MG has officially launched one of Australia’s most affordable EVs, and one of the first few priced below $30,000, if you look at it without on-roads.
The MG4 Urban promises to be one of the most significant cars that will help Australia’s inner-city and suburban buyers transition to an EV, particularly as fuel prices skyrocket and more consumers turn to electric motoring.
We got our first drive of the highly-anticipated electric hatch at an event in Sydney last week, and from the initial drive through the streets of Sydney’s southern suburbs, it really shows that the brand has packed all the things MG has learnt from selling over 15,000 MG4 hatchbacks, and the more recently launched MGS5 SUV.
Let’s dive into the car and why it’s a big deal for the brand that is best known for being among the first to bring affordability into the EV space when it first launched the MG4 back in 2021.
The pricing of the MG4 Urban is quite aggressive. The base Essence 43, the variant packing 316 km of range, starts at $31,900 driveaway, meaning that it’s actually cheaper than the BYD Dolphin Essential but includes a whole lot more tech and specs.
The larger battery Essence 54 variant, with 405 km of range, has a driveaway price of $3,000 more, coming in at $34,990.
Image: Riz Akhtar
Both of these models come in under the 51 kWh MG4 Excite, which now starts at $36,990 before on-roads, and of course, with the on-road costs, would get closer to $40,000 driveaway.
So it’s already doing much better on the pricing end, but what about the rest?
From the outside, it looks more rounded compared to the original MG4, but that’s only in pictures. Seeing it in person, it’s quite a nice-looking hatch.
As mentioned, photos may not truly do justice, and the Cyberster’s inspired curves and front bumper design do make it stand out from any other MG in the lineup.
Getting inside, it felt like a real step change in terms of materials when compared to previous MG vehicles, aside from the MGS5, which it takes a lot of design cues from.
The updated steering wheel was quite comfortable with various soft-touch materials found along the door trims. There were also a good number of functional buttons on the steering wheel, which made it easier to adjust things on the go.
There were also matte finishes found throughout the front cabin, which give it a good contrast to the other materials used in the front seating area.
Gone is the floating, rotating dial gear selector from the original MG4, which has moved to the steering wheel, providing many more spacious storage areas.
Given the exterior dimensions of the car, some may think it might be a bit tight on the inside, but it felt very spacious. MG has put quite a bit of effort into the interior space front, and I felt it to be roomier than some other larger ICE SUVs.
This, of course, also highlights the advantages of going to an EV-specific modular platform, although this time, it is a front-wheel-drive setup.
Moving onto the infotainment screen, it’s a reasonable size and has Android Auto/Apple Carplay as standard. MG has also taken this from the MGS5 SUV, which was a very good step up over the original MG4.
I got to test wired Android Auto, and it worked as you expect it, with maps and music apps working quite well. There are also fast charging USB Type-C ports in the front, making it so easy to plug your device in.
One thing I was quite happy to see was the dials and controls front he MGS5 carry over to the new MG4 Urban. It will make it easier for many ICE drivers to quickly get comfortable with the interior of this car, especially fleet customers who at times, want lots of familiar controls for pool vehicles.
Along with the larger screen, there is a smaller screen behind the steering wheel which shows all the main vehicle status information, such as speed, drive modes, battery status, regenerative braking settings, along with safety and cruise control.
Information can be customised, and views of MG’s Pilot system can also be displayed there for ease of use.
The rear seating was quite comfy too, with good legroom for adults. Passengers in the back seats also have access to ample storage in the door pockets, along with unique front-seat pockets for smaller items.
Image: Riz Akhtar
After checking the interior out, shifting to drive to hit the streets and roads around south of Sydney was easy. Like the previous MG4, as long as I had the key with me, the car did not need to be powered on and really highlighted the advantage of going EV, even at this price point.
From this initial drive, the ride of the MG4 was very smooth, with suspension handling most bumps with ease.
Given its less powerful front motor, you’d expect it to be sluggish, but it wasn’t. I also didn’t find it to have a floaty suspension, as found in many models on the market that are geared more towards comfort and affordability.
This has been the right balance between comfort and handling for Australian conditions, and it definitely feels like something MG has paid attention to as part of their engnieering evaluation they undertook in Sydney when the first MG4 Urban cars were spotted around Alexandria.
Another factor that could also help with the handling is how light the car is. The Essence 43 that I tested was so easy to drive on Sydney roads, and the steering felt just right.
I do look forward to seeing how it performs on faster, more swooping mountain roads when we get behind the wheel for a longer road test in the coming months.
Features like the cruise control were easy to engage, and lane keep assist worked well, too, on highways and in the base mode
The range on the MG4 was pretty accurate across the variants I tested and hovered around 14 kWh/100km in the real world, which mainly involved driving on suburban roads.
Image: Riz Akhtar
All-in-all, the MG4 Urban EV is a big step up in the affordable EV space, packing more options for current and future EV owners, especially those who want a practical electric hatchback that’s hard to fault.
Add the 10-year warranty and extensive national dealer network to this, and it’s one package that’s gotta be on the electric hatch shortlist.
It has a lot to offer, regardless of the variant, and with up to 8 unique colours also available, it’s going to be one to watch out for in 2026.
MG4 EV Urban Essence 43
Up to 316km of WLTP Combined Range
43kWh LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) Battery
17” Starburst Alloy Wheels
MG Pilot, including MG Pilot Custom Function
Black and Grey Fabric Upholstery
Full LED Headlights & DRL & Rear Lights
Automatic Headlamps
Roof Rails & Rear Spoiler
7” HD Driver Display
12.8” HD Infotainment Touchscreen
Satellite Navigation
Wireless Connection to Apple CarPlay® & Android Auto™
iSMART Connectivity
MG4 EV Urban Essence 54
Up to 405km of WLTP Combined Range
54 kWh LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) Battery
17” Starburst Alloy Wheels
MG Pilot, including MG Pilot Custom Function
Black and Grey Fabric Upholstery
Full LED Headlights & DRL & Rear Lights
Automatic Headlamps
Roof Rails & Rear Spoiler
7” HD Driver Display
12.8” HD Infotainment Touchscreen
Satellite Navigation
Wireless Connection to Apple CarPlay® & Android Auto™
iSMART Connectivity
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.
