Gac Aion Ut vs MG MG4

What's the difference?

The Aion UT is a cleverly-specified little hatchback and a great entry-point into electric motoring. The software needs a bit of work from a usability perspective, plus the spongy ride and cutesy styling might not be for everyone. 

However, with strong points including driving range, cabin space and value, there’s even a pitch for it in some cases to be an only car compared to most of its price rivals, which are more likely to be thought of as a second car runabout in a two-car garage.

The pick of the range is definitely the entry-level Premium. It comes in at a headline-grabbing price with specs to blow rivals out of the water, while only missing out on a few luxuries.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

The MG4 Essence 64 makes a strong case for itself as a value-focused EV, balancing a competitive price with useful range, a good level of equipment and engaging driving dynamics.

It's not perfect but it does enough well to remain a compelling option for buyers looking for an affordable EV that's easy to live with.

GAC tells us the UT hatch was designed in Milan, Italy, but it also isn’t ashamed of the Chinese influence on its overall appearance, like the ultra-short bonnet and Chinese city-car style face.

Along the side it has a modern, aerodynamic profile, and the ultra-short overhangs and long wheelbase maximise the amount of room for batteries under the floor and interior space.

The rear feels a lot like a modern Mini, with its bulbous tailgate and protruding light clusters, spiced up with a sporty spoiler piece jutting out.

It’s not a bad looking thing and it’s available in an array of fun colours.

On the inside it seems to follow the established rule-book of Chinese automakers, with plush trims, big screens with minimal physical buttons as well as a contemporary two-spoke steering wheel.

There’s a trendy floating console which hosts the cupholders and wireless charger on the Luxury grade, and an array of interesting patterns and textures through the doors and dash which you wouldn’t have once seen on a car at this price-point.

However, it is worth noting that while the seats are quite nice, and the steering wheel is a stand-out touchpoint, the trims on the doors and across the dash-top are hard plastics, more so than some of this car’s rivals.

The MG4 hasn't seen major changes on the exterior, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It remains one of the more distinctive options in the affordable EV segment, with sharp styling and compact dimensions that don't come at the expense of interior space.

There's a full suite of LED lighting front and rear, with the tail-light treatment remaining one of the more interesting design details I've seen of late.

The bigger changes are inside, where the updated MG4 gets a fresher, more polished cabin. Synthetic leather and fabric upholstery, large digital displays and a cleaner dashboard give it a more upmarket feel for the price, while thankfully retaining something that is becoming increasingly rare in new cars - physical buttons.

Hurrah! Not every function needs to be buried in a touchscreen and the MG4's mix of physical controls and digital interfaces offers a sensible balance.

In terms of interior space, the Aion UT stands out with its spacious cabin. At 182cm tall, I am easily able to find a comfortable seating position, and visibility out the front sides and rear, while not as good as some small SUVs, isn’t bad.

There’s lots of headroom, and while I mentioned the hard plastic door cards before, there’s enough padding everywhere your elbows are going to touch to make it feel a bit nicer than perhaps it is.

The main drawback of this car for me is the lack of tactile buttons and the frustrating software.

The main screen isn’t particularly well utilised, being taken up by either a background or the navigation map, with an array of typically small shortcuts across the bottom for important features like the climate control or settings menus.

You can pre-set a few information panels which sit above the shortcut bar as in many rival cars and there’s also a shortcut tray which can be hosted on the driver’s side and configured with a variety of shortcuts and settings.

It’s just a bit clumsy to use, and the array of poorly-labelled settings menus for things like active safety equipment feel needlessly complicated.

I’d love to see this car with physical controls for climate and multimedia to make it easier to live with.

Up front the storage is decent. There are big pockets in the doors and a large storage tray between the driver and front passenger thanks to a flat floor. There’s also a slightly weird storage box under the touchscreen which has a net inside, good for more delicate objects you don’t want flying around the cabin.

On the floating console there are two cupholders which are a bit too shallow for my liking, and the wireless charger feels almost pointless because its made of a hard plastic, so your phone just slides right off in the corners. The cabled outlets are hidden beneath which allows for tidy cable management and the centre armrest console box is a healthy size.

The rear seat is comparatively basic, although touches on the key points. Its main advantage is how generous the space is. My frame was able to fit behind my own driving position with heaps of room for my knees, and just enough room for my head despite the dip in the roof for the sunroof shade in the Luxury-grade car we tested. There may be even more headroom in the base car.

The flat floor makes the space useful even for three across in a pinch and there’s a drop-down armrest with (again, shallow) cupholders. There are pockets on the back of both front seats and smallish pockets in each door. The array of soft trims continues, too, and the back of the centre console features a partially adjustable air vent. Luxury spec cars get a single USB rear power outlet.

As with many Chinese cars in this segment, the generous rear seat space comes at a cost to the boot. It measures just 321 litres, which is slightly smaller than its main opponents in this category, although larger than some hatchbacks like the Toyota Corolla, for example.

It has its advantages, though. The floor is two-tiered, and can offer a flat load area with the rear seats folded down, or a deeper boot in its lower position. Underneath there’s a cutaway good for charging equipment and the tyre repair kit (sorry, no spare wheel in here).

Unlike some EVs, the Aion UT doesn’t get a frunk (front boot) for additional storage.

The front seats get the best of the MG4's cabin, with a decent amount of space between driver and passenger and enough room that you don't feel like you're sitting on top of your co-pilot. The seats are comfortable enough for everyday driving, particularly with the benefit of heating, although the lack of lumbar support becomes noticeable on a longer trip.

Storage is also well considered up front. There's a good-sized glove box, a deeper centre console than you might expect in this class, large door bins, and a couple of cup- and drink-holders. I particularly like the shelf underneath the centre console, which is a handy spot for a handbag or takeaway lunch and the sunglasses holder.

The 12.8-inch multimedia display dominates the dashboard and offers sharp graphics, good resolution and a reasonably responsive touchscreen. It's easy enough to navigate, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included. However, my Apple CarPlay connection hasn't automatically connected at all during my week with the car, meaning I've had to re-pair it each time. That might not a deal-breaker per se, but it's certainly annoying.

Charging provisions are decent with a wireless charging pad, a 12-volt socket and two USB-C ports. The catch is that all three of those additional connections are tucked inside the centre console which could get fiddly once you start connecting multiple devices.

Move into the back and the story changes somewhat. Legroom is a little tight behind my driving position, and for reference, I'm only 168cm tall. It's been perfectly comfortable for my nine-year-old, but I'd be more inclined to reserve the rear seats for shorter trips if you're carrying adults.

Rear-seat amenities are also fairly sparse. There are no directional air vents, centre armrest or cupholders, although each door gets a small storage bin and there's a USB-C port to keep a device charged on longer journeys. For occasional family use, it's workable, but this isn't an especially generous second row.

The boot offers 350L of space with all seats in use. That's not class-leading, but it's enough for a decent grocery shop and has been sufficient for my needs during the week. Larger items will require a little more planning, though, so you'll need to be strategic about how you load it.

There's no powered tailgate, but I don't consider that much of a drawback given the hatch door isn't particularly heavy to lift. Like many EVs, there's also no spare wheel, with a tyre repair kit supplied instead.

Overall, the MG4 is at its most practical up front, with useful storage and a good range of everyday conveniences. The rear seat is more compromised, but for a small hatchback, it remains usable provided you're realistic about how much you're asking of it.

There are two variants in the MG4 range, the Essence 64 and the more powerful Urban XPower. For this review, we're in the Essence 64, which carries a sharp $39,990 drive-away price.

That puts it firmly in the conversation with affordable EV rivals such as the BYD Dolphin Premium, priced from $36,990, before on-road costs, and the GAC Aion UT Luxury, which starts at $35,990, before on-road costs.

While the MG4 isn't the outright cheapest option here, its combination of driving range and access to MG's established dealer and service network could make it a more compelling proposition for buyers looking beyond the initial purchase price.

You miss out on a panoramic sunroof offered by some rivals, but otherwise the standard equipment list is broadly competitive, with the usual mix of technology, convenience and EV-specific features. Standard gear includes:

• Keyless entry
• Heated steering wheel
• Leather steering wheel
• Heated front seats
• Electric driver's seat
• 360-degree camera
• Wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 12.8-inch multimedia display
• 10.25-inch instrument cluster
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Digital radio
• Wireless phone charging - 15W
• Three USB-C ports
• One 12-volt socket
• Satellite navigation
• Full suite of LED lighting (external)
• Electric and heated side mirrors
• Synthetic leather/fabric upholstery
• Single-zone climate control
• Electric windows with one-touch up/down (all)
• V2L (Vehicle to Load) capability

The Aion UT has a front-mounted electric motor producing 150kW/210Nm. That’s plenty punchy for any hatchback at this price, and I like the way the brand hasn’t messed around with a sub-100kW motor in the base variant to push prospects towards the top-spec car.

It’s more powerful than all of its closest rivals and at the time of writing you’ll have to spend four to six thousand dollars more to get into something equivalent from BYD, Chery, Jaecoo, Leapmotor or MG.

It even has a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time as low as 7.3 seconds.

The MG4 Essence 64 is a rear-wheel-drive EV powered by a single electric motor, producing up to 140kW and 350Nm.

Those are healthy outputs for a small hatchback, and there's plenty of pep on hand for everything from urban traffic to overtaking on the open road. As you'd expect from an EV, that torque is almost immediately available, giving the MG4 a responsive feel when you need to get moving.

The 0-100km/h sprint is covered in a reasonably rapid 7.5 seconds.

The Aion UT has a 60kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack, which grants it a WLTP-certified 430km of driving range.

That’s more than its closest rivals, like the entry-level Ora Standard Range (310km), BYD Dolphin Essential (410km) or BYD Atto 2 (345km).

Claimed efficiency is 16.4kWh/100km and the car I tested returned a consumption of 14.0kWh/100km over a 130km route of mixed conditions, which isn’t bad at all.

Charging speeds are less impressive, but realistically appropriate for the relatively small battery. The peak DC charging capacity of 87kW means a charge time which the brand quotes at 24 minutes, but this is from 30-80 per cent. Expect closer to 40 minutes for a 10-80 per cent charge.

AC charging is decent, at 11kW. This should have you charging from 10-80 per cent between four and five hours.

The MG4 Essence 64 is fitted with a 64kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery and has a claimed WLTP driving range of up to 452km. That's a useful amount of range for a small EV and gives the MG4 enough breathing room for longer trips, particularly when starting out with a full charge.

MG quotes energy consumption of 17.6kWh/100km, and my average for the week is 16.4kWh after a mix of longer highway stints and city driving. As always, real-world efficiency will vary depending on driving conditions, traffic, temperature and how much time you're spending at higher speeds. Around town, the MG4 hits all the right notes.

For charging, the MG4 uses a Type 2 CCS charging port, supporting DC fast-charging at up to 154kW. It can accept up to 6.6kW from an AC charger. MG claims a 10 to 80 per cent charge can take as little as 25 minutes when connected to a suitably powerful DC charger.

That means the MG4 is reasonably well equipped for overnight home charging and the occasional longer-distance trip, where a relatively short stop can add a substantial amount of range.

The drive experience can be where a lot of Chinese cars fall down but I walked away less frustrated by the Aion UT.

That’s not to say it will behave as you might expect a low-slung hatchback to. The suspension, for example, is extremely soft as it maintains its original Chinese-market state-of-tune.

This makes the car waft over imperfections on city roads. And in that sense it offers supreme ride comfort in the scenarios it was designed for. However, at the extremes, like some speed bumps, or particularly deep pot holes there can be a surprisingly violent re-bound sending a thud through the cabin.

The other trade-off for soft suspension is less body control. I was surprised to find that the Aion UT holds it together mostly well on a flat country B-road, but when undulations and big dips introduce themselves, the soft suspension can be too slow to react, making the car lose confidence in higher-speed open road scenarios we’re more used to in Australia.

The steering, like many electric cars in this category, is relatively heavily electrically assisted. This makes it light and easy to adjust at low speeds for easy park and maneuverability in the confines of a city. It loses a little bit of road-feel at higher speeds but the Aion UT’s steering is far from the least connected I’ve experienced recently.

One thing it can’t be criticised for is a lack of power. With 150kW instantaneously available the Aion UT has some serious poke and while the ChaoYang tyre package is tuned more for efficiency than grip, it’s again not one of the worst I’ve driven with.

One thing which helps the whole experience along is this car’s hatchback layout. With the weight of the battery low and squat and the wheels all the way out to the edges of the frame, the Aion UT inherently handles decently compared to an electric crossover or small SUV.

Like all Chinese cars, the UT has a host of occasionally frustrating driver aids, which you can read about in the Safety section below. While I was inclined to turn some of the features off after testing them, the alerts are relatively quiet and non-invasive.

Is the UT any good to drive? It’s not bad for the segment, I was largely pleased with how it handled and the power on offer, and while it still has its annoyances, they’re not big deal-breakers. 

The MG4 rear-drive is a better allrounder, while the GWM Ora isn’t as good. I’d say it’s on par with the BYD Dolphin, but they excel in different areas. The Dolphin's a bit sharper in terms of handling but the Aion UT is more comfortable.

The MG4 Essence 64 is a well-rounded package when it comes to driving. It's responsive off the mark, with enough performance that there's always a sense of power in reserve when you need it. That makes it well suited to urban driving, but it's equally comfortable stretching its legs on the open road.

The steering is light but responsive for a car of this size, helping the MG4 feel nimble through corners and around suburban streets. The rear-wheel drive powertrain adds a degree of stability and composure, while also making the MG4 feel a little more engaging to drive than you might expect from an affordable electric hatch.

Visibility is good all around and the cabin remains impressively quiet, even at higher speeds.

There are five levels of regenerative braking to choose from, with the strongest setting providing a reassuring amount of deceleration without becoming too aggressive in stop-start traffic. It's easy enough to tailor the system to your preference, although drivers coming from a one-pedal driving EV may still find themselves using the brake pedal more often than expected.

The MG4 is also easy to manoeuvre and park, helped by a decent 360-degree camera system and an excellent turning circle. It's the sort of car that feels just as comfortable squeezing into a suburban parking spot as it does settling into a longer highway drive.

The MG 4 Essence 64 has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2022. It scored 83 per cent on adult occupant protection, 86 per cent on child occupant protection, 75 per cent on vulnerable road user protection and 81 per cent on its safety assist systems.

It features six airbags, but you miss out on a front-centre airbag and emergency phone call capability.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) - car, pedestrian, cyclist, and backover. Operational from 4.0-150km/h.
• Lane keeping aid
• Lane departure warning
• Emergency lane keeping assist
• Blind-spot detection
• Driver monitoring
• Forward collision warning
• Rear collision warning
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Tyre-pressure monitoring
• Seatbelt reminder
• 360-degree camera

Families can also make use of the two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top-tether anchor points, but two seats will fit best.

GAC covers this electric hatch with an eight-year and unlimited kilometre warranty, while the brand’s “magazine battery 2.0” is covered by a separate eight-year and 200,000km warranty. Five years of roadside assistance is included.

The Aion UT needs to be serviced once a year or 15,000km. The service price schedule extends all the way out to 240,000km with yearly visits costing between $199 and $640 but for the life of the warranty the average yearly cost comes in at $352.

There are currently 19 GAC dealers in Australia, confined mainly to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane with a single store in Perth and an outlier in Cairns. No representation yet in Tassie, Canberra, the Northern Territory or SA.

The MG 4 Essence 64 comes with MG's seven-year/unlimited-km warranty, which is a solid offering for the class. Buyers can also extend the coverage to up to 10 years or 250,000km, but it is service activated.

Servicing is reasonably priced, with five scheduled services costing $1380. Service intervals are also relatively generous at 12 months or 20,000km, whichever comes first.

MG has around 95 dealerships across Australia, giving the brand a relatively broad service network and making it easier to access servicing and support outside the major metropolitan areas.

Taken together, the lengthy warranty, reasonable servicing costs and established dealer network give the MG4 a fairly straightforward ownership proposition, particularly for buyers making the switch to an EV for the first time.