Nearly two years ago, I drove the MG4 EV, which at the time, I found to be a hugely compelling and attractive budget electric car. As an entry-level EV, it offered a lot of ‘car’ for the money, with respectable range, do-it-all practicality, it’s super easy to live with, very nice to drive, and crucially, the MG4 EV was a lot cheaper than most of its rivals. Yet, if there’s one thing one could possibly ask for a bit more of from the MG4 EV, it’d likely be a tad more excitement. It was decently speedy and exciting for what it was, but a bit more spice under the hood never hurt anyone, no?
Well, years later, MG has answered the call with the new MG4 XPOWER, which is currently the most powerful production car in MG’s line-up. It looks and feels almost the same as the regular MG4, but where it really sets itself apart from the bog-standard MG4 is the XPOWER’s inclusion of dual electric motors. With sports-car-like horsepower and torque, and a lot of fine-tuning with the suspension, steering, and braking systems, the MG4 XPOWER is by far one of the best performance EVs you can get for the mid-£30,000 price bracket. Yet, for that comparatively attainable price, what’s the catch?
What Is The MG4 EV XPOWER About?
Looks-wise, the XPOWER model isn’t too different from the regular MG4, which is a bit of a shame, because, for nearly £10,000 more than the base-tier MG4 EV, you’d surely want something more to help differentiate them apart a bit more, right? Nonetheless, there are some notable, yet subtle design elements to tell you that you’ve spent the extra on the XPOWER trim. Most noteworthy are the bright orange brake callipers and the ‘XPOWER’ badging on them. Although, the shock value is only as long-lasting until you realise that it’s just a cover, and underneath them, the actual callipers themselves are only modestly sized.
One other aesthetic choice that sets the MG4 XPOWER apart is the abundance of gloss black trim around the outside, broken up by striped silver decals to help give it a bit more sportiness. Elsewhere, the rest of it is the same as the normal MG4 that I drove a while back, with that familiar, sharpish light signature front to back, and the floating roof design. Granted, in some angles, the MG4 does appear rather slab-sided. Still, if you do want to show off that you have the costlier MG4 XPOWER, there is a new Racing Green colour that’s exclusive to the flagship XPOWER model.
Nonetheless, whether or not you’re a fan of the styling or not, you can’t argue that just like the regular MG4, the MG4 XPOWER is pretty out there in terms of styling. It’s no doubt one of the more unique-looking EVs (or pretty much any other car, really) that I’ve seen on the road today. It’s pretty sharp, aggressive, and sporty, so at least it does help you stand out. If you look closely, you might also notice a good amount of aerodynamics here, too. There’s a huge twin-split rear roof spoiler to aid with lowering the MG4 XPOWER’s drag coefficient, working in tandem with a gargantuan rear diffuser. And, there’s even an active aero element on the front to manage cooling the battery pack underneath.
Down below, the 18-inch wheels have a diamond-cut look to them, which works to complement the plethora of black contrasting brightwork on the exterior, as part of this top-of-the-range XPOWER variant. I am equally a big fan of the MG4’s size as well, as I do find it comfortably sized for UK and European roads. Although, as I’ll discuss more later, these compact dimensions don’t compromise the interior space. And while we’re here, one other design element you’ll notice is that, unlike the pre-facelift MG4s, this one actually comes with a rear windshield wiper.
How Does It Drive?
Underneath, the new MG4 XPOWER packs a dual-motor powertrain that kicks like a mule if you’re not responsible, cranking out an impressive 435PS and 600Nm of torque. With a stretch of road long enough, you’ll be able to reach 0-62mph in just 3.8 seconds, and onto a top speed of 124mph. On paper, it’s fast, but on tarmac, it feels even more blisteringly quick, no doubt aided by those grippy Bridgestone Turanza tyres and the instantaneous torque of two electric motors.
Launching the MG4 XPOWER from a standstill, no matter the road surface – dry, damp, or wet – acceleration and traction are pretty awesome. Moreover, those dual electric motors, with all-wheel drive capability, do a fantastic job of providing that all-season capability and peace of mind when the winter season hits. As attainable and as approachable as the MG4 XPOWER is, you’d be shocked at just how many sports cars and even dare I say it… even matching supercars you’ll be able to embarrass when you’re sprinting off the line.
One interesting thing to bear in mind is that the regular MG4 EV that I drove a while back has a single rear motor that’s rear-mounted. Now, in my opinion, even though that model is technically a fair bit slower, being rear-wheel drive does make it, subjectively, more fun to drive. While it’s certainly no sports car, it does give you a bit of that rear-driven, rubber-burning, and agile nature of sporty RWD cars. Even at slower speeds, that entry-level MG4 is actually a lot of fun to drive. So, you could make the argument that you don’t need to opt for this pricier XPOWER model.
With that in mind, having those dual motors and AWD here with the MG4 XPOWER, though it might not feel as fun, it’s 100% a much faster vehicle, regardless of the condition. Of the 320kW of power sent to the two motors, it is slightly more rear-biased. So, that’s 150kW to the front axles and 170kW to the rear axles. Therefore, I’d still probably pick the XPOWER (though it’s a pretty close battle), even if it could hurt your face and it may even give you a headache after too many launches, with just how brutal the acceleration is.
It really is quite surprising just how fast and sporty this seemingly innocent-looking commuter car is once you give it the beans. As such, if you’ve never driven EVs before, the MG4 XPOWER might even have enough thrills and driving dynamics to encourage you to make that switch. MG even throws in a ‘Dynamic Cornering Control System’ for the XPOWER model, which pairs a locking differential and intelligent motor control system to give you torque vectoring between all four wheels. Likewise, those uprated ventilated brake discs stop you rather quickly too, so that ought to help if you’re going a bit too fast.
Aside from that, in day-to-day driving or commuting on the highway, once you take a load off the accelerator pedal, the MG4 XPOWER is a very comfortable, easy-going, and quiet car. The suspension copes well with our bumpy UK roads, which is a plus. Still, if you do find yourself on a nicer stretch of tarmac, MG did make a lot of changes to the suspension of the new MG4 XPOWER, like recalibrating the dampers and springs, as well as adding a set of stiffer anti-roll bars. In so doing, the suspension on the XPOWER model is roughly 25% stiffer, though, in practice, it does feel poised and lithe, working alongside this now-sharper and more responsive steering rack.
What Is it Like Inside?
Stepping inside, the MG4 XPOWER is a very nice place to spend time in. Given that it’s a sportier model, you’re greeted with reasonably sporty bucket seats, which despite the lack of adjustable lumbar support, feel really comfortable and supportive. Similarly, just like the rest of the cabin, there’s a generous mixture of leather and (a lot of) real Alcantara, which does elevate the premium-ness of the cabin just that tiny bit more. While the exterior design of the MG4 XPOWER might prove divisive for some people, from my point of view, there’s really nothing to not like about the cabin.
In here, it’s very tidy, minimalist, and it’s laid out logically, with a two-spoke steering wheel that looks odd, but feels nice to grip onto, in addition to a decent mixture of analogue switchgear and touch controls. Another handy touch is the addition of custom shortcut buttons on the steering wheel, which you can set them to very quickly activate specific functions, such as rapidly changing between drive modes or altering the regenerative braking strength. Just as impressed as I am with the build quality and use of materials in the MG4 XPOWER, its packaging is one area where the MG4 XPOWER does an equally fantastic job.
And sitting inside, it does feel rather airy and open, with a lot of space around you. In particular, the lack of a transmission tunnel really did let me move my knees and legs more freely, too. Additionally, there’s the subject of the two screens in the MG4 XPOWER, a 7-inch fully digital gauge cluster, and a 10.25-inch infotainment system. Starting with the gauge cluster, it’s very legible and it offers a good bit of customisability, with separate zones for data readouts. Here, the right-most zone is where you could swap between checking in on your multimedia controls, looking at your tyre pressures, trip information, and so on.
The Experience
There’s even a tiny meter on the gauges to grade you on just how economically you’ve been driving. Meanwhile, the infotainment system is equally very intuitive and super easy to use, and there’s a lot that you can do here, like taking a look at your battery charge status or using the built-in satnav. But, you could of course plug your phone in to get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Uniquely, this XPOWER model gives you additional readouts for more performance-specific data, like a live lap timer and a G-Force meter. Besides that, the XPOWER model further adds a wireless charging pad for your phone, and the included sound system is quite good.
From a practicality side, moving further in the back, the MG4 XPOWER gives your rear-most passengers handy little pockets behind the front seats to chuck your phone into, with a bunch more tiny storage solutions to keep things from getting messy. With my driving position, there’s a decent bit of headroom, legroom, and knee room as well, particularly for the size of the car. Elsewhere, the rear seats feature the same mixture of Alcantara and leather as we saw in the front so that poshness does carry through to the back. And, if you need to stuff things in the back, the cargo capacity of the MG4 XPOWER isn’t superb, but it’s more than sufficient enough.
As for the EV side of things, the MG4 XPOWER has a 64kWh battery pack (though only around 61.8kWh of that is usable). With a maximum charge rate of 140kW, if you do find yourself plugging in the MG4 XPOWER into a 150kW DC rapid charger, a 10% to 80% charge will take you around 30+ minutes to fill up the battery. However, most people tend to slowly trickle charge their EVs overnight, ensuring that they have a full battery whenever they drive off in the morning. If you do that, and use a conventional 7kW AC charger, you’ll be able to top up the battery from nearly dead to 100% in over or around 5 hours. The MG4 XPOWER’s range isn’t too terrific, at around 239 miles, but it’s good enough for most folks unless you’re doing very long road trips often.
MG4 EV XPOWER Cost
If you’re thinking that MG’s cheaper point-of-entry for the MG4 XPOWER costs you in terms of how much you get for safety systems and driver aids, you’re deadly wrong. In fact, MG throws in quite a bit for what you’re paying. The best features that I’ve found while driving the MG4 XPOWER were the 360-degree surround-view camera system, as well as the adaptive high-beam assist. Speaking of, if you live somewhere that’s devoid of streetlights, you’ll be glad to know that the headlights on the MG4 are pretty bright, so it does illuminate the road ahead really well.
Then, there’s the adaptive cruise control system, which also works really well. Granted, I do think a couple more software updates might help smoothen it out a bit more, given that at times, the cruise control could feel a tad jerky and clumsy, particularly when trying to navigate traffic. As standard, as I noted earlier, MG includes a lot of driver assistance features and systems, such as blind-spot detection, lane-change assist, rear-cross traffic alerts, and a door-opening warning. Moreover, you get automated emergency braking, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, and driver attention alert, among many others.
The MG4 XPOWER, as with the higher-end trims of the MG4, does tack on a few more additional ADAS systems than the entry-level models, so do take note. All in all, for the price and what it offers in return, the new MG4 XPOWER is very, very good value for money, with prices starting at just £36,495. Plus, with a 7-year (or 80,000-mile, whichever comes first) fully-transferrable warranty, it’s even greater value for money. It’s a fair bit more than the entry-level MG4’s £26,995 on-the-road price, but for the extra performance, I do think it’s worthwhile the premium if that’s what you’re looking for.
Verdict
I’m sure I sound like a broken record by now, but the most surprising thing about the MG4 XPOWER is just how much performance and raw power you can get for the money. That’s because, for £36,495, you’re talking about the same level of speed and outright pace as you’d get in something like a VW Golf R or an Audi RS 3. However, the latter two cost right around the £50,000 price bracket, and even more, once you spec additional options or premium packages.
Yet, despite a £15,000-ish saving with the MG4 XPOWER, you’d still beat the Golf R and RS 3 from 0 to 60mph and have plenty more oomph to spare afterwards. Sure, I do recognise that most people don’t need this much power in a car, but aside from the MG4 XPOWER’s athletic and dynamic credentials, it’s a very good EV overall. Particularly, it has a hugely compelling and competitive price point, and it’s a great EV to daily drive, easy to live with and has a plush interior to spend time in. As a well-rounded and well-thought-out package, the new MG4 XPOWER, just like its less-speedy sibling, the MG4, remains an incredibly attractive EV for the price.
Specification
MG4 EV XPOWER Specs
- Price: £36,495
- Engine: Dual-motor EV, 61.8kWh battery
- Power: 435PS
- Torque: 600Nm
- 0-62mph: 3.8 seconds
- Top speed: 124mph
- Weight: 1,800kg
- Economy combined: 239 miles
- CO2: 0g/km