common for electric vehicles. There is nowhere to fit the provided charging cable bag, so it tends to roll around in the boot or fight for space with your luggage.
2023 MG 4 Essence 64 | |
Seats | Five |
Boot volume | 350L seats up 1165L seats folded |
Length | 4287mm |
Width | 1836mm |
Height | 1516mm |
Wheelbase | 2705mm |
Does the MG 4 have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
Standard in all MG 4s is a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, embedded satellite navigation, voice control and Bluetooth.
FM and DAB digital radio are standard, but there is no AM radio – which continues to be a critical, potentially life-saving system used to distribute emergency alerts in bushfires and other natural disasters in regional areas where phone signal and FM radio doesn’t reach.
The infotainment system is relatively simple to use, but the graphics are basic and look like a free mobile phone game from five years ago, and the software is not particularly quick to respond.
The Apple CarPlay connection in our test vehicle was temperamental and a regular source of frustration. The phone would start charging as soon as it was plugged in – no matter where it was positioned – but for CarPlay to engage, the phone needed to be in the perfect spot and at just the right angle.
The most minor of bumps to the phone – having the passenger touch the screen to check a notification, for example – or driving too quickly around a corner would disconnect CarPlay, let alone picking up the phone while parked to use it. We tried multiple phones and multiple USB cables to see if it made a difference, to no avail.
The MG 4 Essence adds full support for the MG iSmart phone app – rather than a simplified ‘Lite’ system in the Excite – with features such as remote unlocking/locking, vehicle tracking, cabin pre-heating or cooling, and the ability to manage when the vehicle charges while plugged in at home to use cheaper electricity rates.
The 7.0-inch instrument display is clear, easy to read in a range of seating positions, and shows energy use, driver-assist technology settings, and other key information.
Essence variants add a six-speaker sound system compared to four speakers in cheaper models, but the extra speakers are in the rear doors so it isn’t a significant upgrade for front occupants.
The system is acceptable but ultimately lacks punch, particularly when playing songs with a lot of bass, and it can’t play particularly loud.
Standard are rear-view and 360-degree cameras, which are of decent quality during the daytime, but can get grainy at night. There are rear parking sensors but, unusually for a vehicle with a 360-degree camera, no front sensors – an odd omission for a city-focused car.
Is the MG 4 a safe car?
The MG 4 earned five stars from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) earlier this year based on testing conducted last year – to the just-superseded 2020–22 test protocols – by ANCAP’s European counterpart Euro NCAP.
It was awarded category scores of 83 per cent for adult occupant protection, 86 per cent for child occupant protection, 75 per cent for vulnerable road user protection, and 81 per cent for safety assist crash-avoidance technology.
2023 MG 4 Essence 64 | |
ANCAP rating | Five stars (tested 2022) |
Safety report | Link to ANCAP report |
What safety technology does the MG 4 have?
Standard safety technology in the MG 4 Essence 64 includes autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane-following assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, traffic sign recognition, six airbags, and a few features not available on the base Excite, such as blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and door exit warning.
In our testing, the advanced safety systems were not as well calibrated as those in other makes and models of car.
There were no false activations of the autonomous emergency braking system, and the lane-keep assist was not too intrusive, though the beep it produces when you leave your lane sounds like a dishwasher reaching the end of its cycle.
However, the adaptive cruise-control system has a ‘curve speed reduction’ function that wipes 5km/h off your speed on even the most subtle bends in the road that no human would slow down for. On other occasions, such as one particular lane change at 110km/h while passing under a bridge, it would back off the accelerator and briefly reduce its speed for seemingly no reason.
The lane-following assist system – activated through ‘TJA’ (traffic jam assist) mode in the touchscreen – tended to gently bounce between the lane markings rather than hold the centre of the lane.
Blind-spot monitoring was also very cautious, flashing its lights in the side mirrors for cars two lanes across.
None of these issues were dangerous or would be deal-breakers for us, but there is room for improvement and re-calibration in a future model update.
How much does the MG 4 cost to maintain?
The MG 4 is covered by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty for both the overall vehicle and its battery pack.
Services are marked in the logbook for every two years or 40,000km, whichever comes first – more than double the industry average for petrol cars of 12 months/15,000km.
Odd-numbered services (first, third, etc) are scheduled to cost $296, but even-numbered services (second, fourth, etc) cost a significant $907, and add up to $1203 for four years/80,000km of routine maintenance.
For context, four years and 80,000km of scheduled servicing for a BYD Dolphin would cost $1195, or $1400 for a Nissan Leaf.
However, a GWM Ora is significantly cheaper for drivers who expect to hit the time interval before the distance interval. Four years/60,000km of servicing in the Ora is quoted as ‘just’ $396, at $99 per service.
The service intervals of the MG will suit drivers who cover exceptionally long distances in a year. After 60,000km – when the MG is between its first and second services – the MG 4 will have been charged $296 in servicing compared to $748 for the Dolphin, $987 for the Leaf, $396 for the GWM and, for context, $980 for a Toyota Corolla ZR Hybrid hatch.
The MG 4 is too new to appear on our preferred comprehensive car insurance quote calculator.
At a glance | 2023 MG 4 Essence 64 |
Warranty | Seven years, unlimited km |
Service intervals | 24 months or 40,000km |
Servicing costs | $296 (2 years) $1203 (4 years) $1499 (6 years) |
Is the MG 4 energy-efficient?
MG Australia claims energy efficiency of 13.8kWh per 100 kilometres in combined (urban and highway) driving for the Essence 64 in more lenient local testing, for 435km of claimed driving range in European WLTP lab-test conditions.
Over 500km of testing the car listed energy consumption of 17.6kWh/100km. That is significantly higher than the claim, but about 60 to 70 per cent of our driving was comprised of highways and enthusiastic driving on winding roads, and even around town we were not being particularly gentle with the accelerator pedal.
This result is closer to the 16.6kWh/100km consumption claim quoted by MG in Europe under more stringent European standards.
In more relaxed urban driving we observed energy consumption in the 15kWh/100km range, which is respectable for a car of this size, though not as frugal as a Tesla Model 3.
On a 170km highway driving-range test loop at 110km/h on the Hume Highway south of Sydney, we observed energy consumption of 18.4kWh/100km.
Our real-world energy consumption observations, and MG’s claimed usable battery capacity of 62.1kWh in Australian models, equate to about 410km of urban driving range and 335km of highway range on a full charge.
If you unplug from the charger at 80 per cent capacity and drive on a highway until the battery hits 10 per cent charge, our observations would translate to about 235km of range.
MG 4 models with the 64kWh battery are claimed to charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 28 minutes on a charging station that allows the car to hit its maximum rate of 140kW – one of the highest of any electric car at this price point.
We beat the claim on a 350kW Evie fast charger in Sydney’s west, recording a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 25 minutes and 30 seconds, at a peak of 139.4kW inside the car, or 143kW on the charger’s display.
Charging performance was impressively linear, never dropping below 95 per cent of the peak 139kW figure until 50 per cent charge.
It is worth noting the MG 4's 64kWh battery uses nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) chemistry. Unlike the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in the base MG 4 51kWh, or a Tesla Model 3 RWD, it is only recommended to charge beyond 80 per cent for occasional road trips – and not on a regular basis – to avoid causing excess long-term damage to the battery cells.
Energy Consumption - brought to you by bp
Energy Efficiency | Energy Stats |
Energy cons. (claimed) | 13.8kWh/100km |
Energy cons. (on test) | 17.6kWh/100km |
Battery size | 62.1kWh (usable; 64kWh total) |
Driving range claim (WLTP) | 435km |
Charge time (6.6kW) | 9h (at 25 degrees Celsius) |
Charge time (50kW) | 1h |
Charge time (140kW max rate) | 28min claimed, 25min 30sec as tested (10–80%) |
What is the MG 4 like to drive?
Powering the MG 4 Essence 64 (and Excite 64) is a 150kW/250Nm electric motor driving the rear wheels, which is fed by a nickel-manganese-cobalt battery with a 62.1kWh claimed usable capacity, or 64kWh gross (total) capacity.
It translates to zippy performance, with more than enough punch to nip into gaps in traffic in the city and get up to speed or overtake on the highway.
Power is fed smoothly off the line, so you aren’t slammed back into the seat off the traffic lights, and it does taper off at higher speeds – but between 20km/h and 80km/h performance is brisk.
The official 0–100km/h acceleration time is 7.2 seconds locally. MG Australia says it conducted local acceleration to “provide a more accurate number for Australian motorists” compared to a claim of 7.9sec given for the same vehicle in the UK.
We weren’t able to test the claims in the real-world using GPS timing equipment, but overseas testing has found the lower Australian number to be close to the mark.
The MG 4 feels at home in the city, with light steering for easy parking, a compact 10.6m turning circle, and a small footprint.
We spent most of our time in one-pedal driving mode, but frustratingly it switches off every time you restart the car. And unlike the four regular regenerative braking modes, which can be bound to one of the ‘star’ buttons on the steering wheel, it can only be reactivated through a menu in the touchscreen.
The brake pedal feel and the blending of the regenerative and ‘friction’ (disc) brakes are both acceptable, and the car tracks straight in an emergency stop. The LED headlights are also good.
Visibility through the front and sides of the car is good, but it is poor out the rear due to a small rear window and a large centre rear-seat headrest.
The suspension is on the firm side for a small car. It is generally comfortable around town, but it feels taut over speed bumps or potholes – particularly at the rear of the car – and it can become busy over a poorly surfaced road with lots of little lumps and ripples.
It’s not a deal-breaker, and it is easier to live with than a Tesla Model 3’s suspension, but it is not as well controlled as a Cupra Born or as soft as a GWM Ora.
What surprised us most of all about the MG 4 is how fun it is to drive on a winding road.
It has not been designed to be a hot hatch, but a low centre of gravity, rear-wheel-drive layout and balanced front-to-rear weight distribution make it one of the more enjoyable electric cars to drive at this price that we’ve tested – and a big step forward compared to previous Chinese-designed MG vehicles.
It’s keen to turn into corners, body roll is well managed, and the placement of the electric motor at the rear – not the front – means the car is pushed rather than pulled through bends.
Apply power in the middle of a fast corner and you can feel the car rotate under you. Keep your foot on the accelerator at the exit of the corner and the rear wheels will break traction for a moment, before the car’s electronic systems pull it back into line.
It does mean it is easy to chirp the tyres in the city, such as when pulling out of a T-junction briskly, if you’re not careful. And on a winding road, the MG 4 does lack the sharpness and sure-footedness of a Tesla Model 3 or a Cupra Born. But it put a smile on our faces on more than one occasion.
Other negatives? While the steering is light and direct in town, and can be made heavier in Sport mode, it is not particularly feel-some, and we found ourselves applying more small corrections on the highway to keep the car straight than we’d otherwise like.
The 235/45 R18 Bridgestone Turanza T005 EV tyres deliver good grip in a straight line, but a fair amount of tyre roar comes in through the rear of the car at highway speeds, and there is a lot of wind noise around the driver’s door mirror from 80km/h and up.
Key details | 2023 MG 4 Essence 64 |
Engine | Single electric motor |
Power | 150kW |
Torque | 250Nm |
Drive type | Rear-wheel drive |
Transmission | Single-speed |
Power to weight ratio | 89.7kW/t |
Weight (kerb) | 1672kg |
Spare tyre type | Tyre repair kit |
Tow rating | 500kg braked 500kg unbraked |
Turning circle | 10.6m |
Should I buy an MG 4?
In summary, the MG 4 is competitively priced, roomy, relatively efficient for an electric car of its type, and comfortable and easy to drive in the city.
However, it still has room for improvement, particularly in regard to the infotainment and advanced safety systems, both of which would benefit from ironing out their bugs.
The infotainment system needs more processing power, physical button shortcuts for air conditioning controls, and a more reliable Apple CarPlay connection – as well as the return of AM radio.
Refinements need to be made to the advanced safety systems so it has less tendency to zigzag in lanes, and the suspension, which while generally well controlled, can be a bit too noisy and a bit too firm at times.
But if you are in the market for an electric car in this price range, the MG 4 should be on your consideration list. Just be sure to play around with the infotainment screen and settings, and test out the lane-centring system and suspension on roads that are familiar to you.
How do I buy an MG 4 – next steps?
If your budget stretches this far, we think the Essence 64 is the sweet spot in the MG 4 range, offering the best mix of value, equipment, performance and driving range.
If it is outside of your price range, and you aren’t concerned about a long driving range, we’d recommend the base-model Excite 51 – which at $38,990 plus on-road costs represents sharp value for an electric car – over the $44,990 Excite 64, which is lacking in equipment compared to competitors at the same price.
An MG Motor Australia spokesperson told Drive, “Current wait times for the MG 4 are about one month or less depending on location, with a healthy amount of choice in colours and range to meet different customer preferences”.
However, the company advises customers to contact a dealer to “advise on the specific delivery time associated with individual specifications and battery pack configurations”.
Find your nearest MG dealer at this link, or search for MG vehicles for sale at Drive.com.au/cars-for-sale.
To stay up to date with our latest MG 4 news, click here.