MG4

There are not very many models to choose from if you want an electric car in the Golf class with a large battery pack and a range of over 400 km. The MG4 is a viable option for small households.

An MG deserves a good look

After the MG car brand was acquired by the Chinese SAIC, they have been releasing new car models on the Chinese domestic market. Now they have come to Europe. I associate MG with the former gorgeous, sporty cars. They may not have been the best in the world, but they were beautiful. If you are going to continue MG in new models, one of the requirements should be that they should be beautiful. I know that it depends on the eyes that see, but I think most people would characterize the MG MG4 as a beautiful car. I like that the front is designed like an electric car - without looking like a converted petrol car. I like the roof line that extends all the way back to the tailgate. From the side, the lines are completely in line with today's trend. It makes the car seem low and sleek, although the MG4 is a couple of cm higher than today's Golf. The rear end with the roof spoiler and the taillights shaped like a rear spoiler, is a masterpiece from SAIC's design studio in London. They have also designed the sporty - and very beautiful - MG Cyberster.

MG MG4 Luxury

B-class or C-class?

I imagined that the MG4 belongs to the B class, i.e. the same car class as the Opel Corsa and Peugeot 208. In terms of size, it is rather in the Golf class. Despite the long wheelbase, the interior length of the cabin seems shorter than expected. If I were sitting behind a driver of the same height as me - 1,88 meters - I would ask if he could move the seat forward a little. The reason may be the design. It's hard to get your feet under the front seat. The luggage compartment holds 350 liters under the hat shelf and is easy to use.

Not in the premium tier

Those of us who drive cars in several price ranges find it easy to compare with the very best cars, regardless of what they cost. "Our" MG4 is a full-fledged electric car for NOK 325. The competitors are Nissan Leaf og Volkswagen ID.3. What MG delivers is fine in this company. I noted good seats in a durable fabric surrounded by artificial leather. The driver's seat could be fine-tuned in all directions, but my wife in the passenger seat found no height adjustment. The problem is that the seat cushion will be too low for most people – at least for a woman of 1,66 metres.

mg4 — Atmosphere from the cockpit. Notice the board at the bottom right where you can charge your mobile phone.

Another concern is how the air conditioning handles the Norwegian winter. Around 0 degrees, I noticed that there was fog gathering at the triangle windows at the front, which disappeared only when I switched on the defroster. The automatic air conditioning was also unable to create an even temperature of 21 degrees.

The infotainment system is easy to understand, but it takes a long time for the screens to change, which is unfortunate if you operate the screen at speed.

On the road

The MG4 sits well on the road. On road driving, it follows well through the bends without being distracted by bumps and unevenness. The chassis feels firm without being uncomfortable. The steering is precise. You feel that you are driving a bigger car, quite simply. Driving mode "Normal" works fine, but I prefer "Sport" mode which gives more resistance in the steering. When the car's "lane keeping" function intervenes to correct the steering, it seems less disruptive than when the steering is feather-light. I still chose to drive most of the time in "Normal" to get the most favorable consumption possible.

Regenerative braking

Recently referred motor.no from We car owners big winter test where the MG4 came out poorly. According to the Swedish magazine, regenerative braking had caused the rear wheels to lock and create a skid on smooth roads.

mg4 — The rear is a work of art with a roof spoiler and rear lights shaped like a rear spoiler

The regenerative brake can be set to several levels. I chose strong regeneration where you can drive with one pedal except for the final braking before coming to a complete stop. We drove alternately on dry and wet winter roads with occasional slush and snow in the road, as well as some less trafficked places with soft ice cover. On a few occasions I tried to get the rear end to drop by letting off the gas suddenly with no success. The most powerful regenerative brake is not particularly powerful either – more like average in other cars, I would say.

consumption

It is not optimal to pick up a car that has been left outside all night in 0 degrees, and drive off straight away. The consumption in the first kilometers was also a whopping 29,1 kWh/100km. The average for the day ended at 17,6. Better than expected. Stated consumption is 16,6 kWh/100km.

Tired range is 435 km measured according to WLTP combined driving. My own experience with several electric cars is that the real range is closer to 4/5 of this, i.e. 348 km. Our trip of 112 km took 32% of the net battery capacity - roughly a theoretical range of 350 km under the prevailing conditions.

Comfortable chairs. The passenger seat lacks height adjustment

MG4 will do

The two biggest advantages of the MG4 in Luxus equipment level are price and battery size. The low price is evident by the fact that some things are not in the premium category. MG4 is well suited for a young couple, or for people like us – husband and wife with children who have moved away. The size is suitable when mother does not want a car that is too big, and father does not want a mini car. A minus for many is that you cannot get a roof rack and loading hatch. This means that you have to fold down a back seat to bring ski equipment. Comfortable driver's seat, good driving characteristics, low noise level and good range make the car also suitable for long journeys. I see no problem driving this car down Europe to our French house. Should any problems arise, it is good to know that MG has brand dealers all along the way.

🙂 Good price and large battery pack
🙁 Neither roof rack nor ski hatch available.

Facts MG MG4 64KWH

Weights and Measures
External dimensions - L, W, H: 429 x 184 x 152 cm
Wheelbase: 271 cm
Net weight: 1675 kg (without driver)
Payload: 373 kg
Number of seats: 5
Max trailer weight w/brakes: 500 kg
– without brakes: 500 kg
Roof load: not possible

Drivetrain
Engine: Electric located at the rear
Power: 204 HP
Torque: 250 Nm > 0 revolutions
Gearbox: 1-speed automatic
Rear wheel drive

Performances
Top speed: 160 km/h
0-100: 7,9 seconds

Battery pack
Manufacturer: CATL
Type: Li-ion
Location: Under the door between the axles
Temperature control: Liquid-based
Total capacity: 64 kWh
Total capacity for use: 61,7 kWh
Heat exchanger

Range and consumption
WLTP: 435 km (combined)
Estimated range of our driving: 350 km (cold start, 0 degrees)
Stated consumption WLTP: 16,6 kWh/100km
Measured consumption: 17,6 kWh/100km

Cargo
Contacts: Type2 and CSS
On-board charger: 11kW
Charging time CSS, 140kW, 10-80%: 26 min.

Luggage compartment
As a five-seater: 350 litres
As a two-seater: 1165 litres

Tires
Dimension: 215/50R17 T XL
Type: Winter tires without studs
Brand: Yokohama IceGuard

Prices
Price: NOK 325 (Luxury)
Lacquer supplement: NOK 7

About the car
Place of manufacture: China
Colour: Black
Equipment level: Luxus
Leased by Rent
Owner: Drivalia Norway
Model: 2023
Mileage: 2721
Km driven: 112
Source: MGmotor.eu, Vegvesen.no

See

MG Cyberster inspired by the MGB Roadster

How we test the cars

Dacia spring — 2022 Dacia Spring. Photo: NikD51/Depositphotos.com

If the EU is to achieve its goals of increasing the proportion of emission-free vehicles, car manufacturers must focus on good cars in the A and B segments. People living in big European cities prefer small cars for 20 euros - not SUVs for more than 000.

If it goes as the EU has now finally decided, from 2035 only zero-emission vehicles will be allowed to be sold. The aim is to increase the proportion of cars with zero emissions, but there are many things that can slow down this process – also after 2035. That is why charging options for street-parked cars must be developed. Furthermore, car manufacturers must focus on electric cars in the A and B segments. Southern Europeans choose cars that are not sold in Norway, such as Dacia, Fiat Panda and Renault Twingo.

Cheap electric cars are not to be despised in Norway either. Today you can get them in stock Nissan Leaf Accenta with 39 kwh to 232 or Mazda MX-30 for NOK 219.

2023 Nissan Leaf facelift. Photo: santirf/Depositphotos.com

The Nissan Leaf is a lot of car for the money

Today's model is on its way out and will be replaced by a new model that will probably share the drivetrain with the Megane E-Tech. This may mean that the starting price of the new Nissan Leaf will be much more expensive than today. Another model that is now available for sale on the cheap is the Mazda MX-30. This model is also on its way out of the market without us knowing of any replacement.

Measures that can cut prices

The prices of batteries have increased considerably due to pressure on raw materials such as nickel, lithium and cobalt. In the long term, however, one can expect battery technology to be developed in such a way that they become cheaper to produce, and that they have increased capacity, lower weight, lower volume and lower price. The car industry can take further measures to cut costs in production. GM's new battery management system, for example, eliminates up to 90% of cables and connectors compared to other car brands. Tesla introduced a switchless dashboard in its Model 3. In the new version, the gear lever is also replaced by a touch function on the screen. Elon Musk is also supposed to have considered replacing the outside temperature sensor with a function that fetches the temperature on the Internet. Omitting switches, gear levers and perhaps computerized temperature gauges does not make the cars better - but can help create cheap cars without compromising safety, driving characteristics and range.

Dacia spring

In France, Dacia Spring is in 15th place in the number of cars sold so far this year - only beaten by the Tesla Model Y if we limit ourselves to electric cars. Dacia belongs to the Dacia-Lada division of Renault, which now no longer operates in Russia - only in Romania. The Dacia Spring electric car was first shown at the 2019 Shanghai Motor Show as Renault City K-ZE. Later it appeared as the Dacia Spring produced by D in China. The production location must be chosen to keep prices down. You can say that the Dacia Spring is designed not to cost more than 20 euros, - or to put it another way:

This is what you get for 20 euros

With a length of 3,73 metres, room for 4 and 300 liters of luggage, it ends up in the A-segment, although the tall shape with 5 doors makes the car seem larger than it actually is. The battery capacity is 27,4 kWh gross, of which 26,8 kWh is usable. That corresponds to the capacity of the electric cars most people could afford 10 years ago. It provides a range of 230 km thanks to its low weight and economical engine – 45 horsepower on a 1045 kg car. What drags the car down the most and makes the car unattractive in Norway is the lack of active temperature management of the batteries * 1) and that the model was awarded only one star in EuroNcap's crash tests.

One is tempted to say: "Close, but No Cigar".

Is hope lost for a good electric car at a low price?

Dacia Spring shows what is possible to build within 20 euros, or NOK 000. The model appeared 250 years ago. Can we expect a new model to appear in the same price range with better range, full thermal management of the batteries and collision safety on par with other models? 000 new, interesting models in the lower price range have already been announced. New Renault 5 og VW ID.2All are models that are intended to reach the "most people" in the EU. Although they are to manage it, they must have an ace up their sleeve – namely access to affordable batteries. Volkswagen plans to start production of its ID.2All in 2025 – at the same time as its own battery factory, PowerCo in Salzgitter, will start producing batteries. Renault has announced that its new model will have a new platform developed in collaboration with Nissan with batteries that are both lighter and less bulky than the current Zoe. Maybe there will be a new low-cost model from Nissan too? In 2025, Dacia has announced that there will be a brand new Spring.

Renault 5 concept in front of the stadium for the French Open 2023 (Photo: Renault)

One of the most interesting news for 2025 could therefore be the new Dacia Spring. Volkswagen and Renault can certainly build nice small cars - which in this case will end up in the B segment - but I doubt that they will manage to push the prices below NOK 300. Perhaps Dacia can, but with an upgraded safety level and battery technology, the new model may be more expensive than the current model - although the prices from the low-cost manufacturer will probably be below the competition.

Autumn's new low-cost cars

MG MG4 Standard is a reasonably modern electric car with 5 doors, 5 seats, usable range of 351 km and liquid-based temperature management of the batteries. The model received 5 stars in EuroNcap's crash tests. The MG4 is thus the most affordable electric car that has not fallen short in important areas like the Dacia Spring did. It costs from NOK 273 in Norway.

BYD Dolphin is another model that will come to Norway. It appeared as a 2022 model in China and is being introduced in the EU these days. In the most affordable version, it must be equipped with modern Blade batteries of 30,72 kwh with a range of 301 km, but can also be obtained with larger battery packs at higher prices. In terms of price, it looks like the Dolphin could end up costing about the same as the MG4. The model has not yet been crash tested by EuroNcap.

BYD Dolphin at Manila International Auto Show 2023. Photo: imwaltersy/Depositphotos

Updated: 2024 Citroen ë-C3

(20.10.2023) Stellantis Citroen has announced that next year's Citroen ë-C3 – a car with a 320 km range at €23. In 300 the ë-C2025 YOU will arrive – a car with a 3 km range at an incredible €200. Thus it looks as if Citroen could become the model that opens up the important market for cheap cars in European cities. Today's C20 YOU belongs to the B-class, but was made in a cheap model to replace the former Citroen C000.

See

Leap 3.0 could pave the way for small cars

*1) Active temperature control of the battery cells ensures that the batteries are supplied with heat in cold areas and cooling during load/fast charging in warm areas. Dacia Spring has a reservoir for coolant, but it is only used to control the temperature in the electric motor - not the batteries.

Nissan Leaf campaign
Mazda MX-30 campaign

HONEST ABOUT CARS

MG4 64 kWh will do just fine