The success of the original electric MG 4 EV derived from its class-leading value for money, which is why its new cut-price understudy – the MG 4 EV Urban – ought to have competitors concerned.
Essentially a budget alternative to the existing MG 4, the 4 Urban is similarly sized but has some key differences.
It's based on a different platform, meaning it can be engineered more cheaply. As a result, MG can now compete even more strongly in a growing class of impressive electric cars with a price of around £20,000 (€23,400 / $25,200).
So: how does MG offer what appears to be more for less, and is the MG 4 Urban a compelling car to drive and own? We’ll answer that and more in this extensive review.
Chief among the new cars' competitors are the BYD Dolphin, Citroën ë-C3, Hyundai Inster and charismatic Renault 5. Despite its name, the Urban is largely unrelated to the 4 in both architecture and hardware and is a fair bit more basic under the metal.
The Nanjing-built 4 Urban is a different proposition from the existing 4. Most notably, the new car is exclusively front-wheel-drive and built on the new E3 platform of MG's parent company, SAIC. It also carries smaller battery packs totalling 42.8kWh or 53.9kWh.
The entry-level Comfort Standard Range model, priced attractively, has a range of just 323 km (201 miles), whereas the Urban model achieves a maximum declared range of 415 km (258 miles). The Urban is also 245kg lighter than the 4, owing to its revised battery chemistry. Though the Urban's exterior styling takes clear inspiration from the Cyberster sports car, its 17-inch wheels still look a little small for the body.
The front-mounted synchronous motor provides the power, delivering either 148bhp or 158bhp, which depends on the battery size selected. Both power outputs are competitive. However, due to the E3 platform's budget-conscious engineering, a four-wheel-drive version, such as the 429bhp XPower guise available for the existing 4, should not be anticipated.
Step inside and you’re greeted by an expansive cockpit with lots of space compared to rivals at a similar price. There’s a 12.8in touchscreen, plus some physical switches and buttons for volume and ventilation. It's all intuitive to use, much like the various menus and commands on the touchscreen. Plus, there are some useful USB-C ports for charging mobile devices.
While there are some lights in the back, the second row can feel gloomy - but you won’t be worried about that, given the spacious legroom, which most rivals can’t come close to matching.
Storage levels are good. There are several storage bins and cubbies throughout the car, while the boot measures an impressive 363 litres. Beneath the boot floor, there’s additional space measuring almost 100 litres.
The Urban is not a quick car, taking around 9.5 seconds to go from 0-100kph (0-62mph) regardless of the version chosen. For comparison, punchier versions of the Renault 5 will achieve the same in under eight seconds, and the forthcoming Cupra Raval is also expected to be quicker. However, it's not slow by the standards of its class, proving perfectly adequate for everyday driving and occasional overtakes.
Our Premium Long Range test car – the marginally more powerful one, with 158bhp, and wearing the larger tyre size – also responded keenly and cleanly to accelerator inputs and in general did nothing unexpected. MG has shown before that it knows how to neatly calibrate its electric powertrains for real-world driving, and that is once again the case here.
The Urban's steering offers a surprising degree of refinement for a budget-focused model. We appreciate its lighter feel (regardless of the chosen weight mapping) and the quick off-centre gearing, which gives the Urban a distinct liveliness compared to the tedious pick-up of many rivals.
Furthermore, the handling balance is entirely suitable for this type of car, exhibiting good neutrality despite the majority of the front-mounted powertrain hardware sitting ahead of the axle line.
The Urban's ride quality is a drawback. While a derivative with smaller 16-inch tyres might offer an improvement over our test car, the fundamental brittleness and sensitivity to rough surfaces appear to be inherent to the new E3 platform. In this regard, the Renault 5 is notably better at shielding passengers from poor Tarmac and expansion joints.
As expected for this class, where triple-figure charging speeds are uncommon, the Urban's rapid-charging speed is lower than the standard MG4. It peaks at 87kW, whereas its larger sibling achieves over 140kW.
When the 4 was launched in 2022, it was all but untouchable from a value perspective. The EV market then caught up, and MG has now responded with this more mechanically basic but slightly larger 4 Urban.
On the basis of this early drive, the Urban ought to sit high on the shopping list for anybody looking for an everyday EV for about £25,000 (€29,200 / $31,500). By right-sizing the battery options and taking full advantage on the cost-cutting and packaging potential of SAIC's E3 platform, MG has positioned it as a C-segment-type option for B-segment pricing.
Despite its shortcomings in driver appeal and road manners compared to rivals like the original 4 and, notably, the Renault 5, the Urban's practicality and mature feel should serve it well.
