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 scaleable 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.