THE ELECTRIC REVOLUTION has irreversibly and unapologetically changed the car industry. What was once considered an experimental, futuristic modification reserved for cash flush scions and wealthy tech moguls has entered the realm of attainability for the general, medium-earning populace. Plus, with the European Union, China and Australian Capital Territory all phasing out sales of new fossil-fuelled vehicles by varying stages of the 2030s, owning an EV is starting to look more like a necessity than a sign of having too much disposable income and not enough shiny things to spend it on.
Leading marques and manufacturers have been more than happy to oblige in meeting the steadily increasing demand for EVs. The EV market is now much more than Teslas, and just about every brand now boasts an electric model, or at least an electric version of existing models. Simply put, EVs are everywhere, and they’re only getting more common – and more affordable.
MG has had its skin in the EV game for a few years now, with a number of electric models. The foremost of which is the MG4, which has raked in awards since its release in 2022 and retails for a staggeringly low $39,990. Named Carsales’ car of the year in 2023, Drive’s best EV under $50k in 2024, and Wheels’ best EV under $80k in 2024, the MG4 is one of the Australia’s most awarded cars. So, how can it be made even better? That’s the question the XPower set out to answer by amplifying the MG4’s performance potential. Naturally, we couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel.
Due to the space-age aura that surrounds them, it’s only natural to approach a first drive in an EV with some nervousness. Such was the case with this writer’s test of the MG4 XPower. The car’s exterior did nothing to quell my apprehension. With a hunter green colourway, bright orange brake callipers, a flowing, two-tone roof, an LED light system and an all-around hyper-futuristic design, the MG4 XPower would look as at home on a racetrack as it would navigating a bustling city street.
Bringing the car to a steady halt in a garage filled with other MGs, the dealer tossed me the keys with a casual “here you go” that did little to make me feel any more confident in my ability to pilot the vehicle in a manner that does it justice. Positioning myself in the driver’s seat, I was confronted by an array of high-tech features. This is in area where many EVs go wrong by making the assumption that just because a car is advanced, it needs to have a complex interface and dashboard. That’s not an issue in the MG4 XPower, which has an easy to grasp 10.25-inch touch screen display and 7-inch digital dash cluster.
The next challenge is starting the car, which is made easy by the fact that a traditional gear selector is replaced by a minimalistic dial. Similarly, the handbrake is replaced by a simple button. Having grasped these features, I begin to search for how to start the car, before being told that by having the keys inside the car and my foot on the brake, it had already started it. Besides making me look slightly clueless, this moment also serves as a testament to how ridiculously quiet the MG4 XPower really is, with a truly silent startup process – which is made all the more impressive by its performance capabilities, which we’ll get to shortly.
Departing the garage, I immediately encountered the depth of the XPower’s primary selling point – speed. The MG4 XPower can go from 0-100km/h in a bone-rattling, g-force challenging 3.8 seconds. For context, the new Aston Martin Vantage Coupe does it in 3.9 seconds. Needless to say, you won’t be getting beaten off the line at a traffic light.
The XPower has otherworldly straight-line performance for a hot hatch, the type that puts supercars to shame. It is able to achieve this incredible acceleration by utilising two electric engines. Positioned at each axle, the engines deliver power to all four wheels, making the hot hatch an all-wheel drive.
Assuredly, the MG4 XPower is anything but a one-trick pony. As I cruise the streets, I continue to come across more of the car’s innovative features. The XPower boasts a 360-degree camera, rear parking sensors, Apple CarPlay functionality, autonomous emergency braking and lane correction assist, blind-spot monitoring and single-zone climate control, but most impressive is its one pedal driving capabilities. Once you take off your foot off the accelerator, the XPower’s engines immediately start to reclaim energy from the car’s motion to recharge the battery and automatically slow down – which admittedly did take some getting used to, as I would repeatedly brake too hard when the car was already doing the job for me.
In terms of driving feel, the MG4 XPower is as smooth as they come. The car generates an impressive 320kW of power and 600Nm of torque, which combines with enhanced torque vectoring to ensure that the car’s handling rivals its speed, no matter the driving conditions.
As for charging, the MG4 XPower boasts a 64kWh battery, delivering a range of up to 400km. It’s enough to get you through any daily commute without having to fear running out of charge with no plug at hand, plus much more. The bane of any EV owner’s existence is lengthy charging times, but with the XPower, that issue can be partially alleviated by an MG charging hub, which can significantly reduce recharging times at home.
Now, with specs like those we’ve mentioned and the performance potential of a supercar, you’re probably expecting a hefty price tag to be attached to the XPower. Electric car and affordable aren’t often said in the same sentence, and most EVs will set you back at least six figures. But the XPower, which goes for $59,990 drive away, is one of the most affordable options on the market.
Throughout my time with the MG4 XPower, I tested its mettle in a variety of conditions. It braved Sydney’s waterlogged city streets during a month of inexplicably high precipitation with no complaints. It proved its endurance on a road trip through the Royal National Park while I pushed the limits of its range. And it more than lived up to its billing as one damn fast car.
As impressive as these feats were, the moment that truly sold the MG4 XPower to me came while stuck in traffic on a Saturday night in the Sydney suburb of Newtown. As I passed a petrol station with a line to the pumps that waded out onto the road, a most poignant reminder of the costs of a fossil fuel car came when I noticed that unleaded prices were climbing even further above the $2 per litre mark and found comfort in knowing I wasn’t in that pitiful line. If rising fuel costs are emptying your wallet and environmental imperatives have you feeling more conscious about your impact on our planet, there’s never been a better time to get an EV, and you won’t find many better than the MG4 XPower.
For more information on the MG4 XPower, head to mgmotor.com.au
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