► Next-generation MG 4 EV is on the way…
► … just three years after the first one was launched
► That’s aggressive – but there’s a very good reason
MG is the original disruptor of the 21st century automotive industry. It created the formula for Chinese brands to breach Europe. It accelerated a shift towards affordable electric cars with its aggressive pricing. And now, it’s ripping up traditional manufacturer model cycles because, just three years into the current car’s lifespan, it’s replacing the MG 4 EV.
Most manufacturers keep their cars around for six or seven years to try and make as much money from their initial investment as possible. To western business minds, MG’s decision to replace the 4 EV twice as quickly is unthinkable – especially upon learning how extensive the model change is.
David Allison, MG’s head of product and planning, broke the news to me at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, hinting that his engineers were already working on a new MG 4 that’ll arrive on UK shores before 2028 (which is when the current car should be replaced, if we’re following conventional logic).
After a bit of digging around on MG’s Chinese media sites, I think I’ve found the car that’ll receive the torch. It’s already on sale in China. It’s also the right size for the European C-segment, it’s based on a new platform, it has a completely new body, an updated interior and a fresh infotainment system with more connectivity features.
So, while MG hasn’t yet confirmed we’ll get this exact car, I think it’s a safe bet.
Allison provided an explanation for this seemingly reckless strategy. He said: ‘one of the things that’s important is when you sell a car, or when someone’s gone through their two- or three-year life cycle, is you’ve got something different to offer them when they come back.
‘And sometimes maybe a facelift – a slightly different front end or an interior, particularly given how quickly EV moves – maybe isn’t enough. I think that may be more important from an EV point of view, perhaps, than a combustion engine or electrified combustion engine point of view.’
He added: ‘we’ve got very used, in this industry, to a model lifespan of five, six, seven years. Launch, facelift after three, replace after six. I think those days are over. I really do. I don’t think [with] the way that China evolves, they wouldn’t think twice about developing a car and completely ripping it up and starting again in two- or three-years’ time.
‘So, I wouldn’t be surprised – I’m not saying that’s going to necessarily happen to us and it’s going to happen immediately – but I can absolutely see that happening in the future. That very, very quick product cycle. And almost thinking that, by the time we’ve got a new car into market, we’re not working on the facelift, we’re working on the replacement.’
As mad as MG’s reasoning might seem, I reckon it’s actually quite a smart move. MG is under a lot of pressure right now from both incoming rival Chinese brands and more established European manufacturers who’ve figured out how to make their EVs cheaper.
Plus, MG’s growth has started to stagnate. Back in 2022, the brand enjoyed a whopping 59% increase in sales, but that had tumbled to a mere two percent by the time 2024 rolled around. For 2025, MG is only expecting a two or three percent increase.
That means it’s now all about customer retention for MG – and if the brand can offer those customers exiting a three-year lease one of the newest and shiniest cars on the market, it stands a better chance of batting away brands like BYD, who have exploded onto the UK with a relentless barrage of fresh metal.
It’s notoriously difficult to get information out of China, but Allison offered some insight. ‘For that kind of car,’ he said, ‘operating in the space that it operates in, you don’t necessarily need to change.
‘You probably just need to make it charge a bit faster, go a bit further, make it more efficient, make sure that the technology is upgraded from an infotainment point of view, it’s less aggressive in its lane keep assist and all that kind of stuff. And to a lot of people, that would be okay.’ Which is basically this everything this little purple hatchback has achieved.
There are also rumours floating around Chinese automotive websites (such as AutoHome) that the new MG 4 EV will feature some form of semi-solid-state battery. That stands to reduce the car’s weight, improve energy density and reduce the likelihood of combustion in an accident – a feature that’s held in high esteem amongst Chinese car buyers.
MG has also collaborated with the smartphone manufacturer OPPO on the MG 4’s infotainment system. Apparently, the tie-in will make it to make it simpler to plumb your mobile into the car’s touchscreen and provide easier access to in-car apps.
MG hasn’t told us that yet, but there’s every chance it could be a little cheaper than the car it replaces. I quizzed Allison about whether the cost of redeveloping the MG 4 EV would be passed onto the consumer, to which he said: ‘Not necessarily, because the next platform might be a cheaper platform to develop.
‘If you think about it, when we introduced MG 4 in 2022, we weren’t operating at anywhere near the level we’re operating today in terms of global volume. And the way that car companies can bring costs down is just through volume. The more cars you sell, the cheaper you can buy your components from your suppliers. It’s all about scale.
‘Take MG S5 that we launched in March. It was £2,000 cheaper than the car it replaced. It’s £2,500 more expensive than an equivalent MG4 for a car that’s bigger, goes further, has a much nicer interior. Okay, it might not be as sporty to drive because of the SUV body style, but it’s a really, really nice car.’
Hopefully my bet pays off. Stay tuned to find out whether I end up in the red or the black.
The current MG 4 EV was most recently updated in 2023, with the launch of 400bhp-plus XPower performance model. It broke cover at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed after an accidental leak by several MG dealers. It’s still on sale, with a starting price of £36,495.
‘We’re confident the MG4 XPower will shake-up the market like the MG4 SE and Trophy, showing that a compact EV can be affordable, practical and a terrific drive,’ said Guy Pigounakis, Commercial Director at MG Motor UK.
‘We expect it will appeal to customers looking for a pure performance offering which is the antithesis of the traditionally ‘loud’ high performance hatchback. The XPower also retains the generous technology and equipment levels, as well as practical hatchback features, of the award-winning MG4 range.’
MG engineers have packed not one but two motors into the MG 4’s capable chassis, and the numbers speak for themselves. The MG 4 XPower can muster 429bhp and 442lb ft of torque – all for a 0-62mph time of just 3.8 seconds.
The car is based on the MG 4’s Modular Scalable Platform (MSP). To cope with the increased power, the XPower gets a locking electronic differential and torque vectoring. There are also a range of suspension upgrades including stiffer anti-roll bars, quicker steering and 25% stiffer springs.
Aside from its huge performance increase, there isn’t much to differentiate the XPower from the standard 4. The brand says it wants this model to fly under the radar. All you get is an XPower badge, a two-tone roof and 18-inch alloys.
You’re getting more than double the horsepower of the cheaper MG 4 SE and MG 4 SE Long Range models, which have 168bhp and 200bhp respectively. It also offers a significant performance jump over the 242bhp Trophy Extended Range version.
However, the XPower might not be the one to go for if you need to cover long distances. Trophy Extended Range cars have the biggest battery packs at 77kWh, while the XPower is lumbered with MG’s 64kWh Long Range battery.
It saves weight and improves performance, but maximum range is only 248 miles. The Extended Range model, meanwhile, has a maximum claimed range of 329 miles. And we never felt short changed with the amount of power that car offered.
Luke is the Deputy Editor of our sister site Parkers, but he spends plenty of time writing news, reviews and features for CAR. He's been a motoring journalist since 2018, learning his craft on the Auto Express news desk before joining the Parkers/CAR team in 2022. When he isn't yoked to his laptop, he's tearing his hair out over his classic Mini restoration project or pinballing around the country attending heavy metal gigs.
By Luke Wilkinson
Deputy Editor of Parkers. Unhealthy obsession with classic Minis and old Alfas. Impenetrable Cumbrian accent
