Even a short while ago, the idea that MG Motor could directly benchmark one of its cars against a Volkswagen, not merely as an ambition but as a serious attempt to match and even better the model in question, would have produced reactions ranging from acidic cynicism to full-on mirth.
But study the look, content, price, spec and price again of this MG 4, then take a drive, and your mind will be duly adjusted. This car is more than competitive, more sophisticated than anything MG Motor has offered to date, decently enjoyable to drive, very well equipped, civilised and priced to make you look twice.
Guy Pigounakis, MG Motor’s commercial director and industry veteran of more than 40 years, calls the MG 4 a ‘disruptor’, for offering vastly more for less. He’s particularly pleased with a residual value forecast that enables an especially competitive PCP, starting at £300 per month.
Market essentials such as these, along with a now-extensive dealer network and a seven-year, 80,000-mile warranty, provide the bedrock from which to launch a model that Pigounakis expects to swiftly become MG Motor’s best seller. These days that will make it quite a big seller too, the company’s UK sales swelling near-unstoppably.
The essence of the MG 4 is an all-new modular scalable platform that will see service across parent company SAIC Group’s own-brand models, potentially achieving massive volumes. The MG 4 is the first SAIC product to use a platform notable for a slender battery pack that occupies almost the entirety of the wheelbase, a compact, rear-mounted motor and a 50:50 weight distribution regardless of battery output.