MG Mg4 Urban vs Maserati Quattroporte

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.

Beauty is way more than skin-deep in the Quattroporte and while the 330 doesn't have the punch of the S, it's hardly that much slower. Maserati reasons you will want to spend the $25,000 saved on options, concentrating on the Italian craftsmanship rather than the outright performance available in the V8 or the efficiency of the less aurally attractive diesel.

As with any car of this type, you've got to want one in the first place, but for a big, beautiful sedan, there's nothing as good looking this side of an Aston Rapide. The Quattroporte 330 does nothing to dim the allure of Modena's big mover and, if you're that way inclined, nobody on the outside will ever know.

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.

Long, flowing lines mark out the Maserati as something quite different to its German, British and Japanese competition. This Quattroporte has increased in every dimension but the lines cover its size beautifully.

Big wheels, long wheelbase, low ride but it still looks like a sedan rather than pretending to be a coupe.

The elegance of the lines is complemented by a distinct lack of bling – there's little in the way of chrome work or shouty details. There's plenty satin finishes available and the beautiful paint, while available in pretty much any colour you like, is best kept to a restrained, deep hue. Or silver.

The cabin will doubtless age well. Classic shapes house a fairly conventional but hugely comfortable cabin. The front seats have heaps of adjustment and are large but supportive. Naturally, the leather is soft and supple.

The central screen isn't the dominant feature, like a 50-inch LCD screen in a small living room while buttons are kept to a minimum.

The rear seat is sensationally comfortable, with hectares of available space and a seat comfortable for either lounging or working.

The current Quattroporte has been with us now for a couple of years in diesel and petrol turbocharged V6s and turbo V8 forms.

The 330BHP uses the same, Ferrari-built V6 but detuned to 'just' 330 bhp. The price has been detuned too, dropping $25,000 from the V6 S's entry price to kick off at $210,000.

Maserati 330bhp benefits from an overall specification improvement across the range, landing in your garage with a ten-speaker stereo with USB and Bluetooth, power everything, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors with reversing camera, cruise control, sat-nav, auto headlights and wipers, double glazed windows and an interior covered in leather and wood.

Later in the year, your Quattroporte will be available with a new silk trim from Zegna

Only very occasionally does it become clear that Maserati is part of the Fiat Group and that moment comes when you use the 7.0-inch central screen in the dash.

eight-speed ZF automatic transmission

The software is based on the group's UConnect and it isn't great. It's not bad, but it feels its age (however, it's much better than the system on the Gran Turismo), needing a lot more work or a quick surrender to Apple's CarPlay or Android Auto.

Once you work your way through the weird menus, it's fine to use and is miles ahead of the not-much-cheaper Lexus LS unit which is almost unusable.

Sound from the ten speaker stereo is crystal clear and the phone performance is also very good.

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.

Like the S, the 330bhp is powered by Maserati's twin turbo 3.0 litre V6, made with more than a dash of Ferrari involvement. As the name suggests, it produces 243kW and a chunky 500Nm. With just under two tonnes to shift, the ubiquitous eight-speed ZF automatic transmission whisks the Quattroporte 100km/h in 5.6 seconds, only half a second down on the 301kW V6 S.

Maserati claims 9.1L/100km on the combined cycle (with the help of stop-start), which seems reasonable given our figure of 10.8L/100km, which we got a with a mix of city and highway running as well as a very enthusiastic blast through some secret back roads.

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.

Just a few hundred metres behind the wheel is all it will take to convince you the Maserati belongs in the same class as the competition. It's incredibly quiet – courtesy of the acoustic double glazing – and all occupants benefit from supreme comfort.

While the 330 is 58kW down on the full fat V6, you won't really miss them. There's a fat torque curve, with all 500Nm available from 1750 to 5000rpm, meaning easy progress for the 5.2 metre sedan.

The Quattroporte has two sport buttons to choose from – one looks after the drivetrain and exhaust valving while the second stiffens up the Skyhook suspension.

With the first sport button pressed, you get a more lively throttle, sharper shifts and a glorious noise from the exhausts, although they are a long way from your ears.

It's still a fast car, with strong acceleration from standstill and in the gears, the power as linear as you like with no real turbo lag and a most un-turbo noise to go with the performance.

The only dynamic problem is the electric steering – it seems to get confused between your inputs and feedback from the road, the tyres feeling like they're 'nibbling' an uneven surface, tweaking the wheel in your hands. 

The assistance is a little spotty, too, unexpectedly changing weight. It's just a bit weird. In normal driving, you'll never notice it.

Six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, brake assist, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.

There is no ANCAP or EuroNCAP safety rating for the Quattroporte.