Mark Gallivan Report – MOTORING
Three electrified cars you might actually like to drive
Let’s talk about the horror of impending doom. Maybe it’s the upcoming after dinner speech you agreed to in a moment of weakness. But nothing in the galaxy comes close be being forced to ditch your turbo four, in-line-six or V8 petrol engine pride and joy for a new utterly silent electrified family car. The inert nature of an EV’s personality and lack of engagement with boxy looks sees you sinking in a vat of gloopy despair. Even the World Health Organization says the wretched things are detrimental to your health. Well, possibly.
That said, there are three family EVs on sale that you might actually like to own and drive. Each, mind you, for different reasons. The Kia EV6 GT, the MG4 EV and Renault’s Megane E-Tech Electric.
2023 Kia EV6 GT
Every great car deserves a bold headline. Good. Kia has one pre-baked for you to marvel over. The Kia EV6 GT will reach 0-100km/h in 3.5 seconds and crack 260km/h maximum speed. That’s not a typo – 3.5 seconds to 100km/h. To put that figure into context that’s similar to a Porsche 911 Carrera S. Then stand back and observe the EV6 GT’s exterior design. Whether it’s the standard EV6 or this range-topping GT we’re testing here it’s impossible to dispute how sharp a crossover SUV it looks.
The face stretching acceleration is backed up by a searing 585PS and a thumping 740Nm torque. Stop somewhere isolated and thump your foot on the accelerator and the massive surge is slightly sickening and you will be in disbelief how rapid the EV6 GT covers ground. Overtaking a truck? That’s dispatched in a few seconds. Using its all-wheel drive powertrain there’s no scrubbing of tyres and even the non-GT AWD car is no slouch and reaches 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds.
The EV6 GT’s electric range is respectable at 424km supporting 800 volt ultra-fast charging. The 77.4kWh long-range lithium-ion will charge 10-18 per cent in under 20 minutes as long as you can find a charging point that works. Yet that range is still around 50 per cent of what a diesel equivalent car will do. Bear this in mind if you’re driving city to city rather than staying in the city.
The tweaks over the standard EV6 model include new bumpers and 21 inch alloy wheels new seats with the spoiler from the GT line. Sitting on the Hyundai/KIA shared E-GMP platform the cabin is also a fine place with ample head and rear legroom. I also commended the cabin’s quality and layout when I tested the standard EV6 at launch. For my money the Kia EV6 is an excellent choice and the GT version enhances the appeal with the potential for serious performance. All the desirable features of the standard EV6 remain present and this GT version feels like a premium product with enough personality to frighten the German rivals. Not to mention it can outrun a Porsche 911 – the Kia EV6 is a winner.
2023 Renault Megane E-Tech Electric
Before collecting Renault’s newest small family 100 per cent electric car Renault’s people told me the Megane E-Tech Electric “drove almost as well as a hatchback.” Now normally that, as we all know, is a stretch as any EV’s dynamics are as near as impossible to achieve due to the higher centre of gravity and a heavy battery that’s welded into the floorplan of every electric car. And yet, very quickly after I started driving the Megane E-tech I got what they were talking about. The Megane E-Tech Electric steered with an accuracy and precision that came close to some of the better handling hatchbacks. The steering was sharp – it built up sufficient weight in corners to help the driver judge what the front wheels were doing. That alone is a rare commodity in a family crossover. Especially as it weighs approx 1,600kg
This is Renault’s own punch at Volkswagen’s patchy ID.3 rival. On looks alone the Megane E-TECH Electric wins the gong with a combination of concept show looks, short front and rear overhangs and glitzy 20″ alloy wheels.
Power output is a modest 220bhp using a synchronous motor with coiled rotor and will still reach 100km/h in around 7.5 seconds (I managed 7.9 seconds). Renault says the battery’s range is up to 450kms but when I drove it in the winter it struggled to offer 360kms. The max AC charging speed is 22kW and DC charging speed is 130kw with a consumption of 16.1kWh/100km.
The biggest draw of the Megane is the car’s sublime composure and cushy suspension that made every trip a place to relax. Boot space is decent at 440 litres.
The cabin is a step up from the usual French quality and clever touches like the wrap-around dashboard held appeal and all controls worked crisply. Indeed Renault could show the current batch of crossovers and SUVs how a touchscreen should work properly.
The verdict is straightforward – the Megane E-TECH Electric in may ways betters VW’s ID-3 and other similarly priced Korean rivals. Good looks, great handling and composure with a sensible cabin makes Renault’s outing here a welcome entrant to anyone’s shortlist of EVs.
2023 MG – MG4 EV
This one has been quite the surprise of 2023. My expectations of the MG4 EV, now owned by the Chinese giant SIAC, was lukewarm based on the company’s older models that were dull and offered little in the way of delight for the the buyer. Roll forward the new fully electric MG4 EV and it’s straight onto my shortlist of the better cars I tested this year. Pricing is very keen and a new MG4 EV can be yours in the UK from £26,995 and it’s possible to finance one with a deposit of £8,216 and then pay £129 per month over 25 months with a 125kW 51kWh battery. I tested the €30,995 MG4 Long Range (in Ireland) with a 64kWh battery with 203PS and 184lb-ft. This equates to a brisk 0-100km in 7.7 seconds and a combined range of 435km or potentially a very respectable 450km. Charging from a 50kw battery takes 60 mins (10-80%). Find yourself a 150kw charger and a 10-80% top up is done in 35 minutes. The portly kerb weight is 1,685kg and it’s not the front wheel drive understeer terror you’d expect as it utilises rear-wheel-drive next to the rear motor. Because of this the MG4’s front wheels turn in and bite sharper than many hatchbacks that are hampered by a front wheel drive system.
It’s all new for the MG4 EV which is based on the Modular Scalable Platform (MSP) and although that means precious little to anyone outside of MG the result is a remarkably peppy car that’s entertaining to drive. The MG4 has no less than 6 driving modes but like most EVs with sufficient power the differences between them when driving are minimal. MG has sensibly given the car a sufficient thrust of power so the final drive is measured and it builds smoothly without the common jerkiness of many rivals. This is a plus when crawling in city traffic.
Inside the MG4’s cabin layout is workmanlike and everything is straightforward to comprehend – not always a universal fact with EVs. The dash is dominated by a floating console shelf for the gear selector and handbrake with a wireless phone charger that never kept my phone in place when driving briskly through bends. The dashboard uses a 10.25-inch touchscreen and everything is functional and of average quality. The boot capacity with seats folded up is 363 litres and folded 1,177l litres. Other things? The seats are on the firm side and could have benefited from more side support. But there’s precious little in here to complain about. This is partly due to the expectation at this price and chiefly because the MG4 EV is a cheery thing and painted in Volcano Orange it got plenty of glances. So the MG4 EV has much going for it – it’s good looking, has a solid long electric range, well priced and overall a surprisingly charming ray of fun. Good work, MG.