A Budget Car with Premium Touch: What Else Does the MG4 Offer Singapore Motorists?

Launched at the beginning of 2023, the MG4 is the brand’s latest all-electric offering, and is now available with a Category-A compliant 99kW motor, making it a much more affordable option. But what’s it actually like? Find out more in this independent and unbiased car review for Singapore motorists.

The MG4 electric car in Singapore

The MG4 EV is the brand’s latest full-electric vehicle, available in Singapore with a special 99kW motor to slip in under the Cat A COE rules.

Equipped with a 64kWh battery pack, MG claims the MG4 is good for around 450km of range on the combined cycle per charge, and dispatches the 0-100km/h sprint in 8.5 seconds.

The MG4 rides on MG’s latest Modular Scalable Platform, which was designed from the ground-up as an EV. The model available in Singapore has one motor – some markets offer a sportier dual-motor version – which sits on the rear axle.

There are some nice details in the styling, particularly at the rear, with a smart split spoiler at the trailing edge of the roof, and a smart integrated spoiler/taillight unit below the rear window.

At the front the lack of the ‘radiator’ that earlier MG models employed unmistakably marks it as an EV, but without some of the over-the-top EV styling some other brands seem to like.

It comes equipped with a range of electronic safety and driver’s aids including autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and bicycle detection, lane keep assist with lane departure warning system, traffic jam assist, speed-limit assist with traffic sign recognition, rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree parking camera, and blind-spot monitoring.

With its smart styling and wallet-friendly Cat-A pricing, the MG4 looks set to be the entrée to EVs for a good number of Singaporean motorists.

How does the MG4 Singapore drive?

The MG4’s strong point is its driveability – it is capable and fun to drive day-to-day.

There’s instant power thanks to the rear-mounted motor, though it should be noted the test car was equipped with the 150kW motor.

The 99kW model is slightly slower in the 0-100km/h sprint (8.5 seconds versus 7.2 seconds for 99kW and 150kW versions respectively), but the torque remains the same at 250Nm, so that instant shove in the back feeling when you put the foot down should be similar.

It should also be noted that we beat the test car’s claimed 7.2 second time (at just a fraction under 7 seconds), you could conclude the Singapore vehicle may be a bit faster than that 8.5 second claim.

The numbers aren’t huge, but it has the sort of acceleration you’d have expected from a hot hatch five or 10 years ago, and it feels faster thanks to that instant torque.

The 64kWh battery should be good for a claimed 450km range in Singapore. Our more powerful test car had a 435km range claim, and we saw 401km in mixed driving conditions. Short story? As long as you don’t have a heavy right foot, you should see well in excess of 400km from a charge.

The ride is comfortable – soft even – but the MG4 surprises by being engaging to drive on winding roads, which is not what most people expect from an EV.

It feels like a hot hatch, and it’s pleasing to note that the driving range doesn’t take a huge hit with more spirited driving.

What’s the cabin like?

For what is essentially a budget car, the interior has a premium feel. The steering wheel has a flat bottom and flat top but feels good, like something you’d expect from a more expensive European car.

The seats are surprisingly comfortable and supportive, but show the budget nature of the vehicle by being finished in cloth and fake leather.

There are also some hard plastics in the cabin, most notably on the center console that juts out from the dash supporting the drive mode selector, which sits uncomfortably at knee-level.

There’s a 10.25-inch touch screen in the centre that handles Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and works well enough for infotainment, but having the climate controls here is fiddly. Apparently, the climate controls can be configured to the (unmarked) steering wheel buttons, which would improve things slightly, but physical controls would be our preference.

The driver gets a 7-inch instrument panel that is smaller than some, but effectively fulfils its purpose.

There is plenty of storage between the seats and in the door bins, and rear seat passengers do get a reasonable amount of space, even if they make-do without AC vents.

Lift the manual tailgate and there’s a reasonable 350 litres of luggage capacity, and the rear seats split 60/40.

It should be noted that with the new architecture, MG has slimmed the battery pack down to 100mm, which means the seating position is lower than you expect of an EV, and the cabin space benefits too.

Conclusion

For what is essentially an entry-level EV, the MG4 really surprises.

There’s a good amount of space inside, and the materials don’t really give away the budget nature of the car.

What really impresses is how well the chassis is sorted, combining a smooth and comfortable ride with an element of playfulness and driving enjoyment that will please enthusiastic drivers.

It represents very good value and is one of our favourite EVs to drive.

The video is produced by ChasingCars, partner of our sister company Budget Direct Australia. Some features or options in the car build may not be applicable to the Singapore market (including the availability of car parts). Note that all prices quoted in the video are in AUD. Remember to check with your local dealer for details.

Written by motoring journalist, Tony Tan

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