I came into the review of the MG4 STD with no expectations. Yes, every manufacturer out there has in one way or another ventured into electrification, but very few have pure battery electric vehicles out in the market. For a brand such as MG, this is a pretty tall order and an insanely discerning (and anxious) market to enter. How does the MG4 stand up to a segment that is not only competitive in many other parts of the world, but is also a fledgling following in the PH?
Can the MG4 STD be the entry EV for everybody?
I did say that “I came in with no expectations” when I got the MG4 STD. What I mean to say is, first of all, MG was a lot different from when it first entered the country. Now, it has grown with an increasing following and a rejuvenated sense of confidence in its product line. This being the first of a “new breed” of MGs that we got our hands on, it is but proper to bring a clean(er) slate as we go about it. And so, here we go.
“Hello there, Mr. Pool.” Yes, a reference to Deadpool right there. But that’s only because the test unit we got our hands on was finished in black and red. Looking at its front end, though, you can’t help but notice the very minimalist approach that MG took with the MG4. The sharp LED headlights that taper off towards the center, the absence of a grill, and the massive bulge on the sides of the front fender that look like hungry air dams, all make for a subdued yet sophisticated look for this STD variant of MG’s sub-compact hatchback.
As sleek as it looks from the front, it gets a lot more heft when viewed from the side. Owing to the upward-angled black accent piece of the side skirt and door garnish, the MG4 STD looks wider and higher than it actually is off the ground. The balance to the profile is brought by the proportioned greenhouse. Also accented by black window sills and pillar sashes, it wasn’t impractically small nor out-of-place large; the windows provided good visibility on either side.
A surprising detail that you’d see on the MG4’s side is its wheels. Those aren’t alloys that you see, rather, steelies with hubcaps. It is a pretty practically-priced EV, so we can imagine that MG would find ways to make it so, and with the use of this type of wheels, perhaps that’s one way they were able to keep the price low. We’ll get to the price tag later, so don’t worry.
On the rear, the black accents continue. From the front chin and the side skirts, the rear bumper also gets a massive black faux diffuser. You get a sizeable tailgate with a nice glossy black trim running its width, and flanked by vertically-oriented taillights. In keeping up with the front design, I thought horizontal units would be used, but regardless, the rear comes together in a pretty way, not trying hard to be sporty, and not obnoxious.
However, as wide as the windshield and windows are, the backglass is small. The MG4 STD has a rear end that is pretty high, and the visibility that you are afforded for the rear is rather limited. Of course it all owes to the overall architecture and design of the MG4 STD, but the artists could have drawn the tailgate just a little bit lower, perhaps. This bit will be tied to another detail that just can’t be missed later on.
All things considered, “Mr. Pool” right here still is attractive on the outside, unlike Wade Wilson’s post-mutant ability awakening. But we digress.
Now, on to the inside. The MG4 STD’s exterior is as simple and clean as it gets, and whether it is intentional or not, the minimalist approach continues to the interior. Black is the color of choice, but the material of choice is fabric and not leather for the MG4 STD. Regardless, it doesn’t look bad at all. No fancy contrast stitching, and no color-keyed accents, it is all black on the inside, most flat and on plastic with a few piano black pieces just to add some needed accents.
On the driver’s side of the MG4 STD, you’ll find an unusual steering wheel in that it doesn’t have the usual T-frame inside and all it has is a horizontal center piece that has your audio and menu controls. In front of it sits a very modest 7-inch digital screen. I won’t even go so far as to say it is a gauge cluster because it simply is not. It does, though, show all the necessary information that a conventional cluster has such as speed, time, and remaining battery charge, among others.
Moving to the middle of the dashboard, you’ll find a bigger 10.25-inch infotainment screen that gives you access to audio and the MG4 STD’s settings, as well as some essential information similar to those you can find on the driver’s digital screen. Oh, and it also comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; still cable dependent, but no biggy.
As for comfort, the MG4 STD’s being a sub-compact is most obvious in this department. The two front seats have no problem keeping the driver and passenger snug in their places. There isn’t much lateral or seat bolstering, but the cushions and backrest do offer a good degree of support and comfort. Those can also be felt in the backseat, however, we reckon it’s big enough for only two adults, plus maybe a small child as three grown-ups in the back will be a squeeze.
Cargo space in the MG4 STD is, as expected, rather small. Yes, the rear seatbacks can fold in a 60:40 split should you have to put bigger cargo in, but this shouldn’t come as a surprise since the MG4 STD is a sub-compact hatchback after all. For what it offers, though, you have a little more flexibility with horizontal space than vertical space when lugging things in and out of the trunk, and one simply shouldn’t expect a big trunk in this segment, anyway.
Oh, and the MG4 STD doesn’t have a spare tire, all it has is a tire repair kit. If you ask us, this practice is quickly becoming standard for many other manufacturers from many other countries, so it’s not exactly a deal-breaker.
Before we move on, allow us to go back to the mention of the needs-improvement-level-of visibility from the backglass. The MG4 does have a slew of safety features, but for the life of us, we cannot understand how it cannot and does not have a backing-up camera. There are sensors, yes, but not having a camera that shows the back of the vehicle is something of an oddity in today’s standards. This is our biggest gripe, to be honest. Those who grew up in older times won’t really mind; we are used to having to look back when parking backward, anyway.
On to the most important parts.
The suspension and ride quality of the MG4 STD lean on the stiffer side and a bit on the harsher side. On well-paved roads, the ride is quite smooth, but when you get on roads that may need some work, that’s where you feel all the patches and potholes. There isn’t much vibration to be heard whilst inside the cabin, but you really do feel most of the bumps you drive on. If you so happen to be in front of the MG4 STD, it’s bearable but not in an over-exerting way. Sitting in the back is a totally different matter because it does get a bit bouncy.
We will attribute this to the geometry and placement of the motors. The MG4 STD is RWD, you see, so the rear must be more robust so’s not to easily bottom-out. A little bit of fine(r) tuning will the this MG4 very well in the future. Again, it is bearable – other vehicles in the same segment do ride almost as hard as this – but it’s not tiring to do so.
On a similar note, it’s also this characteristic of the suspension that does make it fun on corners. For such a small hatchback, the MG4 STD makes good use of its 170 HP and 250 Nm of torque when driving spiritedly along bends, and that’s given the fact that the rear wheels are driven by an electronic transmission that in turn is controlled by a rotary dial on the “shifter” console. A “saving grace”, not really. It isn’t bad to start with, anyway, and this bit of information is more of a second feather on its proverbial cap.
The 125 Kw motors draw power from 51 kWh batteries. The MG4 makes use of 3-phase Type 2 AC Charging. What does this mean for us? Using a normal power outlet at home – the test unit came to me with about 68% left – leaving it to charge for about 6 hours got the power up to 96%. Doing the math, it will likely take about 18 hours to go from 0 to 100% with the standard charger that the MG4 STD comes with.
We also tried charging it in an Ayala Mall EV charging station, and 72% to 100% took a wink, only about an hour and 40 minutes by our estimate. These are DC and commercial-grade chargers, so we cannot really compare.
As for its “consumption”, heavy traffic from Commonwealth-Fairview to Katipunan-Aurora, at the height of the morning (about 10:15 AM) used about 9% with sedate driving. In contrast, clear roads along the same route at the same time used only 4%. As expected with any battery EV, the range will be affected by factors such as traffic and temperatures, but on a very personal note, allow me to say the following.
I was never confident with battery EVs. I’ll even say that range anxiety terrifies me. With a rated range of 350 kilometers, my first foray into the 100% charge (charging at home) showed me an estimated range of 390, and my second charge (at an Ayala Mall) showed 398. At both time I got a good mix of clear and jammed traffic, and the lowest I ever went – charge and range estimate-wise – was 58% with 270 kilometers left.
Did the MG4 STD address my range anxiety? I will say, with an emphatic yes, that it did.
The MG4 STD, the entry-level in the MG4 EV lineup, retails for PHP 1,468,888. On paper, that’s a lot. But you have to take into consideration the pricing of all the other battery electric vehicles in the market. In the category of EVs, most will hover near and above the 2M price range, and in the segment, you have to admit that the MG4 STD offers you the convenience and added benefits of an electrified vehicle at a price just a (little) bit more than the competition.
As a first-time EV owner, we believe that MG struck a good balance for looks, equipment, and pricing with the MG4 STD. Can it be one’s gateway into a future of electric power and range-anxiety-killing sub-compact hatchbacks? Again, with yet another emphatic response, we say yes.
More photos of the MG4 STD EV
