MG4 X-Power electric hot hatch review, 0 to 100kmh in 4 seconds

What is it:

The MG4 X-Power is the hot-hatch flagship of the MG4 electric-car range from China – and it’s faster than a turbocharged Volkswagen Golf R and almost as quick as an electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

Price:

Full retail is listed at $59,990 drive-away but, as this review was published, MG Australia is clearing stock until the end of October 2024 with up to $8000 off, bringing the price to about $52,000 drive-away.

ANCAP safety rating:

The MG4 has a five-star safety rating based on 2022 testing protocols, however the score only applies to two-wheel-drive models, not the all-wheel-drive X-Power.

That said, it has the same safety systems as the other models in the MG4 range.

Full ANCAP safety report here.

Engine:

There are two electric motors: one to power the front wheels and the other to power the rear wheels.

According to the MG4 X-Power brochure, the outputs are 150kW/250Nm (front) and 170kW/350Nm (rear).

The battery pack is 64kWh and has 62.1kWh of usable energy.

Maximum driving range in ideal conditions is about 400km.

If you exploit the vehicle’s performance potential, the range will drop to 200 to 250km.

0 to 100km/h (as tested):

MG claims the X-Power does 0 to 100kmh in 3.8 seconds.

Using our precision VBox timing equipment, we stopped the clocks in repeatable times of 4.1 seconds.

This is just short of the claim, but still frantically quick (VW Golf R does about 4.8 seconds and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Tesla Model 3 Performance do 0 to 100kmh in 3.5 seconds in our testing on the same test surface using the same equipment).

Emergency braking from 100km/h (as tested):

The MG4 X-Power (wearing Bridgestone Turanza T005EV 235/45/18 tyres) pulled up in 37.5 metres, which is average for hot hatches.

Good points:

Blistering acceleration to 100kmh.

Good blend of comfort and handling from the suspension, not bone-jarring.

Strong brakes (even if the covers make the calipers look bigger than they really are).

Excellent grip. Well-weighted steering (I happen to like the square-ish shaped steering wheel).

Overall, the MG4 X-Power is enjoyable to drive. And if you want to take it easy, don’t floor the accelerator.

Efficient energy consumption on test (between 15.4 and 16.5kWh/100km) in a mix of city and freeway driving. (Not quite as good as Tesla but better than most other electric cars).

The recently announced 10-year warranty adds peace of mind (up from seven years previously).

The current discount – $8000 off until the end of October 2024 – makes it a compelling proposition for rev-heads at about $52,000 drive-away (versus the normal price of $59,990 drive-away).

Bad points:

The test car had a subtle vibration at freeway speeds. It felt like an out-of-balance tail-shaft, but this car doesn’t have one.

Good low beam headlights but poor high-beam performance.

No AM radio. Fiddly and confusing steering wheel controls. Be sure to take lessons from the dealer before you drive home.

Fuzzy 360-degree camera view.

Cruise control is hard to adjust in small increments. By default, one press adjusts speed in 5kmh increments, it needs 1kmh increments.

The lane-keeping assistance doesn’t ‘zig-zag’ down the road as bad as some other Chinese cars, but still needs further refinement.

Otherwise, generally speaking, with further refinements all the ingredients are here to make a good car.

What the haters say:

Electric cars are boring.

What the haters don’t understand:

The numbers don’t lie. The MG4 X-Power is properly quick.

Should you buy one?

Resale value is still a big unknown as MG continues to build its reputation, but the 10-year warranty should put some minds at ease.

You could run the car for five years and sell it still with five years warranty remaining.

Also consider:

Volkswagen Golf R (turbo petrol), Hyundai Ioniq 5 N (electric), Kia EV6 GT (electric).