When we timed the original 201bhp Long Range model in 2023, it recorded 7.1sec to 62mph – more than quick enough for a family hatchback. That model is no longer available, but the 187bhp of the new Long Range version still gives the car a claimed time of 7.5sec, which makes it perfectly competitive in the class.
Moreover, while the 5 and certain other models in the MG line-up have a frustratingly ham-fisted traction control system, the 4’s is more sophisticated and operates close to imperceptibly in most situations. In fact, some drivers might perceive it to sometimes be too permissive.
Performance naturally tails off at motorway speeds and when the battery’s charge is low but remains perfectly adequate at all times.
If you would like to go faster still then the Extended Range, with its 241bhp, is the one to have, with its 6.2sec time to 62mph. Or you could opt for the XPower, which is good for 62mph in 3.8sec – faster than a 996-generation Porsche 911 Turbo, incredibly.
MG offers four regenerative braking levels: low, medium and high, plus an adaptive mode, which uses the car’s sensors to determine the appropriate level of deceleration for the situation. That last option feels like a slightly token effort but rarely doesn’t anything outright irritating.
By default, you switch between the regeneration modes through a menu in the infotainment system that’s several layers deep. However, you can also map one of the two configurable steering wheel buttons to cycle through regen settings. Either way, the car defaults to medium every time you restart it. Adjusting it should be easier, we feel, and the setting should persist.
We have similar gripes about the braking. You can choose between normal and sport brake feel. Even the firmer setting can be a touch inconsistent, while the soft feel and long travel on the standard setting are downright disconcerting, but like the regenerative braking, the car always defaults to normal and resets the Custom mode to a default setting.
That said, when we tested the 4 at a proving ground in 2023, outright braking performance was actually very good: despite very wet and cold conditions, the 4 needed 8.6 metres less to stop from 70mph than the Megane, despite wetter conditions. It also pulled up in a perfectly controlled fashion, with not a hint of lock-up.
