MG ready to launch a completely new MG4

Surprisingly, SAIC Motor’s daughter MG will launch a completely new version of its MG4 EV. This car sells well overseas but has very low sales in China. The new version is larger than the previous one and has a brand-new design. This might signal that the company decided to start all over again with its entry-level EV.

MG is a former British automaker the state-owned SAIC Motor acquired in 2005. Its EVs are not very popular in China, but they sell pretty well overseas, such as in India, Thailand, and also the EU.

As usual, the information was revealed by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), which publishes a list of vehicles for approval every month. No car can be sold in China without MIIT approval, and being listed is one of the last steps before a car hits the market.

A larger car

The new hatchback is 4395 mm long, 1842 mm wide, 1551 mm high, and has a wheelbase of 2,750 mm. For comparison, the previous MG4 has dimensions 4287/1836/1516 mm and a wheelbase of 2,705 mm. This means the new MG4 is larger in all directions; it’s 108 mm longer, slightly wider, and 35 mm higher, and its wheelbase grew 45 mm.  This indicates that it is not just a regular facelift but a whole new model.

The new MG4 has a redesigned front, doors, and rear end, and the greenhouse (structure between A and C pillars) has been reworked. The overall design looks like MG got inspiration from MG3 and made it bigger with some elements from Cyberster. The overall looks are clearly less striking than the previous model’s design. MG4 now features a wide light strip on the rear, and the relatively small lights are arrow-shaped, like those on MG Cyberster.

First technical details

The MG4 is powered by a TZ180XS1001 electric motor with a peak output of 120 kW and a top speed of 160 kph. Its official curb weight is 1,485 kg. The current MG4 has a slightly more powerful 125 kW motor but is 150 kg heavier, with a curb weight of 1,641 kg.

The battery pack will have a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. The capacity hasn’t been disclosed yet, so there is no information about the range.

To make things more confusing, MG applied for two more badges for this car, MG3 and E5. Automakers often do this to either confuse people, especially competitors, or because they are not yet sure about the final name, so it is better to have more options.

No best-seller

The MG4 doesn’t sell well in China. It started deliveries in mid-2022 and had short-term success, which faded away with the new year. There was a short peak at the end of last year, but now sales of the MG4 have practically fallen to zero. So brutal is the Chinese EV war. As an entry-level hatchback, MG4 is standing against models like BYD Dolphin, Wuling Bingo, or Geely Xingyuan. In February, MG4 sold only 13 units in its home country.

On the contrary, the car sold relatively well abroad, also in the EU. Lately, it has been battling with the new import tariffs for Chinese EVs because state-owned SAIC has been put in the highest additional tax bracket (more than 36% plus).

In February, the MG brand sold 7,002 cars in China, up 17.6% year over year. The deliveries were powered by MG5, which was responsible for 75% of MG sales, and MG7, which contributed 20%. Both are ICE vehicles.