Electric Car Awards 2023: Best electric family car
With electrified cars now coming in all shapes and sizes – and available to suit every budget – we’ve named the best models in every class. Here we look at the best electric family car...
If you buy the cheapest coffee machine on Amazon, you don’t expect it to make coffee anywhere near as well as an expensive barista set-up. After all, it’s usually true that you get what you pay for. The thing is, no one told MG.
In fact, when you compare the MG4’s price tag with those of similar-sized rivals such as the Cupra Born, Renault Megane E-Tech and Volkswagen ID 3, you might think there’s been some kind of mistake, because it undercuts each of them by around £10,000.
If you want a saving that big, you have to go for the entry-level SE, but that’s our favourite version. Its 50.8kWh (usable) battery means an official range of 218 miles – not as far as those rivals but enough for most buyers’ needs. If you need a longer range, the top-spec Extended Range model can officially do 323 miles and still undercuts most peers on price.
So, the compromises must come with how the MG4 drives, surely? Well, not really. In a straight line, it’ll cover 0-62mph in 7.5sec, which is quicker than the ID 3, and while it isn’t quite as engaging as the firmer Born on a country road, its suspension does a fair job of minimising body lean.
It rides well, too. Yes, the Born has a little more finesse, but the MG4 is comfy on a long drive, with the suspension rounding off potholes and smoothing out most imperfections, without floating unpleasantly over undulations.
The MG4’s sleekly minimalist interior has plenty of showroom appeal, and the quality of its materials is better than you might expect at the price. In fact, the squishy materials atop the dashboard are a match for those in the ID 3. The MG4 matches the latter when it comes to interior space, too; anyone six feet tall will have more than enough room in the front and rear seats.
Remarkably, the miserly price tag hasn’t forced MG to skimp on standard equipment. This entry-level version has automatic LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors and even vehicle-to-load charging (V2L). That means you can use the car’s battery to power most things that have a three-pin plug.
Speaking of plugging in, the MG4 is respectably quick to charge, too; at its maximum rate of 117kW, the SE can go from 10-80% in around 39 minutes when using a suitably powerful public charger.
As coffee makers go, the MG4 may be no Gaggia, but it certainly knows how to serve up a tasty brew at a very refreshing price.
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