MG4 EV Urban vs Nissan LEAF (2011-2017)

The Nissan LEAF costs £2,495 more than the MG MG4 EV Urban. On the headline specs that premium buys little measurable advantage - the two are closely matched on range, charging and space. The MG MG4 EV Urban is not just cheaper - it also offers 84 miles more WLTP range, 32 kW faster peak rapid charging and 207 litres more boot space. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the MG MG4 EV Urban comes out ahead overall.

The MG MG4 EV Urban is £2,495 cheaper to buy. Running costs are almost identical - about £168 a year either way, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the MG MG4 EV Urban comes out roughly £2,495 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.

EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 140 miles for the MG MG4 EV Urban and 76 miles for the Nissan LEAF - both below their WLTP figures, because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV. The MG MG4 EV Urban goes roughly 64 miles further between charging stops. Both rapid-charge to 80% in a similar time, around 28-30 minutes.

The Nissan LEAF is the easier car for tight UK car parks: it is 72 mm narrower than the MG MG4 EV Urban. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 630 mm of total clearance for the Nissan LEAF and about 558 mm of total clearance for the MG MG4 EV Urban.

Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 90% battery health for the MG MG4 EV Urban and 65% for the Nissan LEAF. That gives the MG MG4 EV Urban a modest edge in retained real-world range. The MG MG4 EV Urban's LFP-type pack tolerates daily 100% charging, while the Nissan LEAF's NMC-type pack lasts longest kept to about 80% for everyday use. Both batteries carry a 8-year manufacturer warranty.