It’s nice to see that MG is progressing as a brand and striving to offer electric vehicles in its lineup, but it’s even more impressive to see the brand exploring new lows in the market for a segment that has long been dominated by the high price points and decked out spec sheets.
While the padded spec lists are a joy to look at and experience during a review, we have to ask ourselves sometimes, is it really worth the premium? When MG Philippines launched the EV, we thought that something had to give to get an EV of that size and of that body style down to the price that it commands, which is pretty much half of what you pay for if you decide to go with a different brand altogether.
4.0 / 5
Performance
Engine Output (HP), Acceleration, Transmission, Handling 4.0/5
Engine Output (HP), Acceleration, Transmission, Handling 4.0/5
Design
Exterior & Interior Design, Quality, Fit and Finish, Ergonomics 4.0/5
Exterior & Interior Design, Quality, Fit and Finish, Ergonomics 4.0/5
Ride Comfort
Cabin Comfort, Suspension, NVH Insulation 4.0/5
Cabin Comfort, Suspension, NVH Insulation 4.0/5
Safety and Technology
Convenience Technologies, Active and Passive Safety Features 3.5/5
Convenience Technologies, Active and Passive Safety Features 3.5/5
Value for Money
Amount of the vehicle you get for the price, Fuel Efficiency 4.5/5
Amount of the vehicle you get for the price, Fuel Efficiency 4.5/5
Price: So What Gives?
For starters, let’s set your expectations here because the MG 4 EV in its base Standard trim will only set you back P1,468,888. While you could get a small hatchback of an EV from other brands in the market, you don’t get as much space and what we believe would be universal practicality. The MG 4 EV is an oddity in the segment right now because not only is it offering electric power at about half the cost of a competing and (almost) similarly sized model from other brands, but it’s also doing it in style.
What gives in this case would be features. Going into the review we already had a worst-case scenario here. Given that many EVs in the market often go for about or over P2,000,000, we cut the MG 4 EV some slack by lowering our expectations a bit, and boy were we shocked after we got this electric hatchback on the road.
A glimpse into the future of electric mobility?
What do we mean? For starters, it’s a very atypical setup compared to the EVs that we’ve tested so far. The Hyundai IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 are wonderful vehicles—full stop. They’re loaded with features, have ample power and range, and are tons of fun to drive. What is the string of adjectives for the MG 4? Well, it’s loaded with “enough” features, has ample power and range, plus it’s tons of fun to drive. Two out of three for half the price? That doesn’t sound too bad right?
That’s one of the points in the video. If EVs are going to be mainstream, we should expect prices to go way down for everyone else to afford. EVs right now are in a weird spot because while brands are preaching that these vehicles are the future, adoption now seems to be reserved for those who can afford it. The MG 4 is really one of the first EVs that has a good shot at becoming mainstream, though the features and the trimmings take a hit.
It looks good… But…
Yeah, gorgeous from afar and up close, save for the wheels. The rims on the MG 4 are steelies with hub caps in 17-inch steel wheels covered with a hub cap and wrapped in 215/50 series tires. While the rubber size isn’t too bad, it’s the steel wheels that are a big let-down. Who would have thought that an EV would come with a set of steelies? We never thought we’d see it. At least MG specced it out with a black paintjob so consolation points to them because if you weren’t paying attention you might never have noticed (sorry for the glass-shattering moment there). However, wheels you can change, redesigning the exterior, not so much. However, we definitely dig what the brand has done with the design of the MG 4. It looks sleek, dynamic, and interesting. Perhaps only the rear doesn’t do it for most people, but we’re not going to throw hands at it. It looks okay.
It does have a tall roofline though, which gives it the silhouette of a crossover. With about 147mm of ground clearance, it’s not too tall, but it’s not too low either. It’s somewhere in between a crossover and a sedan. If you love sedans and like the low-slung look, the MG 4 will probably make you think twice. Otherwise, it’s nice to go over humps and bumps rather than rash up that pretty front bumper.
Pretty it is and with it being an EV, there are minimal openings in the front and a very sleek look all throughout to help the hatchback cut through the air. There is also a spoiler at the back which is fine. It’s not too big nor does it look too useless because it does have some angle to it and is quite eye-catching, definitely a design (and functional) feature that you cannot miss.
Nice on the outside, compromises on the inside?
We’ll get to the compromises in a bit, but interior space is thankfully not one of the areas that MG saved a ton of money on, well, maybe a few bucks here and there. See the rear opens up to reveal a usable rear cargo area that can squeeze in a good amount of cargo. With all seats up, you’ll be left with 360 liters of space, made slightly worse because of the sloping hatch. However, to pass the balikbayan box test, we had to fold the rear seats down to gain access to more space, and even then the rear backrests didn’t fold flat into the floor. Not a dealbreaker, but something to note.
The rear space? We feel it’s pretty okay given that it’s about as long as the MG ZS T only slightly better. The rear of the MG 4 boasts a lot of legroom if Caco sits behind his normal driving position. If Jack’s driving and he slides the front seat back because he’s way taller than Caco, it’s still pretty okay. No leather on the seats here, and no center armrest, but fitting a third passenger is alright and there is a lone charging point for the rear passengers. We wish that MG would have placed a set or even a single rear air vent at the back, however.
At the business end of the car, behind the wheel, the dashboard design isn’t too shabby. While it’s not knock your socks off, it’s pretty decent with enough personality. The steering wheel is in an odd shape which we like and found to be quite ergonomic while driving, and the infotainment is decently large. Unlike the rear, there were more storage spaces up front and even a nice place mat for your phone. Unfortunately, the MG 4 is a bit spartan in terms of features.
Wait, it has what? But it doesn’t have…
Okay, so here is where the chaos sort of begins with the car. First of all, it doesn’t have a backup camera, but it does have adaptive cruise control. It does have parking sensors though! If only you could see the confusion on our faces during our review. See, we know for a fact that drivers will use a reverse camera more than an adaptive cruise system, and we know for a fact that an adaptive cruise control system is pretty expensive and only reserved for the top-of-the-line variants for most models, save for maybe a few nameplates. It’s just weird that MG Philippines decided to prioritize adaptive cruise control instead of a reverse camera. While the parking sensors are good, it just seems odd that the reverse camera had to go. We’re perfectly capable of parking the car properly. We are professionals after all, but the rear sensors did their job and had a nice display on the screen. Still, we maintain that perhaps a backup camera would have been a more “logical” feature to prioritize, especially in this day and age.
However, using the cruise control system was fine. MG sacrificed a camera for it, so we’re happy to report that it’s a pretty sorted system. It follows it keeps lanes, and it speeds up to the set limit when there is nobody in front of you, the works, and it works.
Apart from that, you’re getting a pretty minimal setup, which is good and bad. Good if you’re not looking to get into a feature or setting buried in the infotainment system, but pretty bad if you’re looking for something like your air controls, or perhaps your drive modes. We know that the industry is looking at simplicity to fuel the design for cars, but we like buttons, at least the more important ones that are needed to control your air or even your drive modes. On the topic of intuitive user interfaces, the steering wheel has non-descript buttons which did little in the way of telling us what they did. We had to do a trial and error session with the car park to learn what each thing did. However, another nitpick would be with the gauge cluster, which was absolutely tiny compared to the infotainment screen. We get how a large screen can distract you from driving, but it would be nice for it to grow a couple of inches, same sentiments for Caco.
Apart from needing a few more inches, however, we’re happy to report that the infotainment system does come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but they’re not wireless. The sound system was nice to listen to even if it was on the more trim side of things when it came to speakers, but we know that the system was helped along by the stellar NVH insulation and aerodynamics of the MG 4.
An electrifying drive
Now, we did rip on the MG 4’s features quite a bit, and believe us when we say that all those nitpicks flew out of the window the moment we got out on the road, and man what a car to drive this thing is. For its price, it was a real treat to throw this car into corners and to really give it the beans on the straights. The electric motor was very responsive, and the fact that we were too lazy to put it in sports mode during our spirited runs left us quite impressed. Sport mode sharpened the throttle and steering, but the effect was rather marginal. The steering is fully electronic, but it returned a good amount of feel and response, which is a big check mark in our books. The chassis feels more dynamic than any other MG we’ve tested so far, though the Cyberster will definitely change our minds about that. For now, and as far as vehicles we’ve tested, the MG 4 is one of the most fun cars from the brand we’ve had the pleasure of driving down a twisty road.
You’ll be surprised to know that this is a rear-wheel drive vehicle. The motor is at the back and it has 168 hp and 250 Nm of torque. While most turbo engines will trump the MG 4’s power and torque figures, the fact that all that power and pull is so direct will definitely engage you. It’s not a supremely fast car either with a 0 to 100 km/h time of 7.7 seconds, but man does it deliver a responsive and spritely drive.
At cruising speeds and on a more normal day of driving, we found that the advertised range of about 350 km on a single full charge was pretty accurate. We were also able to charge it at a fast recharge station and it did support up to 150 kW of DC charging which will leave you at the station for only about 21 minutes if you are charging from 20 percent to 80 percent. The range is about as advertised, but it’s a bit short considering that other long-range models are sporting up to 500 km on a single charge. Given the price, however, we understand. Given some of the compromises, perhaps a range of about or close to 400 km would have been ideal.
Comfort-wise, it’s an EV. It’s quiet, it cuts through the air well, and its NVH insulation is well-sorted. You kind of feel the weight of the car while going over a bump or a hump, but the interior didn’t feature any rattles or rumbles, at least during our testing period, and given that this was practically brand-new when we got to review this car.
Verdict: Come on, it’s an EV for under 1.5 million Philippine Pesos
There are a bunch of things that we critiqued, there are a bunch more that we wished MG would have come out with for the Standard variant. There are a few questionable decisions and tradeoffs made in this model, but at its core, the MG 4 EV didn’t disappoint.
The interior was rather plain, but expected of a base model. Technology features were great in some areas and questionable in others (adaptive cruise over a reverse camera? Really?), no leather but comfy cloth (okay, fine), loads of space but not a lot of rear amenities (we guess it’s alright), however, you can say that we “forgave” the MG 4 EV Standard because it just delivers on many other core fronts.
The interior was rather plain, but expected of a base model. Technology features were great in some areas and questionable in others (adaptive cruise over a reverse camera? Really?), no leather but comfy cloth (okay, fine), loads of space but not a lot of rear amenities (we guess it’s alright), however, you can say that we “forgave” the MG 4 EV Standard because it just delivers on many other core fronts.
The thing is, it would be criminal for us not to call out the lack of kit if it were a standard internal combustion engine motivating the car. However, it’s an EV, and an EV that more people can afford. You could say that this would be a prime candidate to represent the electric vehicle for the mass market. Something affordable, approachable, and ready to take early adopters on a budget is something that we’ve been waiting for, honestly. If MG says that electric is the future, and the MG 4 EV was on the poster, and in its standard trim, let’s just say we’d be inclined to believe the brand.
Specifications
Engine
n/aEnergy Source
ElectricPerformance
168 hp @ 0 rpmTransmission
Automatic-
Summary
-
Name MG 4 EV Standard Body Type Hatchback Price ₱1,468,888 Transmission Category Automatic -
Engine
-
Motor 125.0 kW Number of Motors 1 Transmission Type Electronic Transmission -
Performance
-
Drivetrain Rear Wheel Drive Max Output (hp) 168 hp Max Torque (nm) 250 Nm *estimated -
Economy & Environment
-
Energy Source Electric Emissions Standard n/a Battery Capacity 51.0 kWh *estimated -
Dimensions
-
Length 4,287 mm Width 1,836 mm Height 1,504 mm Wheelbase 2,705 mm Turning Circle 11 m Ground Clearance 147 mm Trunk Capacity 360 L Number of Doors 5 Number of Seats 5 -
Safety & Security
-
Driver's Airbag Front Passenger's Airbag Side Airbags Curtain Airbags Knee Airbag Auto Brake System Electronic Brake Distribution Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) w/ Electronic Brakeforce Distribution
Immobilizer Security Alarm Stability Control Electronic Door Locks Speed Sensing Door Locks ISOFIX Lane Departure Warning System Blind-Spot Detection System -
Features
-
Cruise Control Front Parking Sensors Rear Parking Sensors Leather Upholstery Push Start Button Wheel Size 17 in Wheels Metal Type Steel with Full Cover Airconditioning System Automatic Climate Control Entertainment System 10.25-inch Touch Screen with 4 speakers Connectivity Bluetooth, Multimedia Play, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Navigation Ready Warranty 5 Years (100,000 km)/ 8 Years (160,000 Battery) Keyless Entry Roof Rack Sunroof Electric Adjustable Seats Power Steering Power Windows Power Outlet Steering Wheel Audio Control -
Technology
-
Active Park Assist Hill Start Assist AWD Modes n/a Tire Pressure Monitoring Heads-up Display Power Liftgate Start-stop System
Colors
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