MG Motor Australia has locked within the new MG 4 electrical hatchback revealed in China earlier this 12 months for native launch, but it surely gained’t exchange the prevailing MG 4.
As a substitute, MG will place the extra softly styled, front-wheel drive hatch beneath the prevailing rear- and all-wheel drive mannequin in Australia.
“The brand new-for-2026 front-wheel drive [model] can be a totally totally different car, good for town. Balancing driver utilization wants and manufacturing price issues of rear-wheel drive, we noticed the chance for an reasonably priced FWD car to enhance the MG4 RWD and AWD,” mentioned MG Motor Australia CEO Peter Ciao.
MG says the brand new front-drive MG 4 isn’t anticipated to be accessible Down Below till the second quarter of 2026.
It seems MG will apply the MG 4 identify to all variations of the brand new hatch, although it has trademarked the MG 4 City nameplate Down Below.
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Above: RWD/AWD MG 4, FWD MG 4
It’ll be provided right here with 43kWh and 54kWh batteries, whereas the prevailing MG 4 can be accessible right here solely with a bigger 64kWh battery. That can see the bottom 51kWh battery pack, in addition to the Lengthy Vary’s 77kWh, dropped in our market.
MG additionally guarantees the present rear/all-wheel drive hatch will carry “up to date options”, which can be accompanied by greater costs, so it’s urging patrons to “snare their piece of historical past now, beneath $40k drive-away”.
The present MG 4 is on the market with a 51kWh battery providing 350km of WLTP vary, a 64kWh battery providing between 400km and 450km of vary, and a 77kWh battery providing 530km of vary.
The Excite 51 produces 125kW of energy and 250Nm of torque, with the Excite 64 and Essence 64 receiving a bump in energy to 150kW, and the Lengthy Vary 77 pumping out 180kW and 350Nm.
The flagship XPower, the one dual-motor all-wheel drive variant, produces 320kW and 600Nm.
The brand new MG 4, in distinction, is obtainable with a single 120kW/250Nm front-mounted electrical motor.
Its 42.8kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery provides 437km of vary, whereas its 53.95kWh LFP battery provides 530km. Nevertheless, each figures are based mostly on the extra lenient CLTC cycle utilized in China.
MG has additionally confirmed it’ll introduce a semi-solid-state battery for the brand new MG 4 in China later this 12 months.
The brand new MG 4 additionally options MacPherson strut entrance suspension however a torsion beam rear, not like the prevailing MG 4 which has multi-link impartial rear suspension.
Inside, there are 30 storage areas, together with a 98-litre hid dry/moist separation cupboard space beneath the boot ground.
Different useful options embody soft-light mirrors up entrance “designed for girls’s make-up and touchups”, a ventilated 50W wi-fi cellphone charger, and a 1.8 square-metre ‘king mattress mode’ if you drop the 60:40-split rear seats.
A ten.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system is customary, however a bigger 15.6-inch unit brings MG x Oppo Sensible Automotive Connectivity.
Accessible gear contains heated and ventilated entrance seats, a heated steering wheel, 256-colour ambient lighting and a panoramic glass roof with energy sunshade.
Down again, there’s 471L of boot house, increasing to 1362L with the rear seats folded.
The MG 4 measures 4395mm lengthy, 1842mm huge, 1551mm tall and rides a 2750mm wheelbase.
That makes it 108mm longer, 6mm wider and as much as 47mm taller than the present MG 4, on a 45mm longer wheelbase.
It weighs between 1415kg and 1485kg, and rides on a special platform to the prevailing MG 4 and the associated MG S5 EV small electrical SUV, that are based mostly on MG’s Modular Scalable Platform.
It’s unclear how a lot the brand new front-wheel drive MG 4 will price in Australia. The rival BYD Dolphin is priced from $29,990 earlier than on-road prices, whereas the GWM Ora is at present being provided from $33,990 drive-away.
MG has beforehand provided the prevailing MG 4 from as little as $30,990 drive-away.
MORE: 2026 MG 4 detailed: Softer front-wheel drive hatch to get semi-solid-state battery
