MG MG4 Urban vs Honda Accord

What's the difference?

The MG4 Urban is not only the right car at the right time, perfectly catering to buyers looking to avoid rising petrol prices, it’s also a welcome return-to-form for MG as a brand.

MG is seemingly at its best when it sticks to small cars. It has traditionally excelled with the MG3 and ZS, smaller, more affordable products that keep expectations in check and can win over customers looking for the best bang-for-their-buck rather than simply the best car.

That’s not to say the MG4 Urban isn’t a good car. It offers tremendous value for money, excellent interior space and drives nicely, so anyone who has been considering making the switch to an EV should seriously consider this new arrival.

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

Will the new Honda Accord e:HEV RS topple the SUV throne? Unlikely, but it proves sedans can still haul the family around in relative comfort and style.

The new Accord drives stupidly well and offers great ongoing ownership costs, even if it's price tag is a little steep. It's hybrid powertrain also offers fantastic efficiency and that's a big win.

MG says the design inspiration for the MG4 Urban came from the $100,000 Cyberster. While there are certainly a lot of differences between that roadster and this hatchback, the air-intakes and wheel design are indeed very similar. And I guess the badge is the same too, so there’s that…

But, comparing it to the Cyberster misses the point. What makes the MG4 Urban’s design more interesting is the bits you can’t see. While it shares the same name as the MG4 Hatch, this car has almost nothing in common with it. That’s because this new MG4 Urban is based on the brand’s newer EV underpinnings that debuted on the MGS5 EV.

That means the MG4 Urban is front-wheel drive, whereas the hatch is rear-wheel drive, and because of the way the battery is integrated into the chassis, it creates not only a bigger hatchback but also one with a different shape.

The Urban is more ‘cab forward’ (to use design parlance) meaning a shorter bonnet, which creates more cabin room. It also means there is more boot space because the powertrain is located up front.

MG does a good job with cabin presentation too. It’s another step forward for the brand, improving the overall level of fit and finish from its earlier models, to create a cabin that looks modern and doesn’t feel like it has been built to a price.

The design for the new Accord is powerful with a sexy silhouette that features a rear spoiler, black accents and sporty 18-inch alloy wheels.

The old chunky grille is long gone and at certain angles you almost get a Nissan 200 SX vibe, which is gorgeously retro and a refreshing take for Honda - which has been playing it safe for the last few years.

The interior is simply styled but looks timeless. The dashboard has clean lines and a featured honeycomb mesh that hides the air-vents. It's a feature which might not land with everyone but it adds personality.

The black upholstery looks plush and there are enough soft-touchpoints to make the cabin feel like it deserves a premium tag.

As I just mentioned, the cabin is bigger than the other MG4, which creates good space in both seating rows. 

Up front they’ve placed the gear selector on the steering column to create space for more storage in the centre of the car. That means there’s plenty of shelves, cubbies and cup holders to take care of your small (and not so small) items, spread across the cabin.

As for the boot, the switch to a front motor and a smaller rear suspension means a 382-litre boot with all seats up and 1266L if you drop the back seats. Plus there’s a 98L underfloor storage spot, in place of a spare wheel (with a puncture repair kit included instead).

The design of the key controls are simple and easy to use, with a digital display for the instruments ahead of the driver and a 12.8-inch multimedia screen in the centre of the dashboard.

Navigating the menus is relatively straightforward but in a victory for user-friendliness, MG has listened to feedback (and incoming Chinese government regulations) and added some physical controls. There are buttons and a dial for the air-conditioning system and a volume knob for the sound system.

Access to the cabin is great thanks to wide door apertures but the Accord is a low car to get in and out of with its 134mm ground clearance. Expect a couple of grunts when parked on a hill!

Both rows offer ample legroom but the front enjoys the best of the headroom. A 183cm (6.0ft) friend was lumped with the middle seat and spent the trip dreadfully hunched over and uncomfortable. Save the middle seat for kidlets.

The electric front seats offer decent comfort for a longer trip but it's disappointing that only the driver’s side gets lumbar support.  

The rear row enjoys well-padded seats and amenities, like retractable sunblinds, reading lights, two USB-C ports and directional air vents but it took a while for the back to cool down on hot days which my kid made known. Loudly. 

Storage consists of a large glove box and middle console (which can accommodate a small handbag), a sunglasses holder, four cupholders, four drink bottle holders and two map pockets. There is also a dedicated phone tray but a few extra cubbies up front would be welcomed.

The boot offers plenty of space with its 570-litre capacity, which is great for the class, and you can also open up storage options with the ski-port door, if need be. The powered boot release is a handy feature.

The touchscreen multimedia system looks nice but is a pain in the butt to use until you set some time aside to get to know it. It’s just not intuitive but the screen is responsive and it's a bonus that you get the built-in sat nav and Google apps. 

The new Accord gets wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but it took a few beats to get the wireless CarPlay to work.

The charging options are good throughout the car with four USB-C ports, two 12-volt sockets and a wireless charging pad to choose from.

The model line-up has been streamlined for the new Accord and there’s only one variant available, the e:HEV RS model.

The new Accord is well-specified but misses out on some luxurious extras most of its rivals sport, like heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel and heated rear outboard seats.

Which might all seem superfluous at first but maybe not when you consider the new Accord's $64,900, before on-road costs, price tag sits just shy of the more expensive Skoda Superb top model, which is $65,590, before on-roads.

The next two rivals are more affordable with the Mazda 6 Atenza priced at $52,590 MSRP and the new Toyota Camry SL at $53,990 MSRP.

The standard equipment list for the new Accord includes leather-appointed upholstery, electric front seats, lumbar support for the driver's side and a panoramic sunroof.

There's also keyless entry and start, adaptive LED headlights, a powered tailgate and a host of high-end technology throughout.

That includes a new 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system with satellite navigation and built-in Google apps, wired/wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the Honda app (with over-the-air updates), a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, dual-zone climate control, a wireless charging pad and a 12-speaker Bose sound system.

The MG4 Urban Standard Range is powered by a 110kW/250Nm electric motor that drives the front-wheels via a single-speed transmission. The Extended Range has slightly more performance, 118kW and 250Nm, but aside from that they are the same motor.

Our test vehicle has an electric continuously variable transmission and features a new self-charging hybrid powertrain that couples two electric motors with a 2.0L, four-cylinder petrol engine that combine to produce 135kW of power and 335Nm of torque.

Only being available in one powertrain may limit its audience but the combo delivers decent performance for a sedan of this size.

The biggest difference between the two MG4 Urban variants is the battery. The Standard Range has a 43kWh battery good for 316km of driving between charging, while the Extended Range gets a bigger 54kWh battery to make it capable of up to 405km.

We didn’t drive the car long enough to get a clear indication of real-world efficiency and range, but it performed well during our drive in suburban Sydney. The steady stop-start traffic gave the battery its best chance to perform well and the early indications are its range is close to claim, at least under the right circumstances. We’ll have to reserve definitive judgement until we’ve had a longer test drive.

What MG was very keen to highlight are the cost savings of buying an EV at a time of sky-high petrol prices. The company made a point that using off-peak electricity, which can be had for just 6c per kW from certain providers, means you can replenish the battery of the MG4 Urban Standard for just $3.44. 

The new hybrid powertrain means lower outputs and the official combined fuel cycle figure is just 4.3L/100km! Which is only beaten by the Toyota Camry's 4.0L/100km.

The on-test figure pops out at 5.1L/100km after doing a some urban stuff but mostly open-road driving. Which is where hybrids tend to be the least efficient, so the fuel usage is excellent.

Based on the official combined (urban/extra-urban) fuel cycle and 48L fuel tank, you should see a theoretical driving range of up to 1116km, which is a little less than the Toyota Camry but still an amazing range for a family car.

That range figure drops to around 940km using our real-world average consumption number.

What really stood out about the MG4 Hatch is its rear-motor, rear-wheel-drive layout, which made it a very dynamic and almost sporty car. In my 2023 review I called it “a genuinely enjoyable small car to drive".

The MG4 Urban doesn’t quite leave the same impression. Again, we had only a brief and (appropriately) urban test drive around Sydney’s beachside suburbs, but the MG4 Urban proved competent rather than commendable.

But, let’s be honest, unless you’re looking for driving thrills in the wrong place (affordable, city-focused hatchbacks) the MG4 Urban does the job it is required to do. It’s as nice as any other mainstream hatch to drive from Point A to Point B.

The ride could be a little softer and more compliant, with the suspension feeling too firm at times, but with its electric motor it’s a quiet and relaxed driving experience. The electric motor provides adequate performance too, certainly more torque in less time than you’ll get in a petrol-powered hatch.

Curiously, MG Australia executives said the MG4 Urban was locally evaluated and tuned but could only offer a vague mention of ‘holistic’ changes to better suit it to local conditions, rather than pointing to any specific Australia-developed changes to the suspension, steering or powertrain.

Power delivery for the new Accord is pretty punchy and, in most scenarios it’s responsiveness is great. But occasionally, when you’re getting up to speed, there can be a small lag before things kick in.

The Accord handles like a dream and feels firmly planted on the road in corners. Even in high winds, the car feels stable and sure of itself. Delightful.

The cabin is quiet and engine noise is at a minimum most of the time. Around town, the Accord sounds and behaves like an EV. Only once you hit the open road do you get some road noise but it never intrudes on chatting.

It might also be one of the easiest sedans to park and it's got a lot to do with the top-notch 360-degree view camera system and direct steering.

The new Honda Accord hasn’t been assessed by ANCAP yet, but it has eight airbags, which includes a knee airbag for the front passenger, but you miss out on a front centre airbag.

Standard active (crash avoidance) safety tech includes blind-spot monitoring, driver attention alert, rear occupant alert, forward collision warning, tyre pressure monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, intelligent seatbelt warning, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera system as well as front and rear parking sensors.

There are two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top tethers. The rear seat is wide enough to easily accommodate two big booster seats but you might get lucky with three smaller seats.

The MG4 Urban is covered by the brand’s 10-year/250,000km warranty, as long as you service it at an official MG service centre. If you don’t get your car serviced with the company directly, your warranty reverts to seven-year/unlimited km coverage.

Servicing intervals are every 12 months or 25,000km and will cost you $1366 over the first five years. The cheapest visit is just $149 but the major service, after four years, is a pricey $472, which does push against the idea that EVs are cheaper to service due to less moving parts.

The Accord comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, and an eight-year battery warranty, which are now normal terms for the class.

You get a five-year capped priced servicing program and it costs just $199 per service, which is very competitive.

Servicing intervals could get annoying if you put a lot of kays on your car as they're set at every 12-months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first.