What's the difference?
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.
Long the domain of first-car buyers and suburbanites winding down on their driving years, the Toyota Yaris is now hybrid-only, and is a far cry from the $15,000-or-so cheap and cheerful staple it once was.
But with its fourth generation a few years into its lifespan, the Yaris is trying to be more than just a basic A-to-B runabout. In fact, the ZR we have on test is more expensive than an entry-grade Volkswagen Polo.
Does more than $30,000 of light hatch really feel worth it once you’re behind the wheel, or are you better off pocketing almost $10,000 to save on one of the thinning pack of rivals?
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.
The Toyota Yaris is as much car as many people should really need, and it's a refreshing antidote to the largely unnecessary shift towards SUVs as the ‘default vehicle’.
In the case of the ZR grade, the pricing could understandably be a reason you might consider an SUV instead. There are plenty of options for a similar price.
The problem with an SUV though is it will likely be less efficient and, due to physics, less agile and fun to drive.
Given the price and the fact that a couple of features are missing, the ZR probably isn't the variant to go for, but the Yaris is an overall solid foundation for a very convincing hatchback.