MG will adopt a two-pronged strategy in the small electric car segment, with an updated version of the familiar MG 4 hatchback to sit alongside the recently launched MG 4 EV Urban.
Making its local debut at the 2026 Melbourne motor show today and available in showrooms now, the upgraded MG 4 gets a new interior closely resembling that of the related MG S5 EV small SUV.
The range has been pared back to just two variants: the single-motor rear-wheel drive MG 4 Essence 64 priced at $39,990 drive-away, and the dual-motor all-wheel drive MG 4 XPower at $47,990 drive-away.
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These variants were previously priced at $44,990 and $55,990 before on-road costs, respectively. Despite sharper pricing, they’re still more expensive than the new front-wheel drive MG 4 EV Urban, which is priced between $31,990 and $34,990 drive-away.
Both MG 4s feature a 64kWh battery pack, with the old 51kWh and 77kWh packs discontinued; the MG 4 EV Urban, in contrast, has smaller 43kWh and 54kWh batteries.
The Essence 64 uses a 64kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery providing 452km of WLTP range, up from 435km in the pre-update model. This battery powers a single 140kW/350Nm electric motor.
The XPower sticks with a 64kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NCM) battery, offering 405km of range. The performance flagship incorporates 150kW/250Nm and 170kW/350Nm electric motors, giving it a claimed 0-100km/h time of 3.8 seconds.
Inside, MG promises “improved materials” and “a more refined finish”.
The 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster has been replaced with a more neatly integrated 10.25-inch unit, which is no longer free-standing.
The 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen has been replaced by a larger 12.8-inch unit running a new infotainment system and including satellite navigation, DAB+ digital radio, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
There’s a row of attractive physical switchgear below the touchscreen, including buttons and knobs.
The prominent high-mounted ‘shelf’ that housed the rotary gear selector has been removed, with the dial now moved to the centre console near a wireless phone charger. A pair of cupholders sit at the base of the centre stack.
Standard equipment includes heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a six-speaker sound system, and a surround-view camera.
A new MG Pilot Custom Function, as seen in the U9 ute, allows you to set your preferred safety settings and recall them easily each time you start the car.
The exterior is largely unchanged, apart from a new rear spoiler and three new exterior paint colours: Iris Cyan, Sterling Silver, and Piccadilly Blue.
The MG 4 is pitched as the more athletic of MG’s two small electric cars, with the brand touting its 50:50 weight distribution and choice of rear- or all-wheel drive. The MG 4 EV Urban, in contrast, is intended as more of a comfort-focused commuter.
“The new and extended choice of MG4 EV models means customers can drive everything from the efficient, super-spacious, practical and competitively priced MG4 EV Urban to the newly updated MG4 EV, which at its heart embodies a driver-focused performance hatch offering outstanding flexibility for all driving applications that require an injection of fun,” said MG Motor Australia marketing director Dimitri Andreatidis.