What's The Bog Standard MG4 Electric Like?

[@bill_heywood]

Thanks guys, a very fair review. I’ve got an MG4 and I agree that it is the way it drives that makes it such a good car. The suspension, drivetrain and steering are all set up to make it a pleasure to go down the road, whether cruising on the motorway, potting around town or chucking it around a back road. It gets so much right that the minor infotainment niggles are just that - you see similar complaints about cars costing twice as much

[@Draigthedragon]

I got an early one with tinted windows as a free bonus. In general I love it: the range is plenty, the drive is great and I have no issues with the infotainment system. Coming out of winter, the range has improved from 180 to more like the 220 advertised. The lack of lighting and speakers in the rear is a real pity, and the suspension could be a little more comfortable. Whilst no one can argue £26k is cheap, it's not much more than an ICE Skoda Fabia - which is astonishing.

[@frozenskipper]

What do you mean 26k isn’t cheap?

[@Draigthedragon]

@@frozenskipper £26k might be cheap for an EV, but it's still a lot of dosh. Petrol heads will argue that EVs are out of the reach of normal ppl. It's too simplistic an argument, but the cheapest new EVs still need a big investment.

[@matthewwakeham2206]

Lithium Polymer batteries are the firey explody type used in radio controlled models. The polar opposite of LFP - LiFePo Lithium Iron Phosphate used in this car. LFP is a very stable battery chemistry that has much less tendency to go on fire than the other chemistries used in EVs.

[@Neojhun]

LiFePO4 has a bunch of advantage including reduced fire risk. But a major problem is the much Lower Cell energy density. The likes of BYD are trying to combat that with more efficient less packaging material battery packs, thus making the pack energy density better. It's very interesting how different battery choices are used to balance out the pros and cons.

[@Jamesandkate]

Yeah, slip of the tongue there.

[@andymcnish]

@@Neojhun The biggest advantage in day to day use is that you can charge this one to 100% without affecting battery life. So your day to day range is actually as good as the more expensive long range versions, which you would normally only charge to 80% overnight.

[@andrewallen9918]

@@andymcnish Incorrect. Unfortunately Tesla themselves propagate this myth. All current battery chemistries have reduced life if regularly charged to 100%. The difference with LFP is that it is more difficult to calibrate the BMS as the voltage curve is very level (narrower voltage gap between full and empty) until right at the end of the discharge. They are also more durable due to that voltage band being lower. Another reason is that it has at least double the cycle life compared to NMC or NCA so the depreciation would be much less noticeable to the consumer. Regrettably if Tesla continue to propagate this myth it will result in accelerated degradation and people won’t get the cycle lives they anticipate. This in turn will have a worse impact on the subsequent owners due to reduced range…

[@maskedzebra22]

A great pragmatic video, explaining the ins and outs of a car from the point of view reflecting everyday use. Even the sound system gets a mention - which almost no one else does. I'm edging towards an EV for my next car and it's videos like this that will swing it for me. Thanks.

[@slartybartfarst9737]

"Being so close to the road" as a positive! Thanks for that, at last. Yes the physics of wobbling about more in an SUV "because I like to see more of the road" has its down sides. I know battery in floor has allowed manufacturers to get away with the SUV excuse so respect to MG for getting us sitting lower where we can feel the dynamics of the car better, its not as tiring on back roads and lets be realistic if you ever meet a moose or worse still need the car to stick to the road in an emergency you stand a lot better chance of a good out come in a car with a lower centre of gravity. Battery in floor EVs are way better than ICE cars anyway but why not have the best, good on you MG.

[@robinarndt5481]

what a lovely relaxing review by two adults on a trip with a fully compliant passenger well done

[@markmarco2880]

Love the casual banter. Informative and easy to listen to…thanks.😊

[@markmueller8099]

I have exactly the same car and it is the best bang for buck "new" EV you can buy by a country mile. Unless you are a badge/tech snob, you really don't need any more than the standard range SE. Also with the LFP battery you can use 100% of the capacity 100% of the time unlike the long range NCM battery. Great video.

[@MikeGleesonazelectrics]

Have had abog standard MG4 for 2 months now, from a LR MG5.. love it! Very fair review I thought, well done; an excellent all rounder!

[@noahderrington5156]

I test drove all the low cost EVs that are ‘Golf like’ and this was by far the best option given it’s cheaper and drives so well. The only other one that was as good in terms of handling and performance was the Cupra Born but that’s loads more expensive, as much as the MG4 has a plasticy interior compared to the others but do you need to pay £10k for fancy door cards! I love the rear wheel drive and the performance. The cheapest MG4 is actually quicker and has a bigger boot than the Trophy!

[@redjohn20001]

If you set the car to TJA it remembers this setting and the TJA function is implemented from a switch on the steering wheel. In this mode, without turning on the TJA, you get small steering tugs when out of lane but I find it quite drivable without having to reset every thing every time I use the car. The LFP batteries probably make the car a safer used buy as they are far more resilient to abuse than the NCM type batteries and was the reason I went for the Standard range car. Also on country road trips when the weather warmed up I can get 4.1 miles per kWh. I find the car impresive but the dealerships less so. Thanks for the video.

[@pauld7827]

I love this channel. An independant EV mechanic is just great. My friend uses a wheelchair and kept on about EV's. I finally bought an MG ZS EV Trophy Connect after his nagging, which I love! Though the depreciation is shocking! The KERS on the MG ZS EV remembers whatever setting it was last on. I finally persuaded my friend to look into getting a car on the Motability scheme. Within a week he ordered and within another week picked up an MG4 Trophy. It's really nice, he loves it and he now has independence. I think when the time comes to trade mine in, I hope that the 4 wheel drive MG4 will be available. My biggest criticism is the lack of a rear windscreen wiper!

[@maximilianholland]

Great real-world review guys, thank you very much!

[@kjh789az]

I drive a face-lifted MG5, top spec, but recenly had six days in an MG4 base model while the dealer replaced my MG5 central control unit, seven months in to my ownership... I was very impressed with the ride and responsiveness of the base model MG4. The price is good, unlike the Trophy spec which is around £10k more. The only tech I missed on the base MG4 was the reversing camera. The bleep system is no substitue for actually seeing what's behind you. Thanks.

[@thelaserhive3368]

As a Motability customer ( often driving solo with my wheelchair ) I went to see all the MG EVs and found that the MG4 is the one that seems to meet my needs best. I was really surprised as I expected the ZS or the 5 to be better/more practical but my chair fits nicely disassembled on the front seat and also in the boot - something that the large consoles in the 5 and ZS make a lot harder. I'm still not decided on whether I will actually go with the MG4 when my lease changeover approaches but it's definitely a contender. Great job with the review guys as always - very practical info conveyed in a nice easy going style.

[@Rhodgie]

As a wheelchair user myself having the charging port at the passenger side rear is a big no no... means trying to leave enough space to get around the car is a problem, especially at some rapid chargers. Charge ports at the front like the 5 or ZS are the easiest to live with

[@thelaserhive3368]

@@Rhodgie That is the big one thing about it I hate….. ( and thanks for reminding me about it!!!).

[@Rhodgie]

@The Laser Hive should have added that I've had 3 EVs on motability, 2 Leafs and now the MG5 and I do over 17k a year.

[@MattHill303]

I lucked into a cancelled one of these at the end of last year while the ZS EV was still getting silly trade in values and I'm really enjoying it. It's a whole level of finish above the mk1 ZS EV, drives great and I'm seeing really usable range from the LPF battery, it's just started estimating around 225 miles per charge so expect a peak around 250+ in summer. Slight negatives are the software which is a bit laggy and has a few issues with things like Android Auto, the charge rate on the SR is quite a bit lower than the LR/Trophy spec battery but way better than the ZS was and the lack of being able to flick between regen levels from a physical control on all but the Trophy spec cars.

[@jtchivers]

You've both done a great job with this video, as ever. Absolutely nailed it, I reckon, and much better than I could. And I completely agree with your pros and cons. I share the dislike (I'd say hatred) of the lane assist being on by default every cycle. I'm not overly keen on being unable to switch the car off before getting out and agree that the sound system needs a bit of a beef up. I too like some decent bass, even if everyone else in the family is less keen! The other reason I went for the entry level LFP battery option is that, as a chemistry, it's far less fussy about being left at a high or low state of charge over longer periods and its lifespan is reportedly anything from three to ten times that of lithium cobalt. Not that the lifespan of lithium cobalt should be of any great concern. I still tend to keep it around 80% if left standing for several days (old habits die hard), though the option to stop charging at 80% isn't active in the car, I've noticed. Even though it looks like you can drag the limit line on the battery screen to set it, it doesn't work. So, I assume that's only active on the long range and Trophy (lithium cobalt) editions.

[@bill_heywood]

You are right, the battery limit option only works on the LR and Trophy, they should get rid of it in the app for SR as it is redundant

[@thumper1747]

Hi John, your practical preferences for this car makes sense (no Nav, battery chemistry and size/weight, etc). How long does it take to charge from 25% to 80%? Geoff

[@jtchivers]

​@@thumper1747 Hi Geoff. Thanks! Those considerations certainly work for me. Most of my miles are on two wheels anyway. 😊 You raise a good question on the 20-80%. My honest answer is I still don't know a consistent answer. On the few occasions where I've been out rapid charging, I was doing something else (generally having a meal) and the car was done charging before me. Just taking another look at my Wales trip video, I saw 21%-84% in 40 minutes in temperatures of around 5 degrees celcius. As James and Kate saw in this video, I've seen mid-70s kW charging speeds. Hope that gives you an idea. 👍

[@thumper1747]

@@jtchivers I searched for your channel and watched that trip after posting my question and figured the same charge time. Seems to me that all this fuss and focus on range means bigger batteries, more weight and design that apes the past (big wheels and tyres and on average higher weights). All this works against efficiency and to my mind, electrification is all about efficiency. A flat charging curve (like the unaffordable Porsche) is the most underrated metric out there. If the OEMs managed to embrace a slippery design, slimmer tyres and a curve that allow a ‘pit stop top up’, a vehicle with a modest range from a lighter battery would make traversing the UK easy as pie. Really liked your test. Cheers Geoff

[@georgehiggins3103]

Really enjoyed your video of you and your family in th Mg4!!

[@Steve-wz5pz]

If you move Florence to the center seat, she'll do a lot better in a right side impact scenario. Back seat/center survival is so good, we call them Car Seat Orphans.

[@tonychallinor6721]

Thanks both - of all EV reviewers I think you are the most fair and straight - which is good cos my MG4 is due in a few weeks!

[@robmccaw9956]

The sun glass rattle. Our 2018 Ioniq had an annoying rattle that took me ages to find especially as it didn’t always do it. Yep the sunglasses in their holder! Shows how quiet BEVs are.

[@jtchivers]

Got me too, Rob. I couldn't identify where it was coming from. From the driver's side, I swore it was coming from the passenger door and anyone in the passenger side though it was on the driver's side! Only realised it was my bleedin' sunglasses a week or so ago! At least I would have found out watching this. 😂

[@markmueller8099]

Yeah I'm gonna whip the holder out and felt line it.

[@trevorsbarkingmadchannel4501]

Still thinking lol. Works dropped off a bit so the need is not so urgent. Great vlog. Thank u 🙏

[@pauld7827]

The automatically on 'lane assist' is I believe, down to getting the NCAP rating up.

[@proximaone1350]

This model is being released in Australia. It is priced at $42618 on the road, (£22374). There are financial incentives here if you lease. I’m close to making a decision on buying one. Great video guys. I love old school dance music also 😊

[@VincentMatthews-n1s]

Really interesting video and food for thought. I agree with James, I want that 400bhp one. Was lovely to meet you both at the British Motorshow last week!

[@DannyThompson54]

I can see the MG4 of a couple of years time being in my hands. I like the looks and the specs. Thanks for the week's ownership report, that really has been interesting.

[@blobstrom]

Great review guys. LKA is a pain in the neck. My Kia Soul always reverts to LKA on, but when i get in to drive i turn it off automatically as i put my seatbelt on, so it's second nature now.

[@markyates5744]

After a test drive one thing I didn't like is the interior is really dark + no interior lights in the back. But otherwise would be very happy with it. The dealer had set it up with the main display with the brightness set to about 20% - was almost impossible to see anything until I worked out (after the test drive) how to turn it up, and default it to white text on a black background! The base model is missing a rear camera / parking sensors. Rear camera should be standard when you have a small rear view window with no wiper! But I did really like the look of it - and love that it's an LFP battery - LFP should be very very long lasting. LFP is used in home batteries for stationary storage. LFPs get about 5000 cycles before falling below 80% vs 1500 cycles for a "normal" Lithium Manganese Cobalt chemistry. But keeping LiMgCo in a 10-85% range as much as possible (not 0-100) and it should last longer than that 1500 cycles - especially in a non-Leaf car that has thermal battery mgmt! But do the mathos on 5000 cycles x200 miles and you'll realise that people don't need to worry about EV battery life!

[@Brian-om2hh]

You can have parking sensors and/or a parking camera fitted as aftermarket accessories at your home address. Search for Dolphin Parking Sensors.... Very reasonable pricing and fitting charges....

[@RWBHere]

Thanks, James, Kate and Florence. Another excellent review. 🙂👍 We're spoiled here with a solid 5+ miles per kWh, with 4+ on motorways, but the MG4 is a somewhat larger car than a Zoe, and for the price, it's worth putting up with the MG4's higher energy consumption. My guess is that EV prices will really begin to drop as LFP batteries, and then Sodium/Lithium hybrid batteries are adopted more often. The MG4 is one of those cars which look better in reality than they do on video or in pictures. Would love to test drive one for a few days. The hoot looks a bit small, but how much space is there if the rear seats are folded down, how are the seats split, and do they fold flat? Those answers would be very useful to have. Built-in satnav is better suited for people who don't have Android Auto or Apple Car Play. We're in that camp. We had a courtesy car recently, and it didn't have inbuilt satnav, but only Car Play or Auto, which were useless to us. Had to dig out the road map for the first time in years! But you're right in saying that those two apps outperform the software in many EV's. For example, I'm fed up with satnav asking if we want directions to our normal parking location, every time the car is started, and then several more times during an outbound journey, and then it not asking when we're on the homeward leg of journeys. 🧐 The satnav needs updating manually every few months, yet it still doesn't recognise a local bypass route which has been open for about a year, or a main road roundabout, or a rerouted main carriageway, a few miles away from here, which were opened several years ago. Keep up the good work!

[@cloggsy1971]

You can power off the car from the ‘safety’ tab in the ‘car’ page on the infotainment screen 👍🏻

[@mjmherts]

Good review , covered 5000 miles in my MG4 SE and very pleased with it . When jumping into my M3P however the difference in the audio quality is all to evident . Play the dance music in your model Y James 😊😊

[@SJ8311]

Great to see the IAM decals on the car... 😉 The 4 is at the top of my first-EV wishlist. Just need the prices to continue to drop for the next year or two. Very useful reporting. Thank you all!

[@sinjinsmythe1]

Thanks for the video guys always enjoy the content of your impartial reviews 👍I'd buy this spec car with those seats but agree with Kate that I'd miss the 360 camera to save my alloys from kerbing but not so much an issue with this car as the alloys are covered by the wheel trims so maybe better to pocket the £6k saving on a trophy.

[@Richnetm]

Nice review! I have the MG4 Luxury long range (Trophy), its my 3the EV, owned a Zoe Q210 first, then a Zoe ZE 50, but the MG 4 is sooooo much better. (fun fact: in ECO, the MG acceleration is way faster then the Zoe in normal). I always drive with lane keep assist on, hardly ever have beeps and steering from the car, but we do have wide roads with clear lines here in the Netherlands. MG Pilot is a blessing for me in traffic jams, love the "auto driving". Car audio (even with 2 more speakers in the back then the SE) is naaaaah, i want a sub woofer. One thing is a but annoying: when you are on the charger and open your car, it stops the charging because the cable releases. But still: love the MG 4!!!

[@JonathanPorterfield]

Great review both , good to see you both chatting away , esp Kates face when James says " id take the 400 bhp one" 😅

[@richmaniow]

Great review, interesting to note that 4 year old (44k/Wh) MG's are now selling for about £16k, so that's depreciation of about £2k per year, so an 8 old year old MG4 could lose upto £16k but time will tell on that.

[@SilverShieldcollector]

MG4s will sell for £26k they were when new after ten years you will see

[@Brian-om2hh]

Losing £2k per year in depreciation is pretty much par for the course. You certainly couldn't hire a car for £2k per year, not even a very small one......

[@Fishbait075]

Cant wait to pick up my Long Range SE model, if only it could get built and shipped across the world quicker! Mid June delivery window at the moment.

[@andypitch]

Excellent review-should be renamed ‘Florence & The Machine’ 😊

[@ElectricCarAustralia]

Great review guys. I cant wait to test drive this once it hits Australian showrooms in a couple of months. Enjoy the BYD Atto 3 when it arrives in the UK. They have been a big hit down here in direct competition to the MG ZS EV. I have done a couple of interviews with owners and they are very happy.

[@sc00zy]

The Luxury version here in the EU has also a heat pump that the standard version doesn't have and of course the 360° camera ;)

[@markmueller8099]

The Luxury/Trophy model is also £5k more than this version.

[@paulhannaford3657]

Great video & great review 👍

[@kiae-nirodiariesencore4270]

Thanks for another great review of what is a game changing car. At this price the MG is getting amongst the Ford Focus/VW Golf's of this world...this car will cause a lot of disruption in those segments. One disappointing thing though is the efficiency. Having owned a Kia e-Niro for over 4 years now I am used to a winter/summer average of 4.2 miles/kWh, a bit less on motorway driving but closer to 5 m/kWh in the summer local driving. It seems that FWD EVs have an advantage in this respect over RWD cars which cannot recapture so much of the breaking force. I read somewhere that 60% of the breaking force comes through the front wheels. Given its lower stance and lighter weight I would have expected it to be better than the Kia but it seems there's a trade off for the better handling you get with RWD.

[@markmueller8099]

I think you are looking at it the wrong way around. The outright range is only one aspect. I have this exact same car in white and I am spending less than £1.80 per day on electric for work. In my diesel, that was £8.50. all you have to do is retrain your brain as to where full is compared to ICE cars. The range and efficiency are perfectly acceptable.

[@kiae-nirodiariesencore4270]

@@markmueller8099 Thanks for your comment and good to hear you are happy with the car and are enjoying the huge savings and superior driving experience of an EV. Don't get me wrong, I think the MG4 is a game changing car. I live in the Poitou-Charente region of France and visited the new MG dealership in Poitiers in February. The interest in the car here is huge. I do have some experience of running an EV, since buying the Kia e-Niro in March 2019 I have covered 78,000 km and am saving around €1,200 a year on fuel and servicing over an equivalent petrol hybrid or diesel car (assuming 50 mpg in those). in the world of ICE cars we worry about mpg because fuel costs money. In the world of EVs we think about kWh/100 km or miles/kWh as our kWh cost money too. I am lucky that I have solar panels here and last year covered all my home charging with some to spare from my roof...Driving on sunlight is the coolest thing!. If you're interested, here is my report on the 4 year anniversary of getting the car with all my costs and how the car is holding up kzbin.info/www/bejne/robKiGiPlLqFabM Battery size plus efficiency directly affects range of course and OEMs are always looking on ways to improve it. So you see that I am looking at it the right way around as if the e-Niro was averaging 3.2 miles/kWh as opposed to 4.2 miles/kWh I would have been spending about 25% more on electricity...still big savings over fossil fuels of course. I would agree with you that retraining the brain is always a good thing, especially at my age!...but speaking French and trying to improve my piano playing does that for me. 😊

[@logant6490]

You're are correct that the efficiency is not at kia / hyundai or tesla levels. It's a tad disappointing, but the car is about 8k cheaper than most rivals, so an extra £1 or £2 a month is neither here nor there. Ps it charges much faster than an e-niro 😉

[@kiae-nirodiariesencore4270]

@@logant6490 Very true, nothing comes close in terms of value for money with the MG4. But when I test drove and ordered the Kia in December 2018 there were very few EVs on the market and even with the French government 'bonus écologique' of €6,000 the prices were just below €40K . The MG4 is a winner and things will get very interesting when they refresh the model with the CATL QLIN battery which they surely will. ..This will increase the range and the charging speeds. Best charging speeds we've had on the e-Niro is 75Kw, although this has never inconvenienced us on long road trips. Next week we are heading off to see family in Switzerland...a 920 km haul with an overnight stop in eastern France...I normally like to stop every 250 km or so, the range of the car is longer than my bladder range..🤣

[@michaelgoode9555]

Interesting review. We almost bought an MG4 but getting a response from an MG dealer was like sprinkling rocking horse poo on your Easter egg patch. Similarly bad experience with Hyundai dealers. We bought a 27 month old ID 3 1st Edition instead from a BMW dealer with less than 12,000 miles. One minor fault but otherwise it is great. We are averaging over 4 miles / kWh with the range dipping just below 4 on motorways but mid 4's around town. Lights on the car are incredible and both people who drive the car find it easy to drive and comfortable. Mostly it is delivering more than we expected from a car and the greater space with a centre armrest in the rear is perfect for the elderly relative that we ferry around frequently. We're content with the ID.3 but like I say, we might have been in an MG4 if the dealers were just a bit more attentive.

[@logant6490]

The brakes on the id3 are absolutely terrible and it's about 8k more expensive than an mg4

[@michaelgoode9555]

​@@logant6490The brakes are just fine thanks and we bought our low mileage used 1st Edition for less than the price of a new MG4. I stress, we are very happy with it thanks. Unless you live with it you cannot really comment on the brakes. The one thing that we have found is that in eco mode the regen can be quite fierce when feathering the accelerator for slow manoeuvring such as reversing. We have settled for comfort mode and it's been fine. There is nothing like owning and using a car to find out it's qualities. Reviews can never cover everything.

[@logant6490]

@@michaelgoode9555 my brother owned a id3 1st edition for 2 years and I drove it regularly. Drum brakes at the back. He's since moved on to a kia eniro and is much happier with it. But if you are satisfied fair play.

[@michaelgoode9555]

Should add that a reversing camera is invaluable. Not having had one before we didn't really rate the need but they are extremely good and provide clarity to an area of the road hidden by the rear bodywork of the car making parking both safer and easier.

[@michaelgoode9555]

​@@logant6490 Braking effort on any car is primarily (80% plus iirc) to the front axle and even moreso if you have regen on a fwd car. Having regen on a rwd car supplements or even exceeds the already minimal rear axle braking effort to the point whereby you simply don't need disks. Also, drum brakes require less maintenance and suffer less corrosion due to their mechanisms not being exposed. Our car has covered just over 12,000 miles now. When VW replaced the faulty 12v battery under warranty they did a quick check over of the car essentially touting for business. The wear on the disk pads was estimated at around 10% after being measured. This is a known feature of EV's in general in that regen reduces significantly the amount of braking required and thus brake wear. I suspect that the wear on the rear drum liners is possibly even less than 10% due to both regen and also by the reality that braking is primarily through the front wheels. I could ask Cleevely to check rear liner wear if you like when they come to give the car it's first full service since new in less than 2 weeks? The brakes work very well in spite of concerns from some social media influencers being negative about drums on the rear. In fact, my partner was forced into an emergency stop when a pavement cyclist suddenly shot out in front of us only a couple of weeks ago. The car stopped without drama and the resulting glare and single finger salute attested to the bruised ego but otherwise unharmed state of the cyclist. And yes, we are very happy with the car thanks. 👍

[@gileshalliwell3591]

A lot of cars have lane keep assist reverting each time and I think it is designed like that to prevent the manufacturers being sued! It’s your responsibility if you turn it off?!

[@deetee6621]

Renault Captur 1.2 dull was going to cost us about £29k, or was it £32k. Can’t quite remember. Ended up looking at this for the same money for the long range. Eventually went into a Tesla Model Y because it is so much better value. This is the first of a whole slew of cars coming to the UK over the next few years. 👍

[@bdeithrick]

Ooo Ordered on 1st January. Waiting Thanks for video.

[@bdeithrick]

Did he get back from Ireland. Any irish ☘️ video coming?

[@paulchilds8884]

Nice content very well detailed

[@broadsword6650]

Interesting point about the stereo. I think this is an area that cars should come with a lower spec but be easily upgraded at extra cost later. For some people it's important and they are willing to spend extra, but many (most?) people just want something that will play the radio or their favourite playlist. Good enough is good enough, and it keeps the price down. One thing I don't like about the top of the range Leaf is the subwoofer in the boot, which adds weight ahd cost, steals cargo room, is vulnerable to damage and, to my ears, is unpleasant. If I bought that car I'd actually remove it.

[@fire_stick]

I too would like to go for the “Sporwts” edition, likely nmc with rapid charge rate like the trophy, and unlike the charge speed of the Standard Edition with its LFP 🔋

[@paulwaddilove]

Great honest review as always James & Kate, but can I ask why there is no centre rear headrest? I regularly carry 5 adults in my car and this is something from a safety point of view that MG should have. Thanks 🙂

[@Brian-om2hh]

I've seen 2 MG4's in my local town in the last couple of days alone.

[@rb8589]

Thanks for another great video, guys! Two questions for you: What do you think about the lack of a rear wiper, considering the grotty weather in the UK? Not sure I could live without one! I would consider fitting an aftermarket reversing camera if I bought one. Am I right in thinking that James has previously fitted these to cars, & if so, would it be costly, unsightly, or a satisfactory solution? Thanks guys!

[@Flipflop324]

I have a MG4 Trophy with the rear camera and I would not own a car without one now. The rear wiper is not needed on my car, I don't miss it at all.

[@MikeGleesonazelectrics]

You get used to the sensors.. the lack of a rear wiper is surprisingly not a problem in my view.

[@bellshooter]

Great video about a really game-changing car. Slightly wrong about the KERS, on the original ZS EV the KERS returns to level 3 every time. Still have my 2019/20 original blue first 1000...And the main beef I have with the MG4 interiors is the dark headlining, oppressive, miss a glass roof too.

[@eddzuki0]

how is this bollacks game changing. all electric cars are a con

[@robthomas7232]

I found the ev6 also had a dark headlining and made the interior oppressive. In comparison the ionic 5 was a more traditional lighter interior and a much better environment.

[@CastleKnight7]

@@eddzuki0I’d say charging an electric car for free from home solar is game changing. No need to waste miles driving to a petrol station to fill up. You can do it from the comfort of your home.

[@PippetWhippet]

@@eddzuki0 What castle knight said - I can certainly understand why you feel that the marketing behind electric cars has been deceptive. Claimed ranges in particular is just misleading in my opinion, but when has that ever been different in the automotive industry? From Dacia to Bugatti, since when have the published figures been honest on any car? Again, to emphasise the point, this is game changing because the price of this car is in line with a similarly specced car of similar quality powered by fossil fuels. Mg just proved you can have all the upsides of an ev without the major downside, the premium cost. Now, an ev might still not be for you, and that’s ok - you know that better than anyone if it is, don’t let some eco warrior tell you otherwise, but do yourself a favour. Don’t let a politician or a shock jock, or a journalist, or anyone tell you that’s it’s not for you either. Just make your own decision and if a claim has been made that pushes you one way or the other, see what the other side are saying. If they clash, then find out the truth from empirical data. It’s easy to look up how much cobalt is used in various battery technologies, where it’s sourced from and the conditions on those mines for example. It’s not so easy, but is possible to find out how much cobalt is used in fuel. Then, in cobalt really is something you would change your purchasing decisions over, you can make an informed decision as to how much cobalt you do and do not consume. And of course, no one is telling you what to think. If you choose instead to blindly follow someone you trust, then that’s fine too. Not everyone had the time or the ability to lead, some people are just born to follow. It’s nothing to feel inferior over, just, if it turns out that they lied to you to line their own pockets at your expense, deal with it like the adult you are.

[@Jamesandkate]

Ours used to revert to level 3. Maybe a different software. My MG5 reverts to level 2 as well.

[@rivergladesgardenrailroad8834]

my KONA 2 has wheel spin but NO torque steer in Sport, which we only use when the grandchildren tell Grandpa to 'boot it of the lights'.

[@Joe-lb8qn]

I saw my first one in the wild a few days ago. Very attractive distinctive light blue colour. Great price for the range but I'd pay the extra £2500 for the longer range one every day because it can easily make the difference between a stop and no stops which gives you a lot more independence from what at present is still a poor charging network outside of Tesla. No reversing camera on the base model (I presume its on higher specs?) would be a complete deal breaker for me.

[@andymcnish]

Just buy and fit your own one then?

[@Brian-om2hh]

@@andymcnish Or get someone like Dolphin Parking sensors to fit one at your home address......

[@CreRay]

Excellent test as usual! Now I want one even more🙂 I'd rather buy a non-Chinese car but this MG4 is currently without serious competition, certainly at that price, although in my country this base model is not on sale. Not everybody likes SUV's or MPV's!

[@theunknownunknowns256]

The rotary mazda's had less range than these and you couldn't top up at home, nobody complained about those. These are the ev's that will make a difference in the second hand market. Do you guys repair any ev conversions? That would be a good episode.

[@buixote]

I'd go for the eSoul, myself, but there appears to be a "media blackout" on it. Maybe Kia's stopped making it... ?

[@timaustin2000]

There are some things that I could technically live without but I'd much, much prefer not to. Heated seats and a reversing camera are two of those things, and, sadly, two of the things missing from this base spec. Otherwise I'd 100% go for the base spec,... Which is a little infuriating. But First World Problems, right?

[@garywright4233]

Has the base model got folding mirrors ????. Still enjoying our base model id.3.

[@MikeGleesonazelectrics]

Yes they fold but they're not electric.

[@Jamesandkate]

Yes.

[@yggdrasil9039]

An affordable EV is dearly wanted right now.

[@Brian-om2hh]

There are decent used ones out there if you look around. Just be sure to get the dealer to carry out a battery SOH check for peace of mind...

[@M3K31T]

more videos about this car ! :)

[@kinross24]

Why no rear centre head rest? No chance of being used as a taxi then?

[@ted149]

Wouldn’t that block the rear view mirror?

[@johnwallace2384]

You would surely need to have a large data package for your mobile if you are doing without navigation in the ev. How can you locate chargers with Android auto as car navigation normally includes charging stations.

[@colingoode3702]

MG made some odd choices when specing this car. It's very dark in the back with no rear lighting, dak headlining & not helped by no sunroof option on any UK model but available in other countries I believe. No rear wash / wipe which for a hatch or estate car in the UK in winter is essential & a deal breaker for me. Also, no rear centre seat headrest which effectively makes this a 4 seater only!! As you said no heated seats or steering wheel on any spec of EV is also a big omission. Also, why not a standard range Trophy model? Not everyone need the longer range but may want the extra kit. The MG4 is a good effort but for me it's let down by a bad choice of specs. Some initial reliability issues are a bit of a concern as well - new car teething trouble I suspect. I just wish MG would make a bigger replacement for the MG5 estate on this platform - with a dual motor option. Then I might consider replacing my 4 x 4 Skoda Superb.

[@MrBenHaynes]

No reversing camera at all? I can do without the 360 degree fancy ones, but none at all won't fly with the Missus. She even insisted getting one installed on my MX-5 when purchased in 2016!

[@robthomas7232]

Although I expect the mg4 is an impressive car for the money, from what I've been reading it sounds as if it was not quite ready for release with a few issues (Diff oil leak, sw niggles etc) which has exposed poor service from MG dealers and MG themselves. I've got no way to quantify how widespread these issues are but seeing at least one owner sell their mg4 after 4 months does not bode well. I hope they get these issues fixed as we need more lower cost EVs with decent reliability and support.

[@CastleKnight7]

No problems with mine and I’ve had great service from my dealership.

[@robthomas7232]

@@CastleKnight7 Hopefully that is the majority of owners experience.

[@bill_heywood]

Don’t base your judgment of the MG4 on online whinging, you wouldn’t buy any car if you just listened to the moaners on Facebook groups. A few early cars had too much oil in the rear diff, so people got a few spots of oil on their drive - didn’t affect the car in any way. Not sure why this would affect your buying decision. As far as software is concerned, I think all EVs have updates over time which improve things. I’ve had my MG4 a month and it is fantastic to drive, I would recommend it to anyone. If you are interested, ignore the online chaff and go for a test drive yourself

[@robthomas7232]

@@bill_heywoodI'm a 2nd hand car buyer, never bought new and probably never will. Therefore by the time I'd buy one then I'd hope most new model issues have been resolved. However if I was to buy new then my choice would be a mix of the car and how good the dealers are given I'm effectively paying for that support. Therefore poor dealer experience would put me off. Thinking about moving from and ice to and EV then even in the 2nd hand market then as EVs have longer warranties on the drivetrain then I guess the dealer experience comes into play for my future purchases as well.

[@paulbradwick8109]

Had mine since last September & no issues here either

[@carlarrowsmith]

I thought you guys were buying an MG4 when they were first released?

[@Jamesandkate]

We got an MG5 instead, the boot was too small for us.

[@nealy2815]

Good stuff

[@ytdood]

The Lane keep assist is one of the worst feature to be put on a car, I always disable it when getting in

[@thumper1747]

How long was your charging stop James?

[@Jamesandkate]

IIRC, 21 minutes

[@IDann1]

Unusual that my ‘91 Nissan had a rear view colour camera😐but not a ‘23 MG.

[@dlittlester]

Those cameras are mandatory here in Canada, even for the cheapest cars.

[@IDann1]

@@dlittlester yes, and USA too. What's in like having an EV in Canada, it's way cold ❄️ there but lots of low power sockets in the parking bays..I lived there for a few years back in the 90s

[@dlittlester]

@@IDann1 It's catching up, like most countries. Norway's cold too, but they're handling it well.

[@dlittlester]

@@IDann1 I live on Vancouver Island and we have the mildest climate in the country. EVs are everywhere around here. There are tons of retired folk like me who don't drive far, and even though it's a big island, distances are not a problem.

[@leeebbrell9]

great review, im looking to get the wife one of these

[@blhouston]

“We have a Florence.” 😂❤

[@Jamesandkate]

Great choice 👍🏼

[@Brian-om2hh]

Anyone noticed how Kate bears a resemblance to Vicky Parrot who sometimes reviews cars?

[@Jamesandkate]

I'm going to send this to her 🤣

[@subevo35]

My trophy charged to 100% today 8 degrees temperature == 190 showing nowhere near 270 claimed.on the plus side it’s like a hot hatch very nippy.lane keep assist is a royal pain in the arse and dangerous in my opinion.trophy has heated seats and steering wheel superb.real 0-60 is 7 secs dead.

[@arenjay3278]

This reminds me of that Moonlighting Show

[@CreRay]

By the way, one thing that can be a downside of using "external" navigation is that the car can't know whether you have a charging stop planned and therefore can't precondition the battery for faster charging as some EVs can, which may lead to charging rates well below what the car is capable of. I don't expect the MG's navigation to have this, but maybe the MG4 has a manual pre-heat function?

[@jtchivers]

It does have a manual pre-heat function. I just switch it on 15 minutes before I arrive at a rapid charger.

[@CreRay]

@@jtchivers good to know! Does the base model have this feature too?

[@jtchivers]

@@CreRay Yes, it's certainly on my car (the base model one Kate is driving here). 👍

[@CreRay]

@@jtchivers Thanks! It seems that at least in some respects this MG is "more advanced" than some its European competition (if it even has proper competition at all)

[@RB-lt8kt]

The "leather seats" are vegan leather or what most people call vinyl. I looked at the MG4 and a Tesla model 3 and found that both use a lot of plastic inside. I can understand MG using cheaper plastics but the Tesla steering wheel really put me off. Modern EV's should come with heated seats, heads up display and good infotainment but sadly there isn't one car that does it all. The Cupra Born feels nicer inside and built well. The MG4 is a good basic EV but I think the extra £10k (my V2 was £36,500 in June 2023) spent on a Born V2 is well worth it as you get a lot of extra options included and its a nicer place to sit just pity the Haptic buttons are annoying.

[@Brian-om2hh]

This new fangled vegan leather seems to have been Christened "pleather" by the trade.......

[@RB-lt8kt]

@@Brian-om2hh LOL funny.

[@wobby1516]

Boys will be Boys. From the guy with the “super guests loo.” 😂 he’l know what I mean.

[@Jamesandkate]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@johnwalker6736]

Amazing !

[@andrewl9020]

Can't see how an ID3 is worth £10-12K more than this. The interior quality are about the same

[@Brian-om2hh]

It's all relative. You can buy a cheapie suit for £50 or £60. But you can pay hundreds if you are so minded. But they both do exactly the same thing........ Same thing with food. You can go the fish & chips in a lay by route, or you can dine in a Michelin starred restaurant. The end result is the same, in that you aren't hungry anymore.... It's good to be able to choose. That's the good part.

[@michaelgoode9555]

On sheer spec list you might think so. We bought a 2 year old low mileage ID.3 for less than a new MG4. Here are a few of our likes with regard to the ID.3: 1: much more space and comfort in the rear 2: centre armrest. Essential for our elderly relative's comfort. 3: cabin lights in the rear. 4: third rear seat headrest. As you can see, rear seat comfort and convenience is important for us. 5: LKA: it comes on automatically BUT you can turn off the active steering which I did after a menu dive, and it stays deactivated. 6: reversing camera. 7: ability to choose to dip either the drive side or passenger side mirror to further assist reversing. Both together would have been more sensible though imo. 8: headlights: the 1st Edition headlights are simply awesome. 9: economy: we are getting 4 miles / kWh on mixed use. 10: ability to switch on/off with the button on the side of the steering column. 11: the ID light across the bottom of the screen. Still getting used to all that it does. Exceptionally useful when charging. 12: wipers: yes, we have heard people moan about them being set up for lhd but we don't find that to be an issue at all. Screen clearance is excellent and the rear screen wiper also works extremely well. 13: performance is more than adequate for us. We are not boy racers. The instant grunt is nice but we don't do the traffic light GP. 14: ride and handling is serene, quiet, unfussed and smooth but you can hussle it along if you want to without any drama. 15: excellent turning circle / reversing manoeuvrability. 16: Single touch lock/unlock. We prefer not to have the unlock on approach so have turned that off. ... And some dislikes: 1: the pathetically small glovebox 2: why no service book? 3: a silly tab of metal holding a captive nut sticking out in the underfloor area of the boot. Why? Just why? 4: Climate should be able to be turned on with a touch of the "Clima" button next to the hazard warning switch whether you have the infotainment screen active or not. 5: sun visor smaller than I would like. 6: the doorcard armrest is too low. ... HTH.

[@dlogan3099]

No middle head restraint in the back

[@marisgadeckis9429]

Switching off mg pilot problem solving. No more steering wheel push or turning

[@fire_stick]

@3:07 LFP is Lithium Ferrous Phosphate aka Lithium Iron Phosphate. Not Lithium Polymer. To be clear I know James will know this, there are many acronyms in this industry, just a slip talking from the top of his head.👍

[@Jamesandkate]

Indeed, I watched it back and gave "oh sh*t"... I was going to cut it but thought, maybe it will slip by, how wrong I was 🤔

[@djhvideo]

I don't think you can put LED bulbs in car headlights designed for halogens. MOT failure?

[@adrianlw2750]

That lane departure system default to being “on” - a result of legislation?

[@Jamesandkate]

Indeed. It needs a separate button

[@Grumpydadwithtech]

Lane assist has to come back on each trip because its part of their NCAP rating, if it was able to be turned off all the time it wouldnt meet the criteria for 5*. And tbh families take too much stuff these days,

[@chrishyde1216]

I enjoyed driving the MG4, but disliked the oppressively all black interior and a lot of road rumble. The latter points are not deal breakers for me, but they were for my wife.

[@Jamesandkate]

Happy wife happy life....

[@arenjay3278]

This is like my Chevy bolt with the 80% battery reduction while i wait for my recall.

[@kin9225]

I got a MG4 long range, I agree with you about the lack of rear camera, I just don’t trust the beepers😅

[@antoniopalmero4063]

There are simply too many EV’s to choose from nowadays .

[@Brian-om2hh]

And plenty more to come......

[@wobby1516]

We are supporting the Chinese when buying one of these, I know most things now days seem to be made in or have some elements of China in them. I just feel that the way China is behaving at the moment and their close contact with Russia I couldn’t buy one of these cars.

[@stepheng8779]

Would you get a warm fuzzy feeling buying something backed by this UK govt? Not that you'd find anything.

[@Brian-om2hh]

@@stepheng8779 Apart from a Sunderland built Nissan Leaf, that is.....or a Toyota Corolla hybrid, built in Derby.

[@michaelgoode9555]

​@@Brian-om2hhboth of which unfortunately are on borrowed time. 😔 Buy almost any car and there will be parts sourced from China. Also, western manufacturers are building factories there to produce cars primarily because that is what China wants and also because the manufacturers want to sell their products in that market. We live in a twenty first century global economy. Perhaps somebody should tell our government this ... 🤔

[@markmarco2880]

Now if it were my kid (what kind of miracle…) I’d get her shoved into frame. I like this car. [MG4] The little bobbing head is three quarters priceless, (if you’ll forgive the absolute trope). See your next-mm

[@decimal1815]

No reverse camera, no sale! Nice review though.. good to get a realistic impression of what these cars are like to own.

[@johnlaws3904]

The Looks -That's where we differ, I hate the new MG look, give me the old look anytime, if the boy racer is where the market is going I guess that is where MG and everyone else will go, it's where the motorcycle market went. I got rid of my 3.0 Jag last August but am yet to decide which EV is for me

[@honesty_-no9he]

LFP stands for LITHIUM FERRO PHOSPHATE. Nought to do with Polymer.

[@Jamesandkate]

Yeah, slip of the tongue.

[@ramblerandy2397]

This is the problem with commercially backed media. Even reporting that is aimed to be truthful will be influenced by those that back the company. As the old saying goes, "Truth will out", but not after it has sometimes taken a long and tortuous route around the path of lies and falsehoods, it seems.

[@yips_way]

Aerodynamics!

[@amwphotos]

Low down close to the floor, translates as normal car not a stupid SUV!