MG4 hatchback - Reliability & safety

Electric cars tend to be much simpler mechanically than the equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle, which should theoretically help make the MG4 reliable. That is, of course, if MG can improve on its results in the 2023 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey; the budget brand came last out of 32 manufacturers, with customers slating its cars' build quality and lacklustre infotainment systems. We’ve got it under good authority that MG is working hard to improve its Driver Power scores; 33% of MG owners reported a fault with their car within the first year of ownership, which is far above average.

It’s worth noting, however, that these ratings do not take into account the MG4 itself, as it was very new to the market when the findings of the survey were published. The MG4 debuts the brand’s latest electric underpinnings and interior technology and we are intrigued to see whether this has any positive impact on the next Driver Power rankings.

Safety

All MG4 models come utterly loaded with safety technology, leading to the car gaining a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. Included with even entry-level SE models, the MG Pilot suite of driver assistance features includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane departure warning with lane-keep assist, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and an automatic speed limiter function. SE cars also come with rear parking sensors, while top-spec Trophy cars benefit from a 360-degree camera system to help out with tight manoeuvres.

Servicing

MG has committed to offering lower servicing prices for its EV models than those with a petrol engine, recognising that they generally require less complex and expensive maintenance, with fewer items that need to be replaced. Check with your local MG dealer for exact pricing.

Warranty

MG’s warranty should be an incentive to go ahead, because it lasts for seven years and up to 80,000 miles as standard. That beats the three years of the Peugeot e-2008 and the five years offered for the Hyundai Kona Electric. The Kia Niro EV also gets a generous seven years of cover, along with a slightly higher 100,000-mile limit.