Meet two of 2023's hottest electric family cars. As brands, both VW and MG might sound familiar, and both have associations with cars from a bygone era. However, today's test is very much about the latest technology, as the all-electric ID.3 and MG4 go head-to-head. So, without further ado, let's meet our contenders.
VW ID.3 vs MG4
- What is the VW ID.3?
- What is the MG4?
- Practicality and boot space
- Which is better to drive?
- Technology and equipment
- Reliability and running costs
- Verdict
What is the VW ID.3?
The Volkswagen ID.3 is the German brand’s pure electric successor to its legendary VW Golf, and the first car in a full range of new, electric ID models. This five-door family hatchback sits on the ‘MEB’ platform designed specifically for the electric powertrain, and is available in three trims – Business, Style and Tour. Battery options are either a ‘Pro Performance’ 58kWh battery in the ID.3 Business and ID.3 Style, or a ‘Pro S’ 77kWh battery in the most expensive ID.3 Tour. That means an official WLTP range of between 260- and 339-miles, while prices run from just under £40,000 up to £47,500.
What is the MG4?
The MG4 EV is a direct rival to the VW ID.3, in that it’s a similar-sized five-door family hatchback, and also complete with a brand new, EV-specific ‘MSP’ platform. With MG being owned by Chinese manufacturer SAIC, the MG4 represents a new, more modern and tech-savvy era of electric vehicles for the MG brand in Europe, but the company is sticking to its philosophy of offering value for money, as established by the popular MG ZS EV and MG5 EVs. Prices start at £27,000 for the MG4 SE Standard Range, and run up to £32,500 for the MG4 EV Trophy Long Range.
The Standard Range MG4 gets a 51kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery, for an official WLTP range of up to 218 miles. For this test, alongside the 58kWh Volkswagen ID.3, we’re testing the MG4 Long Range which gets a 61.7kWh lithium-ion battery that returns an official WLTP range of 281 miles.
Practicality and boot space
Both the VW ID.3 and MG4 are very practical family cars, that offer better rear passenger space than you get in the Volkswagen Golf or Ford Focus (thanks to the packaging benefits of a small electric motor at the back of the car, and batteries layered in the car’s floor).
There’s enough room for two tall adults to sit comfortably in the back, and there are also two sets of Isofix fittings so if you’re more worried about car seats than adult passengers, you’ll also get a couple of chunky child seats in without hassle. Mind you, there’s no lighting in the back of the MG4 (there’s only one cabin light between the front seats), which is a pain in dark conditions if you’re faffing with child seat buckles. The ID.3 also has a touch more leg- and headroom overall in the back seats, plus there’s a centre armrest.
As for boot space, Volkswagen gets 385 litres of boot space, which just pips the MG4’s 363 litres of space. The VW also gets a variable height boot floor for some convenient underfloor cable storage in every trim, while the MG4 only gets this same useful feature in the top-spec Long Range Trophy model. A shame, as without the adjustable-height boot floor, the MG’s 60/40 split rear seats leave a big step-up when folded, and there’s also a bit of a drop down over the load lip. You’ll also notice some cheap-feeling plastics and finishes around the boot of the MG4, while the ID.3 feels a bit more durable and well finished. But, given the price, it’s unlikely that most buyers of the MG will mind all that much.
Neither car has any storage under the bonnet, as you will find in the BMW i3, Kia Niro EV and Hyundai Kona Electric. Up front, the MG4 doesn’t look or feel like the budget offering that it is. It’s a bit dark, but it looks smart and uncluttered, and there’s a decent mix of materials and a sense of quality.
The six-way electric seat adjustment in the MG makes it easy to get comfortable, too, but it’s a shame that the dash usability is hampered by the fact that everything – including air-con temperature, drive modes and more – is controlled through the touchscreen, which is fiddly to use on the move.
The same criticism can be levelled at the VW ID.3, though, which has similarly frustrating, touch-sensitive temperature control switches, and there isn’t the big difference in material quality that you might expect over the MG. We have only driven the 2022 VW ID.3, though, and a facelift in 2023 will, it is claimed, improve interior quality. It’s fine, but not what some will expect of a Volkswagen – especially given the price.
Which is better to drive?
Both the 58kWh Volkswagen ID.3 and the Long Range MG4 have single, 201bhp electric motors that send power to the rear wheels (neither offers a four-wheel drive variant), with 0-62mph put at 7.9sec for the MG4 and 7.3sec for the ID.3.
In practice, the performance on both feels seriously sprightly, even if you prod the accelerator when you’re already doing a middling speed. A rapid motorway merge or cheeky overtake is easy in either of these, and you’ll out-accelerate plenty of sportier cars from a standstill.
Surprisingly, it’s the MG4 that feels more fun than the ID3, though. The steering is quick, the whole car feels quite light and nimble, and you really can enjoy a good country road, yet the MG also feels smooth and responsive around town, and stable on the motorway. It’s a real pleasure to drive, even next to the impressively composed and sophisticated VW. What’s less brilliant is the refinement. It’s not bad, and is actually better than most petrol or diesel rivals, but you do get quite a lot of suspension thump and wind noise, making this one of the least refined electric family cars.
Ride comfort is a bit unsettled over scruffy surfaces at low speeds, but generally the MG soaks up most bumps and remains comfortable.
Comfort and refinement is where the VW ID.3 outstrips the MG4, as you get less wind-, tyre- and suspension noise; this really is a quiet car. It’s very comfortable, too, and you don’t need to add the optional adaptive dampers as the ID.3 rides nicely on standard suspension and actually handles with more precision without that pricey option. Stick with standard suspension and the ID.3 steers neatly and with plenty of grip for a neutral, confident manner that suits just about any situation, even if it’s not as fun as the MG4.
Both offer variable brake regeneration with adaptive functionality that means the car uses its recuperative braking to keep a safe distance from the car in front, but neither has a one-pedal mode like you get in the Nissan Leaf.
Overall, the Volkswagen ID.3 is the cushier, more relaxing option here while the MG4 feels nippy and fun. Both are great to drive in just about any sort of situation, and it’s actually a real pleasure that they feel distinctly different. If we had to pick one to live with on driving manners alone, we’d take the VW ID.3, but only for its better refinement and marginally superior ride comfort. It’s a super-close call.
Technology and equipment
The MG4 SE is a little light on equipment, so we’d recommend going for the MG4 Trophy Long Range as it gets heated seats, heated steering wheel, electric driver’s seat adjustment, leatherette upholstery, 360-degree parking camera, keyless entry, wireless phone charging and more. It’s a lot of extra kit for a small price jump over the more basic models, even if automatic LED lights, climate control, adaptive cruise, vehicle-to-load charging and nav does mean that you at least get the basics on the cheaper MG4s.
Even the VW ID.3 Business (the cheapest of the trims) gets most of the features that the MG4 Trophy Long Range has, plus it gets fully adaptive Matrix LED lights, although it sticks to textile seats rather than leatherette and doesn’t feature vehicle-to-load charging.
The VW also gets the bigger, and easier-to-use touchscreen infotainment system. It’s far from faultless; it could be quicker to respond and is prone to freezing, but with a bit of familiarity you can find the features you want. While the MG4’s touchscreen graphics are good, and the system looks smart, it can be difficult to find the setting you want and then making adjustments is tricky as the icons are often very small and the screen needs a hefty, precise prod before it responds. The Volkswagen also has much better sound quality from its speaker system, and while both cars get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, you have to plug your phone into the USB port to make them work on the MG.
You also can’t pre-set climate control or set charging times on the MG4’s screen, as you can on the ID.3. Instead, you have to use the MG iSmart app, which is fine provided you can get it to connect properly.
In truth, every EV should offer climate pre-sets and timed charging parameters in the touchscreen as well as on an app; they’re such key benefits to running an electric car, and being at the mercy of a sometimes-unreliable app to make the most of them is a huge, daily frustration when living with the car.
Both the VW ID.3 and MG4 will manage a 10-80% rapid charge in around 30 minutes, while a full charge from a 7kW home charger will take under ten hours.
Reliability and running costs
There’s no getting away from the fact that the MG4 makes the VW ID.3 look comically expensive. Even though the ID.3 is very well equipped, has the better touchscreen interface and is more practical, it doesn’t really warrant the circa-£9000 difference. Monthly prices are also very disparate, with the MG4 available for around £350 and up, while the ID.3 will be more like £550 and up (depending on your deposit and contract parameters).
The MG4 also gets a seven-year, unlimited-mileage warranty that covers the car and the high voltage battery. Volkswagen offers a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty on the ID.3, while the battery is covered for eight years and 100,000 miles.
The VW ID.3 was rated a middling 8th in the electric cars tested in the 2022 What Car? Used Car Reliability survey, and while the MG4 is too new to have been included in this survey, the MG ZS EV was rated as one of the most reliable electric cars.
Both cars are similarly efficient, and will manage around 3.1m/kWh in winter conditions, or up to 4.2m/kWh in the summer. That works out as a real-world range of roughly 190 – 260 miles in the MG4, or 180-240 miles in the VW ID.3. Depending on how you charge your car, both promise to cost much less to fuel than a petrol or diesel car, especially if you can charge using off-peak domestic electricity rates.
Verdict
Both the VW ID.3 and MG4 are highly recommendable electric family cars; confident to drive, practical and hi-tech. However, there are numerous details that make the VW ID.3 the better car here, from the better lighting and comfort in the back seats to the standard variable boot floor and cable storage, and more user-friendly infotainment system. It really is the easier family car to live with.
But – and it’s a huge but – it isn’t £9,000 better. And the MG4 isn’t far off the ID.3 in most of the key respects, and is arguably the better car here to drive and certainly has fractionally better real-world range. So, while we’d caveat this with the fact that the VW is ultimately better and would be our pick were it not so comparably expensive, the MG4 is a really great family EV at an exceptional price and takes the win here.
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