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MG4
Owner Verdict · Small electric hatch

MG4

One reviewer drives a car for a week. We read what owners and long-term testers say after living with it, in Australia and the UK.

Owner Verdict score
Great to drive for the price. Software and dealer aftercare drag it down.

Editorial score from 4 owner and expert sources (how we score). Not a statistical average. October 2026. Covers the 2023–26 MG4 and the new MG4 Urban long-term test; experiences vary a lot by dealer.

Score breakdown

Value for money8.5
One of the cheapest decent EVs on sale
Efficiency8.5
About 13–14 kWh/100 km in a six-month UK test
Driving feel8.0
Smooth, responsive, easy to park
Space7.5
Roomy rear and a big boot for the class (Urban)
Build quality5.5
Rattles, thin panels, display delamination reports
Software & infotainment5.0
Settings not saved, touchscreen glitches, app problems
Driver assist5.0
Phantom braking and pushy lane keeping reported
After-sales service5.0
The most common complaint, but some dealers praised

What owners love

Fun and easy to driveSmooth, quiet and nimble around town.
Cheap to runEspecially with solar; a Darwin owner paid $240 for the first service.
EfficientA UK tester met or beat the official range.
PracticalGood rear space and boot for the price.
Range holds up in heatA Darwin owner saw no battery decline after two years.

What owners complain about

Dealer aftercareLong waits, repeat repairs, slow head-office responses.
Software bugsSettings reset each drive, CarPlay and app dropouts, update errors.
Phantom braking and lane keepingUnexpected braking and wheel-tugging; some turn aids off each drive.
Cheap-feeling cabinRattles within a few thousand km; thin-sounding panels.
Heater weaknessSome owners report cold air from the heater.

Real range vs the brochure

Excite 51 (51 kWh). Claimed WLTP range is 350 km.

Claimed (WLTP)
350 km
100%
Darwin owner, 2 years
400 km
114%

A single owner's reported figure, above the claim; treat as one data point. A UK long-term MG4 Urban Long Range test averaged about 13.8 kWh/100 km and matched its 415 km official range.

Known issues & fixes

Phantom braking (adaptive cruise and lane keep)High
Sometimes

Dealer software updates (and a damper on XPower) improved it for one owner.

Settings and road-sign recognition not savedLow
Common

Re-set each drive; awaiting software fixes.

Infotainment, CarPlay and app dropoutsLow
Common

Updates; some use FM instead of DAB.

Heater blowing coldMedium
Sometimes

Dealer diagnosis under warranty.

Interior rattles, display delaminationLow
Sometimes

Warranty repair.

Rear undertray warpingLow
Isolated

MG maintenance release exists; dealer initially blamed the owner.

Car keeps systems running until lockedLow
Design

Lock it; one session used 17% of the battery in five hours.

Owners in their own lives

Summarised in our words from the reports listed below.

Darwin, NT · 2 years

Excite 51 owner. About 400 km real range, no battery decline in the heat, $240 first service, no faults.

Queensland · ongoing faults

Dealer said the faults were "inherent to the model"; owner sent a formal letter of demand.

Redcliffe, QLD · brand new

Driver-assist interference and braking concerns from handover; asking for a refund.

Western Australia · XPower

Phantom braking two weeks after delivery; dealer fix made lane keep better but not perfect.

UK long-term test · 11,000 km

Exceptional efficiency and family space; overbearing alerts and early rattles.

What it costs to drive 100 km

Using the MG4 Urban Extended Range's estimated energy use (battery ÷ WLTP range) of 13.3 kWh/100 km and today's Melbourne prices.

Home, standard rateiSource: Essential Services Commission – Victorian Default Offer 2026–27 (flat rates 26–32c/kWh across Melbourne networks) · checked 31 Oct 2026$3.72per 100 km at 28c/kWh
Home, overnight off-peakiSource: Essential Services Commission – Victorian Default Offer 2026–27 time-of-use off-peak (9pm–11am, 21–23c/kWh) · checked 31 Oct 2026$2.93per 100 km at 22c/kWh
Public fast chargeriSource: Canberra Times – cost of fast charging (Chargefox, Evie, NRMA, Tesla, BP Pulse: 59–79c/kWh, July 2026) · checked 31 Oct 2026$9.98per 100 km at 75c/kWh

Compared with petrol, hybrid and diesel

MG MG4 · home chargingElectric · charged at home
$3.72
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (2WD)Hybrid SUV · 4.5 L/100 kmiSource: CarsGuide – 2026 RAV4 hybrid official fuel use
$10.71
Mazda CX-5 G25Petrol SUV · 7.4 L/100 kmiSource: Cars24 – 2026 Mazda CX-5 price and specs
$17.60
Toyota HiLux SR5 2.8 dieselDiesel ute · 7.2 L/100 kmiSource: CarExpert – 2026 HiLux SR5 price and specs
$20.15

Your yearly fuel bill

This EV$559
Petrol SUV$2,641
Hybrid SUV$1,606
You save vs petrol$2,082$10,410 over 5 years

Electricity: Victorian Default Offer 2026–27iSource: Essential Services Commission – Victorian Default Offer 2026–27 (flat rates 26–32c/kWh across Melbourne networks) · checked 31 Oct 2026. Public charging: typical network pricesiSource: Canberra Times – cost of fast charging (Chargefox, Evie, NRMA, Tesla, BP Pulse: 59–79c/kWh, July 2026) · checked 31 Oct 2026. Fuel: Melbourne median prices, 29 Oct 2026iSource: FuelCrisis.com.au – Greater Melbourne median unleaded 91, 29 Oct 2026 · checked 31 Oct 2026. Energy and fuel use are official laboratory figures (WLTP for EVs, ADR 81/02 for petrol, hybrid and diesel). Real-world use is usually higher for every car, and EVs also lose a little energy while charging. Solar or an EV electricity plan can cost much less. Checked 31 Oct 2026.

Buy it if…

  • You want the cheapest fun EV to drive
  • Most trips are short or suburban
  • You have a well-reviewed MG dealer nearby
  • Efficiency matters more than cabin finish

Sources (4)

Every claim on this page comes from these reports. AI-assisted research, checked by a human editor. We don't accept payment for verdicts.
  1. ProductReview.com.au – MG4 owner reviews (3.2/5, 15 reviews)
  2. MGEVs forum – Western Australian MG4 owners
  3. MGEVs forum – Which? survey and owner faults
  4. Auto Express – MG4 Urban long-term test

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