MG TO THE POWER OF X (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

MG aimed to reinvent the hot hatch with this MG4 XPOWER EV. Jonathan Crouch takes a look at the latest version.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 67

The MG4 XPOWER isn't your ordinary EV family hatchback. It accelerates like a Ferrari, yet costs about the same as an ordinary electric compact family five-door. It's got all-wheel drive, has all of the required sporty vibe and spoils you with equipment. There's a lot to like, especially with the updated version we look at here. But is this a real hot hatch? You'll need to decide.

Backgroundword count: 145

Back in 2023, Chinese conglomerate SAIC bought back the old MG Rover 'X POWER' badge for the dual motor performance version of their MG marque's MG4 EV. Off the line, this model really wouldn't be that much lower than an ultimate velocity six-figure luxury EV like the Audi RS e-tron GT. And it comfortably has the legs of a combustion-engined super hatch like, say, a Volkswagen Golf R. It's considerably cheaper than one of those too. 'Cheaper' is possibly not the right word to use for a compact family hatch priced well over £30,000, but the fact remains that this XPOWER model's asking price is still below what you'll probably pay for many very ordinary EV compact hatches. So what's served up here as well as extra power? Here, we'll check out the updated version of this model, introduced in early 2026, and find out.

Driving Experienceword count: 315

XPOWER versions of old Longbridge-era last century MGs were really all about straight line speed and not a lot else. Which, to some extent, is an observation you could level at this MG4 XPOWER, still marketed by its maker as 'pound for pound the fastest-accelerating car you can buy in the UK'. No mechnical changes have been made as part of this update, so it's still urged forward by a 201bhp motor on the front axle and a 228bhp motor on the rear axle. The resulting 429bhp total propels the car to 62mph in just 3.8s on the way to 124mph. You'll win virtually every traffic light Grand Prix. We're less sure that you'll triumph in back road brawling with more deeply developed conventional hot hatchbacks. But MG maintains a UK engineering team and they've done what they can here to keep all that power in check. Compared to an ordinary MG4 EV, the springs are 15% stiffer at the front and 10% stiffer at the rear, the steering's been re-tuned, you get launch control and there are ventilated 345mm disc brakes front and rear. There's also brake-based torque vectoring and MG has additionally fitted wider tyres, though not performance rubber. Sports seats and a limited slip differential are notable by their absence too. As with the ordinary MG4, there are five driving modes - 'Eco', 'Sport', 'Snow', 'Custom' and 'standard'. And four regenerative braking modes - 'Auto', '1', '2' and '3'. MG has also added a 'One Pedal Driving' brake regen setting which, when engaged, means you'll hardly ever need to use the actual brake pedal. The XPOWER uses the same 64kWh battery as the base 'Premium Long Range' version, but instead of the 280 mile range you get with that car, there's a 251 mile figure (though that's an improvement on the 239 mile stat quoted for the XPOWER in its original form).

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