MG4 EV Xpower Review

Introduction

When the MG4 came out, expectations were kept in check. Why? Well, MG’s cars up until then had been a bit 'meh'.

Following the MG Rover collapse almost 20 years ago, the brand had been revived under the leadership of Nanjing Automobile, which SAIC Motor, a Chinese state-owned manufacturer, soon took over. There was much intrigue when MG announced it would start building electric cars.

Then the MG4 came out, and everyone’s jaws dropped to the floor.

Firstly, it was reasonably priced, and secondly, it was good to drive, as well as practical, lovely to sit in and well-equipped.

With electric cars often commanding a huge premium over their equivalent petrol and diesel models, somehow MG had stolen a march on the entire industry by doing what nobody else seemed able to do: build an affordable electric car without cutting corners.

Last year, it launched a version called the XPower in an apparent attempt to enter the hot-hatch market – but it’s around 30% more expensive than the standard version.

So, simple question: is it worth it? That is what we’re aiming to find out.

At a Glance

It seems unusual to think that an MG could be inspired by a Lamborghini, but no manufacturer makes a more similar front.

Lambo front ends are too angular nowadays for any confusion. Still, the curve at the edge of the bonnet, the tapering headlights and the aggressive air intakes suggest someone has been looking in the direction of the Italian manufacturer.

That is where the similarities stop, though, as the MG4's boxier shape becomes apparent around the sides, with a large side skirt creating a curve and a sizeable indentation at the bottom of the doors.

At the back, it’s a very vertical rear end, with a notable indentation beneath the number plate, while a light bar running along the width of the tailgate separates the bodywork from the rear windscreen.

At the top of the rear window is a sizeable roof spoiler, which sits noticeably apart from the rest of the vehicle.

There is little to differentiate the XPower versions. There are larger wheels, orange-coloured brake callipers and a stripe on the lower doors, but that’s about it.

Overall, the MG4 is unusual in shape, as many electric cars are, but it's unique and rather attractive.

Whether it suits a hot hatch, though, remains to be seen.

Key Features

Before we compare equipment lists for the XPower, it's worth looking at the standard MG4, available in two trims, to see how much extra we're getting with the XPower.

The entry-level SE model gets 17-inch alloys, a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a seven-inch digital driver information display, rear parking sensors, and a heap of safety kit, which we'll cover later.

Then there’s the Trophy model, that vaunts a twin-aero rear spoiler, 360-degree camera, two-tone roof, rear privacy glass, heated steering wheel and seats (with electric adjustment for the driver), height adjustable boot floor, wireless charger, leather-style upholstery with cloth inserts - and even more safety kit.

The XPower is technically marketed as a separate vehicle but, in practice, it is the top trim. It offers all the above with 18-inch alloys, black Alcantara upholstery, metal sport pedals, a track mode display, and advanced braking performance.

Exclusive to the XPower is also launch control and all-wheel drive thanks to its dual-motor configuration, whereas the SE and Trophy models only have one electric motor and are rear-wheel drive only.

The SE is available with 170PS or 203PS, while the Trophy is available with 203PS or 245PS, depending on which battery option you choose (we’ll cover batteries shortly).

The XPower produces a whopping 435PS.

Range & Batteries

Both SE and Trophy trims get a choice of batteries.

The SE is available in Standard Range, which comes with a 51kWh battery capable of a claimed 218-mile range, and Long Range, which gets a larger 64kWh battery that can manage up to 281 miles.

The Trophy edition comes with the Long Range 64kWh battery as the default option but also has the choice of an even larger 77kWh battery in the Extended Range version, which can do 323 miles.

The XPower is only obtainable with a 64kWh battery, with a claimed range of 239 miles.

It seems odd that you can get a bigger battery in the Trophy version compared with the far more potent (and therefore battery-hungry) all-wheel drive XPower.

On the other hand, a bigger battery means additional weight. The XPower is already 52kg heavier than the Trophy Extended Range and 145kg weightier than the entry-level SE Standard Range.

As with all electric cars, expect less than the quoted range figures in practice.

Performance & Drive

The extra mass of the XPower doesn't impact its performance much.

While the entry-level SE Standard Range can do 0-62mph in a perfectly acceptable 7.7 seconds, and the Trophy Extended Range manages the same in 6.5 seconds, the XPower can do it in just 3.8 seconds.

That is 0.1 seconds quicker than a 2013 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570. Quite astonishing!

And it's genuinely staggering to feel it in real life, as using the launch control ensures the smooth, wheelspin-free deployment of all that clout.

You are truly pinned back in your seat as you bury the accelerator pedal into the floor, and the MG4 XPower thunders (albeit rather quietly) off into the following postcode.

At all speeds, you’re likely to feel the ferocious acceleration, as - taking some real-world scenarios into account - 30 to 50mph, or 50 to 70mph, as you join a motorway is a doddle.

And, once you’re on a motorway, it’s also a cakewalk to overtake – genuinely effortless.

There are some downsides, though.

The XPower generates a large amount of torque steer, which is when a car is forced to turn by itself under the power of its fierce acceleration.

Holding the steering wheel steady with both hands is essential – but it’s not just going in straight lines that’s a problem.

Unfortunately, we weren't as impressed with the handling as in the standard MG4.

The XPower sits slightly higher than the standard car, which is odd for a hot hatch as manufacturers usually try to sink them into the ground to achieve a lower centre of gravity.

This provides better stability, which results in improved agility and, therefore, superior handling.

Sadly, MG’s departure from the norm in raising the ride height has made all the difference in the bends. It generates more body lean, making it harder to keep the car under control around the fast corners that the XPower is supposedly built for.

The XPower is also fitted with different tyres than the standard car (it gets Bridgestone Turanza tyres).

While these supposedly gripper tyres handle epic acceleration well, they aren’t enough to overcome the effects of the increased ride height.

The steering in the standard MG4 seems better suited to its more leisurely performance, weighting up nicely in the bends.

Naturally, in the XPower, the much quicker acceleration results in you wanting to take bends a little faster. Still, it now seems as though the steering can't weight up quickly enough and, as a result, doesn't provide the responsiveness we were seeking.

The XPower's two motors and all-wheel drive should help with stability around a corner, but despite a torque vectoring system that is supposed to help the car turn in, it tends to understeer on entry.

Ride comfort is okay but not class-leading. It is a little firmer than the standard MG4, thanks to a slightly stiffer suspension setup, but the difference is barely noticeable.

The XPower's brakes are upgraded over the standard version, and they’re strong and predictable. The adjustable regenerative braking can provide one-pedal driving.

Overall, the XPower is superbly powerful on a level beyond most hot hatches, but its rivals more than make up for it around corners.

Charging

The XPower’s 64kWh battery can charge at a maximum rate of 140kW, taking just 35 minutes to get from 10 to 80%.

A 7kW home wall box will achieve 10 to 100% in around eight-and-a-half-hours.

By comparison, the 77kWh battery in the Trophy Extended Range can charge at a slightly quicker 144kW, achieving 10 to 80% in 39 minutes, taking just over ten-and-a-quarter hours on a 7kW wall box.

Running Costs & Emissions

The significant advantage of the MG4 – whether the XPower version or not – is zero emissions and no refuelling.

Obviously, you’ll need to keep the battery topped up, but most people buy home wall boxes so they can do this while they sleep, and there are plenty of public charging points to do this while you're in the supermarket, for example.

All versions of the MG4 are excellent choices for company cars, as electric vehicles offer the best savings in Benefit In Kind tax.

Despite the soaring cost of electricity in recent years, it’ll still be cheaper to charge the MG4 than to refill a petrol or diesel car.

While the MG4 is still too new to confirm its long-term reliability, early signs suggest it could do better among electric cars.

MG as a brand isn’t very highly rated, and while its electric cars could be a different kettle of fish, it doesn't look like the tide has been turned yet.

Interior & Technology

The MG4 offers an impressive-looking interior which is minimalistic in style.

Unfortunately, the quality of some of the materials feels cheap. Still, when you consider the leasing price of the standard MG4 car compared with some of its foes, this is easily forgiven when MG has made a great effort with the aesthetics.

This comes despite a notable absence of any significant silver trim, with piano black substituting, though this leaves the cabin feeling rather dark.

The steering wheel has a flat-bottomed and flat-topped appearance, with indentations which allow your thumbs to hold each side.

The seven-inch digital driver information display is essentially a tablet behind the steering wheel and bolted onto the dashboard rather than integrated into a hood-shaped compartment, as in most cars.

Unless you’re short, though, the flat top of the steering wheel will likely obstruct your view of it.

The 10.25-inch infotainment screen sits to the left and is slightly higher than the information display.

It looks nice, and the menus are well-designed, but there are more straightforward systems. Just about everything has to be adjusted through it, including the regenerative braking, driving modes, and climate control.

Shortcut buttons are available, though, and you can customise the buttons on the steering wheel to easily access the menu of your choice. Nevertheless, it's still not ideal, given physical buttons would be more convenient, which is why many manufacturers still provide separate controls for the air con.

Space & Practicality

The SE version only has manual seat adjustment, but the Trophy and XPower versions get six-way electric adjustment in the driver's seat, which makes finding a decent driving position easier.

The visibility out of the front is reasonably good, and we've seen a lot worse at the back, given the pillars aren't especially thick. However, the sloping roofline hinders visibility somewhat.

Thankfully, our XPower version gets a 360-degree camera, which is also available on the Trophy version. However, apart from rear parking sensors, the SE version doesn't offer any assistance.

The seats are very comfortable, especially in the XPower with its Alcantara upholstery, but the lack of adjustable lumbar support won't help if you've got a bad back.

There is plenty of room, though; even taller drivers won't struggle for space.

It is a similar story in the back, too, which is quite roomy. However, the sloping roofline does eat into the headroom somewhat, and the middle rear seat has no headrest.

The MG4 has a 60:40 split in the rear seats, which fold down to increase the available boot space from 363 litres to 1,165 litres in the Trophy and XPower models and 1,177 litres in the SE version.

The Trophy and XPower models get an adjustable boot floor, however.

There is also plenty of storage space inside the cabin, with a cubby underneath the centre console, where you can put your phone on a tray that sticks out from the dashboard beneath the infotainment screen.

MG also offers its iSMART app, which allows you to check on things remotely, including pre-heating the cabin, which is helpful on a freezing winter's morning.

Safety

The standard MG4 was put through its paces by crash-testing body Euro NCAP in 2022, earning a five-star rating.

It scored 83% for adult occupants, 80% for children and 78% for safety assists.

Even the standard MG4 SE comes with many standard safety technologies, including adaptive cruise control, active emergency braking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, traffic jam assist, intelligent speed limit assist, traffic sign recognition, and driver attention alert.

The Trophy version adds blind spot detection, lane change assist, rear cross-traffic alert and door opening warning.

You don’t, however, get anything extra on the XPower over the Trophy version.

Options

There is no options list offered on the MG4, although there are various colours you can choose from.

The SE version comes in white or blue as standard, but if you're willing to pay extra, you can have it in black or grey. Red is slightly more expensive.

The Trophy version has the option of 'volcano' orange, which sounds funky - and it costs the same as the red paint.

All of those hues are available on the XPower, which can also have racing green, although that's the most expensive option.

Other than that, the only configurable items are the battery sizes, which depend on which version you choose, as we covered earlier. Of course, the XPower is only available in one battery size.

Rival Cars

The Cupra Born is the most direct competitor as a hot-hatch electric car, coming in slightly cheaper than the XPower.

It feels nimbler to drive, too, although it’s nowhere near as potent.

Other than that, petrol-powered cars, such as the Golf GTI, better serve the hot-hatch market.

The Audi RS3 and the Mercedes-AMG A45 are options, but they're pricier to lease.

If you’re comparing the standard MG4, then the Renault Megane E-Tech, the Fiat 500 Electric, and the GWM Ora 03 (previously called the Ora Funky Cat) are also worth considering.

Verdict & Next Steps

Overall, the MG4 XPower looks exciting on paper but needs to live up to its promise in practice.

If you’re going to be driving on motorways nearly all the time, it's worth considering, but there's little point in having all that power when it can’t deliver in the bends.

The standard MG4 is much better value for money, and for what it claims to do, it does it almost perfectly.

Sadly, the XPower ups the ante into hot-hatch territory – and the jump to this level is arguably beyond what the MG4 is capable of.

Sure, the XPower is still a decent car regarding equipment levels, interior aesthetics, range, charging speeds, and practicality. But you can get all that in the standard MG4 – and for much less.

Where to next?

View latest MG4 EV XPOWER leas deals - from just £350 per month inc VAT**.

Call us on 0118 3048 688 or hit the green 'Enquire' button for more details.

Looking for a great leasing deal? Check out our incredible range of Special Offers and Lease Deals. 

New hatchback? Read our latest Reviews and find the right model for you.

Want to know more about leasing? Take a look at our comprehensive Leasing Guides.

Interested in everything motoring? Why not catch up on all the latest Car Leasing News.

**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the MG4 EV XPOWER.

**Correct as of 30/04/2024. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £3,147.48 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.