Just as I was conquering the learning curve of days out with a family of four in a humble hatchback, life finds a way to keep me on my toes – in the form of all-electric power. We’ve recently traded in our petrol-powered Mazda3 for an MG4 EV, the current holder of our Business Car of the Year award.
Aside from having to get acquainted with the MG4’s interior wiggle room – which with our family must account for my wife and I, a toddler, a baby, and a dog – I knew that I’d have to slip back into the mind of an EV-minded driver. Doing this for the first time can be a bit daunting – but I’ve already been there and got the t-shirt, as they say.
My first long-term experience with an EV was about two years ago, and it saw me driving the Skoda Enyaq for six months. The main teething issues revolved around having to download a variety of charging apps and having to meticulously plan long-distance journeys, usually with a plan A, B and C when it came to choosing charging stops along the way. These niggles have inevitably returned with the MG4 – but at least this time, I already have my home wall box charger ready to go.
The transition has certainly been smoother this time around, as EV muscle memory has already kicked in, with daily battery checks and plug-ins already being part of my daily ritual.
So far, we haven’t travelled far enough in the MG4 to warrant a stop at any public charging station – although that will certainly change in the next month or so, with a few long-distance journeys already planned in the calendar.
Our previous two full charges have resulted in an estimated 240-mile range on the dashboard. In both instances, we travelled around 80 miles on a mixture of country roads and motorways with an average speed of 35mph. At the end of these journeys, we were left with about 25 miles less than what we should have had – mathematically speaking – in the battery.
This doesn’t concern me however, given that in my experience, EV range discrepancies tend to balance out the longer you travel on a single charge, especially if you include motorway driving on that journey.
Pottering about in the MG4 has been a pleasant experience. As with most electric cars, the MG4 has the usual EV quirks and foibles. Power is delivered instantaneously when squeezing the accelerator, and both the regenerative and regular braking is progressive and easy to judge. The suspension is a little firm however – a common EV trait – and you can find yourself bouncing from side to side when clattering over dodgy pot-holed tarmac.
Passenger space has been a particular highlight so far, with child seats being easy to fit in the rear, and tonnes of footwell room for bags. The boot on the other hand is just so-so, although the non-existent load lip and underfloor storage – albeit very small – has already come in handy several times, especially when it comes to storing the charging cables and kids’ toys.
Although we’ve only had a few short stints on the motorway, the MG4 is a surprisingly adept cruiser, with a remarkably hushed cabin and smooth, no-nonsense character. The Android Auto system works seamlessly enough too, eliminating the need for screen faffing when cruising.
Standard equipment: Adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, rear privacy glass, 18in alloy wheels with low wind resistance aero cover, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, climate control, DAB radio, satellite navigation, wireless phone charging, 360-degree parking camera, Apple Carplay, Android Auto.
