First Impressions from Test Drive

[Whiskey Foxtrot]

I had test drive today & although the car drove extremely well ( dynamics were amazing ) & quick off the line I found that mid range go was less so, then found out my Kia Soul has nearly twice the torque & would miss that so looks like I'll have to wait for the performance version if it comes to the UK next Yr
Hopefully they will sort the constant alertness warning on the Trophy & allow it to remember all personel changes to the systems in a future update
But it's an amazing bit of kit for the price..

I like those souls. I'd have one tomorrow, sadly beyond my budget. Interesting that the soul has 145nm more torques but their 0-62 time is the same on paper at least.

 

[Spannermann]

I like those souls. I'd have one tomorrow, sadly beyond my budget. Interesting that the soul has 145nm more torques but their 0-62 time is the same on paper at least.

I was lucky, got mine when government grant was still available along with dealer contribution so bought price down quite a bit ( those were the days )
The Soul is slightly slower off the line due to all that torque going through front tyres making it scrabble a bit but once moving all that torque comes into its own, especially for the A road overtakes
I think some sticky tyres will be on my list once these eco plastic ones die, that should bring zero to 60 time down a bit

 

[lfc958]

I test drove today and the MG4 is a seriously good car, it drives nicely and just flows how you want it. They've put a lot of work into the regen settings. It's just as good if not slightly better than an ID.3 in most ways and as a bonus it doesn't have the wipers on the wrong way round or offset peddles like the ID.3 does I found the seats on the SE very good, certainly an improvement on the latest KIA Niro

Coming from a Mk1 leaf I'd say the MG4 is a little lower seating position wise, spacious in the front but not as much in the back. MG4 rides and handles just as most other modern cars

Bad points:

• Touch screen not very sensitive.
• Would have been nice to have the climate control menu to open off the button rather than it functioning as an on/off
• Trim on the seats doesn't look the neatest where it joins towards the back.

I forgot to test the washers, anyone tested it and can tell me if they go up the screen properly (Nissans are so low it's a joke)?

Still 50/50 on whether to cancel my order, as I love the car but I just need slightly more room in the rear.

Touch screen, when ordering one at the dealer last week I got an opportunity to go through the screen and found it was responsive but found very quickly that I had to touch the centre of the display button, once I found this quirk, then the screen was fine.
The SE I was in, the finish of the seat finish was on a par with some of the other quality cars I have been in. Perhaps it was the specific car you were looking at, There is a big software update being put on cars to cover a few minor issues including screen random freezing.

 

[Les burrows]

Ok had a test drive Friday yesterday now, in the 4SR it was for the wife mainly but she wouldn’t go again without me, she had been there a few days ago to just look at one in the showroom, so we got to the dealer and they had a red one which is what she prefers, also a black, and a white all of which where SE SR they had also a Orange Trophy model my what a horrible colour which will date is what we both said, so first of all the weather was terrible raining very very hard, so sorry no new pictures.

I was happy about the heavy rain as there was a few things I have picked up from owning and driving the MG5 in all weathers so I was interested to see how the 4 was in bad weather as well, so first off no rear wiper is a big mistake by MG in my book, not really a problem to me as I use the wing mirrors more than the interior mirror when driving or reversing but the wife has a problem with wing mirrors never has been to happy using them, but it should be ok in better weather, the young sales guy came with us on the test drive and was very helpful indeed showing us how to use the infotainment sytem to set the HVAC to stop the windows misting up which they did at first, and he appeared to know his stuff nice fellow.

Visibility to the front and sides was good front windscreen is much better and clearer than my 5 and the rear view was ok I suppose but the rain did not help.

So it drives very nice N3 mode was on, smooth quick and quiet, but did only get to around 55mph at most again due to the bad weather, the controls all felt good but the drive selector was she thought a bit of a reach at first but she will get used to that and as I told her once it’s in drive it’s in.

Was a bit dark on the inside the dark head liner does not help with that but no dealbreaker, boot is about ok,room in the back seats was good and very comfy indeed found it better then the 5 in the back but quite dark at first but the tints look very smart outside so it’s swings and roundabouts.

So as I said at the start I was happy it was raining, has as lot of you MG5 owners know when it is raining it can soon start the car misting up even with the HVAC on and just opening a window even a small amount to help keep the missing up down without HVAC, is fine but the water drips into the car badly if your not careful MG I think realised this at the design stage which is why the tops of the door cards slope outwards to the glass to let the drips of water tun down and inside the doors if they can, never been happy with that, and as we all know the HVAC can eat a lot of range sometimes.

But I’m happy to say this did not appear to happen in the MG4 it’s much better so you can drive with a window open a bit I did to try it and it was ok of course I’m thinking about driving in urban areas and town work here not at speed on motorway as the noise might be to much anyway to do that.

As for the rest of the car it’s very nice but certain things are missing or could be better most of which have been commented on it this forum.
1 no interior lights in the rear no good that
2 no grab handles at all plus no hooks to hang even a coat on poor design for me.
The door sills are a stupid design very wide 9-10 inches deep so when getting in or out of the car you can easily catch you shins on them the car I was looking at in the showroom was where we noticed this and they where clean when it’s been on the road and gets a bit dirty or muddy well she will have to be very careful getting in and out.

Parked along side this car in the showroom was an HS the bottoms of the doors have the same back plastic trim across them with a chrome insert but the difference is when you open the door it goes with the door the MG 4 is still there because it partly on the door but also partly on the still and the still bit sort of curls up a bit as stays there making the sills very wide and deep.

Doors close with a positive clunk which sounds very good but the mirrors that are mounted on the doors can only fold to the rear a bit worrying that as more than once I have have my mirrors pushed towards the front of the car when it’s been parked up in a carpark.

The lights look good apart from a very small high centre brake light, and what that Chris cross lighting is about over the rear lights is beyond me.

Build quality I think could be much better, some of the panels where not very well aligned for me, the tail gate for example 6 mm gap at one side about 10 mm at the other. The front panel with the MG badge on, stuck up higher than the bonnet about 2/3 mm giving a lip may be able to be adjusted I’m not sure. The rear door at the front edge at the window height as a rubber seal attached to the front edge of the door with like press studs holding it on to the door frame which the front door closes on to, very cheap and nasty I thought may not wear well
The wife pointed out the door handles being body coloured will easily get a scratch or two quite soon from rings etc and she is probably right on that.


I sure hope certain things can be set up to work from the buttons on the steering wheel, that has been commented on in this forum about the star buttons on the wheel as having to go into the infotainment screen to change many settings while on the move is not good the writing and icons are small and not that easy to see and having to go there to change the HVAC settings let alone the driving modes is not good the MG5 is much better and easier I think.

So I think you will have heard enough from me now but in summary will we buy one probably yes we will I hope so anyway other wise it’s another fossil fuel job but it’s not for me it’s for SWMBO to decide

I don’t think there’s a better EV at this price point, and I’m sure it will hold its price very well indeed, it solid quick and quiet on the road, comfortably and hopefully reliable and trouble free time will tell.

Les

 

[Harry 17]

Nice one Les, good neutral review that. And BTW, having driven mine yesterday in full Lash down mode, I agree cracking the window induces a large amount of water! Did this to try not to rely on the HVAC too much for demist, and also cause I vape. So that is a negative for me, as the water ingress under lash conditions is poor!

 

[Les burrows]

Thanks Harry, yeh the rain water side is better on the 4 than the 5 which is awful, i have been hoping some UK company might have a supply of those rain and wind defectors things I know Ali express do them but they as been a few people on these forums that have sent for them and they have arrived broken so that has put me off getting some from there for my 5.
As I said the 4 does and did appear much better on our very short test drive the HVAC did a good job but using that all the time would take the range down some what I would say from 17000miles of experience driving an EV about 10% or so
Les

 

[Davet]

I test drove today and the MG4 is a seriously good car, it drives nicely and just flows how you want it. They've put a lot of work into the regen settings. It's just as good if not slightly better than an ID.3 in most ways and as a bonus it doesn't have the wipers on the wrong way round or offset peddles like the ID.3 does I found the seats on the SE very good, certainly an improvement on the latest KIA Niro

Coming from a Mk1 leaf I'd say the MG4 is a little lower seating position wise, spacious in the front but not as much in the back. MG4 rides and handles just as most other modern cars

Bad points:

• Touch screen not very sensitive.
• Would have been nice to have the climate control menu to open off the button rather than it functioning as an on/off
• Trim on the seats doesn't look the neatest where it joins towards the back.

I forgot to test the washers, anyone tested it and can tell me if they go up the screen properly (Nissans are so low it's a joke)?

Still 50/50 on whether to cancel my order, as I love the car but I just need slightly more room in the rea

 

[Davet]

Yes the washers work fine, with a mist rather than a jet if water but there was good coverage.