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New MG4 review: Better than a Renault 5?

The MG4 was the undisputed king of cheap electrical automobiles. But with the arrival of the stylish Renault 5 and a sudden price hike for this updated 2026 design, is it still a fantastic buy?

Read our full in-depth evaluation of the MG4 and compare prices here:

Subscribe for more new automobile evaluations, exposes and journey: @whatcar

In this review, we check the brand-new MG4 to see if a major interior revamp has actually fixed the quality concerns of the old car. We describe why the entry-level Basic Variety has actually been axed (and effectively changed by the MG4 Urban), find out how many suitcases we can suit the boot, and expose the stunning results from our newest Reliability Survey.

What Vehicle? is the UK's biggest car-buying brand name and has been assisting buyers for more than 50 years. Our tests are commonly regarded as the most independent and in-depth.

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Have a look at our complete video brochure:

#mg 4 #mg 4ev #electriccar

Video chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:28 MG4 Background
1:27 What's New?
2:21 The 2026 MG4 line-up
2:35 The Interior (BIG MODIFICATIONS!).
4:02 Rear Seats.
5:00 Boot space.
6:15 Battery Options & Range.
7:07 Driving: Efficiency, Trip & Handling.
8:23 Rates.
8:50 MG's Dependability Woes.
9:30 The Verdict.

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Comments

53 responses to “New MG4 review: Better than a Renault 5?”

  1. @turbogeek.421 Avatar
    @turbogeek.421

    Having “Long Range” and “Extended Range” is just ‘standard’ and “Long Range” with more words.

    Reply
    1. @Babkins247 Avatar
      @Babkins247

      Not really, because to existing MG4 owners who might be looking to trade in, “standard range” means a 51kWh battery and ~180 miles of range, whereas “extended range” means 77kWh and ~330 miles. 90% just won’t research and would assume they’re getting lower range batteries.

      Reply
    2. @stephen546 Avatar
      @stephen546

      Have you forgotten there’s another MG4 slotting under this MG4 with smaller batteries. Plus extended range means something completely different from long range!!

      Reply
  2. @laercio3862 Avatar
    @laercio3862

    Xpower price reduction is very significant

    Reply
  3. @whatcar Avatar
    @whatcar

    The interior is much better, but MG came last in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey! 📉

    Does that worry you, or is the 7-year warranty enough peace of mind?

    A) Worries me: I’d buy a Renault 5 or Hyundai Inster instead. 🇫🇷
    B) Don’t care: The warranty covers it, and the range is great! 🔋

    Let us know in the comments! 👇

    Reply
    1. @dstev55 Avatar
      @dstev55

      As I’ve found out the 7 year MG warranty is barely worth the paper it’s written on. It’s got so many exclusions and get out clauses and generally covers less than it does actually cover.

      Reply
    2. @mev202 Avatar
      @mev202

      Does your survey include their fossil fuel cars or just the EVs? As if it includes petrol, the reliability always drops.

      Reply
    3. @jdmguy44 Avatar
      @jdmguy44

      ​@mev202it includes all cars. EV’s and ICE’s.

      Reply
    4. @Yellowandblack37 Avatar
      @Yellowandblack37

      We’ve had significant problems with the software. Keeps thinking it’s 2011, switches stuff on and off randomly, hasn’t powered up a couple of times. The car has been back four times just for software and they’ve updated it twice but it’s still iffy.

      The latest suggestion by MG was to send them a video of the problems occurring. My wife is currently learning to balance a phone or her nose while driving. Ridiculous response from MG?

      So warranty is good but the dealers and MG themselves are clueless. I wouldn’t buy another one. The warranty is a sales gimmick.

      Reply
    5. @ricardoamendoeira3800 Avatar
      @ricardoamendoeira3800

      In Portugal the warranty worked fine for me when the driver side unlock button started being finicky and required multiple clicks to register, they replaced the entire door handle in one day, free of charge.

      Reply
  4. @gap9992 Avatar
    @gap9992

    How is this a “small” electric car? Comparing it with the R5 seems odd

    Reply
    1. @dstev55 Avatar
      @dstev55

      I agree

      Reply
    2. @Brian-om2hh Avatar
      @Brian-om2hh

      He was comparing price – what you can get for similar money…..

      Reply
    3. @dstev55 Avatar
      @dstev55

      Should compare against class of car. Born, R4, Megan’s E-tech, Id3 etc

      Reply
    4. @bikeman123 Avatar
      @bikeman123

      ​@dstev55if they did that the mg would always lose

      Reply
    5. @davidspencer7254 Avatar
      @davidspencer7254

      ​@bikeman123😂 nah.

      Reply
  5. @Digwind Avatar
    @Digwind

    It is definitely an improvement on the previous infotainment, but it is still behind most of the competitors. In 2026 It needs to be a snappy OS with native navigation with route planning and other apps.

    Reply
    1. @hojnikb Avatar
      @hojnikb

      ironically, the chines mg4 urban gets a much much better infotainment in higher end trims with a 15″ display. EU buyers are getting scammed here. This particular infotainment was already available in asian market mgs for a few years now.

      Reply
  6. @Dh540 Avatar
    @Dh540

    If you read the MG “7 year warranty”. Pretty much everything is 3 year warranty with a few things at 7 year just for the name. Pretty scummy behaviour imo

    Reply
    1. @FalseProfiter Avatar
      @FalseProfiter

      Yeah, that warranty is absolutely useless, it hardly covers anything

      Reply
    2. @yellowmitch Avatar
      @yellowmitch

      Is there a brand which truly has a long bumper to bumper warranty? Maybe Hyundai?

      Reply
    3. @darrenbodfish4591 Avatar
      @darrenbodfish4591

      ​@yellowmitchToyota 5+5 year warranty is pretty impressive & after warranty recalls if necessary as well. Not bad tbf 🤷

      Reply
    4. @alexsam2630 Avatar
      @alexsam2630

      ​@yellowmitchkgm.

      Reply
    5. @dstev55 Avatar
      @dstev55

      Even within 3 years they try and get out of stuff. I generally like my ZS EV as a budget EV but there’s no denying MG aren’t a great manufacturer to deal with.

      Reply
  7. @dstev55 Avatar
    @dstev55

    Only appealing once they knock £10k off it like they have the old generation for the last couple of years.

    Reply
    1. @stephen546 Avatar
      @stephen546

      At full price is cheaper than the opposition. You can always find discounts for all makes of cars. You seem to imply the car isn’t fully competitive or second best, when the reality is very different

      Reply
    2. @dstev55 Avatar
      @dstev55

      @stephen546 from an infotainment point of view it’s not competitive. My step dad has an S5 and it’s still as buggy as his previous MG4 and my ZS EV.

      Reply
  8. @bikeman123 Avatar
    @bikeman123

    Entertainment screens in cars are dangerous… laggy screens doubly so.

    Reply
    1. @HyperVanilo Avatar
      @HyperVanilo

      And yet people still has a phone holder attached to either dashboard or AC vent

      Reply
    2. @neilwhit1 Avatar
      @neilwhit1

      Looking forward to picking up a full ICE motor next month.. sick of hybrid … want to adjust settings with knobs, not distracting screens

      Reply
  9. @dougbamford Avatar
    @dougbamford

    We’ve got an MG4. Door handle unlock buttons break (particularly if used during freezing weather) and get replaced under warranty. I wonder if that is the reason for the poor reliability scores. I’m not sure most cars even have such a button. Other than that our car has been great.

    Reply
    1. @Dawheel90 Avatar
      @Dawheel90

      Same here, MG4 Trophy Nov 22. Handle substituted under warranty in 2024, no problems after that. I just went to the dealership for regular service and now MOTs, and they have improved as well over time.

      Reply
    2. @johncrispin2118 Avatar
      @johncrispin2118

      Sorry, to have to ask but how do you break the door buttons ? I agree with some crude statistical data such as this clocking up faults that will show on “reliability “ figures particularly of a Chinese brand no doubt.

      Reply
    3. @logant6490 Avatar
      @logant6490

      Same here, the button and one fuse has been the total problems in 3 years

      Reply
    4. @logant6490 Avatar
      @logant6490

      ​@johncrispin2118I suspect it’s a design flaw with the central locking control button in the handle. That’s why so many have failed

      Reply
    5. @Dawheel90 Avatar
      @Dawheel90

      ​@johncrispin2118it’s the passenger side button for the key-less entry, which is on the handle. It has been a known fault for mg4, mine stopped working after a few weeks of ice and snow, I tried to use it but it stopped sending the signal to the control unit. Not a big issue but it’s very useful and was repaired under warranty

      Reply
  10. @ashliehiggins Avatar
    @ashliehiggins

    Stop misleading people that MG has a 7 year warranty, only the body of the car is covered for 7 years (every other manufacturer covers the body for 12 years), many of the components are 12-36 months.

    Reply
  11. @andyballard1883 Avatar
    @andyballard1883

    where the hell is the Pano roof for 30k plus !

    Reply
  12. @kiae-nirodiariesencore4270 Avatar
    @kiae-nirodiariesencore4270

    Wrong comparisons (R5, EC3, Inster)…Comparable cars are ID3, Puma electric, BYD Dolphin

    Reply
  13. @cannygrowabeard Avatar
    @cannygrowabeard

    9:08 is that unreliability across all models, or has it been dragged down by the petrol, PHEV or EVs or all three?

    Reply
    1. @ricardoamendoeira3800 Avatar
      @ricardoamendoeira3800

      All models.

      Reply
  14. @no-oneman.4140 Avatar
    @no-oneman.4140

    Get what you pay for in this world. As others have pointed out the 7 year warranty appears to be smoke and mirrors. MG dealers seem to be pretty hapless and you will be using them. Pay cheap pay twice although ‘cheap’ is also a myth with these cars. Take it from someone who’s been round the block re cars, stick to Japanese. Had a Suzuki Swift for many years, not flashy or luxurious but has never been a problem. You can’t put a price on that. Who wants to keep going back to the dealer with problems that they will no doubt want to wriggle out of ..

    Reply
    1. @Funkyfinky Avatar
      @Funkyfinky

      Yup. The dealers, to be fair, voted them worst manufacturer to work for in Car Dealer magazine.

      Reply
  15. @KlausEvenEnevoldsen Avatar
    @KlausEvenEnevoldsen

    I really wanted to know how the improved MG Pilot works IRL – has it been improved or is it the same?

    Reply
  16. @gerbre1 Avatar
    @gerbre1

    Car dimensions? Charging speeds?

    Reply
  17. @trevorcrook2565 Avatar
    @trevorcrook2565

    Why compare it with the R5 all the time? The Megane is a more similar size, as is the Cupra Born.

    Reply
    1. @stephen546 Avatar
      @stephen546

      And the VW id3

      Reply
    2. @nicolacubeddu6897 Avatar
      @nicolacubeddu6897

      This channel is in love with Renault 5, that’s why.

      Reply
    3. @TheAllMightyGodofCod Avatar
      @TheAllMightyGodofCod

      ​@nicolacubeddu6897it’s a great car but yes, this should be compared to the megane, not the 5

      Reply
  18. @HonestWatchReviewsHWR Avatar
    @HonestWatchReviewsHWR

    Hugely improved interior, along with some physical controls is definitely a step in the right direction.

    Reply
  19. @munro12 Avatar
    @munro12

    A big improvement. No way would I allow you into my car Doug with those mucky trainers. 😉

    Reply
  20. @zorgonfire Avatar
    @zorgonfire

    I had 0 problems with the MG4 v2 2023. Am I the lucky one? Battery still at 99% SoC with a lot of DC charging.

    Reply
    1. @logant6490 Avatar
      @logant6490

      Same here. Coming up to 3 years and only 2 tiny issues rectified quickly.
      The specifics of the surveys need to be looked at.

      Reply

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