When the new MG 4 EV was revealed last week, the logical assumption was that this was a replacement for the current MG 4 EV.
That’s not the case, as the new, larger, more softly styled model is actually a separate model entirely – despite using the same nameplate.
It could also be coming to Australia.
“MG Motor Australia is reviewing this new model and considering it for the Australian market,” said a company spokesperson.
“It is important to note this model is not built on the same platform as the existing MG 4 and will not replace the current model.”
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
-
Current MG 4 -
New MG 4
That indicates the current model will continue to be produced, and MG has previously indicated an update is coming for it at some point that will bring a revised interior.
Given it entered production in 2022, it’s close to the point where a mid-life update would be expected.
It’s unclear what platform this new MG 4 uses. The existing rear/all-wheel drive MG 4 uses MG’s Modular Scalable Platform, which also underpins the upcoming MG S5 EV due in Australia this year as a ZS EV replacement.
MG also has yet to reveal the car’s interior, or any specifications. In fact, it’s said little about the car other than to say it’s its first global model of 2025.
A Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) filing, shared by Car News China, revealed the new MG 4 measures 4395mm long, 1842mm wide and 1551mm tall on a 2750mm wheelbase.
That makes it 108mm longer, 6mm wider and up to 47mm taller than the current MG 4, on a 45mm longer wheelbase.
Technical specifications in the filing are reportedly limited, though a single electric powertrain with 120kW is listed along with a kerb weight of 1485kg. It uses a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery of an unspecified capacity.
Should this new, unrelated MG 4 come to Australia, it’s unlikely the Chinese brand will use the same name for both products – something that would cause confusion.
For example, when MG brought a heavily revised version of the previous-generation ZS to Australia, it opted to christen it the ZST to distinguish it from the older model.
It does appear MG will use the MG 4 nameplate for both models in China, despite the brand also applying for the use of the MG 3 EV and E5 nameplates in that market.
MG used to call the current MG 4 the ‘Mulan’ in China, but this nameplate was phased out not long after the vehicle’s launch.
The sheer size of the Chinese car market has led many carmakers to employ confusing strategies there, including selling multiple generations of the same vehicle concurrently (see: GWM, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Buick).
The new MG 4 could give the brand’s EV sales a shot in the arm in China, with its softer styling fitting in more naturally alongside rivals like the BYD Dolphin and Ora Good Cat (known here as the GWM Ora).
-
Current MG 4 -
-
While the MG 4 initially sold strongly in China, its sales dropped off quickly. In contrast, the small electric hatch has gone from strength to strength in Australia.
Last year, MG sold 6934 examples of the electric hatch, up 121.3 per cent on the previous year – though it’s worth noting it wasn’t on sale for the full 2023 calendar year.
Nevertheless, it was Australia’s third best-selling EV in 2024, behind only the Tesla Model Y and Model 3.
MG sold more than three times as many MG 4s as BYD did of its rival Dolphin.
The current MG 4 was developed as a global model, with the European market front of mind for the brand. Last year, it was the eighth best-selling EV in Europe and outsold all its rivals bar the Volkswagen ID.3, though it was down four positions as a result of a 28 per cent drop in sales.
MORE: Everything MG 4
