MG reinvents its MG 4 electric hatchback to fit in

SINGAPORE – Chinese-owned British brand MG may be more than 100 years old; however, it is anything but sentimental with its modern-day cars.

The MG 4 Urban carries over nothing from its predecessor – not the way it looks or the way it drives. Not even the gear knob.

From being a bit of an oddball, the new MG 4 conforms to just about everything that is expected of a mass-market electric hatchback, from the looks to the mechanical layout to the space within.

This is while the door-wedge-shaped, rear-wheel-drive MG EV 4 continues to be sold elsewhere, just not in places like Singapore and China.

For Singapore, power output is the key factor. By keeping it pegged at 99kW, the MG 4 Urban competes in the Category A certificate of entitlement (COE) bracket.

The new MG 4 has a much softer, more cuddly-looking design and is less divisive than the old MG 4.

At a glance, this doe-eyed hatchback can be mistaken for other similarly sized electric cars like the Aion UT, which is already here, and the upcoming Proton e.Mas 5.

It takes design features like how the LED tail lights pay homage to the Union Jack and the distinctive two-tone wheels to help the MG to stand out.

On the practical front, the MG 4 Urban is really spacious in the back – not only in terms of legroom for the passengers, but also in luggage room. Lifting the floor board reveals an unusually deep pit that measures 98 litres, begging to be filled with shopping.

The roominess comes from having the electric motor in the front – rather than at the back like in the old model – plus a more compact rear suspension layout and a wheelbase that is 39mm longer than before.

The stretch also enables the rear doors to be larger, which makes the car more senior-friendly.

Rather than filling up the additional room between the axles to pack more battery cells, MG opted to downsize the MG 4’s battery from 64kWh to 54kWh. This no doubt contributes to the new car being 165kg lighter.

A lighter car is also a more energy-efficient one – 15.5kWh/100km instead of the old car’s 16.9kWh/100km – although the MG 4 Urban’s gains are not quite enough to fully offset the loss in range from the smaller battery capacity.

The average energy consumption during the test drive is better than claimed, at 14.8kWh/100km. This gives an estimated maximum range of just under 350km on a full charge – less than the claimed 405km. This also puts the car behind the Aion UT, which has a 60kWh battery and was good for around 410km during its test drive in March.

The MG’s maximum alternating current (AC) charging speed is 11kW, which is faster than the old MG 4’s 7kW. When it comes to direct current (DC) charging, which is particularly useful for quick top-ups during long road trips, the new car peaks at 82kW, down from 150kW.

This does not make a big difference within Singapore, where the majority of public DC chargers are rated at 50kW. Plugging into such a charger for 30 minutes should give around 150km of range.

This set-up makes sense, considering that the car is meant for the city, where travelling distances are short and there are plenty of charging stations to plug into in the course of the week.

Consistent with its city car focus, the MG 4 Urban thrives in traffic with its light controls and responsive powertrain.

The driver can always take the opportunity to get ahead of a food delivery rider or at least not get in the way of a reckless one. Just as importantly, the on-board sensors seem better than the older model’s, especially the video feed from the all-round camera, which is a lot sharper than before.

The suspension setting is soft, but body control over bumpier roads is still quite good. The little MG also feels confident on the expressways, even if the acceleration tapers at higher speeds.

The MG 4 is quite quiet on the highway, where the absence of a combustion engine usually highlights wind and road noises. That said, the test car’s front wipers squeak intermittently.

The car’s interior is basically a shrunken version of the larger S5 sport utility vehicle.

The layout is similar, with a padded leatherette material running across the dashboard. But there is no missing the hard plastics used in some places, like the top of the dashboard and parts of the door panels, which show how the MG 4 is a grade below the larger models in the line-up.

One recurring theme in the car is how MG gives with one hand and takes with the other. For example, ventilated front seats are new, but out goes the old car’s dual-zone air-conditioning system. Yet if contending with a simpler single-zone set-up is the price for a cooled back on a hot afternoon, many will find it a worthwhile trade.

There are enough physical controls in the cabin to complement the enlarged touchscreen (12.8 inches, up from 10.25 inches) because twisting a volume knob is just more intuitive than running a finger along a slider on the touchscreen.

As with the other MG models, the brand’s smartphone app can be used to unlock the car, so the key can be left at home. It works faultlessly during the test drive, except for one occasion. This is eventually resolved after a few phone reboots and panicky WhatsApp messages to the helpful MG expert.

Elsewhere, MG translates the MG 4 Urban’s simpler mechanical make-up and smaller battery into a lower asking price tag. In Singapore, the eye-watering COE premium – $123,010 at the most recent tender – wipes out much of that advantage, leaving the MG 4 Urban to fight on merit alone.

The sub-400km real-world range may seem modest, but for the level-headed buyer, the quiet refinement and spacious cabin make it a winner.

MG may not be too nostalgic about its modern line-up, but in transforming the MG 4 to be so sensible, it may well be paving the way to survive another 100 years.

MG 4 Urban

Price: $200,888 with COE, before applicable discounts
Motors: Permanent magnet synchronous with 54kWh battery
Transmission: Single-speed, front-wheel drive
Power: 99kW
Torque: 250Nm
0-100kmh: 9.6 seconds
Top speed: 160kmh
Power consumption: 15.5kWh/100km
Charging capacity: 11kW AC; 82kW DC
Range: 405km
Agent: Eurokars EV
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Comparable considerations

Aion UT Luxury ($243,988 with COE before applicable discounts)
The Aion UT is a more mature drive than the MG 4 Urban, but it is trickier to use because of its more screen-centric operating logic. Even though it is shorter overall, the UT’s wheelbase is longer, translating to more legroom despite having a smaller boot.

Volkswagen Golf R-Line ($287,400 with COE before applicable discounts)
The Volkswagen Golf predates the current electrification age. In its current form, the 1.5-litre mild-hybrid is an efficient drive and, with the benefit of quick refuels, the car is better than any electric vehicle (EV) for longer drives.

However, without the benefit of generous EV-related incentives, the German hatchback costs significantly more than the MG – a high price to pay for familiarity.