MG4 EV

Under the arms of SAIC Motor Malaysia, the British-brand, MG has returned. Launched, the MG4 EV, one of its first two models.

Underpinned is the Modular Scalable Platform, donating a long wheelbase and a slim-designed battery (110 MM - thinnest in its class).

Fully-imported (CBU - China), the all-new C-segment e-hatchback is offered in four variants (Standard, Luxury, Extended Range, XPower).

Prices (OTR, w/o insurance) start at MYR 103,999, MYR 128,999, MYR 148,999 and MYR 158,999, respectively.

Each purchase includes a seven-year/150,000 KM vehicle warranty, and an eight-year/180,000 KM battery warranty (1-to-1 battery replacement - <70%).

Eight exterior colours (Volcano Orange, Holborn Blue, Dynamic Red, Arctic White, Camden Grey, Black Pearl, Monument Silver, Racing Green - XPower). Two-tone Black roof (Luxury, Extended Range, XPower).

Built smooth and seamless, the dashboard of the all-new MG4 EV is minimalistic and clean, and is linked to a floating-style centre console.

Soft-touch panelled, featured is a Black theme with silver trims, floating-style screens (instrument cluster/infotainment), and a full-width air-conditioning vent.

Overall, the symmetrical arrangement is airy and non-cluttered, with every accessibility ergonomically-positioned and driver-centric.

Mounted is a 7.0-Inch compact and fully digital Driver Information Display (DID) instrument cluster.

Interior of the five-seater gets Black upholstery. Fabric (Standard), leather with fabric (Luxury, Extended Range) and leather with Alcantara (XPower).

Variant Standard is fitted with manual adjustment seats (front), and a bench seat (rear) with a 60:40 split-fold configuration.

Variants Luxury, Extended Range and XPower get electronic-powered seats (front - six-way), and a bench seat (rear) with a 60:40 split-fold configuration.

For a compact hatchback, the interior provides comfortable seatings with generous head, leg and shoulder rooms for all five occupants. 

Comfort and space are courtesy of the Modular Scalable Platform, donating a long wheelbase and a slim-designed battery (110 MM - thinnest in its class).

Several practical spaces available. E.g., centre console caverned and partitioned spaces, a decent-sized glove box, and seat back and side door pockets.

Standard fitment is a leather-wrapped steering wheel, in a two-spoke with a flat-top-flat-bottom design, finished in black.

Features are multi-function buttons (BTHF, media, vehicle telematics), and column adjustments (four-way - tilt, telescopic). 

Aiding the drive is an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system.

Provided are four cup holders, two located at the front centre console and two at the rear seating’s centre armrest. Bottle holders, four with each located at the side door pockets.

Installed (Luxury, Extended Range, XPower) are one 12-V power socket (front), three USB ports (two-front - one-rear), and a wireless charger (front).

Also included is a 6 KW Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function for powering of external devices.

Accessing its powered-tailgate (key fob), opens up to 363-Litres (seats up) and 1,177-Litres (seats down) of boot space.

Tipping the scale at 1,655 KG (Standard), 1,685 KG (Luxury), 1,784 KG (Extended Range) and 1,800 KG (XPower), the all-new MG4 EV measures at 4,287 MM in length, 1,836 MM in width, 1,504 MM (Standard, Luxury) and 1,516 MM (Extended Range, XPower) in height, and with a wheelbase spanning 2,705 MM.

Clean and sporty with overall sharp contours, its exterior parades the company’s ‘Intelligent Vitality’ design concept. 

Centre-focused, the front-end sees angular fenders, a sculpted bonnet, and a pointed bumper with a default grille (Standard) and an Active Grille System (AGS - Luxury, Extended Range, XPower).

Filling-in the layout is the MG moniker, corner-fitted inverted L-shaped trims with air-vents, and a lower lip. The former in Metal finish, and the latter two in Black.

A silhouette complementing the front, it furthers the design concept by showcasing a sportily angular transition of contours.

Multi-layered, the protruding rear-end sees a shelf-esque tailgate (illuminated cross-hatch light patterns - Luxury, Extended Range, XPower), flowing out from its disjointed rising beltline (sides). 

Filling-in the layout is a lip spoiler (Standard) and a twin-aero spoiler (Luxury, Extended Range, XPower) on a two-tone roof (black/body-colour - Luxury, Extended Range, XPower), and a full-width silver diffuser.

Headlamps are framed slim and pointed. Installed are full LED units (LED reflectors - Luxury, Extended Range, XPower), featuring LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL), automatic On/Off, and Intelligent High Beam Assist (IHBA). 

Tail lamps are in a fairly slim light bar design (deleted centre lightbar - Standard), X-shaped, wrapped-around and jutting-out with illuminated cross-hatch light patterns (Luxury, Extended Range, XPower). Fitted are full LED units.

Exterior colour dependent (black-cap, two-tone), the side mirrors are electronic-powered (auto-fold, adjust), with signal-indicators and Blind Spot Detection (BSD - Luxury, Extended Range, XPower).

Mounted are ventilated (front) and solid (rear) disc brakes, featuring Orange-painted callipers (XPower).

Aiding the drive are four Regenerative Braking Modes (KERS - Kinetic Energy Recovery System - Auto, 1, 2, 3), and an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold system.

The all-new MG4 EV features the MG Pilot suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). 

Grouped are Active Emergency Warning/Braking (AEB - Pedestrian/Bicycle Detection), Lane Keep Assist (LKA), Lane Departure Warning System (LWDS), Traffic Jam Assist (TJA), Intelligent High Beam Assist (IHBA), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Driver Attention Alert (DAA), Blind Spot Detection (BSD - Luxury, Extended Range, XPower), Rear-Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA - Luxury, Extended Range, XPower), Lane Change Assist (LCA - Luxury, Extended Range, XPower), and Door Opening Warning (DOW - Luxury, Extended Range, XPower).

Standard systems include Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), and Hill-Start Assist (HSA).

Passive safety comprises six airbags (driver-passenger, front side, front-rear curtain), seat belts (pretensioners, anchors, reminders), ISOFIX (outer rear seats), automatic-dimming rear-view mirror (interior - Luxury, Extended Range, XPower), parking cameras (reverse, 360-degree - Luxury, Extended Range, XPower), parking sensors (four-rear), Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold system, and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

Five drive modes (Standard, Sport, Eco, Snow, Custom). 

Also included are four Regenerative Braking Modes (KERS - Kinetic Energy Recovery System - Auto, 1, 2, 3), and One-Pedal Driving function.

Embedded in the all-new MG4 EV are two electric motor setups with variant-specific outputs. Single-rear-mounted (Standard, Luxury, Extended Range) and dual-front-rear-mounted (XPower).

Variant Standard generates 168 HP (125 KW) and 250 NM of torque. 

Variant Luxury outputs 200 HP (150 KW) and 250 NM of torque. 

Variant Extended Range produces 242 HP (180 KW) and 350 NM of torque. 

Variant XPower boosts-out 429 HP (320 KW) and 600 NM of torque.

Fused to the e-motors is a single-speed automatic transmission, featuring a rotary gear selector.

Variants Standard, Luxury, and Extended Range get a Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) setup. Variant XPower sees an All-Wheel Drive (AWD) setup with Launch Control.

Acceleration from 0 to 100 KM/H is done in 7.5 seconds (Standard), 7.7 seconds (Luxury), 6.1 seconds (Extended Range), and 3.8 seconds (XPower). 

Top speed caps out at 160 KM/H (Standard, Luxury), 180 KM/H (Extended Range), and 200 KM/H (XPower).

Juicing up the e-motors are variant-specific battery setups.

Variant Standard features a 51 KWH Lithium Iron Phosphate battery (LFP), providing 350 KM (WLTP) of driving range. 

AC charging (7 KW) takes 8 hours for a 10% to 100% State of Charge (SoC), while DC charging (50 KW/150 KW) takes 48 minutes/37 minutes for a 10% to 80% SoC.

Variant Luxury and XPower feature a 64 KWH Ternary Lithium battery (NMC – Nickel Manganese Cobalt), providing 435 KM and 385 KM (WLTP) of driving range, respectively. 

AC charging (7 KW) takes 8.5 hours for a 10% to 100% State of Charge (SoC), while DC charging (50 KW/150 KW) takes 52 minutes/26 minutes for a 10% to 80% SoC.

Variant Extended Range features a 77 KWH Ternary Lithium battery (NMC – Nickel Manganese Cobalt), providing 520 KM (WLTP) of driving range.

AC charging (7 KW) takes 10 hours for a 10% to 100% State of Charge (SoC), while DC charging (50 KW/150 KW) takes 61 minutes/38 minutes for a 10% to 80% SoC.

The all-new MG4 EV features these conveniences. 

E.g., keyless entry (engine Start/Stop), powered-tailgate (key fob), MG iSmart (‘Hello MG’ voice command, MG mobile app), single-zone automatic air-conditioning, electronic-powered seats (front - Luxury, Extended Range, XPower), steering wheel (BTHF, media, vehicle telematics, column adjustments, EPS), automatic-dimming rear-view mirror (interior - Luxury, Extended Range, XPower), parking cameras (reverse, 360-degree - Luxury, Extended Range, XPower), Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold system, LED interior lighting (reading, boot), automatic headlamps/wipers, wireless charger (Luxury, Extended Range, XPower), Vehicle-to-Load (V2L - 6 KW) function, Intelligent High Beam Assist (IHBA), and Blind Spot Detection (BSD - Luxury, Extended Range, XPower).

Ride comfortability feels flexible and firm at the same time. The e-hatchback delivers a comfortable and light steering feel, smooth overall electric performance at all speeds.

Installed setup is Macpherson struts (front), and multi-link (rear) suspensions.

Good sound insulation with most of the NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) aspects accounted for. The ride is quiet, refined and the cabin is mostly serene.

The all-new MG4 EV exudes a sporty and energy-filled outlook. A sleek design language that features sharp and striking body contours.

Interior-wise, its airy and premium-featured layout, provides a sense of comfort and easy connectivity to the occupants.

Ultimately, inside and out the build quality is satisfactory, and with its distinctive outlook and competitive pricings, the all-new MG4 EV is truly a contender in its segment.