Wow! This Cheap EV is Really Good (MG4 51kWh 2023 Review)

Detailed review and range test of the 2023 MG4 Excite 51, including styling, interior, practicality, driving dynamics, price and more.

The MG4 is a new small fully electric hatchback offered with 3 battery sizes. Today, we’re testing the cheapest model, the MG4 Excite 51, which uses a 50.8kWh usable battery and is priced at $38,990 before on-road costs. It will compete with the GWM Ora Standard Range and the BYD Dolphin base model here in Australia.

Time codes:
0:00 - What is the MG4?
0:14 - Pricing revealed
0:35 - We need cheaper EVs!
1:04 - In today’s video
1:20 - Interior
4:43 - Back seats
5:45 - Real-world range
6:50 - Warranty & service
7:16 - 363L boot space
7:46 - Driving dynamics
14:48 - Verdict

As always, we don’t accept advertising from car manufacturers, and we’re powered by Budget Direct.

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[chasingcars]

We've been more critical than most of MG in the recent past. This car seems like a major turnaround for the brand, which we're happy to see. Any questions on the MG4?

[garryellis]

For someone who likes to get the specifics right, you missed the fact that it's only the base model that has the LFP battery. This is a major advantage (although less dense) it prefers being fully charged, at least twice the cycle life, virtually non flammable and contains no cobalt. Compared to the other nmc chemistry in the other MG4 models.

[rachaelb]

I love that you review the base models instead of just the top models. I'd only be buying base models

[AKA]

This is a game changer. With the lower priced BYD Dolphin, we’ll hopefully get proper competition in the market. And Tom, I can’t wait till you get to review the X-Power version!

[markjmaxwell]

Very impressive at this price point.
Rear wheel drive and fantastic performance to boot. A budget price but far from a budget vehicle with well chosen standard features. It seems like they spent the money in the right places and got the price balance nearly spot on. Better than the dolphin from what I have seen so far.

The top speed could be 10 kmh higher with net type elastic map pockets on the rear of the front seats and the 64 kWh optional battery fitted then it would be an absolute bargain. But I am just nit picking.

It would be worth upgrading to the Excite 64 with the better battery pack for under forty five thousand Australian dollars.
I honestly didn't think I would see an EV this good at this price point for a few more years it's going to be hard to beat going forward well done MG a winner.
Electric vehicles are here to stay I have six Tesla EV chargers in a five kilometre radius of where I live with some public ones spread around.

I doubt Elon could build an EV this good this cheap at this moment in time.
😎👍

[yggdrasil]

Love this car. By far the best sub 40k EV in Australia.

[tep]

It’s interesting how the dolphin, the Ora and the MG4 chose different options to get down to the price point
Where it become interesting is when the 3 are at about the $47/48, 000 mark they start to become very similar in range, output and technology. I think this will be the interesting match-up

[khkhaw]

A good review but I heard you saying that this is the cheapest MG4 and always compared to cooper born not one but many times.

Taking MG4 for what it's worth what's your conclusion?

[JayGo]

Thanks Tom, very entertaining as always.

I will continue to use Budget Direct as my car insurance simply because of you 😂

[marcpacey]

Another informative and professional review. I think that MG will move considerable numbers of the MG 4 provided that the electrical gremlins ( reverse camera etc) are sorted and pricing is consistent. I’m sure there will be plenty on rental car fleets in the near future.

[matthewomeara]

Hello Tom
We are ready to purchase an EV and have driven most of them, we have a 75 kilometre rural run into town each day on less than perfect surfaces d a little bit of dirt road also we think BYD is probably the most suitable because we want comfort over performance and we have had upright driving position for many years now with 4x4 and SUV etc .
In your opinion do you think the BYD is suitable for rural road return drive each day s so you think it is the most comfortable in this price bracket, the reason I ask is the MG4 has grea reviews all
Over the world but I think it may not be suitable for our situation, we think the tesla model 3 is fabulous but we are very much country located, no freeways near where we live .
Thanks Tom
Regards
Matt

[kiwimatto]

Thanks for the review. We're seriously considering one at the moment and this has hugely helpful information. Now to decide which model and colour!

[jonathankapoor]

When we road trip we stop every 2-3 hours, which is approximately 200-300km. So I feel like the highway range is good enough. When you consider we road trip maybe 3-4 times per year, the base model seems good enough!

[GlowingTube]

I can't understand why it lacks rear seat pockets, no rear armrest and no on/off button. Maybe the next version up has these things. It's decent but still not cheap enough and some of the spec omissions seem crazy for the price. I'm still not motivated to buy one.

[davidt]

Living in the country, how is it's overtaking ability? Seems some EVs can be sluggish. Also, noise levels at 100 km/hr? Thanks for the review.

[narvuntien]

The first thing I noticed is that the Oh! shit handles in the back seats that was missing form the UK speced vechical. I do wonder if the inefficiency has to do with the LFP batteries this bottom version and I know the charging isn't the best at the bottom level, but the NCM batteries in the next level up charge extremely well. I am leaning towards the bigger battery just so I could do hwy driving if i need to. Although LFP has longevity and less ethical concerns.

[drxym]

I have an MG4 and I can't fault the physical qualities of the vehicle or its drive experience. Everything is put together well, it drives well, is spacious inside and it has lots of features. It's such an easy car to drive and its no slouch either. I'm getting 15kwm/100km sometimes less so it's efficient too. I haven't had any reason to fast charge yet but it's worked fine from slow charging. My version has 360 degree camera which is really awesome.

I think however that the software is a mess and there are a lot of little nuisances and bugs that they need to stop, sort out and deploy to new and existing cars. Stupid little things add up - race conditions with bluetooth & android auto where audio doesn't work, daylight/night sensor going on and off in the middle of the daylight, not remembering name of radio stations in the favourites (it takes a minute or so to discover them), not saving preferred settings like drive mode (I want Eco all the time), unresponsive touch behaviour (touch is responsive in android auto so clearly something up in their own SW), badly designed home screen, fiddly buttons, lack of customisation. They just need to take a deep breath, go through the issues and roll them out.

[sidjyothi]

Is there no headlamp over the rear seats? That’s gonna be tough if you’ve got kids in the back. But besides that, seems a phenomenal effort from MG

[robmccaw]

Is that blue one actually the Brixton Blue or is it an English Holborn or Thai Ocean Blue? The colour on Au and NZ MG websites show Brixton as being more like the darker Brighton that is on MG ZS EV. I ask as the overseas blues are really attractive but what MG is showing here is much less so.

[tpolestarcyan]

I'll be a sucker to save few hundred dollars and get a BYD Dolphin. The MG 4 Excite 51 has the same rear multi-link rear suspension as the... Essence Long Range 77. Otherwise the Essence 64 should be a sweet spot in spending and having lots of goodies. I do agree with you on adaptive cruise control which really annoys me.