MOTORS: MG4 EV SE (Long Range)
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Call me an old romantic but I still get excited at the sight of an MG badge, writes Alan Douglas. It brings back happy – if distant – memories of carefree days at the wheel of an MGB GT. It might not have been the quickest or the most comfortable but it cascaded character and sitting in its cockpit I felt like the king of the road.
The latest car to carry the iconic badge has nothing beyond that symbol to link it to the classic models of the past.
The MG4 EV bristles with up-to-the-minute electric technology, has dramatic styling and although the company behind it is Chinese, they rightly promote the brand’s heritage, dating back to 1924.
But their trump card is their pricing which undercuts the fierce competition in the EV market where there are some fine choices from the likes of Kia, Vauxhall, Nissan, Volkswagen, Skoda and newcomers Polestar and Genesis.
Read more: Motors: Honda Jazz hybrid is a perfect proposition for the road
What they’re offering is attractive – a good-sized all-electric hatchback for less than the price of much smaller e-versions of the Mini, Fiat 500 or Peugeot 208 but with great performance and practicality to suit a cost-conscious family who want to switch to electric.
The electric revolution has brought a rethink in car styling. The MG4 EV is a great example of this and I really like what they’ve come up with. Quite simply, the car looks great from every angle and I found myself pausing frequently to soak up its dramatic lines before getting in.
Once you’re in the cockpit, there’s no mistaking that you’re in something different. To begin with, the car prepares for take-off as soon as you settle in the seat. There’s no engine start button but the square seven-inch driver display screen tells you it’s ready to go and turning the central knob to D sets the car in motion on an almost-silent departure.
It feels strange when you end your journey as there’s no engine stop button. You select P for park on the knob, activate the electronic brake and after you get out, the car shuts down.
Instant power is directed from the single electric motor at the back end straight to the rear wheels and the progression to the speed limit is deliciously smooth.
It’s also good fun on the back roads when driven with a lively right foot and you can adjust the performance through the driving modes of Eco, Sport, Snow, Custom and Standard depending on the conditions.
The interior gives some clues that the car is at the lower end of the price range. A lot of the functions are contained in the 10.25-inch floating colour touchscreen which is basic but sharp. Satnav comes only in the top-range Trophy version but the SE test car had Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to connect through to your smartphone.
Shortcut climate controls are kept separate on a panel but you have to go into the screen above to redirect the air flow. Volume controls for the audio are on the steering wheel but again they feel a bit basic and flimsy.
Apart from that, the general finish around the cabin could best be described as hard-wearing rather than plush but that’s probably a good thing bearing in mind the target customer.
The boot and storage space is adequate, leg and headroom is good and even the entry-level models come with an impressive level of equipment considering the starting price of around £26,000.
The test car was the Long Range version with a bigger battery which offers a potential 281 miles from a full charge. That should take only about half-an-hour if you’re lucky enough to get access to a 150kW rapid charger or overnight on a cheap tariff if you have a wallbox at home.
Impressively, it comes with a seven-year warranty, although limited to 80,000 miles, slightly shorter than the handful of other brands offering that peace of mind.
VITAL STATISTICS: MG4 EV SE (Long Range)
PRICE: £28,495
ENGINE: 64kWh electric motor
POWER: 203 PS
TORQUE: 250 Nm
TOP SPEED: 100mph
0-62MPH: 7.9 seconds
TOWING CAPACITY: 500kgs
CHARGE TIME: 35 minutes (150kW rapid); 60 minutes (50kW)
RANGE: 281 miles
