2026 MG 4 electric hatch revealed, Australian plans for new generation unclear
03/20/2025 05:00 PM
An all-new MG 4 electric hatch has debuted to replace the current three-year-old model amid slow sales in the competitive Chinese market.
The second-generation 2026 MG 4 electric hatch has been revealed as a successor to the current model launched less than three years ago amid slow sales in its Chinese home market.
Revealed officially by MG hours after it leaked on the Chinese Government’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) database, the new MG 4 is completely overhauled with rounder styling compared to the existing version, though it is likely to remain similar under the skin.
It has a similar appearance to the MG S5 electric small SUV due in Australia between April and June 2025, along with arrow-shaped tail-lights inspired by the Cyberster convertible.
MORE: 2025 MG S5 electric SUV – Model line-up approved for Australia
Drive has contacted MG Australia for comment on the new-generation MG 4.
Images shown in the database showed MG was considering two other nameplates for the electric hatch – MG 3 EV and MG E5 – but a post on its Weibo account says its “first global car” will be called the MG 4 EV.
According to the MIIT listing, the new MG 4 measures 4395mm long, 1842mm wide and 1551mm tall with a 2750mm wheelbase – similar to a Toyota Corolla or Mazda 3 hatch – making it 108mm, 6mm, 35mm and 45mm larger than the current MG 4, respectively.
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The database currently lists a 120kW single electric motor and a lithium-iron-phosphate battery pack, compared to the different motor and battery configurations available in the current rear- or all-wheel-drive MG 4, including the 300kW MG 4 XPower.
It is unclear if the model will retain its rear-wheel-drive biased Modular Scalable Platform (MSP) currently used in the MG 4, S5 and Cyberster, with the official images showing the charging port has been moved from the rear to the front, unlike other MSP-based models.
CarNewsChina reports low sales of MG’s electric vehicles in China – including the MG 4 – compared to other brands such as BYD, leading to the complete redesign for the hatchback after three years on sale.
MORE: 2025 MG 4 XPower review – Should MG sell this sporty accessory pack?
MG reportedly sold 13 examples of the MG 4 in China in February 2025 from a total of 7002 cars, dominated by its MG 5 and MG 7 petrol sedans – while in Australia, 891 MG 4s were delivered last month from a total of 7479 MG vehicles.
The MG 4 – available from $34,888 drive-away – was the third highest-selling electric vehicle in Australia in February 2025, behind the Tesla Model Y (924) and Model 3 (668) but ahead of the MG ZS EV (432) and Kia EV5 (400).
More details on the 2026 MG 4, including technical specifications and images of its interior, are likely to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
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