Review: The MG 4 XPower brings Taycan-level performance for RM 160k but it's not for P-sticker holders

By the time you finish reading this sentence, around 4 seconds have passed. Don’t believe me? Take out your stopwatch and time yourself reading just the first sentence. I’ll wait.

See how quickly 4 seconds pass by? That is roughly the same time the MG 4 XPower accelerates to 100 km/h from a standstill. Remember how the sub-4-second century sprint was once reserved for wallpaper-worthy supercars/hypercars/vapourware that cost millions of ringgits?

Yet, here we are in 2024 and you can achieve that blistering quick acceleration in an unassuming electric hatchback with plenty of practical storage space for around RM 160,000. In fact, the MG 4 XPower is faster than any other sports performance car made when Morris Garages was proudly waving the Union Jack flag.

Divisive 6-ft-tall orangutan and recent farmer, Jeremy Clarkson famously said that “speed has never killed anyone” and any fast-performing driver can attest to that statement. However advanced the modern-day car is in terms of acceleration and speed, the average human mind is still the same as when the 110 km/h speed limit was introduced 35 years ago.

That combination of supercar level performance for under RM 160k might sound appealing if you're a newly-minted P driving license holder but this is not designed for kids. Before we dive into the explanation of the title, let’s get acquainted with the MG 4 XPower

Design – Chinese Cosmopolitan

Of all the Chinese carmakers that have invaded Malaysia over the past couple of years, I admittedly have high hopes for MG. Returning to the market under Chinese ownership, the current iteration of Morris Garages is not the one your grandparents would share fond memories of.

MG was established a century ago in 1924 and was known for its range of affordable and quintessentially British sports cars like the MG TD, MGB, and MG Midget. Its sports cars were renowned for their superb handling, light weight, and elegant Britishness.

The Chinese-owned MG mostly produces regular cars and SUVs but the MG 4 knocks it right out of the park in terms of looks.

Its futuristic hatchback design makes it a looker than the BYD Dolphin or even the Smart #1. In Malaysia, the MG 4 doesn’t have a direct competitor other than those two but in Europe, its rivals would include the Peugeot e-208 and the Volkswagen ID.3.

The Old Continent is also where the MG 4 has the strongest connection in terms of design. The hatchback shape is still highly favoured by Europeans and the MG 4 has that Euro flair which trickles into the interior with an ergonomic dashboard and a rear view that is heavily blocked by the middle rear headrest.

Even though this MG 4 is more Lanzhou than Longbridge, the hatchback feels quite solid with a sturdy rotary-style gear knob that doesn’t turn forever like a certain Cat and the steering wheel feels rather hefty.

The indicator and wiper stalks feel very Volkswagen-like and might even be lifted off one – MG’s owner, SAIC Motor, has a long-time joint venture with the German marque in China. There's nothing wrong with these shared parts but they feel familiar and are nice to touch, like a traditional ICE car.

Still, some bits in the interior remind me of a basic European car like the hard plastics on the door card and a flimsy-looking side mirror adjuster that is more at home in a Maxus commercial van – Another brand under SAIC’s umbrella.

I would forgive those in this regard because the MG 4 starts from around RM 104k in Malaysia.

Performance – Not for the college kids

There are 4 variants of the MG 4 available in Malaysia, all fully imported (CBU) from China which are priced between RM 103,999 to RM 158,999. The stated prices are the manufacturer's recommended selling price (MSRP), not OTR.

The XPower is the top-of-the-line variant with the sub-RM 160k price tag and we also have the MG 4 Lux Extended (RM 148,999) for review in the same week. You’ll have to stay tuned for the full review of the Lux Extended variant in the future but let’s head back to the XPower.

MG anoraks may recognise the XPower name as it was established by MG Rover in 2001 as its motorsports and performance subsidiary. Think of it in the same lengths as Proton’s R3.

Prior to its application on the MG 4, the XPower name was mainly used on a few special MG performance one-offs and the MG SV-R 2-seater sports car. Powered by a 5.0-litre Ford V8, the SV-R made 390 PS/510 Nm and does 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds.

Fast forward nearly a decade after the demise of MG Rover and the MG 4 XPower has a combined power output of 435 PS/600 Nm from its pair of electric motors. During our 0-100 km/h test, the hatchback completed the sprint in 3.89 seconds, less than MG’s claimed time of 3.8 seconds.

That puts the RM 160k MG 4 XPower as one of the fastest cars we have ever tested, managing a time within the ballpark of the Audi e-tron (3.36s) and the Porsche Taycan 4S (3.8s); electric hyper sedans that cost at least 6 times more than the MG. It was also faster than the BYD Seal Performance during our run despite the latter having the same claimed 0-100 km/h time.

Even during rolling acceleration, the MG 4 XPower still pushed quickly with a blip of the throttle spooling up the motors for that immediate burst of speed. As much of an adrenaline rush it is to have the confidence to overtake everything and anything, the average human is simply not able to comprehend such a performance.

We have seen footage of people who think they have what it takes to control a powerful beast and fail spectacularly or worse endangering other drivers.

Yet, here we have an electric car with all the performance figures of a supercar for under RM 160k. To me, that sounds like a potential recipe for disaster.

Perhaps you might argue by saying that the average MG 4 XPower buyer would barely utilize all that power and I do agree. After all, this is still a BEV and true gearheads would rather breathe in the smell of petrol fumes than whatever industrial-grade air surrounding the charging stations.

Nevertheless, the XPower has an aggro acceleration and is targeted at those who want a speed machine. Yet, I am doubtful many of them would be deemed worthy to handle this much power at such a frankly low price.

Ride and handling – Hot hatch wannabe

The MG 4 XPower is marketed as an electric hot hatch despite not quite looking the part. The only visual differences between the XPower and the Lux Extended variants are the trims, wheel design, and the bright orange brake callipers on the former.

There are no shouty exterior enhancements to speak of besides the quick acceleration off the line.

Just like any hot hatch, the XPower's ride is very stiff with every surface of the road felt through the steering wheel. However, it handles more like an SUV than a hot hatch with a heavy feeling steering if you push it round the bends.

Even manoeuvring around tight corners takes a bit of adjusting. Not long after collecting the XPower, I had a bit of difficulty making a U-turn as the steering felt heavy like I was behind the wheel of a bulky SUV than a nimble hatchback.

The front seats are not the best in providing comfort but then again, the MG 4 isn’t that comfortable to begin with. There was excessive movement from the suspension and every time it went over road undulations, the electric hatchback experienced strong vertical movement.

Strangely, even on smoother tarmac, there is apparent lateral movement. We experienced constant movement throughout the cabin while driving around our office’s indoor parking garage which was nauseating.

Aside from the addition of a rear motor, there is nothing extra in terms of performance for the XPower. It has a similar suspension tuning as the rest of the MG 4 range so that stiff ride would be constant.

Meanwhile, both the XPower and the Lux Extended share the same 235/45 R18 profile Bridgestone Turanzas with the difference being the wheel designs. Still, the XPower has a noisy cabin and I reckoned it is due to its exterior design as well as the lack of sound insulation materials.

Our trusty decibel meter recorded 64 dB at 110 km/h with most of the noise coming from the wind. Perhaps those slashes and pointy looks are not exactly helpful in aerodynamics but that’s the price to pay for some style.

Practicality and convenience – A/C controls need to be improved

Being a Euro-centric hatchback, the MG 4 XPower shares the same practical conveniences as the rest of the variants. There are ample storage spaces and cupholders while the wireless charger is placed high enough that it is easy to reach.

The MG 4 comes with wired Apple CarPlay (CP) and Android Auto (AA) so the wireless charger would only be used by the passenger or whoever is not connecting their smartphone to the infotainment system. Yet, there is another flaw for those relying on CP/AA.

Keeping up with the trend of modern cars using a minimalist interior, the XPower’s 10.25-inch infotainment screen also acts as the control centre for the HVAC. You can adjust the fan speed and temperature via a shortcut on the top but it is completely inaccessible when CP/AA is displayed.

I blame it on the infotainment software but this is strangely the second Chinese BEV in which I encountered HVAC control issues while using CP/AA – The other was with the Ora Good Cat. Then again, the infotainment system suffers from being laggy and at times, unresponsive.

It is easy to get accustomed to the MG 4 once you get inside with an operation similar to other BEVs - simply press the brake pedal to start the car. There are two configurable steering wheel buttons which you can choose to select drive modes or regenerative braking levels among others.

Moving on to the rear, the MG 4 XPower shows some European qualities that might not be acceptable to Malaysians. There is no centre armrest or rear A/C and there is only a single USB charging port. Still, there are a lot of seat pockets and it is quite roomy with decent headroom.

As for energy consumption, we drove the XPower for around 112 km in a mix of 60% highway and 40% city driving. Charging from 52% to 80% took 15 minutes via a 150-kW DC fast charger and we achieved 16.89 kWh/100 km.

Conclusion – Novices stay clear

Speed is something that not everyone can handle or even enjoy. It is a given fact that BEVs have quick acceleration and many brands proudly display their 0-100 km/h times which are on the same level as hypercars from a decade ago.

Technology has truly advanced to the point where you can own a car with hypercar-level performance with an actual boot, room for 4, and cost less than RM 200k. So, is this a worthy little sleeper for your kids as their first ride?

Well, the MG 4 XPower can pull your face back with its hyper-acceleration and possibly endanger everyone else on the road as you weave in and out of traffic quickly. However, a sane person would probably save RM 10k and go for the Lux Extended Range instead which I would recommend too.

The XPower brings insane performance at RM 160k but not much else. If you want a fully electric car as your secondary daily or even a first car for those P-license graduates, the XPower is too potent and the lesser variants are the better options.

Also, all that power is pretty much wasted since there are more cars on Malaysian roads and that limits whatever performance ability you/they want to show off, without causing incidents.