MG4 Australia Review 2026: Best Affordable Electric Car Under $40K?

The MG4 is the electric car that forced the Australian market to reckon with what affordable actually means. At $32,990 drive-away for the Excite 51 - less than many petrol hatchbacks - it delivers 350km of WLTP range, DC fast charging, V2L capability, and a genuinely modern interior. Its arrival in 2022 helped establish that the entry price for a practical everyday EV could be under $35,000.

In 2026, the MG4 range has expanded and the competition has stiffened. The BYD Dolphin, Atto 3, and Nissan Leaf 2 are all credible alternatives in the same price bracket. Does the MG4 still earn its strong reputation? This review covers all four variants, real-world range, charging, practicality, and how the MG4 stacks up against its main rivals.

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MG4 variants and pricing in Australia

MG Australia offers four MG4 variants in 2026:

Variant	Battery	WLTP Range	Drive	Power	Price (drive-away)
Excite 51	51kWh	350km	RWD	125kW	$32,990
Excite 64	64kWh	435km	RWD	150kW	$37,990
Essence 64	64kWh	450km	RWD	150kW	$41,990
XPOWER	64kWh	385km	AWD	320kW	$54,990

All prices are drive-away. MG’s drive-away pricing includes on-road costs, which simplifies the purchase and avoids end-of-transaction surprises.

The Excite 51 is the entry-level buyer’s car. At $32,990 it’s the most affordable in the range and one of the cheapest proper EVs on sale in Australia. The battery is LFP (lithium iron phosphate) chemistry - the same chemistry used in the larger battery variants and in BYD’s entire EV range. LFP is more thermally stable, tolerates more charge cycles, and handles 100% daily charging better than NMC alternatives.

The Excite 64 is the sweet spot in the range. The jump to 64kWh adds 85km of WLTP range and increases peak DC charging speed from 88kW to 117kW. At $37,990, the $5,000 premium over the 51 is justified for most buyers.

The Essence 64 adds a sunroof, upgraded audio, heated front seats, a 360-degree camera, and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto for $4,000 more than the Excite 64. It’s well-equipped but the feature additions are comfort items - the powertrain and range are identical.

The XPOWER is a performance variant: dual motors, 320kW, 0–100km/h in 3.8 seconds, AWD. It sacrifices 50km of WLTP range compared to the 64kWh RWD variants due to the additional motor weight and higher energy draw. At $54,990 it competes with the Tesla Model 3 RWD and BYD Seal rather than the Excite 51 or 64.

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Design and dimensions

The MG4 is a five-door hatchback, not an SUV. At 4,287mm long and 1,504mm tall, it’s more Golf-sized than Model Y-sized. The styling is modern and resolved - wide stance, slim LED headlights, and a fastback roofline - without being aggressively styled. It won’t attract strong opinions either way, which is appropriate for a car in its segment.

The MG Pilot EV architecture gives the MG4 a flat floor - the absence of a transmission tunnel means genuinely three-abreast rear seating with adequate floor space for centre-seat passengers’ feet. That’s a meaningful advantage over traditional car-based EVs with transmission tunnel protrusions.

Boot space is 363 litres with seats up, expanding to 1,165 litres with seats folded flat. There is no frunk (front trunk) - the space under the bonnet is occupied by motor and power electronics. The boot opening is wide and low-lipped, making loading practical.

Rear headroom is adequate for passengers up to approximately 185cm. The sloping roofline reduces rear headroom compared to boxier alternatives like the BYD Atto 3 or MG ZS EV, which is worth checking on a test drive if you regularly carry tall adults.

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Interior and technology

The MG4’s interior is one of its most pleasant surprises. The quality level - materials, fit, finish - is noticeably better than the MG ZS EV that preceded it and competitive with cars at considerably higher price points.

The 10.25-inch central touchscreen is responsive and logically laid out. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across all variants (wireless on Essence, wired on Excite). The interface for EV-specific settings - charging schedules, departure climate, energy display - is intuitive and doesn’t require hunting through menus.

Physical controls for climate (temperature rotary dials and fan buttons) are retained on the lower console. This is one of the MG4’s genuine strengths over some competitors: you don’t need to look away from the road to adjust the air conditioning.

The 7-inch driver’s display shows speed, range, power flow, and navigation instructions clearly. It’s not as dramatic as the widescreen digital displays in the IONIQ 5 or Model 3, but it’s functional and legible in all light conditions.

Standard safety equipment across the range:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) - pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Lane departure warning and lane keep assist
• Blind spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist
• 360-degree camera (Essence 64, XPOWER; surround-view camera standard)

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Range: what to actually expect

The WLTP figures deserve real-world context.

Excite 51 (350km WLTP): Highway driving at 110km/h with air conditioning: 270–300km. The 51kWh pack is genuinely limited for long-distance travel. For daily commuting and regional day trips up to 250km, it’s adequate. For anything longer, you’ll need to charge en route.

At 38km/day (the Australian average commute), the Excite 51 needs charging every 7–8 days from typical departure states. A 10A portable overnight charge or a home wall charger handles this with ease.

Excite 64 and Essence 64 (435–450km WLTP): Highway driving at 110km/h: 350–390km. The 64kWh pack makes the MG4 much more capable for occasional longer drives. Sydney to Newcastle (160km), Melbourne to Geelong (75km), or Brisbane to Noosa (135km) are all easily accomplished without charging en route.

The efficiency figure - around 15–17kWh/100km in real-world conditions - is competitive for the class.

XPOWER (385km WLTP): The dual-motor setup reduces efficiency. Real-world highway range is around 310–350km. The performance justification is speed rather than range.

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Charging

All MG4 variants use a CCS2 DC port combined with a Type 2 AC inlet - the Australian standard.

DC fast charging speeds:

• Excite 51: up to 88kW
• Excite 64, Essence 64, XPOWER: up to 117kW

At a 150kW public charger, the 64kWh variants charge from 10–80% in approximately 27–32 minutes. The 51kWh variant takes around 30–38 minutes at the same charger.

The charging curve holds relatively flat from 10% to around 60–65%, then tapers progressively to 80%. Beyond 80%, charging slows significantly - stopping at 80% and driving to the next charger is the time-efficient road trip strategy.

AC home charging: 11kW three-phase across all variants. A full charge from 20% takes approximately 5 hours. On single-phase 7.4kW (common in older Australian homes), this extends to around 7–8 hours - still comfortably overnight.

V2L (vehicle-to-load): All MG4 variants include a V2L outlet delivering 3.3kW via an adapter. This powers a portable camping fridge, laptop, phone charger, a small fan, or power tools from the car’s battery. The V2L adapter connects to the Type 2 charge port - MG supplies it in the boot toolkit.

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Performance and driving

The Excite 51 and Excite 64 are single-motor rear-wheel drive. 0–100km/h in 7.7 seconds (Excite 51) and 7.9 seconds (Excite 64). That’s adequate, not exciting - similar to a small-capacity turbocharged petrol hatchback.

What the MG4 does well in everyday driving is immediate torque response from rest. Traffic light getaways and urban overtaking feel more responsive than the 0–100 figure suggests, because the peak torque of 250Nm is available from zero rpm rather than at 3,000–4,500rpm as in a petrol car.

Ride quality is tuned to the softer end of the spectrum. The MG4 handles Australian urban roads comfortably. On motorways, the suspension absorbs freeway joins and expansion gaps without jarring impacts. It won’t win any handling awards, but it rides well for a car in its price bracket.

Noise levels are competitive. Wind noise at 100km/h is moderate - double-glazed windows are not fitted, which is one area where more expensive EVs improve. Road noise over coarse-chip surfaces is noticeable but not intrusive.

One-pedal driving is available in the maximum regenerative braking setting. In this mode, lifting off the accelerator applies significant regenerative braking - enough to slow the car to near-stop in most urban conditions. This reduces brake pedal use and marginally improves energy recovery. It’s not fully-stop one-pedal driving (the brake is still needed for final deceleration) but it’s effective.

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MG4 vs. the competition

The MG4 Excite 64 at $37,990 competes primarily against the BYD Dolphin Extended Range and the BYD Atto 3 Standard Range.

	MG4 Excite 64	BYD Dolphin Extended	BYD Atto 3 SR
Price (drive-away)	$37,990	$38,990	$38,990
WLTP Range	435km	427km	420km
DC Charging	117kW	88kW	80kW
V2L	Yes (3.3kW)	No	No
Boot (litres)	363	345	422
Body style	Hatchback	Hatchback	SUV

The MG4 Excite 64’s standout advantages are faster DC charging (117kW vs 88kW and 80kW on the BYD models) and V2L. The Atto 3’s SUV body gives more boot space and higher driving position - relevant if those factors matter to your household.

Against the Nissan Leaf e+ 62kWh (currently around $50,000+), the MG4 Excite 64 is substantially cheaper for similar range and faster charging, making the Leaf very hard to recommend at its current pricing.

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What to watch out for

Dealer network depth: MG Australia’s dealer network has expanded significantly since 2022 but is still smaller than established brands in some regional areas. For buyers in major metro areas, this isn’t an issue. For regional Australia, confirm your nearest service centre before buying.

Software updates: MG provides over-the-air updates but the cadence is less frequent than Tesla. Major feature additions typically arrive via scheduled updates tied to build years. The base software is solid but don’t expect Tesla-level monthly OTA improvements.

Rear seat headroom on the 64 variants: The slightly lower roofline on the Excite 64 compared to the Excite 51 (different trim, same body) is negligible but passengers over 185cm may want to check headroom in the rear on a test drive.

No heat pump on Excite 51: The base 51kWh variant uses a resistive heater rather than a heat pump for cabin heating. In winter, resistive heating draws more energy from the battery, reducing effective range in cold conditions by more than the 64kWh variants (which have a heat pump as standard). If you’re in Canberra, regional Victoria, or Tasmania, the 64kWh variants are preferable for year-round range consistency.

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Verdict

The MG4 remains one of the best-value electric cars in Australia in 2026. The Excite 64 at $37,990 is the pick of the range: the 64kWh battery and 117kW DC charging transform it from a commuter tool into a genuine all-rounder capable of road trips, the LFP chemistry handles 100% daily charging without concern, and V2L is a genuinely useful addition at no extra cost.

The Excite 51 at $32,990 is compelling for buyers with shorter daily ranges and tight budgets - there is genuinely nothing else this capable at this price in Australia. But the 51kWh range ceiling means it’s best for buyers whose longest typical drive is under 250km.

Best for: Budget-conscious buyers who want a practical, modern EV with good charging infrastructure access and V2L capability. The Excite 64 is the sweet spot; the Excite 51 is the right choice if budget is the primary constraint.

Consider alternatives if: You need SUV body height and more boot space (BYD Atto 3), want the longest range in the segment (MG4 Essence 64 or BYD Sealion 7), or regularly need to tow (look elsewhere - MG4 is unrated for towing).