MG4 XPower vs VW Golf R | Electric vs Petrol - Hot-Hatch Battle
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- čas přidán 30. 07. 2024
- #MG4 #VW #GolfR
MG has taken the already impressive MG4 hatchback and given it AWD and over 400bhp - all for around £36k. Has it made the ultimate affordable hot-hatch? We compare it with the benchmark VW Golf R to find out.
Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
0:43 - VW Golf R driving
4:44 - VW Golf R interior
6:43 - MG4 XPower interior
8:27 - MG4 XPower driving
14:27 - Verdict
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What makes the best hot-hatch? Petrol or electric? Let us know…
Yeah MG4 wins by million miles over vw
throw your fun out the window when its 50k vs 37k 😂
Maybe you should try the new MG4 Trophy Extended Range. It remains RWD but with power increased to 245 BHP and a larger battery.
@@stevenjones916with larger battery comes more weight, which could kill the fun...
The mg is easily the best. Who would spend 53k on yesterday's technology
@@MrSimplesimon007 it's not the best. But, you'd need to be pretty determined to want that little bit of corner entry fun to spend £20k to get it. Add in the way cheaper running costs, and the MG4 is the only real choice.
It is really a no brainer: MG4 in all aspects. I am not even convinced you need the most expensive version, the Trophy is plenty enough
Costing as it does almost 50 percent more than the MG, the VW would have needed to deliver a lot more to really come up on top in this comparison.
Money aside - yes, I reckon the Golf R is the more fun car.
But, a near £20k price difference...?????
Us Brits love a bargain, so the XPower will sell by the bucket-load 😉
Feeling is one thing. But which one is better tune can be only gauge which once can clock a better and consistant lap time on the track
@@user-jh6vt8vx4v next to nobody track a golf r consistently. There are better cars for track use . Occasional fun on the nurburgring maybe. Both will be fine but EVs will struggle to charge there atm.
And you tried both? 🤡
Fuel cost savings could buy the Golf R in 5 years once it's depreciated lol
All down to taste. Would still go for the MG in any form.
I wouldn't call around £15k or more to the price tag and then more expensive to run it too 'fun.' So I'd take the X-Power.
The reality is that you can't drive these cars on the limit unless you are on the track as they are too fast. MG for me for every day driving.
I've driven a xpower according to the sales guy, yes it is a bit of a one trick pony and they could have made it drive like a 4wd rally car, but in reality what people want something to show off at the lights, but in everything else 99.9% of the time something that is soft and comfortable and that is what the mg4 provides.
To me the MG 4 is a better car for the private owner , 7year warranty & very low running cost & nearly £20k less compared to the golf r .
It's electric it lose even if it is for free.
It may be the lesser car dynamically, but the MG 4 of course makes MUCH more sense financially. Especially to your average family man or woman with children to support. I just wish the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles was more substantial in rural areas. Especially in North Wales where I live. Running an electric vehicle up here can be a very anxiety inducing experience sadly. Can I make it to the next charging station, and will their be any free ports even if I do get there?, is always a worry.
Truthfully I don't see either of these cars having many first owners who keep them for 7 years.
@@ScottZ370 probably not but the 7 year’s warranty will help resale value & Futureproof the car .
@@TheEryk03Have you ever driven a fast EV?
Having owned an Xpower for nearly 2 weeks and 1k miles - to counter the comments about the regular MG4 being more fun due to balance - what you can do in the Xpower is set up a custom drive mode - 'Eco' power (which only really uses the rear motor) with 'sport' steering and 'sport' throttle response and you've got yourself a 280ish hp rear biased MG4 - 230hp from the rear with a further 50 or so from the front. BUT when you want straight line speed (i.e. not on a winding country road) switch the Xpower to SPORT and you've got 430hp and 4WD. That's it's selling point for me, the versatility - aside from noise, there's not much else significant you could need from another car.
That’s a very interesting tip, thanks for sharing.
Can you set that up as default?
@@Neil2022it always starts in normal mode, and custom only remembers the power setting I think, you’ll still need to set steering and pedal response each time
Winding noise seems obviously annoying, any ideas to lower down?
my father in law has a golf R - i couldn't believe how low rent the interior was, scratchy plastics etc, especially in the back seats
Honestly, any complaint about the MG can be countered by the price.
With the saving from the price different. A upgrade on suspension and brake will do wonder
It's too heavy and weirdly proportioned. So no matter the price, Cars like the MG are flawed regardless of price.
Hot hatches in the UK are popular for a reason from a fiesta ST to audi RS3. They are small
@@samist4339 I would say price and power is more important. Weight doesn't matter given that it can accelerate faster than most cars on the road.
@@samist4339It will still leave it's ICE rivals standing at the traffic lights. I thought performance was a key factor for hot hatches?
@trevorberridge6079 hot hatches are about balance of all aspects of performance not just Traffic light GP
I can guarantee no one will take the MG to a track day for 2 reasons. Its heavy and it won't be fun to chuck around.
The same reason a BMW M3 touring beat a tesla model s plaid around the Nurburgring
MG4 Xpower won against Audi etron gt, mate. This golf will be in the museum in 5 years. They are competly different cars. Golf is doomed.
Yeah right, utter cobblers. That MG is a pile of poo. People will just laugh at it. Golf sells in the thousands. Your comments, doomed.
@@mauricetoussaint7283 MG is the second best selling EV in UK after Tesla and forth in Europe. Wake up mate. Check out the video MG4 vs Lamburghini vs GT-R and then speak nonsense.
@@mauricetoussaint7283vw is better on luxury, reliability and quality. Mg4 xpower is faster for cheaper
@@danalec4742 Second best selling ev. Where does that put it on the list of best selling cars and how many incentives does it need to get even that?
@@mauricetoussaint7283Have a mk7 R and the MG is definitely worth considering. Calling it poo is pretty ignorant.
One thing I noticed driving the X-Power is that it is more predicable than the regular 4 which is no bad thing actually, especially if you aren't used to RWD, Push the regular 4 a bit and the rear end could catch you out.
Agreed. Who wants lurid oversteer when you have your kids and your dog in the back?.
I wouldn't want that for my mum.
@@johnknight9150I dunno, she's pretty wild!
@@pastorofmuppets8834 Haha, not half as wild as your mum! 😉 Love the username you've got there, very clever
@@pastorofmuppets8834 🤣🤣
£50k for a golf is absolutely insane no matter what way you slice it. Was tempted to replace my mk5 edition 30 with a mk7.5R but after the test drive it felt dull compared. It was definitely more competent but didn’t have that same fun factor.
When closet petrohead reviewers compare ICE and EV cars they forgive outrageous ICE prices if the car is good enough "fun". If the MG4 cost £53,000 they would have a meltdown about how all EVs are very expensive. Remember how everyone drooled over the £1m Bugatti Veyron? It could do 252mph but could happily run it's tank empty in as little as 50 miles (4 laps of the Nurburgring) and would never go near it's top speed anywhere outside of a dedicated high speed track. The original was beaten on the Top Gear track by a £50,000 Ariel Atom - 20 times cheaper. The £1.7m Supersport version was beaten by a £125,000 Ariel Atom. That's 14 times the price for a car 1.7 seconds slower. But, they all craved an opportunity to drive it because of it's top speed. The price became almost incidental. Funny that!
@@trevorberridge6079 but Ariel Atom is essentially a bigger go-kart - no roof, no doors, top speed 150ish the most. It's fun for what it is but it's not a luxury, speed breaking hypercar you could daily (if you were a billionaire)
@@juraj_b Ariel Atoms ARE street legal and they ARE faster round a track and they DO cost a fraction of supercar and hypercar prices.
@@trevorberridge6079 that's not the point I was making - it's just a completely different kind of vehicle. I have yet to see one in a wild but I've seen some Veyrons...
Ours was just over 40k I think. Doesn't have any options other than winter pack and wheels though. 🙂
Cars that are £15000 apart are NOT comparable. Take which ever golf you can get for £36k and test it against the MG4 XPOWER and then see which wins. Also how did you release this video without a side by side drag race! What a missed opportunity.
I'd go with the XPower and add a nice set of performance coilovers to improve handling/fun factor and pocket a ton of extra $$$ over the golf. Running costs should be lower on the MG as well.
Yes suspension, brakes, even seat covers or upholstery, HUD can be easily improved or added over time.
You have to be sure to get any suspension work on an electric vehicle (more so than a petrol vehicle even) done by a knowledgeable professional. It is all too easy to end up with a MUCH worse handling and riding vehicle by throwing on the wrong setup. You will not void your warranty doing this however, which is something many people don't know.
@@neilmcguinness4422 I get that, but this is true in ICE cars and also with ICE motor/drivetrain mods. If you are moddin'g you are on your own to know what you are doing and for issues that may arise. I've modified two EV's for track use and done so in concert with a EV knowledgable speed shop with good results.
@@cbenson513 Fair play Chris. You certainly sound to me as if you know what you're doing. Good luck with all your work and final finished results. 👍
@@neilmcguinness4422 Thanks Neil!
Sorry... Had to laugh aloud at the comments that the Golf's transmission "doesn't waste an ounce* of power". So many things wrong with that statement I don't know where to begin. So, how about all the heat, noise from friction all through the thousands of moving parts that make any ICE remarkably energy inefficient against the energy input compared to a BEV. (* An ounce can be used to measure weight, mass and even fluid volume - but not power)
i'm sorry what £50K for a Golf? 🤣
So what. No exactly much to most of us.
Never thought I would ever say this but I prefer the mg over the golf r
Im sure thats a new set of tyres would make a world of difference to yhe MG handling. But to be truthful the roads are terrible, pot holes everywhere and slow running traffic everyone stuck at 50- 70 mph. Where do you go tge throw your car around and have fun when theres cameras and idiot's everyone???? Cars are just like appliances, take them out, use them and put them away....the world doest really exist where your driving fast and power sliding your Golf R everywhere!! Save £20,000 and but the cheaper more practical MG, it just makes more sense.
after having few vw 2.0turbo dsg vehicles. I would take the MG any day of the week…
Wins by £20K
Why didn’t you put the MG in track mode then 🤷🏻♂️
Before I bought my ID3+ I owned about 5 DSG gearboxes & I can tell you that you are on soft ground trying to compare a mechanical transmission with that of a seamless BEVs transmission with instant torque. My ID3+ cost me €34k, which was a lot less than your R Golf & with RWD was a lot of fun to drive, & a HELL of a lot cheaper!
That mg is gonna upset all the s3 and rs3 fan boys on a normal british dual carriage and motorway on a daily drive. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Just get the MG4 Extended range, 77kW battery, 245bhp, still rwd, low sixes for 0-60 and probably handles better than the Xpower. I'll let you know when mine arrives :D
kWh
Any update?
MG is upstarting VW hard with their MG4. Not only does it best the German brand's ID.3 EV hatchback in value & quality, the Xpower trounces the Golf R and the ID.3 R is still only a wishful thinking.
20k more expensive and will be left behind everytime from the traffic lights.. yeaah.. naah.. I'll take the MG4 Xpower please.
Golf cost 10x more to run. As a daily the MG wins hands down. Any gap in traffic is yours in an EV. Combustion is obsolete.
But they will be able to upgrade the controller power between the engine in the MG4, also the golf is twist the price.. so MG4 is a lot better not hatch
who would have thought that the 4wd version doesn't powerslide as easily as a rwd one xD It really is a mysterie xD
If the biggest issue is too much power to the front wheels out of a corner, that can be likely fixed in a software update. In fact they could just add a new preset 'hot hatch' where the power ratio is sent biased towards the rear wheels
According to Matt Watson there are two new settings in the xpower for different "fun" driving.
At that price point, does the reviewer expect the MG4 XP to handle like an M2, A45 or Audi RS3? How does the MG4 XP compare to the other electric hot hatches from Audi, BMW and MB? Oh, that's right, they haven't released ANY electric hot hatches yet. 🙄 When those manufacturers do get around to releasing hot hatch models, prepare to see prices of at least 50% more than the XPower.
They probably will be more expensive. Thats kind of how it works when you take the time to develop a chassis properly, don't put tupperware where the plastics should be and (mostly) avoid forced cheap labour.
Of course don't let a little thing like massive human rights issues put you off that sweet, sweet sticker price - which will also get a lot less on resale meansing costs to own are likely to be pretty much the same. I suppose you would need to be able to count to notice that one though.
@@siraff4461 All the German EVs will be built in China anyway. Most already are.
Were you in sport mode???Shuffles between 2 and 4 wheel drive if not, giving you an odd feeling when driving it hard.
Sport mode keeps permanent 4 wheel drive and a much sharper throttle and steering response.
You could buy 2 base model MG4’s for the price of that Golf and have some change.
On the plus side, you could improve the XPower's driving dynamics with a software update, not that that will necessarily happen.
If I'm buying today, my money goes to MG4, the rwd basic model ! What a great car.
Try using the throttle to pull the MG through corners from the front, perhaps?
The ongoing problem that every manufacturer has right now, when making EV’s, is they put way too much emphasis on marketing how fast their 0-60mph time is. While doing so, they forget about all the other important things that car making includes, and that is driving dynamics and range. I wouldn’t care about this as much if these EV’s were priced accordingly, but most of them are well over the $50k mark here in the states, and if I’m going to buy an EV for that kind of money, I expect the vehicle, as a whole package, to be good. They just aren’t…
please drive one… instant power all time. who doesn’t want that
@@hardywoodaway9912people who really love cars, maybe ?
@@hardywoodaway9912 I have. Tesla Model S, Model Y, and a Hyundai Ioniq 5 AWD. The Ioniq 5 I loved. Wasn’t that impressed with the Teslas, except for their auto driving, which was cool. But build quality sucked on the Tesla’s. Zero thought into the interior design of them, and they even continue with that zero thought even to this day. All of them sucked on range for their price points. The Ioniq 5 needs to be at least $15k cheaper than what it is, and the Teslas like $25-30k cheaper IMO.
But they just are. A £1m Bugatti Veyron will run out of fuel in less than 50 miles if you put your foot down. How's that for poor range? A Volvo EX30 costs from £33,795 which is $42,538. 0-100kmh (0-62mph) in 3.6 seconds and a range of 250 miles all day. Five times the range for 1/24th of the price. And fuel will be cheaper, maintenance will be almost non-existant, reliability will be higher. Also much better equipped for moving multiple people and luggage. But, the Veyron can do 252mph. So I guess that makes up for the price and the range?
By the way, manufacturers of ALL performance cars make a big deal of their sprint time. It just so happens that EVs are far more likely to have better ones compared to similar ICE cars. And don't worry about prices for EVs anyway. China already make EVs that are cheaper than it's even possible to make equivalent ICE cars. Everyone has agreed for decades that once EVs can produce batteries (the major expense) for less than $100 per kwh it will become impossible for ICE cars to be made cheaper. In China it's already down to $80 per kwh and falling. There isn't an "issue" raised trying to undermine EVs that hasn't been crushed. If you're worried about the expense of cars get a horse.
Which ones aren't there? I think the Skoda Enyaq and Kia e-Niro offers good value for the buck.
With an update to the software can fix that understeering problem
So the answer is that MG spend £5k more on tuning the handling and improving the interior slightly and then they have an objectively better car for £10k less...no brainer.
I imagine much improvements can come from a simple software updates - not unlike an engine remap but its free and does not invalidate your warranty.
I noticed you didn’t do a head to head over a quarter of a mile because the golf will get embarrassingly destroyed by a car £20,000 less.
the MG could possibly change the front/rear split with a software update or a Track mode (also via software) created
Some people don't realise two major things about EV software: 1) You can control almost any aspect of how an EV performs with millisecond precision; 2) ICE cars have to be tuned UP to their standard performance levels. EV motors almost always have to be tuned DOWN to their operating power levels. If you just put an EV motor into a car and let it rip at full power and torque it will rip the axle clean off the car or shred the tires or both.
Horses for courses, i am not sure they are going after the same market.
Exactly. It seems more than a little unfair to be contrasting two cars with such a big difference in price.
The reality is, you only want to spend the cash for the Golf if you want a collectors item in 30yrs. 5 yrs ago, hitting those speeds/0-60 was the stuff of 100k super cars, Doris can now do it on the way to the post office for 37k!
So why did you not pit the Golf R against an MG4? You would also save even more Golf R £53000 vs MG4 £27000 I would say realitically win for MG
cant believe you didnt drag race them, i guess you knew the golf would lose. lol.
The Golf would definitely lose 😂
Where was the 0-60 battle ….?
Trouble is, I like ICE cars and manual transmission and have no desire whatsoever for an EV. Happy to pay over the odds for a less efficient, harder to drive car and I reserve the right to select the wrong gear at any point during my journey! DOI: I have a chipped Golf R 7.5 which I may well end up keeping for far longer than I originally intended...
Agree and maybe I am getting old but the sound and feel of an ICE with a decent manual and great handling to boot will be missed...That is why I got the last of the RS's in the Megane 280 CUP...nothing but enjoyment from the moment you start the engine. Still the world is going EV and that will be the end for ICE soon but for the new generations that is all they will know and who knows they might even make great affordable hot hatch type EV's soon.
Yep. I'll be holding onto my 2018 Cupra 300 for as long as it takes for the world to realise that synthetic fuel, NOT boring, quiet EVs are the way forward.
@@alivekicking6247Lol!
Interesting comment, as I used to think that too. In fact I recently could have bought a ZT260 quite reasonably which I had really wanted for many years (and have had them in the past). But now? EVs are well-built, very fast acceleration, enjoyable to drive, MG gives a 7 year warranty, easy to recharge at home etc etc. Once you've had an EV it's hard to go back. No worries about fuel systems, water pumps, changing spark plugs.....
I don't think you understand why I like manual ICE cars - I like them because they're harder to drive well.
I don't want easy, or low maintenance!
Drop a set of PS4s on the MG and it’d be a different car in the bends. VW quality doesn’t justify the prices.
Very unlikely.
Will always prefer the 7.5 over the 8
The 7.5 can thank the 7 for everything it is lol. So essentially, the 7 is peak GTI/R, especially when you could buy a base 7 brand new for $23k. The 7.5 was close to $30k base brand new.
@@JacesOwnWorldI think that any owner of a Golf 7R or 7.5R has reason to have a big smile on their face following the introduction of the 8R. For so many reasons.
I disagree, the 8R is better in every way, as stated in every review out there. no chrome on the dash or touch controls ? Who cares when you drive a better sporty car. Plus, the 8 is sharper and more aggressive when it comes to looks. I’m personally not into nostalgia. You might not have seen or driven one, obviously.
@@geronimooo260 Fair defence of the 8R. It is good that someone at least is standing it's corner out here. I have driven two DSG 8's and found the straight line performance and handling brilliant. VW's quoted power figure is rubbish, as these things have hit 340 bhp on a dyno. They FLY. The cabin is an ergonomic and tactile disaster though. This is the OVERWHELMING opinion of reviewers and test drivers and even honest owners alike. Did you actually even watch this video??. Such a brilliant driving machine deserves better than this appallingly thought out touchscreen mash up. The driver environments on the 7 and 7.5R are so much more smart and intuitive and a much nicer place to be. Not nostalgia. Just fact.
@@neilmcguinness4422 thanks 😊 I understand the criticisms about the ergonomics, there’s a real learning curve. I’ve been living with one for a year and a half, and after 7 to 10 days of getting used to, everything is in fact very simple and customizable. But not all reviewers have the time to do that, which makes sense. He says he hit the heated wheel, well I never did. Just because all testers don’t take time to learn the system, doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. But I agree on the fact that if you have to take that time in this vehicule and not in its predecessor, then the predecessor’s ergonomy is better, no question. But is it a dealbreaker, given it’s more important qualities, certainly not, at least for me ! You mention honest owners reviews, well, most owners I know are very happy with it, but I’m open to being proven wrong. Given those facts, the 8 is a better vehicle overall, in my opinion.
Who cares how well it handles give me the MG any day
You say the basic MG is more fun to drive, what about the MG4 extended range with 241 bhp and 350 nm of torque, and 6.5 sec 0-62 mph, how would that handle compared to the x power.
I expected the Golf to come out on top by a huge margin, after all they’ve been refining it for nearly 50 years. I love my mk7 but if MG are anywhere near close with a brand new model, VW have work to do !
Not least because MG could potentially do an Over-The-Air update to tweak the front-wheel power delivery etc (addressing the understeer coming out of corners), given that it's a separate electric motor driving the front, not a mechanical differential, etc.
😂
Step back from all of these and try a throwback Hyundai i20N for sheer engagement.
That's right because the i20n will not be around for long.
Or a Civic R, Fiesta ST, Megane RS and all the rest.
Unfortunately they seem to be stopping making the fun cars now in favour of boring rubbish that has a good 0-60 time.
i think the mg for me , dont get me wrong i have had
a lot of golfs right from mk1 gti , but when i factor
everything into it , the golf if more expensive to buy ,
the running cost , car tax ( golf would be £500 a year on new )
and the thing with golf r is how long will it sit on my drive
for before someone takes it ?
i think i would like to test drive the mg , i always hated mg ,
but as a kid a said i would never own a skoda ,
sold my superb 272 sportline plus last year and that was
one of the best cars i have owned ..........
MMM, honestly I think the reviewer is picking at straws. There is a cohort who will want the drifting slip out tail style of the VW but I would say most people would value speed AND safety and that's where the MG has it all over the Golf. For a brand that was making very questionable vehicles just a decade ago MG has come a long way and much faster than Hyundai and Kia did as they climbed the ladder to automotive acceptance. The X Power is great but the future MGs will be remarkably good. Time for the old automotive companies of the western world to pull their fingers out and do better on pricing, value for money and good packaging or they will face the same sorts of problems the American makers faced when the Japanese started taking over their market.
So totally spot on. The Japanese so totally dominated the car market in America that workers in Detroit (the most famous car making city in the world at the time - once known as Motortown abbreviated to MoTown) took to the streets and actually killed a Chinese man thinking he was a Japanse worker "taking our jobs". The EVs are coming and this time China is the car king.
Not hard to price them low while you're doing hardly any chassis development, using plastics that would be at home in a selection box and paying close to nothing for the labourers who feel obliged to work for almost free.
Never mind about silly things like human rights though, eh?
@@siraff4461 SAIC Motor (the owners of MG) have partnered with GM for quite a few years now and have learned a great deal about chassis development. They are learning fast...much faster than the South Koreans did in their march to become high value trusted brands. Also there is nothing wrong with the plastics in MGs. They are the same plastics used the world over in car industries.
Chinese workers are commanding ever-increasing wages and slowly becoming more militant in getting them. Yes, I agree, there are human rights issues in China but for the average worker who just wants to get ahead the living situation is the same in any workplace you can pick around the world. SAIC's factories are clean, well-managed and, like the Japanese before them, offer the workers housing, healthcare and education in factory campuses.
@@tripsadelica Great propaganda. Doesn't change a thing though, does it?
@@siraff4461 VW and others seem to have no problem with partnering with these human rights abusers. You do know the BMWs being sold are Chinese built cars right?
Good handling doesn't sell. Hardly anyone cares.
If they did, Audi would have gone out of business years ago.
Most buyers want headline figures for bragging rights and good finance deals, so from that perspective MG absolutely nailed it
Excellent points, which is why the mk7/7.5 golf r was such a success.
Audi handle great you mo. ron
you will see that you wrote BS by this mg won't sell well
And no mention that the MG also has torque vectoring so how hard did he really push it? Yes it might feel a bit understeery towards the limit but go beyond it and i bet it wakes you up!
@@TheEryk03presumably he means capable but uninvolving?
The MG Cyberster is coming and its alot bigger than an MX5 .... we can already guess it'll have the power, but will a drop top EV have the balance and poise?
Aha - we wait to see, but my guess it will have both as the weight will be more, lower and more evenly distributed.
MG isn’t in North America 😢
If it were, I’d buy this car. I love it.
Still, the mk8 GTIs & Rs are so much better than silly journalists.
I’m extremely happy I traded my 7.5 for my 8.
I'm pretty sure Biden will label it as a national security risk given it's made in China.
Why didn't you do a 0 to 100 comparison?
You forgot to mention the Golf R is at least fifteen grand more. And then there are the running costs. But I suppose it does have four exhausts. Assuming they are real. And that is why the Golf is the better car (?)
Great option to test electric v petrol, enjoyed it thank you 👍🏻❗️
Words you used to describe £53k Golf. “Alright” “Underwhelming” “capable” “ not a Type R” 🤔🤔
If you wanted more fun, did you try turning off the traction control?
Sound like they need to offer some different settings for the front rear power bias like Toyota do on the GR Yaris
He says fun is the only factor, I'd say fun and a rather huge 20k difference are the two factors and if you take both the mg4 wins hands down. A equally priced BMW would be a 320 sport (ie the base model with no options), still a good petrol car, but nowhere near the performance.
One thing you never see mentioned in these Petrol vs EV tests - how much does the range drop in the EV given say, 30-60 mins of spirited driving? I bet 50 miles of driving in the MG would use well over 100 miles of range if using the performance.
Not far off that. But the Golf R’s expected range also plummeted when driven quickly. But then, much easier to ‘refill’ the Golf R than the MG…
I know someone with a mk5 edition 30 (same car I have) who tracks it and gets 8mpg when going hard on track. Anything will use a shit load of fuel driving fast. Even if you got 1 mile per Kw (normally achieve 4-5 from an EV) on a cheap tariff you’ll pay around 60p to drive 8 miles hard vs a gallon of fuel in the petrol car.
@@CARmagazineTV And much more expensive. Even more so now there's an energy price rise. Filling a Golf R I mean.
Having had an MG EV for over three years, you get used to plugging in at home, and to just leave it charging overnight feels easier than going to a garage.
@@CARmagazineTV Assuming you are near one of the few remaining Fuel stations left in the UK (this message is from 10 years in the future). But already well over 30% of fuel stations have closed in the last 10 years. Don't assume the whole country has access to stations. Once Supermarkets see EVs as having higher disposable income, those forecourts will disappear in a puff of profit.
Nice review. Hope VW fix the interior on the Golf 8.5, that'll probably be the last hurrah for ICE engine hot Golfs methinks.
They won't fix anything if it costs them money to do so. They will simply lightly spruce up the interior of the 8 should they introduce an 8.5.
@@neilmcguinness4422 Got it wrong, they've completely revamped it and made it 20x better than the 8. Physical buttons too!
Why do journalists ignore price differences? So the £32k MG4 is a fun car ! And no mention of the Cupra Born DCC.
@@siraff4461 Yes few people can afford to buy, they just rent and pretend.
Personally I think it's astonishing that a Chinese EV even came into the running against a Golf, hats off to MG for that if nothing else. But if SAIC can get that close, just imagine what the likes of Audi, Mercedes, and VW could do if they really tried
Not very close unfortunately, as German brands have massively under invested in electric car development
Chinese EVs are WAY further on than you realise. They really are Tesla rivals and they are developing EVs at every level on mass. Battery prices are $80 per kwh in China and falling. Once China start exporting more of their cars legacy companies will have to watch out or they will cease to exist within ten years if they don't REALLY get on board instead of just playing pretend.
MG is 2nd tier in China.
@@BSPBuilderAnd yet iirc they (SAIC / MG) are still supplying EV platforms to VW in China, because their platform is cheaper and better than VWs own (and VW are getting rinsed in the Chinese market atm)
EVs don't need much in the way of diesel engineer input. So no. those marques you mention have been a bit of a damp squib.
Going to 4WD was always going to dumb the fun down. If the Golf R was RWD and a 4WD came along it would be the same story, but Electric is never going to be as fun as petrol in a hot hatch, even if it is an auto.
I had a mk 7r and the handling was fairly dull. Heard the FWD Clubsport was way more fun to drive.
With the infinite amount of performance control you can get in an EV it's only a matter of programming to determine how much "fun" you get out of it. EVs have far more potential for "fun". Being able to shred your tires with torque used to be a big deal with ICE cars. But the fact that EVs can spin up so easily is now seen as a bad thing. They also play down the EV "fun" factor of being able to sprint off the line really quickly. It had long been a selling point for ICE cars. Funny that.
@@trevorberridge6079 having owned an ev I can agree with some points. They are terribly easy to drive quickly and it is quite good fun being able to get the perfect braking & balance of throttle through and out of a corner, as well as being able to keep both hands on the wheel at all times. It’s also nice to have the instant torque on demand and the quietness brings an odd satisfaction.
However, all of this also means there is less to do and less skill involved. For me, a rear wheel drive, manual, petrol engined car is always going to be more engaging and exciting, the fewer driver aids the better. The sound of a nice n/a engine is difficult to beat, even the smell of some ic cars helps.
Even though 0-60 times etc seem still to be a bench mark of a performance car and the ability to do wheel spins and donuts is cool, you never really use those elements so have never really seen the point.
Not ev bashing, just in my experiences they are not as fun and they don’t stack up to a great family car yet either.
That said, I’m also a massive MG fan, so appreciate what they’re having to do and glad they don’t just have a crop of city run abouts. Despite all I’ve mentioned, I’d rather have the MG4 XPower over that Golf R because I think they are quite dull. It will be interesting to see how the cyberster does.
At that price for the R probably better to compare to Tesla Model 3 performance.
Which baring in mind 2.5p per mile in electric and tax savings on salary sacrifice, I’d take the Tesla everyday even if the Golf is better looking
Thank you.
Jesus.imagine jumping an rs3 off the lights in this MG that just looks like a bloated renault clio. Lol. The golf R was fast but these new ev's are next level off the line. Wheres my hanky for the ICE car.
cool another vid i guess battery car weight takes the fun away so golf r wins oh and thanks for the videos i subbed
The weight is a factor, but because the battery back is under the floor pan. So your C of G is lower compare to petrolium car and the weight dis is closer to 50/50. And the R is defintly bit head heavy, and the c of G is around where your crank shaft is. Hence, the EV is actually very fun to drive. And because its low C of G, you can corner more aggressively
VW glof R can do a lap of nurburg-ring flat out. Can the MG4 do the same?
Yes.
MG is so much cheaper than the Golf. For the cost of the Golf you could get a Tesla model 3 long range AWD - compare the Golf to that! No contest. The Golf is way overpriced.
I think it’s worth bearing in mind that the Golf is version 8 of a platform and has been developed and refined over a long long time. The MG is version 1 and yes it will always be different than an ICE car due to the EV tech and battery chassis, but imagine what it will be like in a couple of versions time. Batteries will be lighter and the chassis will get a lot of development.
The Golf R is a classic and rightly so but in 10 years time there will be quite a few fantastic hot EV hatches out there.
I wonder if the MG4 could fix many of the handling issues with a bigger swaybar in the rear, to entice some lairiness, some stickier tires to give it more mid corner grip, and adaptive dampers.
Under 4 secs for less than 40k that's very tempting 😮
If thats all you're concerned about just go buy any old litre bike. Or any bike above about a 600 sports. Sub £1000 will easily get you something that won't break a sweat at a 4s 0-60.
@@siraff4461 I don't like motor bike
I guess it is an easy fix.. new software option?
Waiting for the Ioniq 5 N to replace our Mk8 Golf R. 🙂
one of the best host
I think I would take stability and ride comfort over the rear slipping out and shredding the tyres, especially with it being faster and better accelerating. So I would buy the MG4 Xpower, but then I am no longer in my 20’s.
I'm with you, I don't get this "hot hatch" thing. My VW Polo is light, agile, go kart like. Rented Golf GTIs I have with 180kW are fast but don't inspire confidence in really winding roads. Reviews have always spoken of Golf Rs not being as "hot a hatch" as Civic Rs, Hyundais etc. But in creasy conditions I don't want FWD wheelspin or with RWDs, the tail hanging out. So are AWDs slightly duller by nature? A rented 911 4S was like this as well. You only have to watch CZcams videos with RWD Mustangs crashing, after loosing traction. Here have an X-Power on order. But if after a test drive prefer the feel of a rear wheel drive Essence 64 will go with one of those. In this video would have liked to see a drag race and a 50 to 110km comparison. Otherwise enjoyed the video.
Well indeed. And save yourself a small fortune financially in the process. Finances are everything when you are married with children for example.
Not into shredding tyres but you want a hatch with 430hp?
Why?
If you want the MG get the slower one because its a better car.
I'd be interested to hear what the launch is like after a couple of years, with battery degradation. And the more you press down that right foot, the more the degradation.
Which is exactly what happens to a peaky engine with plastic bits to save cost and a turbo with it's neck bring wringed. You do no engines lose horsepower as well don't you. And fuel economy. And bits wear out like clutches and spark plugs and oil and cam belts and disc brakes? I would be more interested to see the Golf R's costs to date after a couple of years to add to the £50k+ they have already shelled out for a 5 year old engine design.
@@ouethojlkjn Yes, I do know that IC engines degrade over time, for both power and efficiency. There are many things an owner can do to reduce degradation, but some degradation is unavoidable.
But an EV is a whole different story. EVs have battery management software which seeks to manage EV degradation, but it also (deliberately or not) tends to hide battery degradation from the owner. The battery management system also keeps a record of how the EV has been used, as part of the warranty - if an EV driver complains the battery is degraded faster than they expect, they might find themselves looking at diagnostics to resist their claim.
Many EVs do not have replaceable batteries, and where possible, battery replacement is expected to be very expensive. There are also issues around battery integrity after even minor bumps and scrapes - go too fast over a speed bump, and it could leave a nasty question hanging over your EV's battery integrity. This creates a lot of interest in what will happen to the used-EV market - what is the condition of the battery, and has it been through any bumps or scrapes?
Battery power, efficiency and capacity degrade. This means an older EV will not be anything like the new EV on matters of charging time (power transfer), driving power (power transfer again), economics (efficiency), and capacity (range).
These are all interesting questions which will become more clear in the next couple of years. For now, I will be driving my Golf R 20 year edition. £50k and worth every penny as far as I'm concerned.
I had the mk 7 golf r for four years and now i've owned the mk 8 golf for 2 years, the performance and handling of the mk8 is head and shoulders above my mk 7
Great review. Had my R for a year now, and have never inadvertently turned on the heated steering wheel. Agree the internal materials are not as good as the 7, and you don't even get a gas bonnet strut these days (though a Racing Line one for about $A130 is easily fitted). All of that aside I think the 8 feels a more refined car overall and is noticeably quieter, and has a better ride than a 7/7.5. Not cheap but nothing is these days where in Australia a new A45 AMG S will set you back $130k
Every testers agree that the 8 is a better car when it comes to driving experience, refinement and dynamics, no question.
Same here, it's never been a problem with the heated steering wheel for me either. The way he turned his hand to actually hit the button was total nonsense. 😂
Have turned mine on loads. 😅(in the early ownership days)
And if take a fiesta or puma st over either. Less power yes but hot hatches are about fun and driving engagement and they both wipe the floor with everything else in that department
Why didn´t you compaire the MG4 with a hot hatch in same price instate of a dobbelt priced ICE.. isn´t that kind of stupied compairing.
MK8 Golf R (excluding all the GTI versions to get here) vs MK1 Xpower - I doubt it will take 7 more iterations of the Xpower to be on a par with the Golf - but maybe the Xpower isn't even trying to "be" a Golf 😉
Try it with some Pilot Sport please 🙏
What's the colour of the mg4? It looks nice, like red/orange mix
£17k difference!
All in all, the Golf R. I still prefer ICEs but I'm afraid I need EVs for daily, local commutes. Golf R for fun and the MG 4... I'll be happy to be in the XPower if I have that kind of money or otherwise the Excite 51 or your SE Low Range.
The Golf is a lot more expensive to buy, a lot more expensive to run and less powerful than the MG.
But people like to moan about electric cars being too expensive 😂
The MG XPower is the ultimate werewolf in sheeps clothing. Get it in white and get rid of the yellow brake covers and you have the perfect sleeper, beware Porsches!
Why are you launching the MG with your foot on the brake? There's no need to build up the power.
I think that is how you engage launch control. Most cars with launch control require you to have your foot on the brake and then accelerator.
IMO, the Golf R Mk 7 is the perfect hot hatch, or family supercar if you like. Period.
Golf mk5 Ed30 stage 1 300bhp or 2+ 375 bhp about 8k fwd surprisingly quick even in todays market 🤔
@@patpong5873true, but MK5’s are old. Body style is cool, but other than that, horrible maintenance issues, small engine, and throwing $8k to only make 350hp, when you don’t even need to spend $1k on the MK7 to make 350hp, is laughable, in regards to the MK5. The MK7 is great because it’s literally V8 fast for $1-2k in mods, very reliable (lots of 200k+ mileage MK7’s out there with zero issues), has all the modern tech, and gets great mpg’s. The MK5 is cool, but it isn’t close to the MK7.
@@JacesOwnWorld 8k is to buy the ed30 at stage 2+all done I never said 8k on modified parts shows how much you know about modified Golfs
Ed30 Ko4 turbo very underrated
Car considerably it's 2006 and 17 years old but will still surprise 😮 a few modern cars that cost alot of money 💰 show me a 2006 fwd car with 375bhp Rtech remap for 8k ?
Mk7 R is quick and stage one is 380bhp but 1k plus 20k to buy makes it almost 3 times more expensive and alot of people that have changed from ed30 to mk7 R say its a bit safe and boring 😴 not as fun driving a fwd ed30 with same power every one has their own opinion
8 is far better than the 7, every reviewers agree on that : driving dynamics, cornering, performance etc.
I bought a MG 4. Electric. Love it. 7 year warranty. A very nice drive. Very fast car. And cheap to drive, Highly recommend