MG 4 EV vs. the competition

The MG 4 electric vehicle (EV) entered the market as a potent choice for folks looking for a well-balanced, emissions-free ride that won’t break the bank. 

Despite its relatively affordable starting price of P1,468,888, it already has a stylish exterior, a wealth of safety features, and a peppy powertrain. As such, multitudes of folks looking to jump into the world of EV models might be looking to add the MG 4 to their respective shortlists. 

So, to aid the prospective buyers of the said Morris Garages (MG) model, let us go over its locally available rivals. 

But before talking about its competitors, let’s have a quick glance at its specs. 

MG 4 EV

From far away, the MG 4 EV looks like your typical hatchback, but a closer inspection of the vehicle reveals plenty of unique-looking styling details, which makes the ride youthful and sporty. 

For starters, it sports a sharp and pointed nose that dramatically droops down towards its closed-off face. The nose of the vehicle is capped from the bottom by a protruding lip, while it is topped by a sculpted bonnet. The said section of the car also comes with a pair of sharp LED headlamps and plenty of black-colored decorative inserts. 

From the side, all trims of the MG 4 get sizable plastic trim pieces. Its rear, meanwhile, ups the ante when it comes to looking futuristic, thanks to its exaggerated ducktail “Kammback” rear spoiler. 

To note, the said spoiler is seamlessly integrated into the vehicle’s eye-catching wrap-around LED taillights. It was also fitted with a chunky lower rear bumper, as well as a roof-mounted “Twin-aero” rear spoiler, at least for the mid-spec Luxury and top-spec XPower variants. 

Completing the look of the MG 4 is a set of stylish wheels, which range from 17-18 inches in size. Likewise available for the exterior of the all-electric nameplate are power-folding black-colored side mirrors, frameless wipers, body-color door handles, and printed-type antennas, among others. 

Available on all variants of the EV nameplate is an automatic climate control system, split-folding 60:40 rear seats, a 10-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a total of three cup holders, among others. 

All versions of the MG EV hatch also provide its drivers with a four-way adjustable steering column, a push-to-start button, automatic headlamp functionality, and adaptive cruise control. 

The top-spec XPower variant can produce up to 429 horsepower (hp) and 600 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque. The mid-spec Luxury, meanwhile, can churn out 201 hp and 250 Nm of torque, while the entry-level Standard trim can produce 168 hp and 250 Nm of torque. 

Both the Standard and Luxury are rear-wheel-drive (RWD) models. The top-spec XPower, meanwhile, uses an all-wheel-drive layout.  

The XPower can cover 400 kilometers (km) at a single full charge. The Luxury, meanwhile, has a range of 435 km, while the Standard offers 350 km. 

Other notable mechanical features of the MG 4 include an all-wheel disc brake setup, a drive mode selector, three-phase AC fast charging, regenerative braking, as well as multi-link (rear) and McPherson strut (front) suspension systems. 

Likewise present on all MG 4 EV trims is an advanced driver-assist suite, which includes adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, pedestrian warning system, blind-spot monitoring, automatic headlamps, and automatic emergency braking. 

Pricing of the MG 4 EV ranges from P1,468,888-P2,000,888.

BYD Dolphin

One of the foremost rivals of the MG 4 EV in the Philippine market is the BYD Dolphin. 

From the outside, the BYD model gets a slick hatchback design equipped with LED lighting fixtures. 

The BYD model’s interior, on the other hand, comes with a six-way manually-adjustable driver’s seat, a push-to-start button, a 60:40 split-folding rear seat, and a leather-wrapped tilt-adjustable steering wheel. 

Positioned in the center of the model’s wavy-looking dashboard is a 12.8-inch infotainment system linked to a six-piece Dirac High Defenition speaker system. The said screen also offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, whereas charging is done through a number of Type A and C USB ports. 

Other notable convenience features present inside the Dolphin are power door locks, a day and night rear-view mirror, and a five-inch multi-information driver’s display. It also gets a broad range of standard safety features, including dual front airbags, side airbags, curtain airbags, a 360-degree view camera, ISOFIX child seat anchors, hill-hold control, rear parking sensors, anti-lock braking, traction control, and stability control, among others. 

Propelling the BYD model is a permanent magnet synchronous motor with a maximum output of 94 hp and 180 Nm of torque. Power is sent to its front wheels through a single-speed gearbox. 

From a single charge of its Blade battery, the Dolphin can cover up to 405 km. It also has fast charging capabilities, a regenerative braking system, and a vehicle-to-load feature. 

Pricing for the Philippine-spec BYD Dolphin is set at P1.398 million. 

JAC Ytterby

Likewise facing the MG 4 EV is the JAC Ytterby. 

Concerning its exterior, the Ytterby contrasts with the other EV hatch models as it assumes a softer look achieved by its rounded proportions. Nevertheless, it also gets LED exterior lighting, a panoramic sunroof, power-folding side mirrors with heating, and a set of 16-17 inch aluminum alloy wheels. 

The interior of the five-seater JAC EV, meanwhile, also mirrors the round corners of its exterior. Its dashboard comes off as minimalist, but otherwise, its top-spec Luxury Pro 505 trim gets a 15.6-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

For sound, the said display relies on a six-piece speaker system. It also has a wireless smartphone charging pad, several USB ports, and a 12-volt power outlet. 

Other notable interior amenities of the Ytterby include a power-adjustable driver’s seat, leather upholstery, keyless entry, a push-to-start button, automatic air-conditioning, a leather steering wheel, and a 60:40 split-folding rear seat, among others. 

Like its rivals, the JAC EV comes with a wide array of standard safety features. The aforementioned is also reinforced by a suite of advanced driver-assist systems, which include blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, front collision warning, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane keep assist, and other advanced features. 

Positioned under the hood of the Ytterby EV is a permanent magnet synchronous motor capable of outputting up to 134 hp and 175 Nm for the top-spec Luxury Pro 505. The entry-level Standard Air 405’s motor, meanwhile, can churn out 94 hp and 135 Nm of torque.  Both trims are front wheel drive.

Concerning range, JAC claims that the Standard trim can cover 405 km on a single charge. The Luxury, on the other hand, offers a range of 505 km. Both trims also have a vehicle-to-load feature, regenerative braking, as well as fast charging capabilities. 

As of its launch, the Philippine-spec JAC Ytterby EV has a price ranging from P1.195 million-P1.32 million. 

MG 4 EV specs table

Model	MG 4 EV Standard	MG 4 EV Luxury	MG 4 EV XPower
Exterior
Dimensions (mm)	4,287x1,836x1,504
Wheelbase (mm)	2,705
Wheel size	17-inches	18-inches
Lighting system	LED
Interior
Material	Fabric	PU with fabric	Leather
Amenities	6-way manual adjust driver seat Front and rear cabin armrests Poly urethane steering wheel 12-volt accessory outlet USB ports 60:40 split folding rear seats Automatic climate control 4-way adjustable steering column 4-piece speaker set	6-way power adjust driver seat Front and rear cabin armrests Leather steering wheel Wireless smartphone charging pad 12-volt accessory outlet USB ports 60:40 split folding rear seats Automatic climate control 4-way adjustable steering column Sunroof 6-piece speaker set
Instrument cluster	7-inch digital gauge cluster
Infotainment system	10-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Seating capacity	5
Cargo capacity	363 liters (default)
Powertrain
Motor	Permanent magnet synchronous (RWD)		Permanent magnet synchronous (AWD)
Battery capacity (kwH)	51	64	64
Range (WLTP)	350 km	435 km	400 km
Transmission	Electronic transmission
Horsepower	168	201	429
Torque	250 Newton-meters		600 Newton-meters
Technologies
ADAS	Autonomous emergency braking Pedestrian warning system Lane keeping assist Blind-spot monitoring Automatic headlamps Adaptive cruise control
Safety	Dual front airbags Side airbags Curtain airbags Anti-lock braking Stability control Traction control Hill-hold control Cornering brake control Rear parking sensors ISOFIX Tire pressure monitoring Vehicle dynamic control	Dual front airbags Side airbags Curtain airbags Anti-lock braking Stability control Traction control Hill-hold control Cornering brake control Rear parking sensors ISOFIX Tire pressure monitoring Vehicle dynamic control Reverse camera 360-degree view camera
Security	Alarm Engine immobilizer
Pricing	P1,468,888	P1,738,888	P2,000,888

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