Thinking of a new MG4 XPower or Trophy...

Hi, had my X Power about 15 weeks now.
And I absolutely love it. Looks good, drives good. And the acceleration is mind blowing. (And never ever gets boring) I know some folk have had problems with their MG4/X Power's. But mine has been faultless (so far) Coming from your Golf, you'll think you are driving the Starship Enterprise.

Thanks Salty! Good to see the big fella on your logo too. You might be a bit biased understandably, but then I think we all get attached to our cars.

Do you have to do the 'pre-flight' checks that everybody talks about, or is that better now?

Mine isn't new enough (end 2023), so a recent version will probably have different hard- and software. But I do not expect the new ACC to be that different, so my comment is on that only.
Using it in traffic jams works surprisingly well. In moderate motorway traffic I'm less pleased. You need to lower regen because speed loss is to harsh when you end up behind a truck. Overtaking then needs your right foot cause it will hold back acceleration initially.
ACC is also prone to reactions to non existing objects or hazards. It simply makes mistakes that will surprise you now and then.

About LKA: If IT still isn't good enough for you, revert to Alert mode. It will never snatch your wheel again but still warns you.

mgf788 said:

Thanks Salty! Good to see the big fella on your logo too. You might be a bit biased understandably, but then I think we all get attached to our cars.

Do you have to do the 'pre-flight' checks that everybody talks about, or is that better now?

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Not really. I Get in, wait until middle screen fires up, press brake pedal, car's ready, drive off. Simple's. Personally I don't turn the LKA off, as it doesn't bother me at all. But some do.
You'll soon get used to what you like, or don't like.

mgf788 said:

I currently have a VW Golf 2l Diesel automatic 148HP which is getting towards changing time. I love the speed/torque and it looks pretty good inside. ...

To me the MG4 looks great on the outside and the performance sounds great (even if I would be pretty calm most of the time)!

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The performance of the MG4 range is great. Even the base SE SR "51" will outperform your current Golf. It has 125 kW (167HP) power and 250 Nm torque.
The Trophy ER "77" has 180kW (242HP) and 350Nm.
The XPower is an all wheel drive beast

mgf788 said:

1. Anybody who has got a new MG4 recently, does it work without pestering you all the time? I've been reading this forum for a while and a year or two ago I wouldn't have considered an MG4 because of all the frustrating problems.

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We recently purchased a 77 and six weeks later a 51. Yes, we were very happy.
It doesn't pester you all the time.

mgf788 said:

2. Does the app work reliably? I have an iphone. Heating it up in the mornings on a schedule or ad-hoc seems like a great job.

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The iSmart app works fine for me but I have an Android phone. Can't comment on an iPhone.

mgf788 said:

3. Does the adaptive cruise control work well, without any fuss? I don't need anything too fancy but I find it relaxing.

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I do a lot of long distance driving (Country Australia) and use ACC all the time and have with many different cars over the years.
I am perfectly happy with the Implementation on the MG4.
However... I use it for speed control and car distance control. I don't like ACC for lane keeping. The MG lane keeping is similar to Toyota's and too intrusive for me. I prefer VW's Implementation.
So... With the MG4 if I'm going on a long trip I turn off the ELK feature. This is a very simple process and only stops the lane keeping features of ACC.
The features I want continue to work just fine.

mgf788 said:

4. It's great that the MG4 has more buttons than my existing car. Do these work reliably OK?

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The buttons on the steering wheel work for me.

mgf788 said:

5. Any recommendations for the best wall charging box?

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I got a Tesla Wall Charger. It's very reasonably priced and works well. I had my electrician son install it with 32 Amp cabling in 3 Phase mode (we have 3 Phase at our house) so it does 6.6kW charging for our 51 and 11kW for our 77.
The Tesla app allows us to set a charging schedule so that it will only (by default but can be overridden) charge when the electricity tarrif is "off peak".
*The Tesla charger needs WiFi access to function properly.

mgf788 said:

Thanks!

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My pleasure.

1) only get an EV, if you have a driveway to charge at home.
2) only consider renewables if you plan to stay in your current home for 5 years+
3) if you do get an EV/Batteries/Solar/ASHP - then yes you can save £2-£3k a year, but your payback will be around 5 years.
4) would I do it again? = Yes absolutely, but the upfront capital costs can be problamatic.

ps - a standard SE will more than suffice, my last car (which I've kept for winter months) is a Tiguan 170 (my user name here). The MG4 has way too much torque / power for anyones needs.

Tig170 said:

The MG4 has way too much torque / power for anyones needs.

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Really? Might have to disagree, with that.

Tig170 said:

1) only get an EV, if you have a driveway to charge at home.

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rubbish, I don’t charge at home at it’s never been a problem, even here in Perth where public charging would be considered patchy by European standards. I agree at home charging is the most convenient, but to say you should only get an ev if you can charge at home sounds like oil propaganda tbh

salty said:

Really? Might have to disagree, with that.

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Maybe I'm getting too old, dont really change cars too often, but had an Ford XR2 & Puma, VW Golf GT / Tiguan 170, but do find the MG4 more lively than all of them

ReintjeWA said:

rubbish, I don’t charge at home at it’s never been a problem, even here in Perth where public charging would be considered patchy by European standards. I agree at home charging is the most convenient, but to say you should only get an ev if you can charge at home sounds like oil propaganda tbh

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Maybe things are different in Aus. compared to the UK, yes an EV is perfect for 200 miles / day and charge at home, but anything more then its harder work (and costs more compared to petrol / derv.), I'm meerly managing expectations.

Tig170 said:

Maybe I'm getting too old, dont really change cars too often, but had an Ford XR2 & Puma, VW Golf GT / Tiguan 170, but do find the MG4 more lively than all of them

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Fair enough. Each to there own.
But I find the relentless power/torque intoxicating. It certainly was a BIG part of me getting an X Power.

NLMGSAN said:

Mine isn't new enough (end 2023), so a recent version will probably have different hard- and software. But I do not expect the new ACC to be that different, so my comment is on that only.
Using it in traffic jams works surprisingly well. In moderate motorway traffic I'm less pleased. You need to lower regen because speed loss is to harsh when you end up behind a truck. Overtaking then needs your right foot cause it will hold back acceleration initially.
ACC is also prone to reactions to non existing objects or hazards. It simply makes mistakes that will surprise you now and then.

About LKA: If IT still isn't good enough for you, revert to Alert mode. It will never snatch your wheel again but still warns you.

Click to expand...

Thanks, that's good info.

I end up taking over in my Golf when overtaking too. The only thing that worries me slightly is having to turn things off each time, although I suppose that's only for longer journeys. I can manage with LKA at the minute, it probably actually helps at times!

Jamesrr said:

The performance of the MG4 range is great. Even the base SE SR "51" will outperform your current Golf. It has 125 kW (167HP) power and 250 Nm torque.
The Trophy ER "77" has 180kW (242HP) and 350Nm.
The XPower is an all wheel drive beast

We recently purchased a 77 and six weeks later a 51. Yes, we were very happy.
It doesn't pester you all the time.

The iSmart app works fine for me but I have an Android phone. Can't comment on an iPhone.

I do a lot of long distance driving (Country Australia) and use ACC all the time and have with many different cars over the years.
I am perfectly happy with the Implementation on the MG4.
However... I use it for speed control and car distance control. I don't like ACC for lane keeping. The MG lane keeping is similar to Toyota's and too intrusive for me. I prefer VW's Implementation.
So... With the MG4 if I'm going on a long trip I turn off the ELK feature. This is a very simple process and only stops the lane keeping features of ACC.
The features I want continue to work just fine.

I got a Tesla Wall Charger. It's very reasonably priced and works well.

Click to expand...

My Diesel Golf actually has 350Nm of Torque (and I really like it!). So I'd need a Trophy to match it - although the 242HP is far superior.

I'm of the age where I'm amazed to be talking to somebody in Australia, I think you're much more likely to be driving longer distances than myself! My current car's why I was asking about the lane keeping, the VW one is pretty good by all accounts. I'd need to try it on a test drive.

I hadn't thought of getting a Tesla charger but it probably would work pretty well!

I have a driveway so that'd be no problem, even with what seems to be patchy charging in Northern Ireland. As I don't normally go that far I'm temped by the XPower with far too much Torque!

all I would say is consider @case dismissed with his vibration problems on the Xpower

mgf788 said:

As I don't normally go that far I'm temped by the XPower with far too much Torque!

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Go on! You know you want to.

Tig170 said:

Maybe things are different in Aus. compared to the UK, yes an EV is perfect for 200 miles / day and charge at home, but anything more then its harder work (and costs more compared to petrol / derv.), I'm meerly managing expectations.

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How many people drive more than 200 miles per day, and how does an EV become more expensive to run than petrol from that mileage onwards? Surely EVs become cheaper to run the more mileage you do, or is petrol cheaper than fast charging in the uk?

salty said:

Really? Might have to disagree, with that.

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Yes even my wife will floor it occasionally, when there is a very small gap to fit into. I find it very handy when there's a 3 trailer road train to pass!
Could I use more? On occasions Yes!

mgf788 said:

My Diesel Golf actually has 350Nm of Torque (and I really like it!). So I'd need a Trophy to match it - although the 242HP is far superior.

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...and don't forget that torque is available full from 0 up. It can get addictive
The other thing I think you'll like is the actual driving experience. Being rear wheel drive with plenty of grunt, nicely balanced and the one pedal drive regenerative braking, going on fast windy roads is really exhilarating. It reminds of the fun I used to have many years ago with my old Alfa Romeo 1750 Berlina.

mgf788 said:

I'm of the age where I'm amazed to be talking to somebody in Australia, I think you're much more likely to be driving longer distances than myself!

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The internet is good for that, aye
Yes, I figure I'm highly likely to drive longer distance around the countryside here!

mgf788 said:

My current car's why I was asking about the lane keeping, the VW one is pretty good by all accounts. I'd need to try it on a test drive.

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Lane "keeping" is an interesting capability to me, in the "May you live in interesting times" sort of way. To my mind, until it's truly capable (and legal!) of lane keeping with no hands, I don't want it.
If I have to keep my hands on the steering wheel anyway, I'm not that keen on the car deciding it knows a better line than mine to take. I also find it can get confused with the "lanes" of roads with poor marking and decide it needs to "fix" the direction you are heading.
For that reason, I turn off ELK (Emergency Lane Keeping) when going on long distance drives.
If I forget it's no big deal as it's not too bad, but I prefer it off.
Current safety regs make the manufacturers not "remember" that choice between driving sessions so nowadays with new cars you have to make the choice every time when you set off. Such is life.

mgf788 said:

I hadn't thought of getting a Tesla charger but it probably would work pretty well!

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I looked into lots of home AC chargers here in Aus and the cheapest reputable brand was actually the Tesla. It doesn't have heaps of "smarts" but the ability to set a charging window is enough for us. I highly recommend it. You know there's been lots of them installed over the past years. Plenty of experience...

Tig170 said:

The MG4 has way too much torque / power for anyones needs.

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I worried (only slightly) about having too much power, but honestly, you don't have to use all the power all the time, it's great to have the power of the XPower, but it's just as easy and pleasant to drive it like you would drive a 1.0 VW Polo.

MG Clive said:

I worried (only slightly) about having too much power, but honestly, you don't have to use all the power all the time, it's great to have the power of the XPower, but it's just as easy and pleasant to drive it like you would drive a 1.0 VW Polo.

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Agree, you can pootle about, if that's what you want, around town etc. But the power is there when needed, for easy overtaking, dispatching wannabes etc. More power than you'll ever need. But it's just nice to know it's there.

mgf788 said:

I currently have a VW Golf 2l Diesel automatic 148HP which is getting towards changing time. I love the speed/torque and it looks pretty good inside. Since new it has 'dinged' at me loads and this was infuriating. A few months ago (at about 4 yrs old!) I had to partly pay for a second new steering wheel and this has made it much better, very few dings now. On longer runs I enjoy the adaptive cruise control, it slows down smoothly and follows the car in front well.

To me the MG4 looks great on the outside and the performance sounds great (even if I would be pretty calm most of the time)!

1. Anybody who has got a new MG4 recently, does it work without pestering you all the time? I've been reading this forum for a while and a year or two ago I wouldn't have considered an MG4 because of all the frustrating problems.

2. Does the app work reliably? I have an iphone. Heating it up in the mornings on a schedule or ad-hoc seems like a great job.

3. Does the adaptive cruise control work well, without any fuss? I don't need anything too fancy but I find it relaxing.

4. It's great that the MG4 has more buttons than my existing car. Do these work reliably OK?

5. Any recommendations for the best wall charging box?

No need to worry if you don't know about all of 1-5, any info on any would be welcome.

Thanks!

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