BYD Dolphin VS MG4 | Australian Specifications Compared

[@chrisvanderstock]

Check out my MG4 first impressions: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pmLZaqKNZ7Wkhac The BYD Dolphin and MG4 are so similiary priced, what do you choose? In this video, I compare 20 important items that will help you decide on what to avoid, what is best value (hint: its not the cheapest one!), and what I would recommend.

[@peterengland6153]

Yes it is the cheapest one. Here in NZ the MG4 Excite 51 is $3,000 cheaper, RWD, charges at 88kw, 125kw motor, 7.7sec to 100km/ph, and metallic paint is free. And why does everyone bleat about range, after 2hrs of driving I need a break and a piss, and at 88kw get another 2hrs driving in 20 mins. If you drive at 80km rather than 100km you will get 435km range out of the Excite.

[@rivergladesgardenrailroad8834]

in South Australia, in the 64 models the BYD is cheaper by just under 4k. BYD Premium is $47,865 with fitted front windows and foot carpets, as opposed to the MG4 Essence 64 @ $51,785 With orange paint. 3k refund from State Government on either model, whereas my FIRST CHOICE is the New KONA, at an expected price of 73k AUD, and does not qualify for the State refund. Now can the KONA be that much better?, well it is better for sure, with premium 12 way seats, with 2 memory programs and auto reverse about 2" when opening the door, which is impressive for sure, better tyres etc etc it hang on where is the rest of the HUGE price difference, Marketing, Sponsorship, higher wages in Korea, expensive expensive dealer network, with a huge number of demo cars that have to be paid for. Expensive executive salaries in Sydney etc. All Of this has to be paid for by the consumer unfortunately, unless one goes for a 'NEW" brand trying to get established around the world.

[@anticat900]

The mg4, it looks alot better and at least uk designed. The byd maybe has a better interior

[@mspalmboy]

I totally agree with you Chris - some brands are ripping off customers with ridiculous servicing requirements and costs. With so few moving parts, and the battery and motor not needing servicing, there is so little that needs maintenance on an EV.

[@MiniLuv-1984]

I don't think its about maintenance - more to do with checks...and retention of the warranty. A crooked approach either way. Checks should be free.

[@rivergladesgardenrailroad8834]

regarding servicing, a service visit to my local dealer for my IX35 10 year old car is at least 500 AUD.

[@rivergladesgardenrailroad8834]

​@@MiniLuv-1984unfortunately nothing is free really.

[@MiniLuv-1984]

@@rivergladesgardenrailroad8834 The could document and provide the documentation to the owner for the inspection in the handbook, but no, they choose to force you to take it in and pay. In my books, you can have it one way or the other, but not both. Hence, I stand by my statement inspections should be free.

[@tophat593]

The mg4 is not a bloody suv. It's a hatchback.

[@jimgraham6722]

Good comparison. Our family has a Tesla M3 and an Atto3. Both very good but the Atto is the favourite mainly for its accessories, ergonomics and creature comforts.

[@mondotv4216]

Really? I have both and I'd pick the Model 3 every time. I've been driving both for a while. The Model 3 is significantly bigger, holds more luggage, is more efficient (by a long way), has better implemented regen (one pedal driving), a better app, more flexible and faster DC and AC charging, better autopilot, sentry mode, individual memories for driver settings, using phone as a key, superior handling, acceleration, the supercharger network, more accurate range estimation and way better route planning. About the only things I give the BYD over the Tesla is the blind spot monitoring is more natural, it has the 360 deg camera, V2L (still haven't used that), Carplay and AA (but Tesla's native system is just as good) and an opening sunroof (which rarely gets used). I'm not saying the Atto 3 is bad, it's not, it's a great little EV and it was a significantly cheaper car when I bought it (not so much now as the Atto 3 price has gone up while Tesla has gone down). I'd buy the Tesla every time just for the individual driver profiles and phone as a key. However my perspective is as a driver - perhaps the BYD offers something more to the family?

[@mspalmboy]

@@mondotv4216 The M3 is a great car, but the lack of a 360 degree birdseye camera is very grating because it leads to scraped wheel rims. Very annoying for a car that is not cheap. Will this come with hardware 4 ?

[@mondotv4216]

@@mspalmboy Who knows? The reason for the scraped rims is not the lack of an overhead camera, it's the low profile tyres and aerodynamic rims. A fake 3D overhead view of the car would be low on my list of priorities as the one in my BYD I use very rarely - sometimes just to check where I am in a marked car spot but never to check my distance from the kerb. I'd love a heads up display (one built into the windshield) and blind spot monitoring built into the wing mirrors (and not just the camera view from the mirrors) and a digital rear mirror as the view out the back of the car is very restricted. They'd be at the top of my list.

[@mspalmboy]

@@mondotv4216 Most M3s (if any) don't have low profile tyres, so this is not the reason why all Tesla owners complain about kerb rash. The cause is the stupid Tesla design where the rims protrude further out beyond the tyre. Talk to Tesla owners and we will tell you that a birdseye camera would help us prevent kerb rash. It's very poor design on a supposedly premium car.

[@davesmith342]

One thing you might want to consider is that the BYD has heated seats, in cold clement where you'd want to run the heater having heated seats greatly recesses the need to use and the needed set temp required from the cabin heater, the has a huge impact on winter range Edit: After I originally posted this MG confirmed that heated seats are an option with the essence package, The dolphin uses a heat pump which is much more efficient than a resistive PTC heater, I'm also not sure about the energy recovery components of the cars which will be interesting to find out such as whether you can use a heat generator from the motor to warm the battery up on cold days and things like that

[@rivergladesgardenrailroad8834]

nore important the BYD has bettery conditioning.

[@theairstig9164]

The Ora demister is missing in action

[@andrewcusack2168]

Only the MG4 can have a tow bar. Very handy for a small box trailer to move things or go to the tip! Deal breaker for me the BYD not having the option to tow.

[@edvoon]

MG4 should have gotten 1 or 2 points for drive ability and handling, which is a big part of its appeal and selling point. But you can’t go wrong with either and it all depends what you value more - features or driving experience. Totally agree with the MG4 base model and the Dolphin premium being the ones with the best value for money.

[@egaskrad]

MG4 is better because it is entering the market second quarter of 2023 and is currently on sale really hard. If you are going for a BYD or an MG, price would be the only reason, hands down.

[@chrisanderson2351]

I think you also missed during the dimension comparison that the MG4 is about 6.5cm wider, for most people that would make a big difference and the rear wheel drive of the MG is much better dynamically

[@belincentgidke4536]

RWD vs FWD can be a big factor for some people.

[@raikukei]

Looks and driving dynamics, MG4 51 Excite for sure. Only bummer is no rear cross traffic and blind spot.

[@coolfercats]

Chris your scoring system is too simplistic eg. awarding 1 point to Dolphin for free colour choice and the same ONE point to MG4 for MUCH faster charging when charging speed is SUCH an important and integral part of BEVs ownership makes your comparison method very flawed and misleading to potential buyers. I'd suggest that in future use a point "multiplier" of 2 for the more important features such as charging so the resultant total scores reflect the importance of each compared feature. But I appreciate all your hard work putting this together and understand you were trying to keep things quick and simple so thanks and well done. 👍

[@chrisvanderstock]

Good suggestions, its difficult to compare on a spec sheet basis, but I'll endeavour to answer this comparison when I get to review them.

[@frankgriffin6293]

I was thinking the same things. The color of your car is insignificant compared to some of the other aspects like speed and safety.

[@lazyfrogonalog]

It looks close between the two. Great review and it's fantastic to have some competition at this pricing point.

[@spamsam99]

You didn’t compare them on cost of electricity per 100km. I would think the lower power motor would see a reduced electricity consumption maybe? Also you didn’t give us vehicle mass comparison. I’d be curious to know, given different battery sizes. Also are the 2 different battery technologies the same in terms of fire risk and difficulty to extinguish?

[@tobychow]

The dolphin software maybe better with OTA update for software faults and more future proof but I think mg4 is more fun to drive in terms of dynamics

[@chrisvanderstock]

Fair comment. My MG ZS EV hasn't been updated since 2020.

[@Dale-sj6ru]

ANCAP ratings for each car? That's pretty important. Both are aiming for 5 stars but the BYD has not been tested. The MG has earned 5 stars in Europe.

[@waynehobbs5175]

Seats up cargo is won by MG. That to most is more important than seats folded cargo. No bias as I am an Atto3 owner and love it. Agree totally the base Dolphin 70kW is a slug. Virtually equivalent in performance to a 12 year old Suzuki Alto or Barina Spark. These two sold for ~$13k drive away!

[@sydjaguar]

Great video Chris. We are eagerly waiting for the high court case outcome. Thanks for your contribution to the EV community.

[@FalkinerTim]

I have an MG ZS EV Mk1 and I have been pleased with the build quality of MG. My biggest need with an EV is good parking and driving in traffic systems and I note your advice that the base model MG4 does not have these which, for me, are important and things I miss on the Mk1. However, I would, subject to driving one, pay the extra for the mid-range MG, the Essence, to get these things. (Though all things being equal I would prefer an LFP battery.) I think the base model BYD seems underpowered and I just do not know who supports BYD as I am not aware they have a dealership. John Cadogan is not a big fan of the base BYD. These are just my impressions. BYD should be able to build a good car with its size and resources.

[@MrBenHaynes]

BYD is imported to Australia through a company called EV Direct. No dealerships. It has set up a partnership with MyCar (formerly KMart tyre & Auto service) to train staff in servicing their EV's.

[@FalkinerTim]

@@MrBenHaynes Sounds a bit makeshift.

[@MrBenHaynes]

@@FalkinerTim That was the early soft entry to AU. They have a few "bricks and mortar" outlets on the Eastern Seaboard, I hear. Yeah, all feels a bit "Captain Risky" to me!

[@FalkinerTim]

@@MrBenHaynes I think I heard somewhere that BYD was buying out its Australian distributor. That would make sense.

[@rivergladesgardenrailroad8834]

​@@MrBenHaynesWehave a Dealer in Adelaide, which does not have a phone number yet, but will visit them in about 3 weeks and see for myself. They have a pre-production model there apparently. The KONA price is about to be announced, but WILL BE 25k AUD dearer I expect. So a very reduced dealership etc.

[@jjjnettie]

BYD has the V2L lead included in the price, where as you have to buy the lead for the mg @ $250.

[@honestjohn6222]

Great review , the thing I like about the BYD is the blade batteries, if what I am reading they will last a lot longer ?

Here in Thailand, I have chosen the Dolphin Extended. I prefer the style and RWD of the MG4, but I ordered the Dolphin. The MG4 is too low for me and has some missing interior features.

[@garryellis3085]

From all the reviews I have read or watched, the MG4 wins hands down. Apparently the MG4 driving and handling is far superior to the Dolphin. All the reviews that have compared its ride comfort to be superior to a Tesla M3. I'm comparing the base models only. A sticker price of just under $39, 000 in Oz is hard to beat. Cheers Chris.

[@aliakseiivanov7923]

You do have to add the cost of installing charger at home unless manufacturer offer it for free. By the way, does BYD or MG offer free chargers installation at home? But I would go with MG. It has better control design for my taste.

[@chrisvanderstock]

Not sure sorry. I'm awaiting confirmation of MG4 event in August, so I'll find out more soon.

[@peterengland6153]

In New Zealand the MG4 Excite is $3,000 cheaper than the base BYD Dolphin.

[@RacingAnt]

BYD importer is fleecing NZ customers.

[@glennO-e9r]

I was waiting for the Dolphin Premium pricing and decided to put my money down on the MG4 Essence. The reason being it seems like a well balanced RWD drivers car. It was a tough decision to make though.

[@t8polestarcyan22]

Which one shall I choose is the one that comes with rear multi-link suspension!! Nothing can beat independent suspension if you want comfort, agile performance and stability. And yes you have missed this multi-link rear for MG 4 where the BYD Dolphin has rear non-independent torsion beam unless you go for more expensive models. All MG 4s have independent rear but not all Dolphins do.

[@fatdoi003]

base spec i'll go for MG4, mid spec Dolphin

[@simon-c2y]

I find myself swaying to the dolphin because of the blade battery being the battery for the upper trims. The warranty though... if the blade is so good why the limited kms?

[@MrBenHaynes]

I'd go with the Dolphin Premium for the following. Range, battery chemistry, narrow width, competitive power, tyre size, independent rear suspension and convenience items for the price. I won't go with the Dolphin because of the importers high margins, poor communication with customers and extortionate service schedule/pricing with a third party provider. I will however, use my current petrol powered conveyance until a Tesla Model 2 or similar vehicle from Kia/Hyundai is available. Good luck to the Beta testers! Thanks for the review Chris.

[@honestjohn6222]

Do you think the mg battery will last as long as the BYD blade battery

[@chrisvanderstock]

Not sure. I always prefer LFP batteries due to high cycle count and set/forget experience.

[@aussiecarla]

Was keen on BYD Dolphin sport, however, no ability to add tow bar according to manufacturer as yet! MG4 has towing capacity!

[@mondotv4216]

ChrIs forgot the major difference between these 2 vehicles. The Dolphin is FWD while the MG4 Is RWD. I would pick the RWD first every time. Also I don't know for sure but based on the Atto 3, I suspect the Dolphin will have inferior tyres to the MG4. Small but significant difference. BTW - they're both hatchbacks, not SUVs, although the line is blurred these days.

[@chrisvanderstock]

thanks Mondotv - all good points!

[@mondotv4216]

@@chrisvanderstock It was still a great review Chris. Just adding to the knowledge base.

[@corindikevcorindikev]

MG4 base model has Continentals & the Essence 18 inch Bridgestone Turanzas. Both far superior to the crappy Dolphin tyres.

[@simonchung8509]

You left out one important fact blade batteries don’t catch on fire or explode, just this point wins me over to BYD

[@thomaseriksson3182]

BYD premium for me..👍 live in Sweden and the Dolphin have heated seat/heat pump as standard..not the entry level MG4. Thanks for good reviews!👍🌹

[@michaelfink64]

I really like this comparative format, Chris. One aspect that you didn't cover, which is understandable, since it is subjective, is looks. I have to give e this to the MG4. The Dolphin's looks are ones only its mother could like.

[@chrisvanderstock]

Yeah I didn't want to talk to looks as the review of seen of the Dolphin are dislike the interior. I'm currently trying the Atto 3, and boy (!), its different ... I'm being kind.

[@awc900]

Not really SUVs (unless you consider a corolla an SUV?) and thankfully that's a good thing.

[@anticat900]

I think each mg4 has a different battery type, one for cheapness, one for long range and one (in the xpower) for performance. All take up the same space but have different abilities. Charging the cobalt type batteries gives you access to only 90% of the battery, so you cannot charge it to 100% (though it may seem to you you have). So long term 100% should not be a significant issue.

[@corindikevcorindikev]

I have a MG4 Essence 64 (62.1 useable)& you can charge it to 100% without degrading so long as you don't leave it for weeks at that charge. For daily driving 80% is recommended & there is a 7 year unlimited km warranty on car & battery. CATL say with reasonable management the battery will outlast the car & provide up to 1 million km of driving. Teslas had the same NMC battery with many of those getting 500,000km & more. Check out the Tesla high mileage club. The MG4 excite is the only one with a LFP battery, all the other models are NMC either 64 or 77 kWH.

[@anticat900]

@@corindikevcorindikev Thanks, i believe the higher capacity mg4's use a more traditional battery like you say. I have been considering charging to 80% but I've heard if you don't periodically charge it to 100% and to near zero the systems will not be able to gauge the battery capacity correctly?

[@danielstapler4315]

The list price for a M3 RWD is $57,400 in Victoria (+$5300 drive away) 491 km WLTP range, LFP battery

[@RacingAnt]

And that is the elephant in the room for the high spec versions of both of these. Model Y isn't much more than that either.

[@pmacgowan]

MG4 is a no brainer!

[@chrisvanderstock]

After driving the Atto 3 today - I'm with you! Regen is very weak and where's one pedal driving!?

[@danielmacleon3008]

Nice review! Did you happen across the BYD Dolphin Owner's Manual? Thanks

[@chrisvanderstock]

Not yet! but will when I get a review car.

[@Karl-Benny]

Which drives better

[@ashberger2717]

Brand name is always important. Even though they're both Chinese, the MG wins out by a mile in Australia.

[@ashberger2717]

Especially when it comes to resale value

[@lindseyhatfield9017]

My greatest bug bear with the MG is the controls on the stalks on the wrong side and when regularly switching between cars this is so annoying it stops me. If that is resolved I would not hesitate to buy it, though not sure I want NMC, the blades are far bettter. The MG is such a good looking car though.

[@YSA920]

I prefer the indicator stalks on the left hand (European) side.

[@Clove_Parma]

@@YSA920good for you

[@R.Miata.]

MG have a very big rust problem, at every service MG4 has to have a full rust report (that's were your money is going),MG have no idea how long there cars will last ,after working on both brands it is very clear to me that BYD have better build quality ,my view after 30 years in the industry.

[@rayli6427]

How does the BYD fare on rust proofing?

[@alanwardrop9575]

BYD is not lithium ion phosphate. You mean lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4), which is a tough and long lived chemistry.

[@chrisvanderstock]

Pretty certain I typed Iron... checking!

[@chrisvanderstock]

ARrrrggghhhh!!! Bloody Apple - yes there's a typo in this video. Lithium Iron Phosphate - you can hear me stressing the R sound. Thanks for picking this up - I'll pin your comment!

[@egaskrad]

LFP, while can charge up to 100% and have a lot more recharging cycles, has an energy density of a Sodium Ion (Na+) battery which is a lot cheaper and more environment friendly. Let's say LFP is the cheap version of the Lithium Ion (Li+) battery with only 60% of the energy output and the same retailing price. If CATL and BYD are bringing in their Sodium Ion battery, which has even more recharging cycles, I don't see why people would still want an BYD LFP battery car.

[@mondotv4216]

@@egaskrad Where do you get this stuff? LiFePO4 is significantly cheaper per kWh than other more energy dense Lithium Ion chemistries. Sodium Ion has the "potential" to be cheaper than any lithium chemistry. But currently it isn't. It's more expensive. It's also pretty much the same energy density as LiFe at the moment (150-160Wh/kg) but higher volumetric density (meaning they take up more space). None of that matters because you won't be able to buy a sodium-ion battery until CATL starts full manufacturing in 2025.

[@egaskrad]

@@mondotv4216 Volumetric density of LFP and Na+ are about the same, or at least not too far away from each other. Energy density of LFP is 160Wh/kg which is significantly lower than the 285Wh/kg Li+ of Ford or 233Wh/kg Li+ of Tesla. CATL said their 160Wh/kg Na+ battery will be mass delivering at the end of 2023. We shall see the retail price soon, but considering Na is about 30 times cheaper than Li in term of raw material, I doubt it will take a very long time before LFP fade out from the market, despite it is a new tech too.

[@edoar7202]

BYD here im my neck of the woods, offers the 20k service for free, up to 100K, plus a free 7Kwh charger to install at home.

[@alexdhutanu]

Great review and not enough reviewers are talking about the options with the battery chemistries.

[@chrisvanderstock]

Yeah I was trying to wrap my head around this as MG are (I think), under doing their charging profiles. I prefer LFP, but the MG4 Essence is NMC, so difficult decision.

[@hazridge]

One problem with the mid-range models is that they both weigh about the same as a Camry. I do wish car manufacturers would use their brains and offer extended range models with smaller batteries. They'd be greener to build and weigh less, meaning less road damage.

[@corindikevcorindikev]

EVs weigh more but they are not road damaging. My MG4 Essence 64 weighs 1.6 tonnes. My old Mitsi Lancer weighed 1.35 tonnes. Trucks & B Doubles weigh up to 50 tonnes. That's what damages roads.

[@hazridge]

@@corindikevcorindikev Higher weight of vehicles means more road damage regardless of scale. "But there are trucks" is not a valid response.

[@decimal1815]

MG4 seems to be winning the new cheap EV market in the UK. Can't see this denting MG4 sales, but will be another option at least.

[@clayton4115]

Good review, but you also didn't mention the crap tyres from the Dolphin compared to the Mg4 Continentals

[@jcollishaw]

For me the truly awful performance of the Dolphin Dynamic rules it out. It has better inclusions otherwise. But then in the upper ranges the Dolphin has similar performance for less money with more features. Looks a winner to me and why we ordered a Premium. The MG4 does have some advantages with RWD but is it worth an extra $4000 or even more if in a different colour? Not for me

[@flamingstag2381]

the service fees r absolute extortion I was hoping mg were going to be more sensible ! can you inform us about the service fees of all ev.s that r available in oz ? thnx Chris !

[@chrisvanderstock]

Oh gosh that's a hard one. I'll give a crack if I can!

[@flamingstag2381]

@@chrisvanderstock 😀SOMETHING TO DO IN UR SPARE TIME EH ? seriously it is a subject of concern for future ev buyers no-one wants the old legacy b/s anymore !!!

[@Albion80s]

Isn't the MG4 rear wheel drive and drives better?

[@chrisvanderstock]

Correct - had a good day with the MG4 a few days ago and it drives so well. Impressions video out tonight at 6pm.

[@catherinegrimes2308]

You gave one point to the Dolphin for the free colours but most of them are dreadful. The MG4 looks really good in red whereas the Dolphin has grey, white, cream, purple and pink.

[@Condwe13]

Iirc...MG4 extended range's max torque is 350nm.

[@colddiesel]

Rear wheel drive of the MG gives better ride. The Dolphin's electronics are much better and especially better than the MG's horrible 'lane assist. The base models should be avoided. Compare the Dolphin Sport with the extended range MG and its a toss up.

[@Onlyme.n.u]

Mate, can you please do a real life testing for both cars and compare them instead? The data from the car companies do not necessary tell the real life driving and owning experiences that the drivers want.

[@chrisvanderstock]

Absolutely. MG4 has been offered on loan from MG. BYD... I'm working towards a date!

[@EVCurveFuturist]

Nice review. Ride characteristics should also be addressed and RWD vs FWD.

[@chrisvanderstock]

For sure.

[@ElectricCarAustralia]

Great Vid Chris. 👍

[@chrisvanderstock]

Thanks!

[@phiiz3r]

Don't think the BYD is rated to tow anything. The MG4 can tow 500kg, not much, but better than nothing. Handy for light loads or if an empty trailer needs to be moved to another location.

[@jeffwp581]

a basic empty 6x4trailor is 200kg

[@EXSKIN]

Charging speed gives it to the MG4 as I have a UK Trophy 135kw, looked at a BYD but 80Kw come on.

[@waynehobbs5175]

Great report but . . . You ignored FWD vs RWD. As a driver's car RWD always trumps. I own an Atto3 which we love but the torque steer is a negative. Not sure if these cars are SUVS. I would call them small hatchbacks like Corolla or i30.

[@chrisvanderstock]

Good point!

[@MiniLuv-1984]

I think I would go for a second hand Nissan Leaf, especially after Dala open sourced his software/procedure for upgrading battery packs...then again, what's the chance of finding a wrecked Leaf with a bigger battery pack in good condition in Australia?

[@migelsker]

For me the dolphin not being able to pull a trailer is the deal breaker for me

[@martynmorris8160]

MG has two free colours and additional optional metallics.

[@brendonamos1669]

😂 What a joke!!! MG over BYD any day. How can we here in Australia even trust BYD when they try and cheat with the Atto 3 with ADR Compliance. And, the MG4 is overall a far better car. MG have been selling cars here in Australia for a number of years already ahead of BYD. BYD’s deal to have servicing done by MyCar (formerly KMart tyre and auto) is a huge thumbs down.

[@MrBenHaynes]

THIS! As much as I like the size/specs/value of the Dolphin Premium, I can't trust BYD according to anecdotal evidence.

[@claudlin9039]

BYD will be like Toyota in the world EV market. It would be funny if you could trust Toyota in the petrol car days.

[@taffyftwpocoyoftl7937]

Whats wrong with 12 seconds

[@andrewcumming6319]

I bet it's the dealerships who are making the money from the exorbitant service charges

[@nrbeaton]

Compact SUVs? They're hatchbacks bro.

[@jasonrobards7695]

Your'e forgetting that if these cars have batteries similar to Tesla. Then there are thousands of points of failure based on individual batteries in the pack/s.

[@MrBenHaynes]

Even in BYD's blade battery?

[@alexsimmons1803]

After sales support and service is a key factor. BYD outsource theirs to the old Kmart Auto (whatever it's called now) and that sucks. MG has a much bigger dealer network and a pretty decent after sales reputation. BYD much less so. How a car actually drives also matters, no mention of that. Also, that vomit inducing badge on the rear of the BYD. Get rid of it BYD, it's embarrassing.

[@andrewiverach659]

If either brand brought out a decent charging infrastructure across this large brown land they will sell.

[@theairstig9164]

Nobody has

[@hughdevaux2994]

@@theairstig9164 ... and very few need it (average Aussie daily drive is 40km, especially for that type of car)

[@nicynu6202]

@@hughdevaux2994 Correct, The daily driver. I only do 29Km a day (work and back) so an EV would be great, but then again why spend $40k when I can spend under $20k on an ICE vehicle (MG3 or Kia Picanto) to do the same thing. So i'm not buying any and just keeping my 2006 Getz and waiting for an under $30k EV arrives soon. But that MG4 looks good :)

[@hughdevaux2994]

@@nicynu6202 Agree, we're still missing the small and cheap EV. MG3 are great commuters assuming that you don't need to have too many passengers too often. MG4 and similar are now quite compelling to replace Corolla type cars.

[@kosmokramer9502]

THESE CARS ARE NOT SUV's, THEY ARE HATCHBACKS

[@MGriff-q1i]

I can’t agree with your reasoning. The BYD Dolphin theme is very unappealing. I agree with not buying the basic model of either. Then you look at the dull colour vs cutesy barbydoll options of the two tone from BYD with that hideous dash and air vents and that’s a big minus for me. Then there is the front wheel drive for an EV. Ultimately it came down to two things. 1. Handling and driving. 2. Local dealership. Your servicing rant was understandable but irrelevant. What does count is how good the servicing is. That is an unknown. The MG4 drove very well indeed. We went with that.

[@nordic5490]

BYD is FWD, MG is rwd. Fwd in an EV is a crime - there is no excuse to do this. MGs driving dynamics (fun) crush BYDs. BYD also fitt their cars here in Oz with no grip Atlas tyres.

[@MrBenHaynes]

I have only seen Dolphins fitted with Chaoyang branded tyres in the 16 inch version. They will probably use the same brand for the 60KwH model with 17 inch tyres. I would wear them out before replacement (driving to their abilities) but most people would junk them straight away. The Continental tyres of the MG4 are FAR superior. I have read that FWD EV's have better regen on deceleration/braking compared to RWD EV's.

[@nordic5490]

@@MrBenHaynes most Tesla evs are rwd, some are awd. Asking the front wheels of a fwd to steer and apply drive at the same time is a bit much for a tyre to grip properly, and the result is normally understeer powering out of corners.

[@davidcarter4247]

Insurance might prove the real disincentive to EV ownership if we see what is happening in the UK. EVs were once one bought by people who fussed over their cars. As more EVs are become fleet vehicles driven with the same disregard as ICE cars the frequency of minor accidents and underside impacts grow. The concern will be that a battery pack has sustained damage that will lead to fire even when it hasn't. An EV fire has the potential to cause major third party damage well beyond the value of car itself, so insurers will want the packs replaced as a precaution. This will increase repairs costs, often to be point of being an insurance write-offs and premiums will rise to reflect these higher payouts. There is another thing EV owners might want to contemplate. If there is a grounding or some other impact to the battery housing that is not repaired, will this be seen as a vehicle in a poor state of repair, thus nullifying the insurance if there is a fire or indeed any other insurance claim. The journey through the real world has only just started for EVs. We are still some years from what it be like trying to get 85kw of electricity when we have a chronic energy shortage. Last winter they were pleading for people not to use dishwashers when power supplies were on the edge. Do you know how many dishwashers you can run on a single full EV recharge? About 60. EV owners might find they are last in the queue for scarce energy.

[@davidlove7825]

Rip off servicing is the reason we went Tesla 3. No regrets.

[@martynmorris8160]

MG4 is a hatchback, not SUV

[@chrisvanderstock]

I've thought about this too, and I reckon both are to be honest. They're really compact hatchbacks. Shall have to wait to see them IRL.

[@martynmorris8160]

@@chrisvanderstock if you park an MG4 next to a VW Golf it's no higher and dimensionally very similar.

[@eytanlavi6778]

MG IS BETTER CAR BY 20%

[@mediamike693]

++++👍🚗🐸+++I CAN BE FOUND IN MY MG4+++IN RED OF COURSE+++🚗+++RED CARS GO FASTER+++😆+++

[@chrisvanderstock]

LOL! Love this and your profile pic.

[@cjmillsnun]

But if you actually drive the MG4 compared to the BYD, you will get the MG. It's a driver's car. The Dolphin is not.

[@TassieEV]

They are NOT compact SUV's, one is a hatchback the other is a small car(sedan) you drinking their marketing koolaid it seems which I wouldn't have expected. Otherwise call the Toyota Corolla a compact SUV which it isn't! Could you ignore the servicing and just DIY it as probably only a filter change, maybe just do the first service otherwise ignore the rest or will they void your warranty?

[@chrisvanderstock]

LOL! Love your line "koolaid" - yep, my error! Thanks for the notes.

[@hazridge]

?? Neither of these are SUVs

[@chrisvanderstock]

Post this video, I completely agree. I drove the MG4 about a month ago and its definitely a hatch back.

[@frankgriffin6293]

I would avoid china cars due to them being known for catching on fire or even exploding. Some BYD cars even have the wheel fall off and sometimes the airbags do not deploy. There is more to picking a car than just looking at the specs.

[@smokeydization]

I have driven both to buy. The dolphin is boring as hell! And the stupid door handels

[@phoarey]

I spoke to a Model 3 owner in the unit block whose had his since early 2020 'never been serviced car is great '. So WTF are the MG and BYD distributors on about?

[@alaaa1794]

Yrly servicing by the company is a scam

[@stephencollins5706]

These are NOT SUV .

[@AncalimeNL]

Chris Vanderstock... sounds Flemish... but you sound Aussie....

[@qilu2004]

mg is amature compared to byd.

[@Cloxxki]

Ownership experience is going to be key. What to expect from their service departments? Is it worth it having to gamble on new brands like that, JUST to get an EV? If budget is key, there are many options, you just don't get the EV whizzing. Oh, but you do it to be greeeeeen? Then why get one all the way from China, and have you looked up their latest envirionments inspections? I personally like EVs for their technology, the green thing to me is a falsehood. Both due to battery production and questionnable recycling, but really because humanity NEEDS a lot of CO2 right now, to survive. Why do greenhouse farmers pump CO2 into their structures? To get more harvests, and feed us. There is famine on Earth already, and crops do badly in low CO2. Where did the super tall trees go? Oh but climate? That's never been stable, is isn't even stable on nearby planets. Ask the spirits of the dinosaurs and the surface of the moon why they are what they are. Once you open your sovereign mind, giving the "good boy mind" a rest, it's not that hard to see a somewhat broader scope of reality and climate. Modern man saw sea levels rise 120 meters in a geological blink of the eye, from something very low up to right where they sit still today, plus or minus a meter or so. How did that happen and coincide with half of megamammels going extinct? Because it did, and we roughly know how: climate changed suddenly, and as usual: due to external factors. The sun, moon and celestial impacts are so powerful, it's silly for humanity to think that emitting plant food is going to tip that scale at all. CO2 is a greenhouse gas yes, ebcause greenhouse farmers us it. Not because the gas itself builds the greenhouse, you silly! That stuff is religion more so than a science. Newton and Einstein would NOT see the scientific method there.

[@keithwilson1554]

Study Venus hottest Planet in the Solar System and mostly a CO2 Atmosphere. And No Farming.

[@Cloxxki]

@@keithwilson1554 That's hardly applicable to Earth of course. Ever consider that hot is good? Animals and plants thrive near the equator. Just don't make deserts. A low CO2 atmosphere, if we could manifest it, could NOT sustain 8 billion people. Which people do you nominate to die of starvation first? Science isn't supposed to be propaganda that goes only one way. Science knows much more than the religion that climate has begun. If you don't want the climate change that's been happening for 5 billion years, ban celestial objects. They seem to have been instrumental every single time and no one sounded the last round bell on that, to my knowledge...

[@hub-p4g]

Avoid both..why would anyone outside China support Chinese businesses or the state, get some dignity and spend more..or just use public transport, you will appear frugal rather than tight fisted or poor lol.

[@pinkio2]

You typing that on a phone made in China etc, etc, etc? I know it's a depressing global situation but burying your head in the sand is somewhat disingenuous!

[@hub-p4g]

@@pinkio2 Like I have a choice or knowledge where sub components are manufactured, if I did have a choice then it would be easy..it's easy to not buy a Chinese car, apple's to oranges.

[@xxxx-dh9pk]

BYD and MG both are Chinese companies

[@glennO-e9r]

BYD makes 1/3 of the worlds batteries in mobile phones.

[@MrBenHaynes]

Unfortunately, I think you are right. You will be the laughing stock, whenever your Chinese EV fails to proceed.

[@hurbrowns5397]

MG4 wins because it looks like sports car.