What are these new cars all about then?
If you were to suggest MG was setting out to deliberately confuse us all, we wouldn't disagree. But here we go.
The MG4 Urban EV is a new city hatchback on a brand-new platform ("E3" if you're interested in that level of technical detail). And yes, we know what you're going to say next: there's already an MG4 in the brand's local lineup.
The Urban doesn't replace that one. In fact, the OG MG4 (we'll refer to it simply as "MG4" from here on in) has been relaunched in updated form alongside the MG4 Urban (let's just call it "Urban").
And, um, the two have virtually nothing in common. Different platforms, front-drive Urban versus rear-drive MG4, no body panels shared and different interior design. The Urban fits underneath the MG4 in the model/pricing hierachy, but it's actually the longer of the two by 108mm.
What's going on? To paraphrase MG New Zealand executives, the MG4 name has been wildy successful around the world (2236 registrations and two Car of the Year awards in its first year on sale in NZ back in 2023) and the name carries a lot of goodwill. Because the Urban is broadly in the same segment, the company wants to capitalise on the badge and create an EV-hatch family-of-two.
These two are on different platforms, front-drive Urban versus rear-drive MG4, no body panels shared and different interior design.
The idea is that the Urban is about value-for-money, space and practicality, while the MG4 is a bit more upmarket and focuses on tech and driving dynamics. Yeah, it's still confusing.
The Urban lands here in a single specification with the larger of the two battery sizes available from the factory: 54kWh, providing 405km range (WLTP). The single front-axle electric motor makes 118kW/250Nm.
Yep, the Urban is all-new and exciting. The MG4 isn't, necessarily.
The wheels are pushed right out to the corners and it's a surprisingly spacious little thing, including a generous 480-litre boot (with a 98l underfloor storage space).
The dashboard is textbook MG, with a 12.8-inch infotainment screen front-and-centre, and a 7.0in instrument cluster in front of the driver. The OS is pretty busy, but there's full phone projection for Android and Apple (plus a wireless phone charger), and physical controls are provided for audio volume and climate.
'To be frank, we will grow not by focusing on them [EVs] but on the conversion out of ICE vehicles.' - MG NZ country business manager Dean Sheed.
It's twist-and-go (no start/stop button) and the gear selector is a column-mounted unit, easily reachable with your right-hand fingertips.
Yep, the Urban is all-new and exciting. The MG4 isn't, necessarily. There are no mechanical changes, so in the mainstream model you still get a 64kWh battery with 452km range, 140kW/350Nm rear-mounted motor and a lot more charging speed than the Urban: maximum rate is 154kW, compared to 87kW.
The MG4 X Power continues with a 64kWh battery (405km range), and dual motors for AWD and 320kW/600Nm.
MG4 exterior changes are limited to a single-piece rear spoiler (the previous car had a rather bold two-piece wing) and new 18-inch wheels with aero covers.
But inside, MG has undertaken a major refurbishment. The infotainment and instruments (12.8in and 10.25in screens respectively) have been updated and the latter is now wrapped in a faux-leather binnacle, instead of just standing proud. More like a car dashboard, less like a tablet.
The odd little shelf where the rotary gear selector used to sit has been removed, and the dial now sits down low on the centre console. That console has been redesigned and raised; it looks much more substantial now.
The MG4's interior is noticeably higher quality than the Urban. The latter still looks classy and is well put together, but there's plenty of hard plastic on the dashtop and doors. MG has extended soft-touch surfaces all over the MG4 cabin, and it really does feel a lot more upmarket.
The default colour for the MG4 interior is black-and-grey, but there's a light-brown option (think latte, we did) which is also really appealing.
Both the Urban and MG4 are rated 5 stars by ANCAP.
How much are they?
The Urban is intended to be the cheap-and-cheerful one: it's $38,990 but still comes with heated front seats/steering wheel, a 360-degree camera, PU "leather" seats and a full suite of safety features (otherwise it wouldn't get those 5 stars).
MG NZ has rationalised the MG4 lineup from 4 models to 2. The Essence (previously the biggest seller) continues at $44,990, and the crazy-fast (0-100km/h in 3.8 seconds) X Power is $55,990. Those two prices represent reductions of $5k and $4k respectively, a reaction to increased competition in the market, says MG NZ.
What are they like to drive?
Very different, as you'd imagine. The lasting impression after our brief introductory drive was that the Urban is a Nice Little Car: nothing more, nothing less. Which is pretty much what it's aiming for.
The steering has some weight, but the power delivery is very gently calibrated. It has instant EV torque and all that, but the front wheels never feel like they're in danger of spinning. Probably a good thing.
The handling is tidy and we were able to hustle the Urban along some winding sections of open road without fuss. City car it may be, but the decent weight distribution (55/45) and low centre of gravity mean it's capable at higher speeds.
Some of the safety alerts are maddening; the driver distraction and traffic sign recognition/speed alert in particular.
But that's easily dealt to by the MG Pilot Custom function (as fitted to MGS5 EV and the U9 ute), which allows you to choose you favourite combination of ADAS on/off settings and save them, meaning you can shortcut to your custom setup with one click when you start the car.
The MG4 is a known quantity and the driving experience hasn't changed at all. We only drove the Essence on this occasion, but it's still reasonably brisk, balanced and quite engaging for a small, mainstream hatch.
What’s the pick of the range?
Is anybody really going to cross-shop Urban and MG4? It's possible. Just like MG says, if you want the value-proposition (there's a $6k gap between them, remember) and interior space, and don't necessarily need to be wildly entertained on your weekend drives, the Urban stands out.
If you want a touch more pizzazz in the on-road experience, or want to feel a touch more luxury in the cabin, the MG4 is the one.
What other cars should I consider?
For the Urban, any sub-$40k EV with decent cabin space is in the frame: Dongfeng Vigo ($37,990) and BYD Atto 2 ($39,990-$45,990) stand out.
For MG4 Essence, any sub-$50k EV with a bit of flair: Forthing Taikon ($42,990-$47,990), Jaecoo J5 ($42,990) or Leapmotor B10 ($44,990-$49,990). They're all SUVs of course; passenger cars are a rarity in this segment, which makes the MG4 a bit more interesting.
But other EVs aren't necessarily the focus, especially for the Urban.
Says MG NZ country business manager Dean Sheed: "To be frank, we will grow not by focusing on them [EVs] but on the conversion out of ICE vehicles. I won't grow the business by focusing on, say, BYD. But I will by focusing on small petrol hatchbacks and that mindset about the change to EV. That's where we have to go hunting."