Xpower as a hot hatch

i30N long term review makes interesting reading. Sounds a great drive, "fast, fun and secure" with a brilliant exhaust to match.

Liked this bit though- sounded familiar:

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250 miles costs me around £7 I reckon.

Maybe I'm a cheap skate but I'm happy with my not-a-hot-hatch-xpower
 
Well I've had a vast bunch of so called hot hatches: XR2s x2 RS Turbos x2 and other so called fast Fords and they wouldn't hold a candle to this car. We took the Xpower for a blast today on our local country loop. Then returned Home and took my Wife's Ford Puma Racing (one of the few left) which she's had for 21 years, (which I have used on a number of track days) well if that's not a hot hatch I don't know what is. Well of course the MG was way faster but crucially we both thought the MG to be more stable in the fast bends, particularly the bumpy ones. So I'm sorry but the Xpower IS a hot hatch and show me something hotter for 35 grand!
Can I just ask this, what percentage of Xpower owners and even Journalists (whom we all know receive back handers for favourable comments) can even begin to exploit the full handling potential and blistering speed of the Xpower?
 
So I'm sorry but the Xpower IS a hot hatch and show me something hotter for 35 grand!
Can I just ask this, what percentage of Journalists (whom we all know receive back handers for favourable comments) can even begin to exploit the full handling potential and blistering speed of the Xpower?
Only the odd one probably, Chris Harris springs to mind. But the others no, they test drive cars, and are more interested in how many cup holders and cubby holes and scratchy plastic. They are certainly not racing drivers. ? And don't get me started about the amateur You Tube brigade. ?
 
Hot hatches are just too slow nowadays...

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...and too expensive for me

evo M2 vs A45s

But per tonne they still come out on top.

Just the 4wd giving us the edge at the start.
Chips doused in urine by 124mph though!!?

But the cost!!!!

We in the X Power can outdo them on every single other cost front. ?



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Well I've had a vast bunch of so called hot hatches: XR2s x2 RS Turbos x2 and other so called fast Fords and they wouldn't hold a candle to this car. We took the Xpower for a blast today on our local country loop. Then returned Home and took my Wife's Ford Puma Racing (one of the few left) which she's had for 21 years, (which I have used on a number of track days) well if that's not a hot hatch I don't know what is. Well of course the MG was way faster but crucially we both thought the MG to be more stable in the fast bends, particularly the bumpy ones. So I'm sorry but the Xpower IS a hot hatch and show me something hotter for 35 grand!
Can I just ask this, what percentage of Xpower owners and even Journalists (whom we all know receive back handers for favourable comments) can even begin to exploit the full handling potential and blistering speed of the Xpower?

Holy Thread Resurrection Barman! (Hic)

And now brand new spankers at just £26k.
Bonkers!

Edit....Sold!! Not surprised!

Found a fair few at 30k now though.

To the person who paid £26k, could you please not come on here and go and be smug elsewhere.
Much obliged.
 
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Holy Thread Resurrection Barman! (Hic)??

And now brand new spankers at just £26k.
Bonkers!

Edit....Sold!! Not surprised!

Found a fair few at 30k now though.

To the person who paid £26k, could you please not come on here and go and be smug elsewhere.
Much obliged. ?
They will have the vibes!! Definitely smug if no vibes and £26k
 
Fancied I bit of a play this morning. Dry weather, dry roads. Perfect!
The car was nice and clean, and we all know a clean car is faster! So put it in Sport and off I went, love it! Put a few upstarts in there place, including an AMG.
Ok, a tad childish, but definitely enjoyable and satisfying. Loving this car, so far.
MG X Power as an Hot Hatch?
Abso-bloody-lutely !!!! 🙂👍
 
Fancied I bit of a play this morning. Dry weather, dry roads. Perfect!
The car was nice and clean, and we all know a clean car is faster! So put it in Sport and off I went, love it! Put a few upstarts in there place, including an AMG.
Ok, a tad childish, but definitely enjoyable and satisfying. Loving this car, so far.
MG X Power as an Hot Hatch?
Abso-bloody-lutely !!!! 🙂👍
As a former Lancastrian , out of interest , which roads were you on . When I left ,the increasing restrictions, speed bumps , cameras and increasing traffic density and deteriorating road surfaces made driving / riding a pain more than a pleasure. Still , glad you enjoyed it . Maybe, Sunday mornings before the shops open, less lorries , less caravans, change over of Police shifts is going to be the peak time for a new cult car culture to arise, make hay whilst the sun shines? :cool:
 
Fancied I bit of a play this morning. Dry weather, dry roads. Perfect!
The car was nice and clean, and we all know a clean car is faster! So put it in Sport and off I went, love it! Put a few upstarts in there place, including an AMG.
Ok, a tad childish, but definitely enjoyable and satisfying. Loving this car, so far.
MG X Power as an Hot Hatch?
Abso-bloody-lutely !!!! 🙂👍
In a straight line nothing comes close for the price in a hot hatch no way !!

But for a drivers car ..

Cars like the golf and more refined cars are much better !!

That said better tyres are a must !! chassis refinement and better brakes , springs and shocks will turn this into a true hot hatch ( even simulated gears for that fun factor would be nice )

Is the X power a amazing car NO is it a fun car that has potential HELL YES !!

Ill be very interested what they come up with for the next gen X power for sure !!

Be interested if the lowering helps !! Just waiting for the fix !!

Fingers crossed ive got 3 weeks left for the parts to arrive from China!!

Then pilot sport 5s and lowered springs if everything goes to plan and the vibe is fixed !!

Even tossing up the rear bar from Thailand !!
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not sold on the side skirts and front but to liven up the bland rear would really add to the look of the car IMO !!
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In a straight line nothing comes close for the price in a hot hatch no way !!

But for a drivers car ..

Cars like the golf and more refined cars are much better !!

That said better tyres are a must !! chassis refinement and better brakes , springs and shocks will turn this into a true hot hatch ( even simulated gears for that fun factor would be nice )

Is the X power a amazing car NO is it a fun car that has potential HELL YES !!

Ill be very interested what they come up with for the next gen X power for sure !!

To be fair, don't agree with this, "driver's car" nonsense. As you say straight line speed, fantastic! and not much will touch it. As for handling, it's perfectly fine, for the average driver, like me and you
(I'm presuming) and the vast majority of other drivers. Other cars do handle better, we know that, but the average driver will never exploit it. So for me personally the
X Power is brilliant. In a straight line (obviously) but also more than capable, handling wise. And it is a Fun car, anything that puts a smile on your face, every time you drive it, to me, that's a Fun car. 🙂👍

As a former Lancastrian , out of interest , which roads were you on . When I left ,the increasing restrictions, speed bumps , cameras and increasing traffic density and deteriorating road surfaces made driving / riding a pain more than a pleasure. Still , glad you enjoyed it . Maybe, Sunday mornings before the shops open, less lorries , less caravans, change over of Police shifts is going to be the peak time for a new cult car culture to arise, make hay whilst the sun shines? :cool:

Yep, early Sunday morning is ideal for, shall we say "spirited" driving. And the East Lancs Rd is perfect. Gotta have your wits about you. Cameras and Cops. 🙄 But you can still enjoy the car safely. And Rainford By-pass is another good road, broken up with a few roundabouts to test the handling. 🙂👍
 
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To be fair, don't agree with this, "driver's car" nonsense. As you say straight line speed, fantastic! and not much will touch it. As for for handling, it's perfectly fine, for the average driver, like me and you
(I'm presuming) and the vast majority of other drivers. Other cars do handle better, we know that, but the average driver will never exploit it. So for me personally the
X Power is brilliant. In a straight line (obviously) but also more than capable, handling wise. And it is a Fun car, anything that puts a smile on your face, every time you drive it, to me, that's a Fun car. 🙂👍
It is a fun car but ive driven better cars that seem to have better feel and more fun to drive ..

Nothing better that the feeling of leaving that over priced prestige car wondering what just happened from the lights !!

In a straight line this is the fastest car ive EVER owned but it just lacks that refinement to really be a drivers car ..

It doesnt grip as well as my 2012 volvo s60 t6 with the polestar tune ( yes 100% faster in a straight line ) but it doesnt grip or handle as well as the volvo no way !!

I agree everyone has different lvls of what they class as fun and refinement but when you have driven a better refined car the MG4 X power while for the price is a awesome little hatch back !!

It doesnt feel as good as my volvo did ( being completely honest ) when it comes to road holding and grip i felt like i could push the volvo much more and safely where as the X power i get a uneasy feeling of somethings going to happen that could be uncontrollable !!

Ive lost it a few times in silly situations that never would have happened in the volvo which is why it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable !!

I also get clunks in it over rough roads like somethings banging on something which is un nerving like somethings going to break the launch can feel a bit clunky and it floats around because it squats to much under launch which decreases the traction and feel at the front of the car ..

These little things make me feel nervous and i feel it lacks refinement because of it !

That all said the X power if i was to list out the list of gains over my volvo YES 1000% the X power wins ..
new car .. warranty etc etc

All the bells and whistles that the volvo had but being as it was 2012 it was failing or not great modern tech but old so issues!

Nav 2012 volvos cant upgrade nav past 2017 so useless now

Heated seats steering wheel ( little stuff that doesnt really bother me but there none the less )

Petrol was costing me about $130aud a week Xpower is about 1/4 of that a week !!

If i was to complain about one thing which may seem trivial now ( but after using it as as much as you do after having it ) front parking sensors should be standard on the MG4 in general imo !!

I may sound like im bashing my car BUT im not im just stating what needs to be sorted if you want a true hot hatch drivers car !!
 
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I had a worrying moment last week when I had a Golf GTD (with after market allows so suspected remap), come alongside me in the wrong lane of the entrance of a roundabout clearly going to try and get into my lane when it was clear. Normally this would be a "ha ha ha young padawan" moment, but I was on 18%.... gulp. He tried hard but luckly the instant xp away managed to just pip him and slowly pull away from him up to the speed limit on the following dual carriageway. He must have been pretty happy with how his went if he googled the xp after. Try again when I'm at 90% and it would have been a very different story.
 
I had a worrying moment last week when I had a Golf GTD (with after market allows so suspected remap), come alongside me in the wrong lane of the entrance of a roundabout clearly going to try and get into my lane when it was clear. Normally this would be a "ha ha ha young padawan" moment, but I was on 18%.... gulp. He tried hard but luckly the instant xp away managed to just pip him and slowly pull away from him up to the speed limit on the following dual carriageway. He must have been pretty happy with how his went if he googled the xp after. Try again when I'm at 90% and it would have been a very different story.
i had 2 girls in a commodore make a run at me think they were clocking about 120km/h when they past me at 80km/h needless to say they didnt have much after i dropped the pedal and hit 170km i think they gave up as i past them at 150km/h i backed off at 170km ..

Lesson taught !!

I love getting pole position in that 3rd lane at lights that will move in to 2 or 1 lane and having no one come behind me thinking whats this slow arse thing only to probably regret it when im 20 meters down the road before the other cars have moved from the lights !!
 
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I only had an x power for the day but it's hard to argue against it being a fun car, even the one I had a loan of with horrible vibes.
Is it the best handling car I've driven, no where near and that it is obviously down to weight and refinement.
Are you going to get a new car anywhere that beats it in a straight line no!
If someone is willing to risk their licence are you going to beat them, top end no but that's a tiny % of drivers.
Cars will out break it and handle twisty winding roads much better.
I'd be happy betting that a couple of my past cars would leave it trailing on hilly winding roads up my way.

Again though bang for buck it's hard to argue
 
Its the instant torque and acceleration that I love and makes me grin every time I floor it. It shocks my passengers so much I have to warn them in advance now if I have time !! 😂.

OK it's not the lightest or "chuckable" fun car to drive along twisty B roads but give me a decent A road, dual carriageway or motorway and I'd take the Xpower anyday over a lighter (but slower) hot hatch.

I find it quite refined too compared to previous hot hatches I've owned which seems at odds to some other peoples experience (CooperS comes to mind) ?.
 
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