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Affordable EV from China snatches NZ Car of the Year crown
Matthew HansenFebruary 16, 2024, • 02:30pm
The 2023 New Zealand Car of the Year winner, the MG4, pictured with MG New Zealand country manager Arek Zywot
and Motoring Writer's Guild president Robert Barry.
For the second consecutive year, a fully electric car from China has claimed the Motoring Writer’s Guild’s top prize of New Zealand Car of the Year.
The 36th running of the award has gone to the MG4, a popular plug-in that launched locally late last year as one of the most affordable electric vehicles on the market.
To claim the prize, the MG4 beat nine other finalists chosen by the guild, in the form of the BMW i7, Cupra Born, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Lexus RZ, Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan, Nissan X-Trail, Peugeot 308, and Skoda Enyaq.
The Motoring Writers’ Guild comprises motoring journalists from all over the country, and includes Stuff’s Matthew Hansen and Nile Bijoux. Judges conduct real-world testing on each car before rating them according to design, performance, value, and other metrics.
Since it launched last September, the MG4 has struck a chord with New Zealand consumers. It was the country’s third most popular EV of 2023, despite only being on sale for four months.
Motoring Writer’s Guild president Robert Barry underlined that judges valued, amongst other things, the depth and breadth of the MG4 line-up — starting with the entry-level $46,990 51kWh Excite, extending to the $63,990 long-range 77kWh model with its 530km of range.
The line-up tops out with the all-wheel drive, dual-motor MG4 XPower hot hatch, which is capable of hitting 100kph in just 3.8 seconds.
It is the fifth EV to win the award, following on from the BYD Atto 3, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Mercedes-Benz EQC, and Jaguar I-Pace.
Stuff recently borrowed an entry-level MG4 EV over the holiday break for an extended test.
MATTHEW HANSEN / STUFF
“Even before the extraordinarily powerful flagship version arrived, the MG4 was making waves here, not only amongst the buying public but also amongst the country’s professional motoring journalists,” said Barry.
“As far as the MG brand is concerned, this model has ushered in a new era of fully contemporary design, on the company’s first all-electric vehicle platform, and with leading-edge battery technology that gives 77kWh battery version in particular an outstanding real-world range.
“We have all admired the design, technology, and practicality of the MG4, but how it drives has also impressed the motoring writers. Part of its dynamic charm comes from the mainstream variants being rear rather than front-drive; this combines with the low centre of gravity and excellent weight distribution achieved by the positioning of its battery to give a crisp handling balance.”
The MG4 XPower is just two tenths of a second slower than an Enzo Ferrari in the 0-100kph sprint, hitting the marker in 3.8 seconds.
MATTHEW HANSEN / STUFF
MG New Zealand Country Manager Arek Zywot said that the brand is “deeply honoured” to receive the award, adding that it is “a great recognition of our hard work and dedication to creating the best product on the market.”
“[The MG4 is] a groundbreaking new model for the MG marque and is indicative of the future direction of attainable, electrified motoring. It has proven itself on the world stage as an international multi-award-winning model and it is now receiving similar accolades here in New Zealand,” said Zywot.
“I challenge anyone who thinks electric vehicles are boring to take a drive in the MG4, I know it can change opinions and certainly made a positive impression on Guild members across the country.”
For the second consecutive year, a fully electric car from China has claimed the Motoring Writer’s Guild’s top prize of New Zealand Car of the Year.
The 36th running of the award has gone to the MG4, a popular plug-in that launched locally late last year as one of the most affordable electric vehicles on the market.
To claim the prize, the MG4 beat nine other finalists chosen by the guild, in the form of the BMW i7, Cupra Born, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Lexus RZ, Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan, Nissan X-Trail, Peugeot 308, and Skoda Enyaq.
The Motoring Writers’ Guild comprises motoring journalists from all over the country, and includes Stuff’s Matthew Hansen and Nile Bijoux. Judges conduct real-world testing on each car before rating them according to design, performance, value, and other metrics.
Since it launched last September, the MG4 has struck a chord with New Zealand consumers. It was the country’s third most popular EV of 2023, despite only being on sale for four months.
Motoring Writer’s Guild president Robert Barry underlined that judges valued, amongst other things, the depth and breadth of the MG4 line-up — starting with the entry-level $46,990 51kWh Excite, extending to the $63,990 long-range 77kWh model with its 530km of range.
The line-up tops out with the all-wheel drive, dual-motor MG4 XPower hot hatch, which is capable of hitting 100kph in just 3.8 seconds.
It is the fifth EV to win the award, following on from the BYD Atto 3, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Mercedes-Benz EQC, and Jaguar I-Pace.
Stuff recently borrowed an entry-level MG4 EV over the holiday break for an extended test.
MATTHEW HANSEN / STUFF
“Even before the extraordinarily powerful flagship version arrived, the MG4 was making waves here, not only amongst the buying public but also amongst the country’s professional motoring journalists,” said Barry.
“As far as the MG brand is concerned, this model has ushered in a new era of fully contemporary design, on the company’s first all-electric vehicle platform, and with leading-edge battery technology that gives 77kWh battery version in particular an outstanding real-world range.
“We have all admired the design, technology, and practicality of the MG4, but how it drives has also impressed the motoring writers. Part of its dynamic charm comes from the mainstream variants being rear rather than front-drive; this combines with the low centre of gravity and excellent weight distribution achieved by the positioning of its battery to give a crisp handling balance.”
The MG4 XPower is just two tenths of a second slower than an Enzo Ferrari in the 0-100kph sprint, hitting the marker in 3.8 seconds.
MATTHEW HANSEN / STUFF
MG New Zealand Country Manager Arek Zywot said that the brand is “deeply honoured” to receive the award, adding that it is “a great recognition of our hard work and dedication to creating the best product on the market.”
“[The MG4 is] a groundbreaking new model for the MG marque and is indicative of the future direction of attainable, electrified motoring. It has proven itself on the world stage as an international multi-award-winning model and it is now receiving similar accolades here in New Zealand,” said Zywot.
“I challenge anyone who thinks electric vehicles are boring to take a drive in the MG4, I know it can change opinions and certainly made a positive impression on Guild members across the country.”
