MG HS +EV vs Kia Ev4
What's the difference?

MG HS +EV

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2024 price

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Kia Ev4

$49,990 - $64,690

2026 price

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Summary

2024 MG HS +EV

2026 Kia Ev4

By Emily Agar

By Andrew Chesterton

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 1.5L

Not Applicable, 0.0L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded/Electric

Electric

Fuel Efficiency

1.7L/100km (combined)

0.0L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Affordable price tag and on-going costs
Looks good inside and out
Practical cabin space

Comfortable, competent drive experience
Long range from bigger battery
Sharp pricing on entry-level grade

Dislikes

Technology isn't great quality
Can be thirsty if you don't charge every night
Slow gear changing is annoying

Design will polarise
Boot is a missed practicality perk
Service costs higher than most

2024 MG HS +EV Summary

The MG HS +EV Essence is a smart-looking hybrid medium SUV that comes well-stacked with features and has a price point that will make you swoon.

Add the plug-in hybrid engine/motor combination and it’s pitched as a firm competitor against heavyweights like the Ford Escape, Toyota RAV4 and the newer-kid on the block – the Haval H6.

For the top model, it has the goods on paper but how does it perform in real life? I’ve been driving it with my family of three to find out for you.

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2026 Kia Ev4 Summary

Kia admits that, even a handful of years ago, a car like the EV4 likely wouldn't exist in Australia. With a forecast of 70 sales a month, or 840 a year, it won't come close to the brand's biggest all-electric sellers, and senior executives and product planners alike would have been wondering if it was worth the effort.

But times have changed, and so have regulations, and Kia is happy to roll the dice on as many EVs as it can get its hands on to lower its fleet emissions in the wake of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).

If you'll forgive the long and rambling intro, I'll now get to the point. Long live the NVES, because the EV4 is a good (if a little bizarre-looking) thing. It's quite lovely to drive, will cross vast distances in its long-range guise, and will undoubtedly make our roads a more visually interesting place.

But would you have one over the Tesla Model 3 or BYD Seal? Read on.

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Deep dive comparison

2024 MG HS +EV 2026 Kia Ev4

Verdict

The MG HS +EV Essence is a nicely specified medium SUV that should suit a lot of people. It looks really nice and I love that it's fairly practical with its features and size but would like some of the tech to improve. It’s not always seamless to use and in this market, tech is very important. The price tag and the on-going costs are hard to beat and if you’re looking for a greener option that will happily cruise in the city or on the open-road, this isn’t a bad option.

Verdict

An electric sedan is really shrinking the buyer pool, which is why Kia has such gentle expectations for the EV4 in Australia. But it's a lovely driving EV with plenty of perks, and the design alone will brighten up Australia's roadways. For my money, I'd either be going for the cheapest one that's sharp value with plenty of kit, or the flagship GT-Line that gets the big battery and the works in terms of equipment. The Earth for me sits in no-man's land.

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

Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number of automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

MG HS +EV vs Kia Ev4 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

MG HS +EV vs Kia Ev4
What's the difference?