2026 MG MG4 Essence 64 review

What Does the MG4 Cost in Australia?

MG keeps the lineup simple. Three variants, all rear-wheel drive, and a price spread that makes the decision pretty straightforward depending on how much range you need.

Driveaway, the base Excite 51 lands somewhere around $39,500-$41,000 depending on your state. That's genuinely remarkable when you remember this is a brand-new electric car with a factory warranty that stretches to 2036. Victoria's EV tax adds a bit of sting if you're doing decent kilometres, but the overall cost of ownership still undercuts most petrol hatchbacks.

The $4,000 step from the Excite 51 to the Excite 64 buys the bigger 64kWh battery and 450km of range, the single most worthwhile upgrade in the lineup if you drive more than about 60km a day. The Essence 64 ($45,990) then adds the creature comforts: a larger touchscreen, a 360-degree camera, heated front seats, and a power tailgate. Above that, the Long Range 77 ($49,990) stretches to 530km WLTP, and the XPower ($54,990) is the 320kW performance flagship. For most buyers doing the typical Australian average of 35km per day, the base 51kWh Excite is plenty.

Running Costs Compared to Petrol

Here's where any EV makes its strongest argument, and the MG4 is no exception. Charging the 51kWh battery at home on off-peak electricity (roughly $0.30/kWh) costs about $15 for a full charge. At 15,000km per year, you're looking at annual electricity costs of around $700-$800.

Compare that to a petrol hatchback like a Mazda3 or Corolla doing 6.5L/100km at $2.00/litre. That's roughly $1,950 in fuel per year. The MG4 saves you $1,100-1,250 annually just on energy costs. Over the life of that 10-year warranty, that's north of $11,000 in fuel savings alone.

Servicing is similarly cheap. No oil changes, no spark plugs, no exhaust system to rust. MG's capped-price servicing runs about $200-300 per year. A petrol hatch will set you back $400-700 depending on the brand. Factor in brake pad longevity (regenerative braking does most of the work, so pads last a very long time) and you're looking at total running costs roughly $1,800-2,200 less per year than a comparable petrol car. Check our cheapest cars to run in Australia breakdown for the full picture.

Rivals: What Else Should You Cross-Shop?

BYD Dolphin (from $38,890)

The Dolphin is the MG4's most direct rival. Similar price, similar size, similar range. The Dolphin counters with that clever rotating centre screen. It also comes standard with adaptive cruise control across the range. Where the MG4 fights back: the 10-year warranty vs BYD's 6-year coverage, rear-wheel drive, and a slightly larger boot (363L vs 345L). They're both excellent choices. Read our full MG4 vs Dolphin head-to-head for the detailed breakdown.

Tesla Model 3 (from $54,900)

A different class in many ways: $17,000 more expensive, significantly longer range (520-750km WLTP), and access to the Supercharger network. If you can stretch the budget, the Model 3 is the better long-distance car by a wide margin. But for city-focused buyers, the MG4 delivers the core EV benefits (electric drive and cheap running costs) at a much more accessible price. The MG4 also gives you Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which Tesla stubbornly refuses to offer. See how all three compare in our Model 3 vs Dolphin vs MG4 triple comparison.

Hyundai Ioniq 6 (from $74,000)

Significantly more expensive, but worth mentioning because it shows what the EV hatchback/sedan segment looks like at the premium end. The Ioniq 6 offers 800V architecture, and 350kW charging. If your budget stretches that far, it's a different league. But for most buyers looking at the $35-45k bracket, the MG4 represents vastly better value. The maths don't favour it unless money isn't a concern.

Efficiency and Range: Honest Numbers

The base 51kWh MG4 is rated at 350km WLTP. Like any EV, it uses noticeably more energy per kilometre at highway speed than in town, so a 110km/h run will land well short of that number.

For the daily commute (average Australian drives 35km/day), you're charging the base model once a week at most. That's perfectly liveable. Where the 51kWh battery shows its limitations is on longer trips. A 280km run like Sydney to Canberra is close to the base battery's limit at highway speed, so plan a charging stop; Melbourne to Ballarat and back (about 230km) is inside it on paper, with less margin in cold weather. The point is: the MG4 is a brilliant city and suburban car with occasional longer trip capability, not a cross-country tourer.

If you regularly do longer drives, stepping up to the 64kWh Excite or Essence adds 85-100km of WLTP range, and the 77kWh Long Range 77 stretches further again to 530km WLTP. For the extra spend over the base Excite 51, it's a worthwhile upgrade if your commute is on the longer side or you frequently drive between cities.

DC fast charging supports up to 150kW on both variants. As with every EV, the rate tapers as the battery fills. A 10-80% charge takes approximately 35 minutes on a capable fast charger. That's longer than the Tesla Model 3 on a Supercharger (25 minutes) but competitive with most other affordable EVs. Home charging on a 7kW wall charger takes about 7.5 hours for the 51kWh battery, plug in at 10pm, full by morning.

Safety: Five Stars, Fully Loaded

The MG4 scored a full 5-star ANCAP safety rating, which is based on the Euro NCAP assessment. For a car at this price point, the safety equipment list is genuinely impressive:

• Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Lane Keep Assist and lane departure warning
• Adaptive cruise control (Essence only)
• Blind spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• 360-degree camera (Essence variants)
• Speed Assist with traffic sign recognition
• Driver attention monitoring

Six airbags are standard across the range, including front, side, and curtain bags. All five seats get three-point seatbelts with pretensioners. The battery skateboard platform provides excellent structural rigidity in side impacts, with the battery casing acting as a reinforcement layer across the floor.

Lane Keep Assist can be dialled back or switched off in the settings.

One note: the base Excite misses out on adaptive cruise control, which is a shame given that it's standard on the BYD Dolphin at a similar price. If you do a lot of highway driving, the $3,000 upgrade to the Essence is worth it just for adaptive cruise alone.

Interior: Honest, Not Flashy

Let's be upfront: you're not getting a premium interior at this price. The MG4's cabin is functional and well-organised, but the materials are clearly from the "we had to hit a price point" school of design. Hard plastics dominate the lower dashboard and door cards.

That said, MG has been smart about where they spent the money. The 10.25-inch touchscreen in the Excite runs Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wireless on the Essence). A 7-inch digital instrument cluster sits behind the steering wheel.

The steering wheel adjusts for reach and rake. The rising beltline trims the rear three-quarter view, and the standard reversing camera (and 360-degree camera on Essence) covers that gap.

Storage is acceptable. There's a small tray ahead of the gear selector, cupholders in the centre console, and door pockets that fit a water bottle. The Essence adds a wireless phone charging pad. The glovebox is a decent size. Nothing to write home about, but nothing missing either.

One gripe: the climate controls are buried in the touchscreen, with no physical buttons for temperature or fan speed, the same approach as the Tesla Model 3.

Practicality: Proper Hatchback Versatility

This is where the MG4 quietly impresses. The boot measures 363 litres with the rear seats up, which is competitive with the Mazda3 (295L) and Corolla hatch (217L). Fold the 60/40 split rear seats down and you get a flat load floor with around 1,177 litres of space. That's enough for a flat-pack bookshelf, a couple of suitcases, or a week's worth of Bunnings runs.

The boot opening is wide and the load lip is reasonably low. There's no frunk (front boot), the motor and electronics live under the bonnet, so the boot is your only cargo option. A minor drawback compared to the Tesla Model 3's 88-litre frunk, but the hatchback tailgate more than compensates with its versatility.

The flat floor (a benefit of the skateboard EV platform with the battery underneath) means the middle rear passenger is not straddling a transmission tunnel, and the roofline is more upright than a sedan's.

ISOFIX points are present on the two outer rear seats.

Towing capacity is rated at 500kg braked, which is enough for a small box trailer or jet ski but not much more. If you need to tow anything substantial, you'll need to look at an SUV. Most buyers in this segment aren't towing regularly, but it's worth noting.

The MG MG4 Essence 64 has 79 kW for every tonne of kerb weight, 350Nm of torque, a claimed 0-100km/h of 7.5s. It weighs 1,765kg and turns in 10.8m. These are the figures that shape how quickly a car gets moving and how easily it parks.

Should You Buy the MG MG4?

Yes, if:

• You want the cheapest entry point into a brand-new EV in Australia without sacrificing safety or warranty coverage
• Your daily commute is under 100km round trip, the 51kWh base model handles that with room to spare
• You can charge at home overnight, which is where the cost savings really stack up
• The 10-year/250,000km warranty gives you peace of mind. No other EV in Australia comes close
• You need hatchback versatility with 363L of boot space and fold-flat rear seats
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto matter to you (looking at you, Tesla holdouts)

Maybe not, if:

• You regularly drive more than 250km in a day. The base model's range will require more planning than you'd like
• You need a premium interior with soft-touch materials everywhere. The MG4's cabin is functional, not flashy
• You tow anything heavier than a small trailer. The 500kg braked towing capacity is limiting
• You can't charge at home. Relying on public charging erodes the cost advantage and adds inconvenience
• You want the fastest DC charging. The 150kW maximum is decent but not class-leading

The MG MG4 at $37,990 is the proof that affordable electric cars have properly arrived in Australia. It's not perfect. The interior materials are basic, and the range on the base model means you won't be doing Melbourne to Sydney without stops. But for the vast majority of Australian drivers who commute under 50km a day and can charge at home, the MG4 offers a genuinely compelling case. A 5-star ANCAP safety rating, a 10-year warranty that no rival can match, running costs roughly half those of a petrol hatchback, and rear-wheel drive. That's a lot of car for the money.

If you're cross-shopping, start with our MG4 vs BYD Dolphin comparison. Those two are the obvious head-to-head at this price point. Or browse the full best electric cars in Australia list to see where the MG4 stacks up against the entire EV market.

→ Compare all MG MG4 variants on CarSorted (200+ specs)