Category Archives: MG

MG4 Extended Range Test Driven: The Best Value EV On The Market?

October 30, 2023Electric Cars, MG, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

MG has a reputation for producing great value cars. The MG ZS EV and its Long Range version drew a new line for affordability, followed by the MG5 EV and its Long Range version. In 2022, the MG4 EV set yet another benchmark. Now there’s an updated version of the MG4 called the Extended Range. It takes what was great about the original model and makes it even better. I spent the last week putting it through its paces.

The key thing about the Extended Range is a bigger battery – 77kWh gross (74.4kWh net) compared to 64kWh gross (61.7kWh net) for the MG4 Long Range. That has also been combined with an increased motor power, from 201hp to 241hp. This means that despite being 63kg heavier than the Long Range, the Extended Range is faster, taking just 6.1 seconds to reach 60mph, versus 7.5 seconds. Before the EV era, that would have been a sportscar level of performance. MG’s portfolion includes the even quicker MG4 XPOWER, which hits 60mph in a Tesla-challenging 3.7 seconds. But for an everyday hatchback, 6.1 seconds is more than adequate.

The performance of the MG4 Extended Range is somewhat secondary to its headline feature, however – the WLTP range that the larger battery enables, which is 323 miles. I managed to achieve about 280 miles in Normal (not Eco) mode about town, and about 240 miles on a 70mph motorway.

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‘I bought an electric MG eight weeks ago – it’s incredible value for money’

September 26, 2023Buying/Leasing, Cost of ownership, Electric Cars, MG, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

A motoring expert has highlighted how easy it was to make the transition from a petrol-powered car to an EV.

An automotive YouTuber has revealed his thoughts on a popular electric vehicle, stating that it offers good value for money.

Paul runs the channel Life of Cars, and regularly posts videos in which he reviews a variety of cars and informs drivers on how to fix common issues.

In one of his most recent videos, Paul talks to a relative who bought an MG4 eight weeks ago about the switch from petrol to electric.

The relative said: “It’s just easy, it does it all for you. Acceleration off the line is pretty sharp, that’s a big difference.

I like to put it into eco mode and into energy saving mode which obviously helps with the battery, especially driving long distances.”

In the video, Paul and his relative take the MG4 for a spin, discussing various aspects of owning an electric car.

The relative noted that the car came equipped with several driver assistance features, such as lane keep assist, preventing the driver from accidentally drifting out of their lane.

They both added that the interior was incredibly roomy, which has been achieved by using a battery that is thinner than ones found in other EVs.

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Here are the cheapest new EVs you can currently buy

July 28, 2023Dacia, Dacia Spring, Electric Cars, Fiat, MG, News, Reviews and Comment, Renault, ZOERepost

Next year will see various well-priced EVs come to market, but let’s look at what are currently the most affordable

It’s an exciting time in the electric car world at the moment, with more and more models going on sale.

There is big news today, too, with Dacia’s announcement that it will bring its compact EV, called the Spring, to the UK next year. The Spring has been on sale since 2021 in other European markets and has the title of Europe’s most affordable new electric car – something that it will likely be when it comes to the UK as well.

The Spring is set to become the UK’s cheapest new electric car when it arrives next year. (Dacia)

But if you can’t quite wait for the Dacia Spring to arrive, what are currently the cheapest new EVs today? Let’s take a look.

The MG4 is currently the cheapest new EV. (MG)

MG is now one of the key players in the electric car segment, with its affordable EVs really resonating with buyers that want to go electric, but without having to splash vast amounts of cash.

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Ora Funky Cat UK review: electric hatchack comes up short on range, price and quality

July 19, 2023Buying a new car, Electric Cars, ID.3, Leaf, MG, News, Reviews and Comment, Nissan, Opinion, Renault, Volkswagen, ZOERepost

The first in a new wave of Chinese electric cars stands out for its looks but little else in a crowded market

There’s something to be said for making a splash when launching a new brand or product.

Good or bad, an eye-catching design and an interesting name can help establish a brand in the minds of the public and pave the way for future plans. So Ora is certainly onto a winner with the Funky Cat which not only has a name you won’t forget but brings a wide-eyed and unusual look that’ll stand out in most car parks.

Ora is one of a wave of Chinese brands setting their sights on the UK with a host of electric cars, and the Funky Cat is its first offering, aiming to compete with models such as the Nissan Leaf, Renault Zoe, Volkswagen ID.3 and MG4 in the electric hatchback segment.

Volkswagen ID.3 electric car (Image: Volkswagen.com)

We’re largely past the days of Chinese cars being carbon copies of European models but there is an element of Mini to the Funky Cat’s front end and smidge of first-gen Leaf to the sloping, wide tailgate. It looks better in the metal than in photos, which don’t do its proportions any favours, but it still divided opinion during our time with it and is likely to be a bit of a Marmite prospect on the roads.

Under the funky skin, the Funky Cat packs a 48kWh battery and a 169bhp motor. That offers fairly middle-of-the-road performance, with 0-62mph of 8.3 seconds and the usual initial surge tailing off as speeds rise.

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“Second hand EVs are the ultimate bargains of the year”

July 4, 2023Citroen, Electric Cars, MG, News, Reviews and Comment, OpinionRepost

With the price of used electric cars plummeting, Mike Rutherford thinks it’s the perfect time to buy

Admit it: British buyers love a bargain. And we don’t have to look far to find one at the minute.

For example, after a year or two of prices at some pumps nudging and occasionally exceeding the soul and wallet-destroying £2.20 a litre (£10 per gallon) mark, I didn’t think I’d have a good word to say about the fuel-retailing industry ever again. But now, in mid-2023, petrol costing around £1.40 (£6.36) and diesel at £1.50 (£6.81) a litre are relative bargains.

Others include frequently discounted AA cover for less than £100 annually (that’s what I just paid for mine); four new, award-winning, great-value tyres for a few hundred quid (I’ve just purchased a set); day tickets for The British Motor Show at a mere £23.50 (individual adults) and £47 (two adults and two kids); or even an Auto Express magazine subscription for little more than £2 a week over the next 12 months.

For those with bigger bargains in mind, they’re out there. Dacia and MG prove the point perfectly, the former with its seven-seat £18,295 Jogger, the latter with a range of EV and ICE cars that undercuts pretty much every other model line-up in UK showrooms.

Very different but equally tempting bargains include the Citroen Ami quadricycle at £8,095 and, for £51,800, the entry-level Porsche 718 Cayman, which just about qualifies as a supercar-lite. Honestly, if you’ve got around 50 grand burning a hole in your pocket, you can’t afford not to buy one.

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The ‘affordable’ electric cars with the longest ranges: Ten EVs on sale in Britain for less than £40k that go the furthest on a full charge

March 31, 2023Electric Cars, MG, News, Reviews and Comment, Nissan, VolkswagenRepost

These are the electric cars on sale in Britain today that evade VED ‘premium tax’ rates for motors over £40k
These less expensive EVs offer fully-charged official battery ranges of between 239 and 300 miles

The term ‘affordable’ is a relative one. What might be within one person’s budget might not be attainable for others.

Some will argue – and perhaps rightfully so – that no electric car on sale in Britain today falls into the ‘affordable’ bracket.

That was particularly highlighted in our recent report on the EVs with the longest quoted ranges, many of which cost in excess of £100,000. That’s not what you call battery-powered motoring for the masses!

But there are some models that are far less expensive and that will go plenty far enough on a fully-charged battery to last a week (the average weekly UK passenger car mileage is 131 miles, according to the latest figures).

We’ve set a price ceiling of £40,000 for the EVs that can make it into this countdown. This is the ‘premium tax’ benchmark for Vehicle Excise Duty, with owners of all new motors over this amount forced to pay an extra £355 per year in car tax for the first five years at the standard rate.

Here are 10 EVs that avoid this premium tax sting and can travel the longest distances between charges based on their ‘official’ claims…

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These are the cheapest new EVs you can currently buy

March 29, 2023Buying a new car, Electric Cars, Fiat, MG, News, Reviews and Comment, Nissan, VolkswagenRepost

New EVs are still by-and-large expensive products, but we look at the most affordable models currently available

If Volkswagen sticks to its promise, the ID.2 will arrive as the cheapest new electric car on the market, and tap into the relatively untapped affordable end of the segment, as EV manufacturers have so far been largely prioritising more expensive models that help them generate more money.

Ahead of the Volkswagen ID.2’s arrival, we have a look at the most affordable new EVs that can be bought today.

The entry-level MG4 is still able to travel 218 miles on a charge. (MG)

Volkswagen ID 4 (Image: Volkswagen.co.uk)

MG is now one of the key players in the electric car segment, with its affordable EVs really resonating with buyers that want to go electric, but without having to splash vast amounts of cash

Its new MG4 is also currently the UK’s most affordable EV, with a starting price of £26,995. That buys the entry-level model, equipped with a 51kWh battery that’s able to achieve a credible claimed 218 miles from a charge. It’s also good to drive, well-equipped and offers attractive styling too. MG’s current offers mean you can get behind the wheel for £269 per month over a four-year deal, with a £6,000 deposit.

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‘Perfect’ electric vehicle beats out petrol and diesel to win Car of the Year 2023

March 23, 2023Electric Cars, MG, News, Reviews and Comment, OpinionRepost

An electric car has won the UK Car of the Year award for 2023, with judges calling the vehicle “perfect” and hailing it as being affordable.

The MG4 has been crowned the UK Car of the Year 2023, in another major triumph for electric vehicles. However, unlike 2022 when the top four cars were battery-powered, the MG’s closest competition came from internal combustion engined models at either end of the performance spectrum.

The five-door hatchback comes with an impressive 281 miles of electric range in the standard model or 360 miles (579km) with the Long Range MG4.

As with all new cars, the MG4 comes with a range of features to make the motoring experience easier and smoother.

The Trophy Long Range model comes with a 360 parking camera, a 10.25” colour touchscreen and iSMART app connectivity.

Battery life is often cited as an issue for drivers, but the MG can charge from 10 to 80 percent in as little as 35 minutes, and the car starts from as little as £26,995.

The budget seven-seat Dacia Jogger was a deserved runner-up, while third place outright went to Toyota’s GR86, which claimed the Best Coupé category in this year’s awards.

The Dacia Jogger was hailed as prioritising cost-conscious motoring, starting at a cost-effective £17,175.

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A hybrid MG is Britain’s biggest selling motor! Car sales grow for sixth month in a row as supply chain woes ease and EV registrations dwarf diesels

February 21, 2023Electric Cars, MG, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

January car sales grew 14.7% year-on-year – some 131,994 motors registered
Demand for ‘electrified’ cars pushed registrations higher, with hybrids up 40%
Electric vehicles easily outsold diesels again, but experts warn demand for EVs could slip due to cost-of-living squeeze and behind-schedule charging network

The UK’s new car market grew for a six consecutive month in January as supply chain issues plagueing the sector continue to ease, new industry figures issued on Monday morning show.

Some 131,994 new cars were registered last month, up 14.7 per cent on January 2022, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.

Topping the sales chart in January was Chinese-backed MG, with its £31,095 HS plug-in hybrid SUV the most-bought model.

Electrified vehicles drove the sales increase, particularly hybrids. And 100 per cent battery models are easily outselling diesels in the first month of the year.

However, experts remain ‘cautiously optimistic’, warning that the cost-of-living squeeze and slow installation of charging points could soon hit demand for plug-in models

Registrations of hybrid electric vehicles were the big riser in January, up 40.6 per cent on the same month in 2022.

With 18,975 conventional hybrids entering the road last month, only petrols (76,216 registrations) were sold in greater numbers in terms of fuel type.

Plug-in hybrids remained relatively static, up just 0.7 per cent – though the best-selling MG HS model (3,481 registrations) is among the 9.109 PHEVs bought last month.

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First Drive: Is the MG4 EV the car to tempt buyers away from well-established brands?

November 22, 2022Buying/Leasing, Electric Cars, MG, News, Reviews and Comment, OpinionRepost

MG is broadening its EV line-up with the new MG4. Ted Welford gets behind the wheel.

The modern-day MG is a far cry from the one that produced classic British sports cars, but it’s proving no less successful. Owned by Chinese automotive giant SAIC Motor, MG is the fastest-growing car brand in the UK and sales have grown by 70 per cent in 2022 alone (up to the end of October).

It now sells more cars here than the likes of Land Rover, Mini and Skoda, and much of its success has come from its electric models – the ZS EV crossover and MG5 estate. The brand is now expanding further with the new MG4, its first electric hatchback and one that’s set to grow this brand even further. But is it set to succeed?

What’s new?

The MG4 is the first model to be based on a new electric car platform. (MG)

The MG4 is the first model from the firm to use a bespoke EV platform that will go on to be used in a number of electric MGs in future years – the key advantage to this being that it’s rear-wheel-drive and uses a thin battery that takes up minimal space.

The MG4 also shows a more adventurous design direction for MG, though more on that later. But crucial to the appeal of the MG4 is its price, which starts from £25,995, and undercuts rivals by a significant chunk of money.