THE new MG4 EV Urban could be the best electric car that MG have produced so far. I’d have it over a Cyberster any day of the week . . .
It’s taken the ‘Best Electric Small Car’ trophy at the What Car? 2026 awards and after spending a week with one, I can see why.
It’s not quite an SUV, despite the slightly raised crossover proportions, and it’s certainly not trying to be a sports car. Instead, it’s a compact family hatchback that manages to combine useful practicality with surprisingly entertaining handling, straightforward technology and a level of standard equipment that makes its price particularly difficult to ignore.
I’ve been driving the Premium Long Range, finished in Dynamic Red, and it’s turned out to be one of those cars that becomes more impressive the longer you spend with it.
Overview
The MG4 EV Urban is the latest addition to MG’s increasingly broad electric-car line-up and sits beneath the larger MG4 EV in the company’s range.
It is designed to offer much of the practicality of a family crossover while retaining the compact footprint and easier driving manners of a hatchback.
There are three versions of the MG4 EV Urban. The range starts with the Comfort Standard Range at £23,495, followed by the Comfort Long Range at £25,995, with the Premium Long Range tested here priced from £28,495.
My Dynamic Red test car adds £695 for the tri-coat paint, taking its on-the-road price to £29,190.
That’s a surprisingly modest amount of money for a fully electric family car with a 52.8kWh usable battery, a claimed 251-mile WLTP range, 160PS and a decent level of equipment.
The Premium Long Range uses a front-mounted electric motor driving the front wheels, producing 160PS and 250Nm of torque. It’s not designed to set acceleration records, with 0-62mph taking 9.5 seconds, but that’s more than adequate for everyday driving.
Design
The Urban is a decent looking motor. Sure, it won’t set the heart racing when you clock one on the street, but it’s more svelt than the boxy MG3 and not as Marmite as the MG4 regular.
The slightly elevated stance and crossover proportions give it a visual toughness without making it look unnecessarily chunky.
The front end is particularly distinctive, with slim LED headlights incorporating the daytime running lights and indicators, while the dark lower grille treatment is inspired by the MG Cyberster.
At the back, a full-width light bar is joined by arrow-shaped LED rear lights, again taking their inspiration from MG’s electric sports car.
It’s a clever way of giving the Urban a family resemblance without simply shrinking down one of MG’s larger SUVs.
My Dynamic Red test car certainly wasn’t short of visual impact. The colour suits the car’s slightly sporty character, highlighting the sculpted bodywork without making it look over-styled.
Interior
The cabin is modern, with a 7-inch driver’s display and 12.8-inch HD central touchscreen providing the main digital interfaces. iSMART connectivity is standard, as are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
There are also physical controls for the air conditioning and media functions, which is something I particularly welcome.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find a new car where everything hasn’t been moved onto a touchscreen, so having proper controls for functions you’re likely to use while driving makes the Urban feel immediately more user-friendly and will be one of its selling points.
The Premium Long Range also gets a wireless smartphone charger, six-speaker audio system and access to online services including Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, Amazon Music and live traffic information.
The overall design is clean and relatively uncluttered. There’s nothing particularly flashy about it, but neither does it feel cheap.
The three-spoke steering wheel has a sporty feel to it, the main controls are sensibly positioned and the central screen is clear and responsive.
There’s also a plethora of storage space around the cabin. In fact, MG claims 30 individual storage spaces, which tells you something about the emphasis placed on everyday usability . . .
Space and practicality
Despite its relatively compact exterior dimensions, there’s a surprisingly generous amount of room inside this Urban model.
Adults can sit in the back without feeling claustraphobic, while the flat-floor benefits of an electric platform make life easier for the middle passenger.
The boot is equally useful. The Premium Long Range offers 568 litres with the rear seats in place, including the substantial 98-litre storage area beneath the boot floor. Fold those seats down and there’s a generous 1,362 litres available.
Technology and safety
The 12.8-inch infotainment screen is the centrepiece, supported by a 7-inch digital driver’s display. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is MG’s iSMART system, satellite navigation and a selection of connected services.
The Premium Long Range also adds a six-speaker audio system and 360-degree parking camera.
MG Pilot includes adaptive cruise control with Intelligent Cruise Assist, active emergency braking with pedestrian and bicycle detection, lane-keep assistance, traffic-jam assistance, intelligent speed-limit assistance, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert and door-opening warning. Driver monitoring is also fitted.
There’s a lot going on, but fortunately, MG has recognised that not everybody wants every one of those systems constantly reminding them that they’re there.
MG allows drivers to create a personalised set of preferences for the various MG Pilot functions. Once you’ve adjusted the systems to your liking, a long press on the MG Pilot Custom button saves those settings.
However, when you return to the car, everything is restored to its default state after the vehicle has been switched off, as required by safety regulations.
But rather than having to go through every individual setting again (like you have to on many cars, these days), you simply swipe down from the top of the touchscreen, tap MG Pilot Custom and confirm.
Two touches and that’s it. Believe me, this can save a LOT of stress.
Driving impressions
The Premium Long Range produces 160PS and 250Nm of torque, driving the front wheels through a single-speed transmission. The 0-62mph time of 9.5 seconds isn’t particularly remarkable, but that’s not really the point.
The Urban feels much more responsive than the numbers suggest. There’s an immediacy to the throttle that makes the car feel eager without ever becoming intimidating.
The steering has enough weight to give the car some character, while the suspension manages to combine decent body control with enough compliance to prevent the ride becoming uncomfortable.
There is a slightly sporty flavour to the way the Urban goes about its business, which is particularly noticeable on a decent B road.
The front-wheel-drive layout means you don’t get the rear-driven balance of some more overtly sporting EVs, but the Urban remains composed when you start to carry a little more speed into a corner.
There’s also considerably less of that detached feeling that can affect some affordable electric cars.
Around town, the compact dimensions make it easy to place on the road, while the relatively upright driving position provides good visibility.
There are five driving modes – Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow and Custom – together with four regenerative-braking settings and one-pedal driving capability – a bargain at this price point and very welcome for those of us who enjoy a one-pedal driving experience.
That all gives you plenty of scope to tailor the car to the conditions.
The Urban is also quiet, as you’d expect from an EV, and the suspension does a decent job of dealing with everyday imperfections.
Range and charging
The Premium Long Range is fitted with a 53.9kWh battery, of which 52.8kWh is usable.
MG quotes a WLTP combined range of 251 miles, although the Comfort Long Range manages a slightly better 258 miles according to the technical data, with the difference largely reflecting specification and wheel/tyre configuration.
For the Premium Long Range, that’s a useful amount of range for a family hatchback and it’s enough to make the Urban a genuine all-rounder rather than a car confined to urban duties.
The car’s onboard AC charger supports 11kW, while DC rapid charging is available at up to 87kW. MG quotes approximately nine hours for a 10-100 per cent charge using a 7kW home-charger.
Using a 150kW DC rapid charger, the quoted 10-80 per cent charging time is around 30 minutes. That’s not class-leading rapid-charging performance, but it’s perfectly usable.
There’s also battery pre-heating ahead of charging, which is included in the specification of the Premium Long Range, helping the car prepare the battery for charging when conditions require it.
Astonishingly, the Urban also has Vehicle-to-Load capability, which may spend most of its life unused but can become surprisingly useful when you need it; whether that’s powering equipment away from home or simply making use of the car as a portable power source.
Verdict
The MG4 EV Urban is a car that gradually won me over. It doesn’t have the imposing presence of a large SUV and it doesn’t pretend to be a premium car.
But it gets the fundamentals right and then adds quite a bit on top too. Stuff you would expect to only be available on a much pricier EV.
The Premium Long Range’s 251-mile WLTP range makes it useful beyond the confines of town, while the 52.8kWh usable battery and 87kW DC charging capability provide enough flexibility for longer journeys.
But it’s the driving experience that surprises the most. The Urban has a little bit of character. It feels light on its feet, responds keenly to the accelerator and handles a twisty road with enough enthusiasm to put a smile on your face.
However, There are inevitably compromises.
The 9.5-second 0-62mph time means it’s not particularly quick, and the 87kW maximum DC charging rate won’t trouble the fastest-charging EVs. But neither is the Urban trying to be either of those things.
Instead, it offers something rather more straightforward – A good family car at a sensible price that happens to be electric – and one that you may actually enjoy driving.
At a glance
Model: MG4 EV Urban Premium Long Range
Price: £28,495 OTR (£29,190 including Dynamic Red paint)
Power: 160PS
Torque: 250Nm
Battery: 53.9kWh nominal / 52.8kWh usable LFP
Drive: Front-wheel drive
0-62mph: 9.5 seconds
Top Speed: 99mph
WLTP Range: 251 miles
Charging: 11kW AC (9 hours 10-100% via 7kW charger) / up to 87kW DC (10-80% in around 30 minutes via 150kW charger)
Warranty: 7 years / 80,000 miles battery warranty
