MG4 vs Volkswagen ID.3 - MG Car Reviews

It can be a difficult choice when deciding which new car to buy, let alone when it's a fully electric one. Taking the leap to electric driving can seem a daunting one.  

How far will an electric car drive? What happens if I run out of charge? What is the best electric car to buy? And how much money will an electric car save me compared to a petrol or diesel model?  

They are all valid questions to ask. Even if you are an existing EV driver, you might be weighing up your options on what is the best choice for your next electric vehicle.  

Two of the leading electric family cars in the hatchback range are the MG4 EV and the Volkswagen ID.3. We're going to look at how they stack up against each other and find out which is the better car to buy. 

The two models that will go head-to-head are the MG4 Trophy Long Range and the VW ID.3 Style Pro.

One of the first aspects a potential buyer will consider when looking at an electric car is how far will it drive without having to visit the charging station?

Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure, or more commonly, WLTP figures determine how far an electric car can travel on a fully charged battery in standard driving conditions. These will include a mixture of city and motorway driving and in differing weather conditions and temperatures. 

Built on MG's innovative Modular Scalable Platform (MSP), the MG4 Trophy returns a range of 270 miles according to WLTP figures. However, the 64kWh (Long Range) battery in the MG4 Trophy can allow for over 350 miles of exclusively town and city driving from a single charge. 

The ID.3 is constructed on a similar platform (Modular electric drive matrix) but with a less powerful 58kWh battery and gives you up to 264 of WLTP miles. Understandably, this doesn't quite match up to the MG4. But if you primarily use your car for a short commute to work and dropping the kids off at school, the MG4's range blows the ID.3 out of the water.

So the MG4 can outlast the ID.3 when it comes to the distance it can cover from a single charge, but does that necessarily mean that the MG4 takes a lot longer to charge? 

The information provided by Volkswagen states that in 30 minutes the ID.3 can charge enough to cover 180 miles. That equates to around 70% of its 260-mile range. 

Being kind, the Volkswagen electric hatchback just about keeps pace with its MG EV rival when it comes to charging - you'll just need to charge more often. 

With a shorter driving range and comparable rapid charging times, you'd expect the VW ID.3 to be somewhere in the same price bracket, if not cheaper, than the MG4 EV. However, the ID.3 is just over £10,000 more expensive.

The MG4 Trophy Long Range is priced very competitively at £32,495, whereas the ID.3 Style Pro comes in at £42,560. 

There is an entry level Business Pro version of the ID.3 that costs £39,425. Again, compare that with mid-spec MG4 SE Long Range, and it's a snip at just £29,495. The SE Long Range even betters the WLTP figures of the Trophy too, with a range of 281 miles. 

The ID.3 simply can't compete with the MG4 on cost.

One aspect that the ID.3 does compete with the MG4 is cabin and boot space. With both cars built on specially designed battery platforms, they offer greater amounts of head and leg room in the cabin than traditional hatchbacks, especially for passengers in the rear seats. 

The MG4 has 363 litres of capacity in the boot, which is pipped by the ID.3's 385 litres, however both have an adjustable boot floor that provides an extra bit of space if required. 

Each model has up-to-date tech features, such as Sat Nav, voice control, multi-function steering wheel, rain sensing windscreen wipers and automatic dimming rear view mirror. 

One feature that the MG4 boasts that the ID.3 can't is Vehicle to Load (V2L) charging. V2L allows you to power everyday household items directly from the MG4's battery.  

It's handy when you need to charge your laptop on the go or use electrical equipment when camping in a remote location. You can even direct power for your own car to charge up another EV. It's like having your own portable power source. You can read more here in our V2L guide. 

The MG4 even has the capacity to tow half a tonne, whereas the ID.3 doesn't have a towing capacity at all. 

This is another category in which the ID.3 does match the MG4. Both electric vehicles have a full five-star Euro NCAP safety rating. 

Euro NCAP provides a rigorous testing process on cars to determine how safe they are, not just for the driver and passengers, but for pedestrians and other road users too. Not all cars are tested by Euro NCAP so it's a real achievement to have a top rating following their stringent examinations. 

The MG4 is equipped with MG's safety feature package, known as MG Pilot. This includes a 360-degree camera, Adaptive Cruise Control, Active Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Rear Collision Warning, Traffic Jam Assist, and Intelligent Speed Assist. You can click here to read more about MG Pilot and discover how each of its safety features works to keep you protected. 

The safety features on the ID.3 includes Automatic Emergency Braking, Driver Fatigue Alert, Dynamic Traffic Sign Display, Lane Assist and Swerve Support Function.

All MG cars come with a 7-year/80,000 miles warranty as standard. This includes electric vehicles which have specific terms that cover EV batteries. You can find out all about the MG 7-year warranty plan here. 

The ID.3 is covered by Volkswagen's 3-year/60,000 miles warranty plan.

The ID.3 simply cannot compete with the MG4 EV - from the significantly more affordable pricing structure to the enhanced driving range, the V2L feature, and the extended warranty plan. Each of these make the MG4 a much better prospect for new and current EV drivers alike.