New MG4 EV 2026 facelift review: a better car, but at a higher price
The revamped MG4 comes with a higher price, but it still offers great value for money
Verdict
It might not be as affordable as it once was, but there was always more to the MG4 than its price tag. The sharp-looking hatchback still boasts a generous amount of standard kit, a seven-year warranty, surprisingly engaging handling and competitive range figures. Plus its brand-new interior looks and feels much better, which does help justify the now £30k starting price. However the more practical, more affordable, MG4 Urban offers greater value for money.
A lot has changed since the MG4 shook up the small electric car segment in late 2022, like the introduction of the new Electric Car Grant (ECG) and the arrival of more excellent-value EVs. The Skoda Elroq, for instance, the Renault 5 and 4, Kia EV4 or even its own sibling, the all-new MG4 Urban, which has even greater focus on affordability than its older sibling and more interior space, too.
So to keep the MG4 feeling fresh, the brand has given its interior a serious makeover inspired by the more expensive MGS5 EV, and eliminated the entry-level, smallest range version to prevent overlap with the new Urban. MG tells us most customers weren’t buying that model anyway.
The MG4’s original interior wasn’t necessarily a bad place to be, however we accepted the flaws in material quality and onboard tech because it was so much cheaper than its rivals. Thankfully we don’t have to make these excuses anymore – the new interior is much closer in both areas to the likes of the Volkswagen ID.3.
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For starters, the seven-inch driver’s display and 10.25-inch central touchscreen have been replaced by a 10.25-inch driver’s screen and a 12.8-inch touchscreen running the brand’s latest infotainment system. It’s far easier to use than the old software, with a handy pull-down menu to help turn off some of the ADAS systems if you want, and offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
Better than that – at least if you ask us – is instead of a row of shortcut keys running along the bottom of the touchscreen, there’s now physical dials and buttons for the climate control and other key functions: something the ID.3 still doesn’t have.
The three-spoke steering wheel design is also new, but still features physical buttons including two programmable buttons which can be used to switch drive modes or adjust the strength of the regenerative braking on the fly. The graphics on the driver's display behind it don’t look all that different from before, and continue to use small, thin text or icons for everything other than speed, which makes it hard to read at a glance.
MG has even gone as far as to redesign the centre console, ditching the open expanse that had the drive selector and smartphone tray on sort of a podium jutting out from the dashboard. In its place is a much more conventional design, with cup-holders, a wireless charging pad and the drive selector, plus a good-sized storage space underneath and a large cubby under the armrest.
All of the piano black plastic trim that used to adorn the MG4 is gone, replaced by more soft-touch materials and some carbon-fibre effect trim on the dashboard that we’re not sure will be to everyone’s taste, but is an improvement nonetheless. Finally, the seats also get new grey cloth upholstery, while XPower hot hatch benefits from bespoke, more body-hugging sports seats.
However, all those upgrades, and the loss of the smallest battery version, means the MG4 range now starts from £29,995, although right now MG is offering customers a £1,500 discount. So it still manages to undercut rivals like the VW ID.3, Renault Megane and Kia EV4, but not by as much as it used to.
There’s also the new MG4 Urban to consider. It gets the same £1,500 discount so is available right now for under £22,000 and offers almost the same interior, apart from in certain areas where you’ll find less soft-touch materials and more hard, scratchy plastics, which help cut costs.
But the Urban makes up for that by delivering significantly more space for people in the back, and a 577-litre luggage capacity, compared to the 388 litres available here. So if practicality is your top priority, the new sibling is the one to go for. But the ‘original’ MG4 has more range and is better to drive, especially on a twisty B-road thanks to its real-drive layout versus the front-wheel drive Urban.
Even the base MG4 feels suitably sprightly, the steering is nicely weighted and it doesn’t lean too much through the corners. That said, on the bumpy and undulating roads we encountered testing, the ride becomes choppy and refinement at motorway speeds still isn’t quite on the same level as some rivals.
There’s now three models to choose from as well, starting with the ‘Premium Long Range’ that features a 64kWh battery pack for up to 280 miles of range, and a 188bhp e-motor. Standard equipment remains as generous as ever, with every MG4 getting those big displays, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, 360-degree camera, seven-year warranty and the ‘MG Pilot’ suite of driver assistance tech including adaptive cruise control.
Above that, priced from £32,995 (without MG’s discount), is the ‘Premium Extended Range’ which adds a larger 77kWh battery pack capable of up to 329 miles on a charge and a 241bhp e-motor, which knocks the car’s 0-62mph time down from 7.5 seconds to 6.2. However, oddly, the maximum charging speed also drops from 154kW to 144kW, so a 10-to-80 per cent top-up will take about 40 minutes in this version, compared to just 25 minutes in the base model.
Finally, sitting at the top of the tree is the ballistic MG4 XPower that pairs the 64kWh battery with dual motors producing 429bhp. It will do 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds, has a range of up to 251 miles and costs £33,995 (without any discount).
All in all, the MG4 is still an appealing choice for those in the market for a small electric car, especially now the interior is a much closer match to its key rivals like the VW ID.3. The price has managed to remain competitive, although its own MG4 Urban sibling also provides a cut-price and more practical, if less powerful or long-range, alternative.
| Model: | MG4 EV Premium Long Range |
| Price: | £29,995 |
| On sale: | Now |
| Powertrain: | 64kWh battery, 1x e-motor |
| Power/torque: | 188bhp/350Nm |
| Transmission: | Single-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive |
| 0-62mph/top speed: | 7.5 seconds/112mph |
| Range: | 280 miles |
| Max. charging: | 154kW (10-80% in 25 mins) |
| Size (L/W/H): | 4,287/1,836/1,516mm |
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