MG Mg4 Urban vs Lexus NX300
What's the difference?

MG Mg4 Urban

$29,990 - $32,990

2026 price

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Lexus NX300

$29,990 - $46,895

2020 price

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Summary

2026 MG Mg4 Urban

2020 Lexus NX300

By Stephen Ottley

By Tung Nguyen

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

7.9L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Good value small car
Stylish and spacious interior
Return of physical buttons

Styling
Frugal engine
Classy interior appointments

Dislikes

Active safety tech still needs work
Ride feels too firm at times
Cheap but not the cheapest EV

Dated multimedia system
Narcoleptic driving dynamics
Old-gen tech

2026 MG Mg4 Urban Summary

MG needs a win, and the MG4 Urban may be the right car at the right time to give the Chinese brand a major boost.

It has been a rough few years for MG, with sales in decline for the past two years, which has seen it tumble from Australia’s favourite Chinese car maker to a distant fourth place behind BYD, GWM and Chery.

Part of that could be because of its rapid expansion, both in terms of its total number of models but also the size of the vehicles it’s offering. The larger QS SUV and U9 ute have both received underwhelming responses from the car-buying public.

So, MG has returned to its roots - small, affordable cars. The MG4 Urban, not to be confused with the MG4 Hatch, is its new price-leading electric car and the company’s new management hopes it leads a sales revival.

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2020 Lexus NX300 Summary

Having been on the market since 2014, the NX mid-size SUV quickly shot up the Lexus sales charts to become the brand’s most-popular model.

The SUV-hungry Australian market ate up the premium crossover, which also had the distinction of offering a hybrid powertrain.

In 2020 though, with SUVs popping up left, right and centre from premium and mainstream brands, can the NX still hold its own as an inner-city cruiser?

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Interested in a Lexus NX300?

Deep dive comparison

2026 MG Mg4 Urban 2020 Lexus NX300

Verdict

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.

Verdict

The Lexus NX 300h F Sport is both a comfortable and luxurious family hauler that is held back by just a few things.

Of course, gripes like the underwhelming dynamics might not be an issue for all, but the less-than-stellar fuel economy (for a hybrid, at least), disappointing practicality and fiddly multimedia will affect all potential buyers.

However, this is balanced out by loads of equipment and premium appointments for a reasonable price, which should put the Lexus NX on your shopping list if you are keen for an inner-city premium SUV cruiser.

MG Mg4 Urban vs Lexus NX300 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

MG Mg4 Urban vs Lexus NX300
What's the difference?