“Supercar performance”: MG4 XPower hot hatch undercuts Kia EV6 GT and Tesla Model 3 in Australia

October 5, 2023November 6, 2023 Stephen Corby 4164 Views australia, ev, MG4 XPOWER

The MG4 XPower electric hot hatch has been priced at an ultra-competitive $59,990 in Australia, leaving its rivals from Kia, Hyundai and Tesla in the pricing dust.

The all-electric hot hatch’s sub $60k price tag puts it miles below the incoming Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, which is $111,000, and undercuts the Kia EV6 GT, $99,590, and dual-motor Tesla Model 3, $71,900.

It’s also the most powerful MG to have ever arrived in Australia, with the AWD XPower equipped with 150kW front and 170kW rear motors, making a total 320kW and 600Nm.

The race to 100km/h takes just 3.8 seconds, while revised springs and dampers, stiffer anti-roll bars and sportier steering combine to make this flagship MG4 25 per cent stiffer than its less-fast siblings.

The tyres and brakes have been upgraded, too, with ventilated 345mm discs and Bridgestone Turanza tyres, while a Dynamic Cornering Control System pairs a locking e-diff with four-wheel torque vectoring to make the XPower feel sharper and more grippy when cornering.

The downside is range. While the XPower is fitted with the same 64kWh battery as the top MG4 models, the extra performance takes a bite out of driving range, which is now 385kms on the WLTP cycle, down from 450kms.

Still, it is equipped for 140kW DC charging, which will see you take the battery from 10 to 80 per cent charged in around 26 minutes.

Pre-orders for the MG4 XPower officially begin tomorrow, ahead of its arrival in Australia towards the end of this year.

“The MG4 XPower has supercar performance packed with features including launch control and a track mode inspired lap timer showing that a compact EV can be affordable, practical and spirited to drive,” said MG Motor chief, Peter Ciao.

“We expect it will appeal to customers looking for a true performance car with plenty of technology and space to match.”

Stephen Corby

Stephen is a former editor of both Wheels and Top Gear Australia magazines and has been writing about cars since Henry Ford was a boy. Initially an EV sceptic, he has performed a 180-degree handbrake turn and is now a keen advocate for electrification and may even buy a Porsche Taycan one day, if he wins the lottery. Twice.