Review: MG4 XPower EV – All Thrills, No Frills!

 MG? The British Brand?

Yes, but not quite. Since its takeover by Chinese auto conglomerate SAIC Motor, the MG brand has gone through a revolution that sees the brand churning out more ‘public-friendly’ products, as opposed to the lightweight and stylish sports cars of the past.

Besides the slew of family SUVs and sedans, however, the Anglo-Chinese brand also churned out one or two enthusiast-oriented models, one of which is the MG4 XPower present here.

As the model’s performance range-topper, the MG4 XPower surprisingly does not boast many visual or cosmetic add-ons versus its vanilla siblings. Notable additions include silver-hued accents and trims, orange-hued XPower brake callipers, and 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels the hatch rolls on.

Then again, one would argue that the base MG4 itself is already a striking-looking car to begin with, featuring tons of sharp and aggressive touches that set it apart from other more ‘polite-looking’ EV hatches, namely the BYD Dolphin and GWM Ora Good Cat.

Despite its compact nature, the MG4 is actually a pretty sizable electric hatch, spanning longer and wider than both the Dolphin & Good Cat.

Compared to those two, the MG4 XPower sits as the largest at 4,287 MM long, 1,836 MM wide, 1,516 MM tall, and a wheelbase of 2,705 MM. Given its slightly larger dimensions, it’s unsurprising then that this supposed high-performance hot hatch is also quite a capable peoplemover…

What About The Interior?

This is where the ‘no frills’ part of the MG4 XPower is evident, as the EV hot-hatch gets a pretty subpar yet still decently-equipped cabin space, at least compared to other more upmarket Chinese rivals.

Some of the hits and misses include the 10.25-inch main infotainment display, which looks pretty okay, only to be let down by the wired-only Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The 7-inch instrument cluster, while by itself looks pretty okay, feels a bit empty, especially given that it does not come with a head-up display.

The same goes for the nicely-bolstered front seats, where the power adjustment is only available on the driver’s side. While very few Malaysians would find the heated functions to be useful, we’d reckon the majority would rather swap it for ventilated functions instead.

Despite the absence of dedicated A/C vents, life at the back seat of the MG4 is quite decent and spacious.

What the MG4 got surprisingly right is on the practicality front, as despite its compact exterior stature, this EV hot-hatch gets a pretty spacious rear passenger compartment with decent legroom and headroom. Given its relatively compact nature, no dedicated A/C vents can be found here, but at least rear passengers still get a single USB-A port at the back.

The practicality edge continues onto the cargo space, as the standard boot space of 363 litres is slightly bigger than the BYD Dolphin’s 345-litre boot. Besides the hidden lower storage compartment, which is big enough for charging cables and a tyre repair kit, said cargo space can be further expanded to 1,165 litres when you fold down the rear seats.

All in all, the MG4 XPower’s cabin may seem a bit more ‘utilitarian’ compared to other fancier and borderline more complex Chinese EVs, but this EV hot-hatch turns out to be a pretty practical vehicle for you and your family to have, as long as they don’t mind the lack of some amenities and slightly bumpier rides. Speaking of which…

How Does It Drive?

Unlike other variants of the MG4, the top-spec XPower model gets a pretty peppy powertrain setup that can put some ICE-powered hot-hatches and performance models to shame, especially considering its relatively affordable price tag.

Thanks to its 429 HP and 600 NM-rated dual-motor AWD setup, the MG4 XPower is even torquier than the famed Mercedes-AMG A45 S!

Powering this EV hot-hatch is a dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) setup that delivers a whopping total system output of 429 HP and 600 NM, making it more potent than both the Mercedes-AMG A45 S 4Matic+ and Volkswagen Golf R. The outrageous power output translates to a rapid century sprint time of only 3.8 seconds for the MG4 XPower, thus putting it very high up the list among other Chinese EVs of the same price bracket.

Beyond its sportscar-rivalling straight-line performance, however, the MG4 XPower feels quite rough around the edges when it comes to driving dynamics. For a sub-RM160,000 Chinese EV standard at least, the MG4 XPower has pretty decent handling and cornering performance, but they’re nothing to write home about when pitted against purpose-built hot-hatches mentioned, which explains the price disparity between them.

And due to the stiffer suspension setup the MG4 XPower rides on, there’s a bit of compromise on the ride and comfort front, as passengers may find the EV hatch to be quite bumpy at times. Fortunately, the NVH level is respectably okay for the MG4 XPower, although we’d reckon the absence of a combustion power plant contributed quite a bit.

Yes, the car is still susceptible to some body rolls, the brakes could’ve been better (they tend to fade quite quickly), and you can feel its hefty weight when tackling fast corners, but as long as you lower your expectations slightly and practice caution when unleashing outrageous straight-line performance, the MG4 XPower is still a fun car to hoot around in.

What About Range & Charging?

In pursuit of sportscar-rivalling output figures, the MG4 XPower has sacrificed some of its real-world usability, which may not bode well with most first-time EV owners that have yet to settle their range anxiety nerves. But we’re happy to report things are not entirely bad.

The MG4 XPower shares the same 64-kWh lithium-ion battery pack as the Lux variant, which is smaller in comparison to the 77-kWh unit used on the long-range Extended guise. As it is, said battery unit is still capable of delivering up to 385 KM of maximum EV range (WLTP) to this EV hot-hatch.

Charging the MG4 XPower via a 150 kW DCFC sees its battery goes from 10-80% in about 26 minutes.

Throughout our week-long stint with the MG4 XPower, we managed to get around 300 KM out of the full charge, which is quite acceptable given our heavy-footed driving - yes, it’s hard to fight temptation from this much power and speed. If you ever run out of battery, it is good to know that the MG4 XPower supports DCFC at up to 150 kW, whereas the AC figure is capped decently at 11 kW.

Given how quickly the dual-motor setup drains out its battery pack, perhaps the MG4 XPower would not make an ideal EV for first-time owners, especially those who often travel out of town. But for those who are looking for a super-capable urban-dweller, the MG4 XPower makes some sense and has enough usability for which.

Is It Safe, Though?

China-made cars, especially EVs, have come a long way since their hazard box heydays, and this is no exception for the MG4 XPower, despite whatever news you heard about its other siblings.

Primed here are a slew of standard safety features such as six airbags, traction (TCS) and stability (VSC) controls, ISOFIX child seat anchors, a 360-degree camera view, and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), to name a few.

What’s also quite comprehensive is the list of active safety features granted by the MG Pilot ADAS suite it comes with. Here, you can find ADAS functions like Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Blind-Spot Detection (BSD), Door Opening Warning (DOW), Lane Change Assist (LCA), Lane-Keeping Assist (LKA), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA), and Traffic Jam Assist (TJA).

What’s not-so-safe about the MG4, unfortunately, is the fact that most of the driving-related and ADAS settings can only be accessed via the infotainment screen, which is a typical trait not only in Chinese EVs, but also in most new cars nowadays. Accessing these functions and settings on-the-fly can be a daunting task for drivers, which may turn them away from using some safety features available in the car.

Questionable ergonomics and bad reps aside, the MG4 XPower is a safe car that comes with a decent list of active and passive safety features. Don’t believe us? Perhaps its five-star score in both ANCAP and Euro NCAP crash tests should be more than enough to convince you of its safety, no?

What’s The Cost for All of This?

Provided that you can live with its some obvious yet minor shortcomings, the MG4 XPower makes for a pretty good EV for you to consider, especially for those who are seeking an exhilarating driving experience in a sporty and stylish hatchback form.

Included with the MG4 XPower's RM158,999 asking price are a 7-year or 150,000 KM vehicle and an 8-year or 160,000 KM battery warranty.

Given its relatively-affordable asking price of only RM158,999, the MG4 XPower is indeed a no-brainer choice for anyone seeking a high-performance hot-hatch. Thanks to its sportscar-rivalling power output, this EV hot-hatch also boasts the best power-to-price ratio compared to other performance models out there.

Of course, those who are susceptible to range anxieties may find the MG4 Extended variant to be a more compelling buy. And this is especially true given its slightly cheaper price tag of RM148,999, a much more ‘forgiving’ battery spec with up to 520 KM of maximum range, and respectable performance from its 242 HP single-motor RWD powertrain.

Then again, as far as performance-oriented, all-electric hot-hatches are concerned, the MG4 XPower is practically the sole option available out there; that is until Sime Darby Motors decides to bring in the manic Hyundai Ioniq 5 N hot-hatch into our market…

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