2024 MG4 Long Range 77 review

For under $60,000, the MG4 Long Range 77 is a compact electric car with proper touring range – and as much power as a VW Golf GTI, but with rear-wheel drive.

The marathon-running version of MG’s much-lauded new small electric car comes with 530km of claimed WLTP range (our own test results later).

Its 180kW/350Nm rear electric motor makes the Long Range 77 the most powerful single-motor MG4 you can buy.

At $59,803 drive-away, though, it is a not-insignificant $16,672 more than the base-model MG4.

While its bigger battery adds 76kg compared with the cheaper Essence 64 model, the additional 30kW/100Nm more than compensates.

29

The 77 can also recharge faster than the 64 , on AC at least – 11kW versus 6.6kW – dropping the flat-to-full time from nine to seven hours. DC fast-charging, meanwhile, is the same 150kW max.

Climb inside and the Long Range 77 is the same as the richly-equipped Essence 64. There are high-quality vinyl seats that are heated and electrically adjustable; a lovely leather steering wheel and a floating centre console design, maximising the feeling of space.

Indeed MG has done an excellent job with the MG4’s packaging, with space abounding front, rear, and in the boot compared with other cars of its size.

29

There’s a small, 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster (all you need) and a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with distinctly functional graphics and operation, like it was made by a bunch of engineers rather than any designers.

While there’s a wireless phone charger, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both wired-only.

Rear-seat passengers will find plenty of space and a soft, comfortable bench, although less pleasing is the single USB-A outlet and lack of any air vents. The powerful air-conditioning should be enough to cool the entire car on a hot day. Well, that is our theory, and hope, at the very least.

There are two sets of ISOFIX points on the outboard rear seats, and three top tether anchors, while the boot is a reasonable 350 litres. The rear seats offer a 60:40 split-fold, while there’s a not-very-touring-friendly puncture repair kit and no real room for a spare wheel. There is no under-bonnet storage, either.

29

Switching on the MG4 involves merely getting in, belting up and firmly pressing the brake pedal. There’s a bong, you select Drive with the central rotary controller, and off you silently go.

Forward visibility is okay, but the three rear head restraints almost fill the rear window, meaning you’ll want to take them out and put them somewhere when not ferrying about rear passengers – the middle head restraint, at least.

With 180kW/350Nm at your disposal – and a 6.5sec claimed 0-100km/h time – the acceleration is pleasingly brisk, inviting you to race away from traffic lights, punch into gaps as they open up and generally consume electrons with merry, range-depleting abandon.

29

Like all electric cars, the MG4 is instantly responsive and near-silent but is rare by today’s standards in offering no synthesised, Jetsons-like acceleration noise at all. There’s a bit of muted mechanical whine from the rear electric motor, your usual wind and tyre noise, and that’s about it.

The ride quality, meanwhile, is certainly on the sporting side – this is no cosseting EV. MG’s engineers have seemingly fitted stiffer springs to handle its 1748kg heft and, over larger bumps, the damping loses more than a bit of finer control. There’s definitely room for improvement here.

On the upside, this stiffer suspension does gift the MG4 with surprisingly decent handling. On a winding road, the additional weight of the Long Range isn’t noticeable, the car sitting flat and providing a fair amount of grip, with fast and accurate – if light and lifeless – steering.

29

There’s even a rear-drive personality to be discovered, inviting you to load the outside tyres up in what would be a second-gear corner and frighten the ESC into action with a bit of power oversteer.

While fun, it’s the kind of open-diffed tail-wag you would have enjoyed in a VE Commodore Omega back in the day – this is not an electric Toyota 86. Not yet, anyway.

The best efficiency we saw was 15.4kWh/100km with an overall test average of 20.3kWh/100km (although that was enjoying the acceleration a lot). That means you could expect to get a real-world range of between 366km and 483km.

We don’t doubt 530km would be possible in an urban environment with a lot of lower-speed driving, but a range of 400-450km might be more realistic with mixed driving.

29

Impressively, and perhaps necessarily, MG offers a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty – including for the battery.

Most other EV manufacturers warrant their vehicles’ batteries for eight years, although with limited kilometres – MG’s is at least unlimited.

The MG4 Long Range 77 requires servicing, conveniently, every two years or 20,000km – costing $1499 over six years, which is pretty cheap.

While compared to older-generation MG models – like the awful ZS – the MG4 is a revelation, there’s still plenty of room for fine-tuning. Even testing two separate phones and two separate cables, the Apple CarPlay was very unstable – on one 30-minute drive, it dropped out at least 10 times.

29

The lower door sills jut outwards, meaning it’s easy to hit your lower leg on them as you get in and out.

A lack of automatic wipers is also a bit of an oversight for a top-spec model. The wipers themselves are oddly loud, like an old Ford Laser (although this we also found somewhat charming).

The resolution of the 360-degree parking camera is low and grainy even during the day. We’d happily trade this for a higher-quality, single reversing camera. It’s also a little bit laggy – not something you want as you’re reversing within millimetres of another car, trying to fit in a tiny parking spot.

29

Similarly requiring more work are the MG4’s advanced driver assist systems. At one point on a narrow country road, the lane keeping got spooked and, with its steering “assist”, thought the safest course of action was an attempt to veer us off the road.

The semi-autonomous traffic jam mode also works – effectively driving the MG4 on its own at low speeds in congestion – but is dopey enough that after a while it’s easier just to do it yourself.

29

While not without some areas we'd like to see improved for an update, fundamentally the MG4 right now is an impressive car – MG or otherwise.

The packaging is clever, the interior smart and modern, the dynamics very good, and the value hard to beat.

However, unless your usage case means you specifically need the 95km of additional battery range, we'd consider the 64 – pocketing the $8336 saving and simply recharging your car slightly more often.