Welcome to Malaysia, MG. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the latest auto brand to hit our shores, MG. The old timers among us would know the English brand from way back, while the middle aged car guys might remember the brief period that MG Rover cars were sold in Malaysia by Brooklands, the same people behind SsangYong and Citroen. That era ended in the mid-2000s when MG Rover (the carmaker) went bust.
In came China and the MG brand has been owned by SAIC Motor since, although China’s largest auto maker is keen to play on Morris Garages 100-year history – the media preview event was held last week at a colonial mansion in Federal Hill. They didn’t go as far as displaying Union Jack flags or putting ‘Brit Dynamic’ badging on the cars, as seen in Thailand.
When we say they, we mean SAIC Motor Malaysia. The giant OEM is going on its own in Malaysia (like Chery 2.0) without a local partner (like BYD with Sime Darby and GAC with Tan Chong). SAIC also owns the Maxus brand, which is represented by Weststar in Malaysia – that arrangement should continue for now. News of MG returning to Malaysia dates back to 2013, resurfacing from time to time with different partners mentioned. Finally.
Old the name may be, but MG’s cars are throughly modern. In fact, MG will be an EV-only brand in Malaysia, unlike in other ASEAN markets. The first two electric vehicles we’re getting are the MG ZS EV and the MG4 EV, which are both now open for booking. If you’ve been following paultan.org‘s motor show coverage of the region, you’d be familiar with the ZS and 4. In this post, we’ll focus on the more eye-catching of the duo, the MG4.
Unlike most new cars today, the MG4 is not an SUV but a five-door hatchback that’s around the size of a Honda City Hatchback. In Europe, this is a Golf-sized Volkswagen ID.3 rival, but let’s use the ASEAN B-segment Honda as a relatable benchmark.
At 4,287 mm long and 1,836 mm wide, the MG4 is 58 mm shorter but 88 mm wider than a City Hatchback. Typical of space efficient EVs without bulky engines, the MG’s wheelbase (2,705 mm) is relatively long versus its footprint. That’s 105 mm longer than the City HB’s WB, and a figure that’s typically C-segment. Against the BYD Dolphin, its closest EV rival in Malaysia, the MG4 is 3mm shorter but 66 mm wider, with a 5mm longer wheelbase. Boot volume is 363 litres, expandable to 1,177 litres with the 60:40 rear seats folded.
In the metal, the MG4 is distinctive and certainly stands out from the ICE hatchback crowd. With pointy sharp eyes and no front grille, it also differentiates itself from the rest of the MG range, which typically sport a Mazda-style fascia.
There’s more drama at the back. The disjointed beltline rises to rear lights that are full width and wraparound. It’s part of a rear deck of a spoiler that’s so protruding, it can be a makeshift bar table. The flat surface has an illuminated pattern of random red lines. That super aggressive two-piece ‘twin aero spoiler’ is also unmissable. The wheels are 18-inch two-tone items wrapped with Bridgestone Turanza T005 EV tyres.
If you feel that there’s something different, something sporty about how this EV looks, it might be because of the MG4’s relatively low roof for an electric car. The carmaker says that the modest height (1,516 mm, 54 mm less than the Dolphin) is made possible by a particularly flat battery, which at 110 mm tall, is thinnest in class. MG also claims 50:50 weight distribution, which when combined with RWD sounds like a BMW!
Inside, you’ll find a clean and minimalist dashboard featuring a full-width vent strip and a squared-off steering wheel. In addition to the 7.0-inch MID ahead of the driver, there’s a large central screen, but what’s unique here is that the 10.25-inch landscape touchscreen has a row of physical buttons underlining it – a good thing. There’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wired) compatibility. Also cool is the gear selector panel that reminds me of a nightstand.
There are three MG4 variants, each with its own single rear motor and battery configuration. The range starts with the RM104k est Standard, which has a 170 PS (125 kW)/250 Nm motor paired with a 51 kwh LFP battery for 350 km of range in the WLTP cycle. The RM129k Lux spec gets more power and a bigger NMC battery – 203 PS (150 kW, 250 Nm torque remains) and 64 kWh for a WLTP range of 435 km. The 0-100 km/h sprint time is 7.5 seconds in the Standard and 7.7 seconds in the heavier Lux.
The RM149k Lux Extended Range gets a 245 PS (180 kW)/350 Nm motor and a 77 kWh NMC battery for better range and acceleration, at 520 km and 6.1 seconds respectively. All cars get five driving modes (Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow, Custom) and three levels of energy regeneration, which MG calls KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System, as used in F1). Single pedal driving is available.
As for charging, the MG4 can take in AC power at a max rate of 11 kW, which will fully charge the battery in eight hours, while DC fast charging at a rate of 150 kW gets you from 30% to 80% SoC in 26 minutes. For context, the BYD Dolphin Premium Extended Range (204 PS/310 Nm, 60.48 kWh, 427 km WLTP) charges at a rate of 7 kW AC and 80 kW DC. It’s not mentioned in the spec sheet, but V2L (at 6 kW, which is quite high) is available to power your appliances.
Finally, equipment. Standard equipment for the MG4 Standard include automatic LED projector headlamps, LED daytime running lights, LED tail lamps, automatic climate control, tilt/telescopic steering with leather, digital meter panel, 10.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, four speakers, 17-inch wheels, fabric seats and MG’s iSmart. The latter includes a ‘Hello MG’ voice command system and a mobile app.
Safety wise, the base car gets six airbags, rear Isofix child seat mounts, tyre pressure monitoring and the MG Pilot safety pack that includes AEB with cyclist and pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control with driver attention assist, lane keep assist with lane departure warning and high beam assist.
Going for the mid-spec Lux will net you an extra 25 PS and and 85 km more range from a battery that’s 13 kWh bigger. Kit wise, the Lux adds on ‘reflective technology’ for the LED headlamps, a rear LED centre light bar that makes it full width, the fancy two-piece rear spoiler, black roof (two-tone), power foldable wing mirrors and 18-inch wheels.
Inside, the Lux adds on a 360-degree camera, wireless phone charger, six-way powered driver’s seat, auto-dimming rear view mirror, all auto up/down mirrors (driver only for Standard), six speakers, leather upholstery and smartphone Bluetooth key. On the safety side, the Lux adds on blind spot warning with rear cross traffic alert, door opening warning and lane change assist.
The Lux Extended Range gets no extra equipment, just the extra performance (30 PS and 100 Nm over the LUX) and range (85 km more from a 13 kWh bigger battery). 85 km and 13 kWh is the exact same difference between the Standard and Lux.
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Seven colours are available, and they are Holborn Blue, Volcano Orange, Dynamic Red, Monument Silver, Black Pearl, Artic White and the very English-sounding Camden Grey you see here. The interior is full black in the Standard and two-tone with orange highlights in the Lux and Lux ER variants. Those two specs also have the option of a black roof.
At the media preview, MG had a surprise announcement in the MG4 XPOWER, a high-performance variant of the EV with dual-motor AWD, 435 PS (320 kW)/600 Nm, a 64 kWh NMC battery with 384 km range, plus sporty stuff such as orange brake calipers, metal pedals and black Alcantara upholstery. The XPOWER tops the MG4 range at RM159,000 estimated and is a crazy amount of speed – 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds – for the money. That’s as fast as the just-launched RM200k BYD Seal Performance AWD with 523 hp/670 Nm.
Once again, the Standard’s estimated price is RM104k, the Lux is at RM129k and the Lux Extended Range is yours for RM149k. Top up another RM10k to RM159k for the XPOWER – see the EV specs breakdown above. Finally, the factory warranty is seven years or 150,000 km, and the battery warranty is eight years or 180,000 km.
What do you think of the MG4’s design and price/package? And what about the XPOWER’s performance for the money? Both MG EVs will make their public debut at Pavilion KL tomorrow (February 29), and at selected dealerships next month – see the schedule below.
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GALLERY: MG4 Lux in Malaysia
GALLERY: MG4 Lux Extended Range in Malaysia
GALLERY: MG4 in Thailand
GALLERY: MG4 XPOWER
