New Model/New Platform – Is the MG4 worse or better than other Electric Cars on First Launch?

[smbmetal]

Gathering people’s thoughts on whether people think the new MG4 has faired better or worse against other first launch electric cars when they were first launched.

My thoughts would be that software issues plague every single new launch cars, including ICE cars – see ID3 for example. Even Tesla has issues now, which is a much more mature product. I’d say the MG4 appears to be faring well software wise so far.

However mechanically, so far at least, I would say the MG4 is not fairing so well against it’s rivals/competition. I read lots of car forums and I’ve not read anywhere near as many issues with the ID3 or Cupra Born mechanically (plenty of software issues). No leaking or dodgy undertrays for example. I worry for the build quality verses it’s rivals and whether the MG4 will hold up longer term once the shine is worn off.

To be clear I think the MG4 is a brilliant car and will shake up the whole industry, I just hope it can maintain it’s brilliant start. The mechanical issues need to be resolved quickly or people will move away from the brand just as quickly in my opinion.

 

[tsedge]

I think it is doing ok. If we had decent communication I think it would even be good. Part of the teething problems are no doubt down to the new platform and new factory.

That said, it doesn't sound like the new software is an improvement in terms of quality. Perhaps that is inevitable with new hardware but the list of issues discovered is growing fast. How quickly they are fixed is key.

 

[Ian Key]

Could be worse. Hyundai and Kia are recalling 122,000 cars due to a transmission software problem.
The two companies share an owner (Hyundai Motor Group) and use many parts in common. This time, the problem is that the circuit boards used in the transmission oil pump may not have been soldered correctly. If a loose component detaches, the car enters a fail-safe mode that shuts the transmission down to avoid further damage.
When fail-safe mode starts, drivers hear a warning chime and see a message to “stop safely immediately.” They then, the companies tell government safety regulators, will have “approximately 20-30 seconds of unimpeded motive power” to pull over safely before their transmission disengages.

 

[tsedge]

Should also say that the oil leak and undertray don't bother me greatly, seem to be minor issues. The problem with getting locked in the car is far more serious in my view and is almost certainly a software bug.

 

[colsky]

I think it is doing ok. If we had decent communication I think it would even be good. Part of the teething problems are no doubt down to the new platform and new factory.

That said, it doesn't sound like the new software is an improvement in terms of quality. Perhaps that is inevitable with new hardware but the list of issues discovered is growing fast. How quickly they are fixed is key.

I'm hoping that any software bugs are fixed quickly and free and over the air if possible (that last one is probably a pie in the sky, or pie over the air dream). I'm wary that the customers had to pay for the fixes to the initial ZS EV software (reduced bongs etc). That wasn't the dealers fault, that was MG refusing to pay the dealers to do them.

 

[BugEyed]

You ask on the day that Tesla are recalling 40,000 cars due to a steering fault and a year on from Hyundai promising to replace HV batteries (still not done). Saying that the Cupra Born is "Ok" now ignores the 18 months of delays and failed cars that the iD.3 underwent.

The new platform and the MG4 are a huge step forward for MG, and the problems relatively small. Sadly the communication and support could be better, but I fear that a lot of the issues are at the UK end.

 

[smbmetal]

You ask on the day that Tesla are recalling 40,000 cars due to a steering fault and a year on from Hyundai promising to replace HV batteries (still not done). Saying that the Cupra Born is "Ok" now ignores the 18 months of delays and failed cars that the iD.3 underwent.

The new platform and the MG4 are a huge step forward for MG, and the problems relatively small. Sadly the communication and support could be better, but I fear that a lot of the issues are at the UK end.

That's horrendous, but that's x months/years down the line. Who knows what the MG4 will be like in x months/years. Upon first launch in it's first few months, I've been a little surprised to see people rejecting cars already, so I created this thread to try and give some context into whether that was to be expected these days or whether in fact the MG4 is doing better or worse in it's first few months versus other models/manufacturers.

 

[WalkingBootWeather]

As someone who endured and lived through 'Bong-gate' with the original ZS EV, and have watched this relatively new (to UK and Europe) car company make their first steps into the market I'd say MG are perhaps slightly worse than more established manufacturers when it comes to launch gremlins.

The annoying thing is that many of the issues are minor and should never have happened if properly tested corners were not cut where they didn't need to be.

Communication does seem to be a problem for MG but previously they have actually been pretty quick at updating software to iron out the worse issues, however they have sometimes introduced new problems in their rush.

Without these minor omissions and gremlins MG would be smashing it out of the park with the MG4 which is essentially a fine car at a price-point significantly below that of the competition.

As it is, many people will understandably walk away and put their money into something of higher perceived quality.

 

[4ND]

If you had a CUPRA Born, you woudn't know you were born.

 

[tsedge]

You ask on the day that Tesla are recalling 40,000 cars due to a steering fault and a year on from Hyundai promising to replace HV batteries (still not done). Saying that the Cupra Born is "Ok" now ignores the 18 months of delays and failed cars that the iD.3 underwent.

The new platform and the MG4 are a huge step forward for MG, and the problems relatively small. Sadly the communication and support could be better, but I fear that a lot of the issues are at the UK end.

This Tesla recall is addressed with a software update, showing the advantage of a reliable remote update solution.