2023 MG4 XPower vs MG4 Excite 51 comparison review

The MG4 range is a diverse one, with five models to choose from, more than your usual hatch line-up in NZ that usually numbers one or two. Here we drive the most affordable and the most powerful of the MG4s.

While the five-door hatch is no longer as popular as it once was, there is still life in the concept, especially for those with an alternative powertrain, like the MG4.

With five different models to choose from, it’s one of the larger hatch line-ups available here and what you see before you are the bookend models of the range.

The bright blue one is the MG4 51 Excite, one of New Zealand’s better value electric vehicles, especially when talking kWh per dollar; it’s hard to beat in that regard.

At the other extreme is the MG4 XPower, the dual-motor, supercar-baiting MG4 with 320kW of thrust.

Not often do we get to drive the most affordable variant in the range alongside the hero model, so it should be interesting to compare and contrast these two.

The players

First the not-so-exciting one in this duo, despite its name. However, being one of the most attainable EVs on the market, it’s the one more of you will be interested in, we suspect.

This lists at $46,990 (and is eligible for a few more weeks at least for the rebate before that goes on the policy bonfire) and so is cheaper than the $50,990, entry-level MG ZS. And better too, being the much newer machine.

For that you get the 51kWh lithium-ion pack (a claimed 50.8 of that usable) the cathode material being LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) which is said to be better for prolonged battery health.

Some other stats; it has a 125kW/250Nm motor, hits a hundred in 7.7sec, and has a WLTP range of 350km. Its max DC charge rate is 88kW so it takes around 40 mins for a 10-80 per cent charge at a 50kW machine, or so they reckon.

We plugged in at home using the three-pin charger, and 13 hours later the battery was up from 40 per cent to 80 per cent. That gave it an estimated 270km of travel.

Charging to 100 per cent the next night gave it 330km. This then would make it perfectly suitable for urbanites doing 90 per cent of their travel in and around town. Ask yourself, how often are you really doing more than 300km in a day?

The $69,990 XPower gets additional firepower in the form of a 150kW/250Nm motor on the front axle and a 170kW/350Nm on the rear. That’s good enough for 0-100km/h in 3.8sec.

It has a 64kWH battery (62 usable, NMC chemistry), a 440km WLTP range and a DC max charge rate of 140kW, 6.6kW on AC, like the Excite.

It gets bigger brakes, the dampers are ‘tuned’, roll bars stiffened and the electronics primed to enhance the traction and cornering. It also adds the high specification of the Essence model.

Not so different inside

Despite the price gap, these two are not too dissimilar in the cabin. And if there’s one disappointing aspect of the MG4, it’s the interior. There’s too much plastic with masses of hard black stuff about.

And in places where you bump up against. The build quality is sound but it’s the materials that are price sensitive, and that’s not so palatable in the $70k XPower.

The padded bits are lacking, and while there’s good storage spots about, none is lined so things rattle around inside them. I found my knee constantly resting up against the hard edge of the console where the gear selector is perched.

Spec bits aside, the only real difference between these two is the seats. These are okay in the Excite, cloth trimmed and manually adjusted, whereas the XPower has a more bolstered throne, and packed with comfier foam.

It gets powered adjustments, heater elements and leather-ish and Alcantara coverings. The steering wheel in both models is wrapped in pseudo-leather but it’s a bit slippery in the hand.

There’s good forward vision with thin A pillars, and mirrors don’t obstruct the view either while performing their primary function well, handy as there is no blind spot minder in the Excite, nor front parking sensors.

There aren’t too many buttons about the cabin, and nothing to switch it on or off with. You get it in and it’s ready to go. Well most of the time; sometimes both cars refused to select either D or R.

And we had our seatbelt on, foot hard on the brake. Get out, lock it, unlock it and then it works again. Just mind that overly chunky sill every time you get out.

We like the driver display, full of useful info on speed and speed limits, and what the drive assist systems are up to along with the trip computer and the DTE.

You’ll eventually decode how the multifunction buttons work on the steering wheel and you can configure the two favourite buttons to help with things like changing up motor regen.

We tended to settle for the default max setting (of four available), adding the regen in smoothly, though you’ll need the brake pedal to come to a full halt. The feel and action of that is all okay too, in both models.

Both the active cruise and lane departure systems could do with some additional programming to smooth their operations, the latter nudging you around a bit much. Thankfully the safety bongs and dings are kept to a minimum here.

The MG4 is well packaged, this five-door hatch offering good space for four/five passengers. A flat floor gives more legroom to those in the back, while the boot is well formed, both models with 363L, split folding the rear seat expanding that to 1165L.

But both drive well

Many of the minor foibles can be overlooked as the MG4 is a sorted drive. The Excite, with its rear motor, is a nimble machine.

Its steering is light, the assistance consistent, and it’s quick so manoeuvring about is easy. The Excite delivers enough squirt for town ramblings, it’s brisk up to 60km/h, and the powertrain response is crisp in the Normal mode.

Then there’s the XPower, which adds the extras you really don’t need, but are always grin inducing when you deploy them. It has that turn of acceleration that jolts you back into the seat.

Part of the additional specification is a charge pad, sited in front of the gear selector. But it’s not XPower proof. Hit the throttle hard and your phone disappears into the back seat, the acceleration forces quite something.

Being rear-wheel drive, the Excite can deploy all of its torque without it troubling the steering as some front drive EVs will, while there’s not enough to really trouble the traction control.

The XPower with all wheels in action gets going smartly, though it can follow the road under power, a steadying hand sometimes needed on the wheel.

The other agreeable aspect of the Excite is the sorted suspension, for it rides well and quietly, even sorting decent speed bumps out well.

The XPower has a slightly firmer set up, the wider tyres making more of a rumble, yet the ride is never harsh. It’s quite refined considering the performance. The turning circle is a little wider but still okay, the steering a mite heftier too.

As to consumption, the Excite can return 15kWh/100km around town, while the long term average was sitting in the mid 16s.

Despite having two motors binging on the battery, the XPower isn’t too hungry, the average after a recharge was also registering 16kWh/100km for urban use. However, it can get into the 19-20 range when exercising the electrons.

Does the XPower deliver?

Certainly in a straight line, it dispenses the acceleration times they promise. That sees it outrun a Golf R, for instance, the BMW M2 as well, and it nips at the heels of the Tesla Model 3 Performance.

And it’s a rabid hare down roads with corners too, though it’s not quite as polished or ultimately involving as you might hope. It gets itself turning quickly but the steering needs more life.

It grips and resists understeer well too but doesn’t relay the onset of the impending limits before the electronic aids start to nip away at it.

The ‘Dynamic Cornering’ system can also be felt giving it a helping hand when boosting out of bends; you can get on the throttle quickly and it will pull itself right.

It’s quick, but those electronic aids could be less obvious. The brakes are decent performers, though the pedal action is a tad lifeless.

Those suspenders remain composed though, keeping it relatively level through turns, and from dipping and diving under brakes or hard acceleration, all the while dealing with the bumps proficiently.

The Excite is pretty handy as well, its suspension doing the business on highway roads and so making it comfortable both for town and country use.

It too turns nicely, though remotely, and it’s well balanced, the front end feeling rather light. It eventually starts to stray wide, but you’re usually trying pretty hard by then.

Occasionally the rear will thump over a bump, and you feel some of the mass of the motor moving about too.

Which MG4 should you buy then?

The Excite might not be the perfect package, but is thoroughly decent value. You can overlook some of the built-to-a-price aspects given it drives well, and the specification is certainly adequate.

Where the Excite nails the value, the XPower has a decent bang for your buck aspect.

It’s sick quick, and while it might lack the emotional engagement of some similarly priced hot hatches, it’s cheap performance, especially when it comes to running costs. We wouldn’t tell you not to.

MG MG4 XPower

MG MG4 Excite 51

This article first appeared in the December/January issue of NZ Autocar Magazine.