MG4 EV XPOWER
It’s fair to say that electric cars have become a staple part of the traffic on the UK’s roads. They’re no longer a novelty that gets folk staring and nudging each other when one nearly-silently glides past. It’s also fair to say that electric cars are fast. Even the most slovenly models are relatively quick when compared to their internal combustion equivalent or the model they’ve superseded.
Now, it’s no secret that the price of almost everything has risen exponentially since the turn of the decade, especially cars. Spearheading this pain in the consumer’s pocket has, unfortunately, been electric cars; there’s no two ways about it, they just cost more than a petrol or diesel engined vehicle.
And that’s where cars like the MG4 EV come in; the whole MG range for that matter. It’s only natural to want the most for your money so, given the chance to save a few quid on the initial purchase or PCP/ rental, it’s only to be expected we’re going to take it. And many of us have. The MG4 EV, with its realistic range and distinctive if slightly Marmite styling, all for under £27k OTR has found many a home on our driveway.
Need a bit more oomph?
But what about when the initial thrill of ‘normal’ electric cars’ instant acceleration wears off? Well, for many it has and that’s brought about the birth of the electric hot-hatch. Hyundai‘s Ioniq 5 N was one of the first, the Alpine A290 has just been released to much aplomb so it’s only fitting that MG, the once-British brand famed for affordable performance should throw its hat in the ring. So they did. And this is what they gave us; the MG4 EV XPOWER.
Some important numbers……
A few quick numbers for you; £36,495 OTR, 124mph, 0g/km CO2, 328 miles maximum range, 239 miles combined range, 35 minutes charge time from 10% – 80% on 150kW charger, 64kWh battery.
……and some more fun ones
Now for the facts and figures you actually want to hear; 429bhp, AWD, launch control, 600Nm torque, 0-60mph = 3.7s. Yes, you read that right, your eyes didn’t deceive you – this fairly normal looking EV has four hundred and twenty nine horses powering all four wheels and it’ll get you from a standing start to sixty miles per hour in 3.7 seconds.
Is the XPOWER just more powerful, though?
Even if you’ve driven electric cars for a while, the performance you get from the MG4 EV XPOWER is literally supercar baiting, and you get change from £37k. It’s not just had a whopping dollop of power squeezed into it, either. The MG4 XPOWER has uprated dampers, an e-diff to keep all four wheels doing what they’re supposed to, anti-roll bars and, perhaps most pertinently, a set of brake discs that nearly fill the 18″ alloys to reel things in when this now 1,800kg car gets ahead of itself.
More speed = less range. Simples.
Ok, the downsides. Range anxiety is real, whichever electric car you’re behind the wheel of. You really use the XPOWER to anywhere near its full potential and you can literally watch your potential range tumble to the point you’ll be nervously searching online maps for nearby charge points.
Then there’s the looks. If you like the standard MG4 EV you’ll love this one with its XPOWER-only colours and striking orange callipers. But visually, that’s about all you get over the £26k MG4, so if you weren’t keen on the original there’s probably not enough to tempt you into this one – the interior is virtually identical.
Typically electric feel
In terms of driving experience, we’ve already ascertained the XPOWER will out-drag pretty-much everything else on the road, but what about handling etc? It’s actually admirable that they’ve kept the XPOWER’s mass down to 1,800kg and when the AWD system is thrown at a corner it does a good job of negotiating the right line. It’s still very much electric, though; there’s minimum feedback from steering inputs and the whole experience can leave you feeling a bit detached, as if the car is driving you, not the other way around.
Should I buy an MG4 EV XPOWER?
Whether electric cars are your thing right now or not, they appear to be here to stay and there’s no denying their grin factor in a straight line. The MG4 EV XPOWER is bordering on the ridiculous in a straight line, the brakes are up to the job, the range is decent (provided you leave your lead boots at home) and, compared to the competition at least, it’s a bit of a bargain.
By Ben Harrington
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