MG is rapidly positioning itself as the UK’s best value EV brand with vehicles such as the MG ZS Long Range. Well, there is now another MG electric vehicle, the MG4, which is a hatchback. Like its taller ZS sibling, the MG4 has been given a towing capacity, the same maximum of 500kg. Obviously, not a massive towing capacity, but sufficient if you just want to tow a small cargo trailer to the tip etc. If that’s all you need to tow, for the price and range of this MG4, its one of if not the best value EV currently on sale in the UK.
Table of Contents
Key MG MG4 Specs
- Official Towing Capacity – 500 kg
- Availability – Late 2022
- Price – Starting £25,995 (Standard Range), £28,495 (Long Range)
- Range (EV Database) – 185 miles (Standard Range), 225 miles (Long Range)
- Estimated Towing Range (50%) – 93 miles (Standard Range), 113 miles (Long Range)
- Maximum DC Charge Rate – 117kW (Standard Range), 135kW (Long Range)
- Rapid Charge 10% to 80% – 34 to 37 mins
- Check Used MG MG4 Specs
MG MG4 HP & Torque
- Standard Range: RWD with 168 HP and 184 lb-ft of torque
- Long Range: RWD with 201 HP and 184 lb-ft of torque
MG MG4 Towing Capabilties
With a small hatchback such as the MG4, no one should be expecting a significant towing capacity, and up to this point, many equivalently sized have not been rated to tow at all. Therefore, its good to see that MG has given the MG4 an official tow rating even if it is only 500kg.
I do find the 500kg a little odd, with the maximum legal limit for an unbraked trailer being 750kg, its normally this figure which is seen as the minimum figure for a vehicle which is rated to tow.
Anyway, the 500kg towing capacity matches that of MG ZS which is a compact SUV. It should be noted, the MG4 for similar range costs around £4K less than an equivalent MG ZS with a similar range.
Furthermore, the MG4 is superior to the MG ZS when it comes to power output and rapid charging speeds. Interestingly the MG4 actually weighs a little bit more than the MG ZS, but the MG4 is more efficient due to riding lower to the ground.
MG MG4 Effiicency & Its Competition
The MG4 is currently the cheapest electric tow car you can buy, being cheaper than its MG ZS sibling and relevant competition, such as the KIA Niro EV which can tow more at 750kg, however has a much higher starting price of £36,000.
Being critical though, there is an area where I’m surprised the MG4 isn’t doing better, and that’s efficiency, in other words, its electrical consumption per mile.
The MG4 has an efficiency of 275 Wh/mile, if you’re not sure what that means, check out the link above. Now that’s not a ‘bad’ figure, but for the size of this vehicle and its class as a sub-compact hatchback, its not close to market leading either.
For instance, a Tesla Model 3 (which is heavier) will return an efficiency figure of 250 Wh/mile. A Renault Megane E-Tech will return 267 Wh/mile, heck, even a first-generation Nissan Leaf has the same efficiency of the MG4 at 275 Wh/mile.
Hence, if MG can work on their efficiency, whether via software or hardware, it will make the MG4 an even better value proposition at its price point.
MG MG4 Review
I’ve included a video review on the MG MG4 below by Fully Charged. As Robert states, while the MG4 cannot be described as a ‘cheap car’ in general, its definitely a cheaper EV compared to the market average currently.
My Thoughts On The MG MG4…
If you only need your electric car to tow a small cargo trailer to the tip, maybe a small camping trailer or bike rack, then the MG MG4 may just suit your needs.
Yes, I would have hoped that for the size/weight and design, it would be more efficient. But while its efficiency is average, its pricing is currently far better value than that of its direct competition.
Personally, I would probably choose the MG4 over its sibling, the MG ZS. While the ZS does get a bit better ground clearance, it still doesn’t get AWD, so I would go for the MG4.