Best value EV yet?! 2024 MG4 review (51 Excite) - Electric Car Range Test Australia
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 มิ.ย. 2024
- This is the best value EV you can buy right now.
It's the MG4, and as well as being one of the cheapest new electric cars on the market, it's very, very good!!
There are multiple versions of the MG 4 electric car available - but this review focuses on the most affordable 51 Excite version, which starts below $40K (MSRP) in Australia, and offers a lot of car and decent EV driving range for the money. There are several other models, including a top-spec Long Range 77 model, which has 530km of range (WLTP).
All versions are spacious, minimalist, decently equipped, and nice to drive. So is there anything else on the market you should choose instead of it? GWM Ora? BYD Atto 3? BYD Dolphin?? You'll have to decide...
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00:00 Intro
00:33 Is it the right price?
02:57 What are the best alternatives?
04:35 Is it the right size?
05:44 Interior
10:21 Under the bonnet
11:30 Range and charging
12:52 Driving
16:12 Efficiency
17:05 Is it safe?
17:49 Ownership
18:22 Verdict
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12:08 sorry people - I had a graphic boo-boo here.
No worries! Really solid review. Very helpful - thanks!
Thank you! A good review that lets me know what to expect next month when my MG4 arrives.
Hope you enjoy it!
Just found your utube channel Matt. Haven’t seen your content for a bit. Great review thanks. Would really appreciate a summary table of stats to help compare models variant stats on the one screen as there was some good info there.
The MG4 does have alloy wheels the wheel covers are aerodynamic and help to increase the range. in the Uk the top of the range is known as the trophy and we also have the X Power with 430 Bhp but it only comes with the 64Kwh battery but it is fun to drive. I like the minimalist interior. I have the trophy version on order and looking forward to getting it.
Thanks mate. Yep, I realise I made a boo-boo with the wheels. I just kept thinking “steelies” because I love steelies.
I can’t wait to drive the XPower!
Thanks. That clarified something I already knew but the review had me wondering. Cheers.
very importantly the base 51 Excite is LFP battery tech while all the rest are normal Lithium... this means the 51 Excite should be kept at maximum charge 100% when possible but all the rest need to be kept at 80-90%.... so I suggest the 64Kw Excite is not really a good value proposition as your only going to be able frequently use 58.6 Kw... also LFP has three times less battery degradation compared to normal Lithium batteries, so if your keeping the car long term I would advise you to consider this.... I have just purchased a MG4 51Kw for $38490 drive away (EOFY Sale) but my Wife has a model Y with the LFP battery... its done 40,000Km already in our first year of ownership and its dropped from 435 Km range to 429 Km to give you an idea of how good LFP batteries are. (we charge at home at 7Kw and hardly every supercharge the model Y). Cheers!
Great meeting you yesterday at the BYD Darlinghurst Experience Centre! Hope you had a great ride in the BYD Seal. We decided to go ahead with the MG4 instead because of the better driving experience, although the BYD interiors were fantastic
Hey Andrew! So good to hear from you mate - and glad you got the car you wanted. Super happy to hear you’ve gone for the MG4 - what spec did you choose?
@@therightcar We're deciding between the Excite 51 and the Essence 64. Probably leaning towards Excite 51 because of the value
Base spec for the win! Or the xpower which is properly quick
Look, I just found an extremism. Lol😂
MG has been promising this for EVUH! It was meant to be on sale by June and still no firm delivery date. So. I look forward to your BYD Dolphin review. Maybe over-promising and under-delivering will have a consequence! P.S. Your reviews are very well sorted. (Personable without the goofiness of you know who.) The references to other models during the review is such a great idea!
Thanks mate. Glad you’re enjoying the reviews and the format. I just wanted to be myself and offer alternatives, since no car exists in a vacuum - even Dyson decided that wasn’t a good move!
I can’t wait to drive the Dolphin. But the MG4 might well be worth the wait - I was super impressed. It’s the biggest surprise this year, I reckon.
We have the SE..SE long range and the Trophy, which is the range topper. The Trophy has 2 spoilers on the back and a big LED light bar at the back, Plus it's fully spect inside, sat nav electric seats etc. I'm getting one in the blue in March 24.
Nice! Our specs are different - but Essence and above gets dual spoilers and light bar.
Cool! Hope you love it.
Hey Matt. Can you do a review on the Kia Niro Ev please? Top spec if possible. Great reviews by the way.
Just ordered my 51 excite. cant wait. would have loved the essence but could not justify the additional 8k. thanks for the review
Hope you enjoy it! The 51 Excite is a sweety.
I’d like to see MG squeeze a space saver spare wheel under the bonnet for the Aussie market…maybe?
It would be good. But it’s more of a global design concern. I mean, I’m sure you could bodgy one into the boot somehow.
Yep, pot hole friendly
Loved the review of mg4
Would love to hear your thoughts and review on mg5 .
As soon as I can get one, you’ll be seeing the review!
Great review of a great car.
Thanks! 👍
The added headrest in the middle of the back seat seems blocking the room mirror view quite a lot. I may remove that unless I'm driving with 4 passengers.
Fair point.
Did not mention anything about the different battery chemistries in the different models... I would have loved to hear your thoughts on that. Also as the bigger battery models should not be fully charged (typically upto 80%) does it make sense to recommend the 64 excite as the sweet spot?
If I was a battery chemistry expert (I’m working on it!) I’d be happy to comment on it, but I find that EV buyers are typically more clued in to the battery tech stuff (sounds like you are) so they often know what’s what.
I’ll try and include more tech stuff - but I don’t want to exclude the “general buyer” by focusing too much on the “EV enthusiastic” person.
@@therightcar I'm a general buyer as well doing my due diligence before I make the jump to EVs. As with most tech stuff, I've realised bigger battery is not always better (think phones). What is the max you can safely charge (depending on chemistry) and motor efficiency are some things that directly affect range and the back pocket. Just my 2 cents on things that you may need to focus on especially since you're doing a fair few EV reviews. Cheers!
Would be possible to ask for for information on road and wind noise please ,what was your opinion on those two fronts .
Thankyou
They were both evident but not evil. I thought it was pretty good. As I wrote in my piece for CarExpert: There’s a bit of road noise to contend with on the highway, especially on coarse-chip roads, but the drive is so sweet in so many other ways that it wouldn’t be a deal-breaker.
Actually it does have alloy wheels! They are underneath the aero covers and they do look okay (though not as nice as Tesla wheels look under the aero covers)
Yep. I realise I stuffed up!
Great info thank you. Do you have any idea how much regenerative breaking puts back into the battery. I know, so many variables, but there must be a range figure. Eg. for different modes and/or city/rural driving? Any ideas?
Half of naff all. It's just marketing hype.
You are not wearing the brakes out, that is the big win..
@@clives4501not marketing hype, try a car with one pedal driving including the MG4 & you will realise what a great feature it is. Once you get used to it you will love the ability to drive by just modulating the throttle & only needing to touch the brake in emergency situations. It makes you a much smoother driver.
@stevencooper2339 What you are describing could equally apply to an ICE car, don't you think?
@@clives4501 can you name an ICE car that you can come to a complete stop hold at traffic lights & take off again just by using the throttle? If you haven't actually experienced it I suggest you do a test drive of an EV with one pedal driving & you will understand what a great feature it is.
MG4/64 Just had a major software update done by the dealer. It has made the car far more driveable. Car only 3 weeks old.
Great car to drive. Very solid on the road.
Nice one mate! Glad you like it.
Did they call you for the update done back to the workshop?
Might look at picking up one of these to drive around until the Tesla Model 2 comes out lol
Found that all the charging details shown on the screen are the same across the range
That was an editing mistake on my part. I said the write thing but illustrated it incorrectly!! 12:08 should say AC 6.6kW for 51 Excite, 64 Excite and Essence.
I like the exterior design of MG4. I have a BYD Atto 3, in terms of technology (electric motor, battery) BYD is better. But MG has its own service team in Australia. BYD needs to push Evdirect to improve their service.
You're the fourth person I've heard say this in recent times. It must be frustrating.
Looking for the Xpower model then its arrive in denmark. But Do you know if the Xpower are able to have Tow Hook, i have a house and garden wast, so i need a car with option for a small trailer.
I’ve seen it reported that there’s a 500kg towing capacity for “all MG4 models”. So hopefully that’s suitable!
Ordered me the same version in UK ❤
Interesting, but I'm more interested in the BYD Seal, which will apparently be released in the next few months (around August 2023) in Australia. Will wait until you get your hands on one to see what you think of it!
Thanks! Interesting, hopefully that's the case, and I look forward to sharing my thoughts on it in due course!
MG4 for 51 Excite only. Any higher spec you’d be better off with BYD Dolphin Premium or even Atto 3.
Is it the price that’s making you say that? Or the general feel of what you’re getting?
@@therightcar It’s the price. To get same spec as Dolphin Premium or Atto 3 ER, such as 150kw motor, 360-degree camera, alloy wheels, 2 tone roof, automatic climate control, wireless phone charging, PU seat cover, electrical adjustable seats, build-in Sat Nav etc, you suddenly look at Essence 64.
And compare to Dolphin Premium or Atto 3 Extended range (3k more for a bigger SUV), Essence 64 still doesn’t have heat pump, heated front seat, tinted rear windows and windscreen, rear wiper, panoramic glass roof w/ sunshade (this is an subjective spec) etc. Btw Dolphin Premium and Atto 3 Extend Range are not slower than MG 4 Essence 64, and with LFP blade battery, you can always charge to 100%. And with heat pump, better battery conditioning in winter. Yes MG4 is a RWD but how many drivers in the target consumer base can actually feel the difference of FWD and RWD, and can RWD alone offset the rest of disadvantages?
I think there is a reason why MG 4 (Mulan) sales are over shadowed by Dolphin and Atto 3 (Yuan Plus) in China by a very large margin. I really like MG 4’s design, the drive experience at least according to reviews, and pricing of the Excite 51, but the rest of current MG 4 models in Australia are just not competitive against BYD’s counterpart offering in my opinion.
It will be interesting with the premium Dolphin as it's only got 205 tyres so with all the power and torque it will spin a lot in the wet. But yeah the Dolphin has many extras that even the Essence MG4 lacks, and in my opinion a nicer interior, I was lucky enough to see a demo here in Christchurch a month ago and I liked the dark grey interior with a glass roof rear interior lights flat floor when rear seats are folded as well as lots of space under the rear boot, probably enough for a space saver spare wheel. The MG4 from what I have read and seen has a very poor quality sound system. The big negative of the Dolphin is no crash test rating so it's a risk to buy the car without knowing if it will achieve a 5 star. Both the Atto 3 and MG4 must of been very close to getting a 4 star rating as they both had low scores on some of the important areas, MG4 only got 83% for adult occupant protection, while the Atto 3 got a low 69% in vulnerable road users and just 74% in safety assist.
@@chasingexcellence6646 Do you really need heated seats in Australia through
@@TOTN17 YES!! In regions such as Canberra, Victoria, certain parts of NSW, or Tasmania, morning temperature in winter can be very low, and all windows are frosted, and that’s time when not only heated seat but also remotely turned on air conditioning before passengers enter, can help. Can we do away without them? Sure, just wear more clothing and/or tell kid(s) to stop complaining (joking). But having these features give weighting on overall purchase decision don’t they?
Drives well because dynamics were tuned in the UK - wonder if MG looked at an Aussie tune (like Kia) whether it would change significantly (if at all)
I would hope they wouldn’t. It’s pretty lovely as is, so there’s no need to change it, I reckon.
Not really. It drives well because its RWD.
@@therightcar how about tyres?
I’ve got a Camden Grey Essence on order.🔋⚡️🔌
Good one!
You said the Essence model has heated seats and steering wheel. That is incorrect from all the information i've seen so far those features arent available in the Australian MG4 range.
The information I was given by MG states that Essence has those items. Soooo either you're wrong, or MG is wrong...
@therightcar let's hope I am wrong !
That protruding console in the centre of dashboard is scary thing when the car has collision
If that’s what you’re scared of most,
I think you need to get out more.
LFP or Cobalt batteries?
The gear control dial is on the wrong side for this market Matt. Was it annoying to operate? Also did you note where the USB-C etc is actually located in the front?Good luck plugging in your leads for those. Also there’s only one plug in the back too. Yes this so called cup holders would be bloody annoying! Still this MG is looking pretty good in the EV sector. On the BYD Dolphin I saw a recent report/review where it takes over 12 seconds from 0-100kph. I could cook a roast in that time!🍖🤣
I didn't have any issues with the gear dial mate. And yep, noted the placement of the USB-C! I didn't see a rear USB port though, not in the car I drove...
Wow, everything must have been against the Dolphin to be that slow!!
That's only the base model Dolphin, the long range model has the same motor and performance as the Atto 3, so 0-100kph in just 7 seconds. We have a demo Dolphin in NZ and it has a much nicer interior at least with the dark grey version.
@@gregb1599 Yeah but it’s gonna be a lot dearer than this so called MG Excite.
@andrewd7586 Yet, but it's also got a full list of safety equipment that the Excite lacks. The Excite lacks blind spot monitoring and rear traffic alert, along with no heated seats and a number of other missing features. Also, the Dolphin motor is 150kw with 310nm vs. the MG4 150kw 250nm
@andrewd7586 And you're wrong the Excite is the same price as the Dolphin premium or $46,700 the MG4 Essence or $49,700
Would this be good for commuting long distances?
How long? There is a long range one but EVs typically do better work in stop start driving because they can use their regen brakes more.
4:10 Why did you leave out the MG ZS EV?
I don’t think it’s as good. I mean, it’s fine and if you want an SUV, sure. But I was aiming more at the lower cost, hatch-like options.
The base model ZS is about to be discontinued, it is also based on an ICE platform so it is really yesterday's technology, even though as an SUV it might have advantages for some people.
No mention of the lack of a rear window wiper...
It wasn’t an issue for me
it has one if you buy a new car now.
Good EV chariot, however bottom of the range has, at least on here, real poverty pack feel.
Don't have range anxiety and middle model, and hopefully upgraded interior comes with the xtra pesos.
Does the excite 51 have heated seats. Guess now that I'm an old fart, I really like them, and I cant find anything on the Aussie list of specs.
Thanks mate - can confirm based on the info I have, that Essence has heated front seats and heated steering wheel, but Excite grade misses out.
Even I'm happy to buy this Excite 51 which have the same rear multi-link suspension as the... Long Range 77. However if I really do wanna go higher up, a Essence 64 is the sweet spot - not worth going for Excite 64 as the Essence have far more goodies.
In short just go either Excite 51 or Essence 64.
BYD Dolphin... either put up with rear torsion beam or go for long range model. Mind you Excite 51 is obviously a better choice over the base Dolphin - few hundred dollars more you'll get a much better rear suspension. Independent suspensions CANNOT BE beaten!
As for SUVs BYD Atto 3 is the one to go for over MG ZS EV.
Yep, Essence 64 would be my pick.
I've got a MG4 XPower review coming soon, too...
@@therightcar Agree. I've checked the price tag of the XPower which means it can also be the sweet spot but with a sacrifice.
straight to the rental market this car will be for.
Excellent. This means that in 3yrs time, they will be resold to the public. Cheap used evs.
You reckon? I mean, if Hertz can bomb $80K a car on Polestars...
@@therightcar yep, i remember when one of the car rentals companies had a fleet of VF SSV redlines to hire.!
🇯🇵 🇰🇷 compact ICE and HEV cars are finished.
😂
Goon
10k buys a LOT of fuel. Use your brain.
@@mattyoz0 Corollas are shit. They gave me one for a loan car when I took my RAV4 hybrid for service.
What planet are you living on? Do yourself a favour & go watch John Cadogen’s (Auto Expert) take on this model, just released today & EV’s in general. Real world assessment.
are you sure the wheels are steel.. MG website states they are alloy...
yeh he stuffed it up. he's thinking of the 16 inch wheels which aren't offered here. They're ugly looking 17" alloys under the ok looking covers
Yeah I stuffed up. I mean to say "wheels" not "steel" wheels.
Interesting addition to the electric car market, a good review as always, can you grab Richard Berry to your channel as well
Ha! Thanks for the comment. And I’m sure Richard would love to….!
Test drove the MG4 & it does have one pedal driving mode
It may have been added since this review, as the car I drove wasn’t specifically an Australian final-spec car.
it does now, it never used to.
Does every model have the same battery chemistry?
No. The base model is LFP and the higher ones are NMC.
@@glennpulford4860 I though as much...this seems like an even better buy for the base model as it's able to be recharged and discharged deeper and more regularly.... Also less fire risk.
@@grantbuttenshaw the problem is when I went to the dealer to put a deposit down on the 51 Excite, then ended up ordering the 64 Essence with all the kit… It’s all swings and roundabouts!
@@glennpulford4860 yeah...how much was it?
@@grantbuttenshaw I’ve ordered from a dealer I’d previously worked for. It should work out around $49k OTR as I get free rego and no stamp duty in the ACT. Plus the sales manager said he’s going to look after me on delivery/PD costs.
Model 3 might hit 55k price range and at that point it's a no brainer.
It would be a huge moment if Model 3 drops down there.
They're wheel covers on alloy wheels, not steel.
I know. I stuffed up. I love steel wheels so that was what I said. I didn’t realise until after I uploaded that I’d said steel not alloy! My baaaaaaad
@@therightcar Ah, no big deal. Not everyone can be perfect like me. ;)
Good review, Matt, but still not an EV convert. They are getting closer but no spare is # 1 negative. . Many ICE vehicles for half what these cost and fuel is still the cheapest part of owning a vehicle.
I guess you could just strap a spare on the roof, Safari Rally style? Would look cool. Would be bad for aero.
I'm sure the range or efficiency of this or any EV wouldn't suffer from a 10 kg spare tyre. I wouldn't like sitting on the roadside with a flat tyre the tyre inflation kit supplied means the tyre is a throwaway.
The upcoming Dolphin has a lot of space under the boot, would easily fit a space saver, and it's got a flat floor when seats folded
@@gregb1599Blue sky optimism. I like that.
what about battery caused fires?
What about petrol caused fires?
Why are all manufacturers fitting these screens to cars
Now days
Seems it’s a faf just to do basic things like adjusting heating
It’s cheap. Much cheaper to do a screen and software upgrades rather than stockpile millions of buttons and knobs.
I would like to see review over a few hundred K's with 2+ people onboard with 30KG luggage added. The we can really see what sort of mileage it achieves
It won't get 350km if you're doing highway driving and there are uphill sections.
Have a look at the UK reviews
13:38 Eastwood!
Bingo!
I wonder why there are no long-term (reliability) reviews on Chinese cars... that's a head scratcher...
Personally, I would never buy a Chinese made car. They are currently dumping cars into Australia at low prices because of their slowing domestic economy. Many of these cars find their way to the car rental market or are purchased on a 3-5 year lease so they don't care about long term.
For me; made in Japan, South Korea or Czech Republic.
@@Richard-sl8we I see. MG is running an aggressive marketing campaign here in Europe, too, but very few people trust them - They are not rich enough to buy cheap stuff😁
You reckon I should buy one and put it through the wringer??
@@therightcar He is talking long term reliability test. The emphasis on long term!
@@petejay1409 Some people in the UK still believe that MG is British!
I rather push my Austin MG Metro the cheap and cheerful Mini than to hop in an MG4 the ironic yet old fashioned RWD family car as pricey electric hatchback.
I'll wait til they drop below $29990 driveaway.
You're going to be waiting a while, chief.
how much were you paid?
Not paid a cent. The car is bloody good.
They’re all alloys underneath
what about the chtonic oil leak problem ?
What’s chtonic oil? 😚
it affected the very first batch of cars... none since. it certainly wasn't a "chronic" problem
According to MG Au all MG 4 comes with alloy wheels.
Yes, I made a mistake. They’re not steel. They’re alloy under the covers.
Given the recent history of mg vehicles, I am not ready to buy the brand. Rather spend more on a Tesla.
Tbh I hate teslas but this thing is okay for the price man the looks looks dated for a new ev
You reckon? I like the look… kinda.
@@therightcar i don't mind the look any car is better then overhyped teslas
Steel wheels? Are these people living in the 1960's? No front parking sensors, no rear-view reversing camera. Sorry mate, too el-Cheapo
Not steel, they’re alloy - that was my bad.
It does have a reversing camera.
530 km range is considered "huge". It's a huge disappointment.
530km from a 4.3m long hatchback is bloody impressive.
@@therightcar Not sure what the length of the vehicle has got to do with it. Care to explain? And how about with the a/c on full blast or at night with the lights and heater on. Or how about a bit of light trailer towing?
"Bloody impressive" when compared to an electric gopher (we'll all end up with one sooner or later), perhaps. If we don't suffer from myocarditis in the meantime. Compared to a modern and fuel efficient ICE, perhaps not so bloody impressive.
I don't get it. We're being forced into inferior, tech at a greater price. What is the point?
PS - another ev cargo carrier destined for the bottom of the ocean. Thermal runaways are a thing. Not "safe or effective" - just like another of the WEF con jobs. Nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more.
Cheap Chinese car for $40k to $60k . I would be buying a Toyota hybrid if I was ever considering anything sensible EVish.
Okay!
Every new vehicle should have all safer features like blind spot and rear traffic alert as standard. Ev s are still a scam and over priced in regards to build cost but that will balance out eventually
Wow, EVs are a scam? You serious??
@@therightcar . In regards to asking price at the minute.
Still far too expensive. Until they can get down towards the prices of small and mid-size turbo diesels, they will never be cost effective. It will take 15-20 years to save the capital cost.
Affordable 'Woke Points' to impress your friends .. Cheers ..
Where can I cash mine in? I have an abundance.
Did they tried to whether this car explode upon impact? This is a Chinese car dressed in UK clothing…
I’m not sure what you’re asking.
this is NOT better than a Nissan Leaf
it is a LEMON that falls apart after 2 months from a company who is as bad as the worst Chinese sellers on ebay for been rubbish at customer service and support
Have you got proof of this?
that red owm something car is the most hideous thing i have ever seen in my life. I wish these EVs stuff dont go that directions in the future. disgusting
You mean the GWM Ora?
It's not for everyone. I personally like it over the Atto 3 or Dolphin. We are considering our next car and this MG4 is up there. We already have an EV so the next car is either hybrid or full EV... Not sure we would go backwards with an ICE.
530 km range is considered "huge". It's a huge disappointment.