Chinese car-maker finally delivers a sports model worthy of the ‘MG’ badge, in this case a high-performance electric hot hatch
- How much does the MG4 XPOWER cost?
- What equipment comes with the MG4 XPOWER?
- How safe is the MG4 XPOWER?
- What technology does the MG4 XPOWER feature?
- What powers the MG4 XPOWER?
- How far can the MG4 XPOWER go on a charge?
- What is the MG4 XPOWER like to drive?
- What is the MG4 XPOWER like inside?
- Should I buy an MG4 XPOWER?
The all-new MG4 EV hatchback is arriving soon, opening at less than $40,000 as one of cheapest new electric cars available in Australia. But the headline act is coming later this year – the flagship dual-motor, all-wheel drive MG4 XPOWER that stumps up 320kW of power, 600Nm of torque, and can sprint from 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds! We’ve taken a prototype version of the electrifying hot hatch for a quick whip around the MG’s Shanghai-based proving ground and, yes, it’s an impressive effort that’s sure to make its presence felt Down Under.
How much does the MG4 XPOWER cost?
MG Australia is yet to confirm local pricing for the 2023 MG4 XPOWER, which will top the range as the raciest version of the new MG4 battery-electric hatchback when it arrives Down Under by Christmas.
Lower-series MG4 models are now on sale ahead of first deliveries in mid-August, based around a three-tiered single-motor/rear-wheel drive powertrain, starting from $38,990 plus on-road costs for the 51kWh Excite (125kW/250Nm).
Bigger-battery 64kWh models – Excite and Essence – produce 150kW (and the same 250Nm), priced from $44,990 and $47,990 plus ORCs respectively, while the 77kWh Essence Long Range (180kW/350Nm) starts at $55,990 plus ORCs.
With that in mind, we expect the MG4 XPOWER – featuring a ripping 320kW/600Nm twin e-motor layout and 64kWh battery – will carry a premium of about $10,000, making it a circa-$66,000 proposition.
Direct competitors for the sporty Corolla-sized MG4 dual-motor EV are currently few and far between in Australia, with the single-motor Cupra Born ($59,990), MINI Cooper SE ($64,975) and incoming Abarth 500e (pricing TBD) carrying a similar intent but lower output.
We’ll have to wait and see just how close MG wants to get to dual-motor versions of the bigger Tesla Model 3 (from $70,400), Polestar 2 (from $73,400) and even the forthcoming Volvo EX30 small SUV (from $69,990).
What equipment comes with the MG4 XPOWER?
Outside, the 2023 MG4 XPOWER can be identified by sportier exterior styling, two-tone 18-inch alloy wheels (with Bridgestone Turanza tyres) and bright orange brake calliper covers.
It has the same front fascia found on lesser MG4 models, but a small black splitter has been added, along with black side skirts and a rear diffuser, all accented with silver inlays.
A satin-finish Hunter Green exterior colour is exclusive to the XPOWER, while a lighter satin green paint job inspired by the MG EX181 in which Sir Stirling Moss attempted to break the Class F land speed record in 1957 is under consideration.
Other paint options common to the entire MG4 range include Dover White and six metallics: Volcano Orange, Sterling Silver, Black Pearl, Brixton Blue, Diamond Red and Camden Grey.
Inside, the XPOWER brings sportier seats clad in black Alcantara-like material, and sports pedals.
Special features reserved for the electric hot hatch include launch control and a Track Mode that an MG engineer tells us has been extensively tested both on and off a racetrack, providing lap and stage modes.
As per local pricing, MG Australia is yet to confirm service pricing and intervals, but every MG4 will come covered by the brand’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre new car and battery warranty.
How safe is the MG4 XPOWER?
When it arrives Down Under, the 2023 MG4 XPOWER is expected to carry the same five-star safety rating as the regular MG4 range.
While that was awarded by Euro NCAP overseas, MG says the same standard should be recognised locally by Australia’s independent new vehicle safety testing authority, ANCAP.
Elsewhere, the MG Pilot safety suite will bring autonomous emergency braking (AEB), brake assist, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring and more.
Other helpful features include traffic jam assist, speed assist, door opening warning, unsteady driving warning and adaptive headlights.
The XPOWER’s all-wheel drive system also brings a ‘Snow Mode’ should you find yourself driving in particularly icy conditions.
ISOFIX child seat anchorage points are provided in the outboard positions across the rear bench.
What technology does the MG4 XPOWER feature?
The 2023 MG4 XPOWER is fitted with the Chinese car-maker’s latest infotainment system, displayed through a 10.25-inch central touch-screen.
Bluetooth, digital FM radio and (wired) Apple CarPlay/Android Auto comes standard, while a wireless phone charging tray is positioned below the touch-screen.
The XPOWER also gets a six-speaker sound system and voice assist.
A 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster gives the driver access to important information like speed, driving range, battery percentage and more, with clear graphics and a simple layout.
It works perfectly fine, but a larger display wouldn’t go astray.
The centre console is home to a rotary-style gear selector, affording the MG4 a relatively clutter-free cabin, where there’s enough space in the storage area between the driver and passenger for a handbag – or so the MG4’s chief designer, Oleg Son, tells us.
That said, while an array of buttons runs along the bottom of the touch-screen for easier access to audio volume or the windscreen demister, we can’t help but feel like the unit’s resolution could do with some improvement and the font size could be bigger.
As with all versions of the MG4, the XPOWER brings vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability via a 220-volt system that offers enough juice to power a laptop or small BBQ, according to MG.
What powers the MG4 XPOWER?
The 2023 MG4 XPOWER boasts true hot hatch performance as the only model in the new hatchback range to feature a dual-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain.
Combined, the twin e-motors produce a credible 320kW of power and 600Nm of torque. The rear-biased layout includes a 150kW/250Nm electric motor up front and a 170kW/350Nm unit at the rear.
The XPOWER draws energy from a 64kWh lithium-ion battery pack, as found on the regular MG4 Excite and Essence.
Tipping the scales at 1800kg, the XPOWER is claimed to launch from 0-100km/h in a mere 3.8 seconds.
MG says an integrated intelligent motor control unit (iMCU) – a and freewheel one-way clutch (OWC) on board help provide “seamless switching from rear-wheel drive to four-wheel drive”.
More on that in a moment…
How far can the MG4 XPOWER go on a charge?
If the 2023 MG4 XPOWER has any shortcomings, the first will likely be its claimed driving range of just 385km, based on WLTP testing.
That’s disappointing, not least when considering the manner in which many are likely to drive it.
When we first hopped in, the car displayed 200km of range at 70 per cent battery, but our brief test drive of the pre-production XPOWER included plenty of heavy acceleration, making it difficult to gauge real-world figures for the EV.
As for charging, MG says it’ll take around 60 minutes to replenish the battery from 10-80 per cent using a 50kW DC charger.
That time drops to 26 minutes with a 150kW fast-charge outlet, while you’re looking at around nine hours for a “complete charge” (0-100%) at 6.6kW AC.
What is the MG4 XPOWER like to drive?
Bloody impressive.
In addition to the performance credentials we’ve already mentioned (not least the 3.8sec 0-100km/h claim), the 2023 MG4 XPOWER also boasts a 50:50 weight distribution, an electronic diff lock and a top speed of 200km/h.
Suspension upgrades include recalibrated springs and dampers and revised anti-roll bars, with overall suspension stiffness up by 25 per cent. Steering is also claimed to be “sharper”.
The pre-production prototype we tested at MG’s Antling proving ground in China was complete with all the correct hardware, however some of the software on board wasn’t production-ready.
For example, while the XPOWER will deliver four-stage regenerative braking, including one-pedal driving, the car on test wasn’t set up to do the latter.
Meanwhile, software for the highly anticipated launch control function was yet to be installed.
Those omissions aside, it’s a lovable little machine, with athleticism to rival the Energizer bunny, even when you’re already cruising along at 100km/h.
In true performance EV fashion, there’s always more grunt available than you’re likely to ever (legally) utilise on public roads.
Throttle response is instantaneous, as expected, and the brake pedal feels much more natural – if not a little too responsive – than other EVs. Regen braking systems can often make an EV’s brake pedal feel wooden and unnatural, but the XPOWER’s stop pedal is sharp as a tack.
MG has not only recalibrated the regenerative braking software in the XPOWER, but also upgraded the braking hardware with 345mm discs at all four corners. The stopping distance from 100km/h to standstill is a claimed 33.9m.
The same positive impressions are found with body control too, where for the most part the chunky little hatch manages corners and directional changes with composure and very little roll.
Despite the upgrade, the steering could be sharpened ever so slightly, and while the Bridgestone tyres fitted to our tester provided decent grip, we did note some front-end wheel spin under heavy acceleration, along with what felt like an inside front tyre scrambling for grip on a fast corner exit.
A shift between the front and rear motors working was also identified, where accelerating out of a corner felt like the front motor engaged first, followed by a light thump through the cabin as the rear motor whizzed to life.
It’s not an overly noticeable thump and didn’t happen a second time. However, speaking with the engineer in charge of the MG4 XPOWER’s electric drivetrain, we were told that feeling comes from the one-way clutch (OWC), which requires “20 or 30” milliseconds to switch the MG4 from rear-drive to four-wheel drive.
Hopefully, those wrinkles will be ironed out come December.
We’re also hoping for a Drift Mode on future versions of the MG4 XPOWER, which is said to need as little as a software update to make it capable of Volkswagen Golf R-rivalling skids.
What is the MG4 XPOWER like inside?
The dedicated EV underpinnings of MG’s all-new hatchback afford the 2023 MG4 XPOWER a more spacious cabin than most small cars can deliver.
Ergonomics are good, but only the driver gets electric seat adjustment; the front passenger makes do with manual adjustment.
The suede-like sports seats – which could do with additional side bolstering – are among the few points of difference to the regular MG4.
Almost every surface is made of hard or scratchy plastic, and while the cabin is certainly very functional in its layout and provides plenty of storage solutions, the overall execution leaves more to be desired.
This will come into consideration for those cross-shopping with similar-sized performance-flavoured EV metal, like the Cupra Born or the Volkswagen ID.3 that’s due next year.
On the move, we also noticed a small amount of wind noise whistling into the cabin, so refinement will be another aspect to study when the production models land in Australia.
The MG4’s spacious interior is really felt in the second row, where adults will note decent headroom and legroom, which hopefully makes up for a lack of rear air vents.
There’s also no centre arm rest and just one USB-A port.
At least the 60/40-split rear seat folds down relatively flat for those needing to transport larger items here and there. Boot volume is 363 litres with the rear seats up; 1165L when folded.
Should I buy an MG4 XPOWER?
The 2023 MG4 XPOWER is an outlier in that no other EV hatchback currently available in Australia can match its performance – and that will likely remain the case by the time it arrives in the final quarter of this year.
Our first experience was impressive to say the least. It’s good, but there’s work to be done before the XPOWER is great.
2023 MG4 XPOWER at a glance:
Price: $65,990 estimated (plus on-road costs)
Available: Fourth quarter 2023
Powertrain: Two asynchronous electric motors
Output: 320kW/600Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 64kWh ternary lithium (62.1kWh useable)
Range: 385km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 15.2kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Five-star (Euro NCAP)
Keyword: MG4 XPOWER 2023 Review – International