SAIC dropped its latest compact SUV. The MG 4X. It’s built on their “Nebula” pure electric architecture, promising a mix of smarts and performance. Rear-wheel drive. Five-link independent suspension on the back. Simple, effective, competitive.
There are four configs to choose from. The sticker price? Starts at 99,800 Yuan (about $14,7k) and goes up to 116,850 Yuan ($17.2k). That’s for blind pre-orders too. But wait. There’s promo pricing.
Entry level drops to 92,880 Yuan ($13.6k)
That’s the real headline. $13k for an electric SUV in China? Not bad.
Design and Size
It looks like the rest of the MG4 family. Closed grille, obviously, since it’s electric. Horizontal LED daytime running lights slice through the front. Illuminated logo in the middle. Standard EV fare, but it works.
Size matters though.
4,500 mm long.
1,849 mm wide.
1,621 mm high (add 6 mm for roof rails).
The wheelbase stretches to 2,735 mm. Decent room for people, presumably.
Inside the Cabin
Wrap-around layout. Tries for luxury. Maybe succeeds.
10.25 inch digital dash. 15.6 inch floating central screen. The tech stack uses Doubao large language models for the infotainment brain. Supports four-zone voice control, meaning the passengers in the back can probably bark orders too. Connects to CarPlay, Huawei HiCar, Baidu Carlife, and the Oppo ecosystem. Covering all bases, it seems.
How Far, How Fast?
Two engines. Or motors.
One kicks out 125 kW (roughly 168 hp). The other does 150 kW (about 201 hp). Both are decent sprints.
Battery choice is interesting. Two options:
– A 53.9 kW battery from Qingtao. It’s manganese-based, lithium-ion, liquid-solid state. Range: 510 km.
– A 64.2 kW LFP battery from CATL. The tried and true chemistry. Range: 610 km.
CLTC numbers, remember. Those rarely survive contact with actual roads.
Brain Power
You want smarts? Pick your tier.
Free Edition gets the Horizon Robotics J3 chip. Five cameras, eight ultrasonic radars. Enough for basic L2 assistance. Stay in the lane, keep distance. Boring but safe.
Smart Edition steps it up. J6E chip. 21 sensors total. Six cameras, 12 ultras, 3 mm-wave radars. Supports L2+ features. Highway pilot, smart parking everywhere. It’s significantly more expensive hardware-wise.
Context check. In April alone, SAIC sold 142,448 new energy vehicles. That’s second only to BYd. MG brand drove a huge chunk of those sales. They hit 1 million EVs sold in Europe earlier this year, becoming the first Chinese brand to do so. Global ambitions, domestic competition.
The Battery Conundrum
Here’s the kicker. The editor notes something peculiar.
The short-range version (510 km) uses the fancy liquid-solid state battery. It’s lighter? Barely. It’s only 70 kg lighter than the LFP battery that goes 100 km further.
Seems like the premium battery offers range anxiety relief but zero efficiency gains in terms of weight penalty. Or maybe cost? We don’t know. Is it worth paying more for tech that doesn’t move the needle?
Hard to see the advantage right now.
