2024 MG4 EV and MG Marvel R first look: MG’s local lineup gets electrified | Top Gear Philippines - video Dailymotion

Top Gear Philippines

When SAIC announced it would take over the MG brand in the Philippines, it also revealed its plans to launch three elctric vehicles in the local market. Here are the first two: the MG4 EV and the MG Marvel R.  The MG4 EV, a compact hatchback despite appearing like a crossover, comes in two variants priced at P1,468,888 (Standard) and P1,738,888 (Lux). The Marvel R crossover, meanwhile, has just one spec, priced at P2,588,888 (Alpha).  We got to drive these cars briefly before the official launch. Click play on the video above to learn more about their specs and features as well as to get our first impressions. As always, you’re welcome to share your thoughts in the comments.  Dig cars? Read more about cars and motoring here: http://www.topgear.com.ph Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TopGearPH Tweet us: http://www.twitter.com/TopGearPH Follow us on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/TopGearPH Join us on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@topgearph  #topgearph #mgmarvel #mg4ev #mgphilippines   4WZWVWCE7ENBFNC3 MNHYLOMNGD10XAII AVT42BZCT7CYZHJD

Transcript

00:00 MG Philippines is introducing not just one but two new electric vehicles to its lineup,

00:06 the Marvel R and the MG4 EV.

00:21 The MG4 is a hatchback.

00:22 MG isn't calling it a crossover because yeah, it's not.

00:26 It's a bit small for a crossover, but it is a very sporty-looking hatchback with these

00:30 aggressive-looking headlamps and these sharp lines all around the front fascia.

00:34 There are two variants of this one available, but there aren't a lot of external changes

00:38 between the two, save for the rear which has a ducktail spoiler here on the base variant

00:44 and it has a bigger wing on the top-spec variant.

00:47 And this one also sits on 16-inch steelies with aero covers.

00:51 They're not hubcaps.

00:52 While the top-spec variant gets 18-inch wheels with aero covers as well.

00:57 Now before we head on over to the Marvel R, let's check out the interior of this one first.

01:01 MG4 has a nice spacious cabin clad in a mixture of hard and gloss black plastics, some leather

01:07 here and there, and fabric seats.

01:09 You can find the controls on the steering wheel which by the way has a flat bottom and

01:13 a sort of flat top to it.

01:16 Behind it is a small instrument cluster with a nice clear and colorful display.

01:20 Of course, at the middle, you have this wide infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and

01:24 Android Auto connectivity.

01:26 You also won't find a gear shift lever here, but instead you get this knob to shift from

01:31 park to drive.

01:32 Overall, it's a very nice cabin to be in.

01:38 Unlike the MG4, the Marvel R has a very SUV-like styling to it.

01:43 It's sleek and it's very stylish.

01:45 It actually has C-shaped headlamps that remind me a lot of the Toyota Crown SUV.

01:49 At the back, you have more of that typical SUV styling and it really doesn't have that

01:54 outrageous or futuristic-looking styling of the newer EVs of today.

01:58 And now, let's check out the interior.

01:59 The Marvel R has a much more premium interior.

02:03 It's got a lot more leather and of course, a lot more screen.

02:06 It's got this absolutely humongous infotainment system right at the center of the cabin which

02:11 by the way projects the entirety of Apple CarPlay.

02:15 Interior design here is a bit more intricate and it just feels a lot more luxurious overall.

02:20 It also has other features such as the ambient lighting of the side panels and the sizable

02:25 sunroof up top.

02:29 This cabin can easily compete with what other SUVs in the market currently offer.

02:35 We're now inside the MG4 EV and they've prepared a short course for us.

02:40 There's a few tests here, acceleration and braking and there's a short slalom, gymkhana

02:45 sort of course.

02:46 And we're gonna try out acceleration and stopping power and we're gonna try out the handling

02:50 of this car.

02:51 Once I shift to drive, as I've been told earlier, parking brake automatically disengages.

02:57 And this has a few drive modes.

02:58 How can I access the drive modes again?

03:00 Yeah, so this one.

03:02 So right now, we are in normal mode.

03:06 Can I switch to sport mode?

03:07 Let's switch to sport mode.

03:09 So there's also a custom mode available so you can modify the horsepower, steering, pedal

03:15 force, energy recovery as you would like to.

03:17 But let's just switch to the standard sport mode.

03:20 All right, we're now in drive and we're gonna head out.

03:23 Line it up here and you guys ready?

03:27 Kapit?

03:28 All right.

03:29 I don't know what speed I'm gonna hit.

03:34 I don't know what speed I hit but with sport mode on, I was able to stop within this distance

03:44 they've set which is actually pretty impressive.

03:47 So whenever you encounter this type of braking situation, an intense hard braking situation,

03:52 hazard lights automatically turn on and as you brake, the brake lights start to blink.

03:57 Okay, so let's head on over to the slalom course.

04:03 The ride is comfy.

04:06 I can feel it here as we're driving around Bridgetown.

04:09 These aren't exactly the perfect roads and there's little NVH.

04:14 The NVH levels are kept to a minimum.

04:17 Minimum vibrations.

04:18 I don't hear much of the road outside.

04:21 I do hear the raindrops but that's fine.

04:24 And steering is light even with sport mode on.

04:27 It's light.

04:28 I'm not sure if other people would prefer that but yeah.

04:31 Okay, so the course is set.

04:35 It's raining quite hard right now so it'll also be a good test of the grip of the Bridgestone

04:39 EV tires on this car.

04:41 So I guess let's go.

04:42 Let's not go too fast through this course.

04:54 Handling is pretty solid.

04:56 Left, exit, then ikot.

05:02 Alright, now for the turning radius, I'm taking it slow just so I can demonstrate just how

05:08 easy it is to turn with this car and yeah, turning radius is pretty small.

05:15 That will help when you're maneuvering tight streets inside Metro Manila.

05:19 So I can exit here again?

05:20 Yep, and then go follow the road.

05:22 Alright, let's take it a bit at speed this time.

05:25 Is our camera woman okay at the back?

05:43 Let's switch to... let's try Eco mode just so I can feel the acceleration change.

05:49 Yeah, it suppresses the powertrain a bit more for more economical driving, of course.

05:57 We can also turn on high-energy recovery mode.

06:02 This is similar to what other EVs can do.

06:06 It makes the engine braking, if you would, it makes it more aggressive just so you'll

06:11 have more recovery through braking.

06:15 So when you lift off the gas like this, it's gonna brake a bit hard, whereas if you turn

06:20 it to low, it's just gonna coast when you release the gas pedal.

06:24 Oh, there is...

06:26 Yeah, I feel the change in the steering when you switch from sport to something lighter.

06:32 Overall, it's a very comfy car to drive.

06:36 Ride is great and steering is very light.

06:40 Perfect city car.

06:43 I can imagine driving this in traffic-riddled streets and be fine with it.

06:49 By the way, what we're driving right now is the top-spec variant of the MG4.

06:54 This has a 64 kWh battery, has 200 horses and 250 Nm of torque, and has a range of 430

07:02 kilometers on one full charge.

07:04 The base-spec MG4 has a 51 kWh battery with a total output of 170 hp and 250 Nm of torque.

07:13 That one has a range of what?

07:15 - 350.

07:16 - 350, right.

07:17 One-pedal driving mode feels a bit intuitive once you get into it.

07:25 You just have to remember not to step on the brakes.

07:27 - Nice for bumper-to-bumper traffic.

07:29 - Yeah, yeah.

07:30 It's gonna be comfortable to use in heavy traffic.

07:34 So now we're inside the Marvel R, and I'm now tweaking this big, this huge head unit

07:41 that we've been tinkering with all day.

07:43 I just wanna access the drive mode.

07:45 Where are the drive modes?

07:46 - Drive modes, it's here.

07:47 - Oh, here.

07:48 - As you can see it on the...

07:50 - It's easier to switch between drive modes in the Marvel R versus in the MG4 when you

07:55 have to use the head unit.

07:57 So there's still some cover on the cluster, but I can see it's winter mode, wrong one,

08:03 eco mode, normal, and sport mode.

08:06 Let's try sport mode 'cause we're also gonna go through the acceleration and braking tests

08:10 and slalom.

08:11 Before we go, this is also to switch between regeneration.

08:15 - Yes, sir.

08:17 So we have three levels, level one.

08:19 - Ah, that one.

08:21 So we have level one, level two, and level three.

08:23 It's like low, medium, and high for the...

08:26 So let's switch to one, level one.

08:29 And drive mode on.

08:30 We also have a 360-degree camera that almost looks pixelated because it's just a huge screen,

08:36 but it's a good quality camera nonetheless.

08:38 I remember where we stopped with the MG4.

08:40 This is a much more powerful and a much heavier EV, so we'll see how it compares.

08:46 We're now in sport mode, and we're just gonna floor it.

08:49 Alright, you guys okay?

08:50 You guys good?

08:51 Three, two, one.

08:52 Wow, those brakes are powerful.

09:04 Wow.

09:06 The cabin felt much quicker in the MG4, but the stopping power is night and day.

09:12 Wow.

09:13 The pedal is solid.

09:14 Wow, that's impressive.

09:15 I wonder what brand these brakes are.

09:16 Are these OE brakes?

09:17 Do you know?

09:18 - I think so.

09:19 I think it's original from the MG.

09:20 - Oh, that's cool.

09:21 And as with the MG4, NVH levels here are also kept to a minimum.

09:31 It's pouring outside, but it's pretty quiet inside the cabin.

09:35 Pretty quiet here.

09:37 And we're now in sport mode, so does it also tweak the suspension or no?

09:42 - It feels a little bit stiffer when in sport mode.

09:45 And the steering wheel also.

09:46 But not that much.

09:47 - The steering wheel, oh yeah, I feel the steering wheel.

09:50 The suspension, probably, yeah, not that much.

09:53 Or we might need a more extensive test for that.

09:55 But the steering, it's also a lot lighter when it's in normal.

09:59 Alright, let's go.

10:00 Let's take it a bit slow for the first run, just see how it feels.

10:07 This one runs on Michelins, right?

10:14 - Yes.

10:18 - Still pretty impressive for its size and its weight.

10:21 Let's see how the turning radius is for this one.

10:27 It's pretty big considering its size, but still able to make a turn on a two-lane highway.

10:33 So that's good.

10:34 Okay, so I'm gonna enter it again.

10:35 Alright, let's take it a bit quicker this time.

10:56 So what I noticed is I didn't go that fast through the course, but it felt so grippy.

11:05 It felt like it really handled well.

11:08 I am curious to see how this one will take twisties at speed.

11:13 Solid, eh?

11:15 The grip is there and it's pretty precise for that, at least for that course.

11:20 It feels pretty precise.

11:23 So let's try with region mode set to three.

11:27 - So try to floor it and then let go so you can feel the engine brakes.

11:34 - It's not as aggressive as the high mode in the MG4, but it's also still there.

11:41 Does this one have one-pedal driving?

11:45 - I don't think so compared to the MG4.

11:48 So even with the sport mode on, at least it doesn't feel truckish.

11:54 It doesn't feel like your typical SUV with a hydraulic steering.

11:58 It's still pretty light.

12:00 So let's try switching to eco mode.

12:03 Alright, so it's starting to feel sluggish compared to earlier.

12:09 Let's try flooring it with eco mode on.

12:12 So yeah, it suppresses the power train as well quite aggressively, actually.

12:17 That's good when you're driving in the city, you don't really need sport mode.

12:20 - Especially in the EDSA.

12:22 - Yeah, if you're in stop-and-go traffic anyway.

12:25 So we're not going to be able to try out features like adaptive cruise control and lane keep/assist

12:31 or blind spot monitoring because we're only driving around this short course here in Bridgetown.

12:37 But this has been a pretty good preview, a pretty good test of what these EVs are capable

12:43 of.

12:44 I'm eager to try these out on public roads once we're able to test them out properly.

12:50 I'm standing beside the top-spec MG4 EV which we drove earlier.

12:54 Unfortunately, it is outside where it is pretty loud.

12:58 Just to give you a quick look of just how different this is from the base variant which

13:01 we featured earlier is that this one sits on 18-inch wheels with Bridgestone EV tires

13:06 and it has a large wing out back.

13:09 There aren't any available official prices yet as of this shoot, but we were told that

13:13 the MG4 will be priced about Php 1.4 to Php 1.5 million for the base trim and Php 1.7

13:19 to Php 1.8 for this higher-spec variant.

13:22 As for the Marvel R, there is just one variant available and it could be priced anywhere

13:27 between Php 2.5 to Php 2.7 million.

13:30 What do you guys think of MG's newest EVs?

13:32 Let us know in the comments section.

13:33 [Music]

13:38 (upbeat music)

2024 MG4 EV and MG Marvel R first look: MG’s local lineup gets electrified | Top Gear Philippines

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