MG4: Looking for the ideal second car?

The family is growing… and growing up. The kids have sport, music and catch-ups with friends here, there and everywhere. It’s time for a second car to be able to meet all the demands yet buying one needs to make sense in terms of the family budget.

It’s time to consider the MG4, MG’s accessible electric five-door hatchback. Here are a few of the compelling reasons it makes the ideal second car for growing families.

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Price and features

Starting at $36,990 (drive away) for the entry-level Excite 51 model, the MG4 tops out at $59,990 for the top-of-the-range XPOWER.

That price range encompasses five MG4 models available in Australia: the entry-level Excite 51 and Excite 64, top-spec Essence 64 and Long Range 77, and the performance 300kW XPOWER model.

But it’s the value for money proposition that stands out. Even on the base Excite 51 model, standard features include 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, a 10.25-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, one-pedal driving, vehicle-to-load functionality and safety features such as AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assistance and a reversing camera.

Opting for the Essence 64, for example, adds extra safety features such as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, as well as synthetic leather and fabric upholstery, heated front seats, an electric driver’s seat, auto-folding mirrors and larger 18-inch wheels.

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Electric efficiency and range

The big attraction of the MG4? How cheap it is to run. There are three different battery sizes across the range – 51kWh, 64kWh and 77kWh – so depending on the model you choose, the MG4 offers between 350km and 530km of electric-only driving range.

For the busy family using the MG4 for shorter local trips – perhaps only 50km a week all up – charging only once a week is probably enough. That’s undoubtedly a huge saving over fuel for a combustion engine hatchback.

Charge the MG4 off the power generated by a home solar set-up and you’re looking at next to nothing to keep your vehicle powered and on the road.

Plus there’s the convenience of charging the MG4. The Excite 51, for instance, can be fully recharged for 350km of range in 7.5 hours using just a home wall socket. On a DC public fast recharger, the MG4 Excite 64 can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 28 minutes.

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Comfort and space

It’s a hatch, is there enough room for kids and all their stuff? Yep, the MG4’s cabin is modern, practical, comfortable and designed with good quality, durable materials. It’s also full of practical touches like a big centre console tray.

The rear seat of the MG4 is also roomy enough for two adults, with occupants able to store things in door and map pockets and keep devices charged via a USB-A port.

Importantly for families, three child seats could be fitted across the back seat, or two baby seats if the kids are younger, with a dual set of ISOFIX mounting points and three top tether anchorages that be reached through the boot. 

Whether they’re babies, toddlers or teens, kids come with stuff. The MG4’s boot holds an impressive – for a hatch – 363 litres with seats up and between 1,165L and 1,177L with 60:40 folding seats down, along with side storage. Models from the Essence 64 and above also include a dual-level floor for a flat loading bay with the rear seats folded.

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Easy driving

The MG4 sits on a new rear-drive platform which makes it a stable and enjoyable drive.

The 51kWh battery is equipped with a 125kW/250Nm electric motor for a claimed 0-100km/h time of 7.7-second – enough power to dart into the next line in busy city traffic. The 64kWh model ups the power to 150kW and the 77kWh model increases that to 180kW/350Nm. The top-of-the-range XPOWER adds a second motor on the front axle, delivering an impressive 320kW of power and 600Nm of torque for a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.8 seconds, if that’s what you need.

The drive feels well balanced, light on its feet and with satisfyingly weighted steering.

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Safety and reliability

All rear-wheel drive models of the MG4 have been awarded the full five-star safety rating from independent crash-testing authority ANCAP. In addition, MG’s Pilot system delivers the latest in active driver safety technology, including lane-keep assist, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. Plus the family is protected by front-side and dual driver and passenger airbags, along with curtain airbags. 

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Peace of mind

When it comes to warranty and servicing, a busy family wants a set-and-forget type arrangement which MG offers through their extraordinary 10-year/250,000km warranty and six years/120,000km of servicing costs just $1,676.42 (working out at $279 per year).

Practical, cheap to run, roomy for this size of car and safe – the MG4 ticks all the boxes for that family second car. Discover more here.