All-wheel drive, 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds and hot hatch money – the updated MG4 EV XPower might just be the biggest performance bargain in Britain
There was a time when 0-62mph in under four seconds was the preserve of Italian exotics, Porsche Turbo badges and something with at least eight cylinders and a bank manager on speed dial. Now, apparently, it is the domain of a five-door electric hatchback wearing an MG badge and priced from £33,995. To put that 3.8-second sprint into context, the next closest mainstream EV to get you there as quickly is something like a Volvo EX30 Twin Motor at 3.6 seconds – and that will cost you roughly £10,000 more.
On paper alone, the MG4 EV XPower is faintly absurd. Dual electric motors. 434bhp. All-wheel drive. It defines pocket rocket for an electric age. There is no question this is properly rapid machinery, delivering the sort of acceleration that rearranges internal organs and makes passengers involuntarily swear.
The XPower first arrived nearly three years ago, but for 2026 it receives updates alongside the rest of the MG4 range, including improved interior trim and tech refinements.
Where the MG4 EV XPower Sits in the Range
The MG4 EV XPower remains the halo model of the MG4 line-up, sitting above the rear-wheel drive standard versions and acting as the performance flagship.
There is now also an MG4 EV Urban model – which, confusingly, is a completely different car, more practical and spacious, front-wheel drive and cheaper. But within the core MG4 EV range, the XPower is the unapologetic top dog.
If the rear-wheel drive MG4 models are about balance and accessible driver enjoyment, the XPower is about rally-car-like speed and grip. It sits proudly at the summit.
For 2026, the underlying Modular Scalable Platform remains intact. That means a well-balanced chassis with near 50:50 weight distribution, a low centre of gravity and impressive structural rigidity thanks to the battery integration. Updates are evolutionary rather than revolutionary: interior refinements, smoother infotainment software, improved seating materials and minor cosmetic tweaks.
The fundamentals, however, were already strong.
434bhp and All-Wheel Drive – The Headline Act
Power delivery is instantaneous in the way only electric propulsion can provide. It feels every bit as savage as the numbers suggest. The surge off the line is clean, decisive and relentless, with the all-wheel drive system clawing at the tarmac even on wet, rough and slippery B-roads. In heavy rain, on cold roads, it still finds traction with unnerving competence.
What you miss, of course, is noise. There is no exhaust crackle or turbo whistle. It is simply raw, silent acceleration that compresses time and distance into something almost comical. It is exhilarating and addictive, though I cannot deny that part of me would welcome a little more drama. Still, judged purely on performance, it is extraordinary.
More Than Just a Party Trick
High-output electric cars risk becoming one-dimensional. Immense in a sprint, forgettable elsewhere. The MG4 EV XPower avoids that trap.
The steering is direct and nicely weighted, especially in Sport mode. There is huge grip and, while the extra mass of dual motors must be there somewhere, it rarely makes its presence felt. The car remains eager, responsive and surprisingly light on its feet.
The all-wheel drive system distributes torque intelligently, allowing you to exploit performance without feeling that you are constantly teetering on the edge of adhesion, even in atrocious weather. Body control is composed and the XPower feels planted rather than frantic.
It is quick, yes. But it is also competent.
Ride Comfort and Everyday Usability
Despite its performance credentials, one of the MG4’s understated strengths, even in XPower guise, is that it does not sacrifice everyday usability.
The suspension is firm, and you are aware of the road surface beneath you, but it never tips into harshness. Over broken British tarmac, potholes and motorway expansion joints, the damping remains controlled rather than brittle.
Refinement is respectable. Road roar is noticeable at motorway speeds, but general cabin serenity is well managed. This is a car you could comfortably commute in daily without feeling as though you are enduring a compromised special edition.
Five Doors, Real Space, Proper Hatchback Credentials
Strip away the performance statistics and you are still left with a five-door hatchback.
Rear seat space is genuinely usable for adults and boot capacity is more than sufficient for everyday family duties. This is not a cramped coupe masquerading as something practical; it is a legitimate hatchback with real versatility.
The driving position is well judged, offering a comfortable, slightly elevated seating stance with good visibility. Taller drivers will find sufficient adjustment to avoid the knees-up posture that can afflict compact performance cars.
If outright space is your priority, then go for the MG4 Urban. But as performance hatchbacks go, this is impressively usable.
Updates for 2026
Inside, the 2026 updates bring incremental improvements rather than radical change. The infotainment system remains centred around a large touchscreen, now with smoother responses and improved menu logic. The digital driver display continues to present key information clearly, and the MG Pilot suite of driver assistance systems remains comprehensive.
Materials feel subtly improved, with better seat finishes and a more premium tactility to key touchpoints. The XPower receives sports seats and distinctive stitching and trim accents to set it apart. It remains a value-focused cabin, but one that feels increasingly polished.
Externally, differences are subtle, essentially unique alloy wheels and visible brake callipers providing the most obvious clues.
Electric Hot Hatch for a New Era
The traditional hot hatch is on borrowed time. The Volkswagen Golf GTI is almost the last man standing in the mainstream. Could the MG4 EV XPower be the GTI for an electric generation?
Drive it to the shops. Pick up your mates. Hunt down far more expensive machinery on a twisting road. Yes, it will do all of that. And a current Golf GTI will cost you over £40,000 and take another 2.1 seconds to reach 62mph.
The MG4 EV XPower alters your perception of what a hot hatch can do. The speed is so accessible, so effortless, that the traditional template suddenly feels slow on paper.
Admittedly, it does not replicate the analogue charm of a petrol icon. But it does not seem interested in imitating the past. It occupies its own lane: brutally fast, remarkably affordable and unexpectedly composed.
Verdict – The Performance Bargain of 2026?
The 2026 MG4 EV XPower is not perfect. It lacks the emotional soundtrack of a traditional performance car and, like all EVs, carries the weight penalty of its battery.
But judge it on what it offers. For £33,995 you receive 434bhp, all-wheel drive, sub-four-second acceleration, usable rear seats, five doors and credible everyday refinement. That equation would have been unthinkable not long ago.
It is, quite simply, one of the fastest cars you can buy for the money in Britain today.
Should you get one? That depends. For most people, the entry rear-wheel drive MG4 EV at under £30,000, with around 190bhp and a 0–62mph time of 7.5 seconds, will more than suffice. That is regular petrol hot hatch performance, and in our congested, speed-camera-strewn cities, the XPower’s whippet-like acceleration will often be wasted – or worse, frustrating.
However, if you live near genuinely entertaining roads and can charge at home, the XPower is a no-brainer. Nothing else betters it for performance per pound.
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