[Paul-H]

MG MG4 2022-present vs. Volkswagen ID.3 2019-present

MG MG4 Hatchback 2022-present vs. Volkswagen ID.3 Hatchback 2019-present. Compare car dimensions (length, width and height) vs. street perspective.

www.carsized.com

I hadn’t noticed untill looking at that but the overhangs are a chunk bigger on the mg4. If you minus the wheelbase from the total length to get the overhangs, then the mg is 9 cm greater. No idea how that’s distributed front to back.

One thing to watch with the eNiro - the boot may be listed as 451L online but the UK spec one is absolutely not. It has a foam insert that sits below the boot floor and probably removes around 75L.

It’s an oddly shaped thing. My brother had an old Niro at the same time I had my id3. He came to bail me out one time when I had a double puncture on my bike and it was surprisingly difficult to get the bike in, it’s doesn’t feel any bigger than the id3 at all.

 

[Greenline]

1837 mm wide so 1mm wider than the MG4 (between the MG4 and the ID.4 on my table). As an American living in the UK, you really can't compare car sizes between the two countries - the ID.4 is sometimes called a "hatchback" in the US, while here it is a decently-sized family SUV! (As an anecdote, when we first moved here we bought a Nissan Qashqai, called a Rogue in the states. We always felt like it was a big(ish) SUV because we drove it on UK roads, until the day we parked it next to an American Dodge Grand Caravan... I swear you could have fit the Qashqai inside the Grand Caravan's boot!)
Size aside I do like the Volvos but the EX30's boot seems tiny - at 3318 L it is even smaller than the old Kona's!

Fair point. lol

I looked on Volvos website and with the second row up it actually has 400 L of rear cargo space all the while the length, at 4233mm, is actually shorter than your e-golf so it should be easy to drive/park while offering more cargo space than anything within the same dimmensions.

As for width, I know that the streets there can be far narrower than in America, but would a vehicle that is only 2% wider in width really be a dealbreaker? I was under the impression that length would be a bigger concern as on street parking has spots with far shorter lengths than in America.

Those EX30s are selling like mad here in America. They have year long waiting lists at the current moment. The only reliability concerns on them from reports here were the infotainment systems but it seems over-the-air updates have resolved them.

Considering it's 1% shorter might offset the fact it's 2% wider? Especially considering rear cargo is nearly 15% larger than your e-golf seems like a good trade-off. It also has 7L of space in the "engine bay", not much by any means, but still helpful to keep something like a medical kit and power cord inside.

 

[deec]

It’s an oddly shaped thing. My brother had an old Niro at the same time I had my id3. He came to bail me out one time when I had a double puncture on my bike and it was surprisingly difficult to get the bike in, it’s doesn’t feel any bigger than the id3 at all.

This I can agree with. I can fit 4 big suitcases in the boot with the false floor removed but I need to drop the rear seats to get a bike in.

 

[Paul-H]

@Greenline this should answer your question 😂

 

[Ambassador Spock]

Fair point. lol

I looked on Volvos website and with the second row up it actually has 400 L of rear cargo space all the while the length, at 4233mm, is actually shorter than your e-golf so it should be easy to drive/park while offering more cargo space than anything within the same dimmensions.

As for width, I know that the streets there can be far narrower than in America, but would a vehicle that is only 2% wider in width really be a dealbreaker? I was under the impression that length would be a bigger concern as on street parking has spots with far shorter lengths than in America.

Those EX30s are selling like mad here in America. They have year long waiting lists at the current moment. The only reliability concerns on them from reports here were the infotainment systems but it seems over-the-air updates have resolved them.

Considering it's 1% shorter might offset the fact it's 2% wider? Especially considering rear cargo is nearly 15% larger than your e-golf seems like a good trade-off. It also has 7L of space in the "engine bay", not much by any means, but still helpful to keep something like a medical kit and power cord inside.

The main issue with the EX30 is the price - cheapest used I can find are around £23k, which is a hell of a lot more than I'd get for the ID.4. It'd be silly to downgrade size and range and have to fork out £6k for the privilege...

 

[decimal]

So I'm dealing with a bit of a domestic issue at the moment - we've got an ID.4 and an e-Golf (I drive the Golf to work and my wife drives the ID.4 when needed). We mostly love the ID.4 but my wife is getting more and more frustrated with driving it through our village due to its size. Today's school run may have been the catalyst for a 'fun' conversation about getting rid of it... For the time being we'll swap cars, with me taking the ID.4 to work and her driving the much easier-to-park e-Golf, but tbh I don't like to idea of driving alone in a big SUV any more than she does! We initially bought the ID.4 as we needed a "family" car capable of taking us (two adults, two kids, and a small dog) and our stuff on long trips, but due to some specific circumstances that is not likely to be happening any time soon. I do still want something with decent range though, which knocks out a lot of the smaller EVs I'm familiar with. There are so many more options available now than when we last looked, so I'm looking for some input on potential options for a swap. Priorities are (in order):

1. Size, and particularly width: we want something that "feels" small, is easy to park, etc.
2. Range: we wouldn't want a downgrade in range from the ID.4, so it'd need to do 200 miles minimum year-round
3. Reliability: we've had zero issues with the ID.4 but not so much with the Zoe we owned before the e-Golf... Not looking to go back to worrying about maintenance issues
4. Price: looking on Autotrader we can probably get ~£17k for the ID.4 and we wouldn't want to pay more than that.

What sorts of EVs should we be looking at with these criteria?

This is the kind of scenario the new LEAF is aimed at..
But that's not going to be available for a few months.
And it won't be £17k!
Ditto - the MGS5.
I've found the Kia Soul to be a good size, and the range is fine.
Boot space could be an issue coming from the ID.4 though, which will also apply to most of that era of Kia EVs. Yes, it's ugly but the driving position is good, it's easy to park, and feels small enough.
Just wish it had the 360 cameras and it would be perfect for me.
We have the Vauxhall Zafira if we need to haul junk around.. or transport dogs that have rolled around in cow pats all afternoon.

 

[decimal]

Hmm, I wasn't getting notification about replies, sorry about that!

To respond to a few of the suggestions:

• The Megane is too wide (only 2 mm narrower than the ID.4), and also our 4-year experience with the Zoe put us off Renaults...
• Renault 5 is too expensive (and a Renault)
• ID.3 and Cupra Born are big contenders. For some reason I thought the ID.3 was the same width as the ID.4, but I see now that isn't true at all.
• Kia Soul - can't get past the looks (sorry!) and it "feels" big to my wife
• Leaf - would never even consider buying a chademo car in 2025...
• MG5 - narrow but looong - wife has an issue with estates for this reason

I took a few minutes to put together this chart for the wife:

View attachment 216258
(Range Rover just for comparison)

Standouts seem to be the e-Niro (not the new Niro EV) and ID.3/Born. The old Kona would be perfect but the boot is even smaller than my e-Golf's!

+ the old Kona won't have a warranty now, which is probably not a good idea..

 

[Greenline]

The main issue with the EX30 is the price - cheapest used I can find are around £23k, which is a hell of a lot more than I'd get for the ID.4. It'd be silly to downgrade size and range and have to fork out £6k for the privilege...

They are a newer vehicle though. Perhaps still having a bumper-to-bumper warranty is something to be desired and worth the price increase?

If not, I understand. Didn't know your price was a fixed number and lacked flexibility, apologies.

As for range, they do sell an extended range model but that would only further push the price up and with that being a barrier already, is a non-option.

They do come standard with a heat pump though. So on standard range model the year-round performance might be more consistent than the id4 which doesn't have a heat pump on UK models I believe.

 

[Greenline]

@Greenline this should answer your question 😂

I can't see videos through my firewall. Any way for a synopsis?

 

[decimal]

Is that a firm no on Renaults? The 5 is 5 cm narrower and 25 cm shorter than the egolf so is actually a pretty small car even though it looks chonky.
Edit: sorry I’d assumed these had been out long enough to drop down in price but aparently not yet.

the id3/cupra does handle like a small car in car parks as it’s turning circle is fantastic and the wheels are in the corners. It didn’t feel bigger than a Clio in car parks.

I heard that Renault consider the R5 has given them the equivalent of a new brand launch.
It's completely altered public perceptions of the company and opened-up new markets for them.

 

[motmot]

You could easily get a 73 id3 Tour with the big battery and ALL the options for the trade in… only downside is 4 seats.

 

[artyman]

That is the problem with so many new cars, the width can make them a right pain to live with, my old E-Niro is 1805 so easy to live with, not found anything yet that entices me to change, width being one of the issues. I find the boot OK but a bit larger would be better, as said removing the first layer of polystyrene and fitting a lower floor should be a simple matter. You should be able to find one of the last ones before the change within your budget. The replacement Niro EV is not quite as economical.

 

[Paul-H]

I can't see videos through my firewall. Any way for a synopsis?

It’s an American comedian ranting about British country roads overlayed over dashcam footage of the country roads. It is pretty funny. Living here you just accept it as normal but you wouldn’t tolerate it if it was being built today.

 

[Greenline]

It’s an American comedian ranting about British country roads overlayed over dashcam footage of the country roads. It is pretty funny. Living here you just accept it as normal but you wouldn’t tolerate it if it was being built today.

Ah, I take it some roads can be "rough" then? lol

I'll have to try to watch it once I get a chance. Sounds pretty funny.

 

[Rbrian]

Ah, I take it some roads can be "rough" then? lol

I'll have to try to watch it once I get a chance. Sounds pretty funny.

This is a lane not far from where I grew up, in a house in a village more than a thousand years older than the USA. They’re known as sunken lanes, the trees meet overhead so it’s like driving through a green tunnel, with hardly any visibility. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunken_lane

That’s why I crashed my Citroen BX into a Ford Sierra - both of which look tiny today, but 30 years ago they were large cars, and there wasn’t enough room for both. It would have helped if my brake pedal wasn’t bent, stamping on the accelerator at the same time didn’t help me stop.

 

[HandyAndy]

I believe the iD.3 Long Range option restricts you to 4 seats, not 5. Reason is the battery weighs rather more, and pushes the total weight too close to some limit or other. 2000 Kg maybe, whatever.

 

[Bert Plug]

The old Kona would be perfect but the boot is even smaller than my e-Golf's!

Interesting to know if the boot volumes you're looking at include all the space under the board in the boot. I've had both and the Kona's boot doesn't appear that much smaller than the Golf, but, I've took the board and big block of styrofoam out of the boot as they don't seem to do anything.

 

[sidehaas]

So I'm dealing with a bit of a domestic issue at the moment - we've got an ID.4 and an e-Golf (I drive the Golf to work and my wife drives the ID.4 when needed). We mostly love the ID.4 but my wife is getting more and more frustrated with driving it through our village due to its size. Today's school run may have been the catalyst for a 'fun' conversation about getting rid of it... For the time being we'll swap cars, with me taking the ID.4 to work and her driving the much easier-to-park e-Golf, but tbh I don't like to idea of driving alone in a big SUV any more than she does! We initially bought the ID.4 as we needed a "family" car capable of taking us (two adults, two kids, and a small dog) and our stuff on long trips, but due to some specific circumstances that is not likely to be happening any time soon. I do still want something with decent range though, which knocks out a lot of the smaller EVs I'm familiar with. There are so many more options available now than when we last looked, so I'm looking for some input on potential options for a swap. Priorities are (in order):

1. Size, and particularly width: we want something that "feels" small, is easy to park, etc.
2. Range: we wouldn't want a downgrade in range from the ID.4, so it'd need to do 200 miles minimum year-round
3. Reliability: we've had zero issues with the ID.4 but not so much with the Zoe we owned before the e-Golf... Not looking to go back to worrying about maintenance issues
4. Price: looking on Autotrader we can probably get ~£17k for the ID.4 and we wouldn't want to pay more than that.

What sorts of EVs should we be looking at with these criteria?

Do you like how the ID.4 works?
If so, buy an ID.3. It's better than an ID.4 if you do not need the space or regularly carry backseat passengers. It drives great and is one of the easiest cars of its size to park and manoeuvre that you will find. There are loads about at good prices in the used market.
I drive both our cars regularly and the ID3 feels significantly smaller on the road / to park.
If you want a change, maybe a Megane? I had a test drive as a passenger in one with my mum and was impressed, although rear visibility was poor (that put her off). And there are still very cheap leases about on Ford Pumas that might bring a new one in budget if your mileage is low (edit, probably wouldn't have the range).

P.S. if you really do want to keep the same or more range, if you went for an ID3/Born you'd need the 77kwh battery. There is a lot more choice of used cars in the 58 kwh version (which we find fine for long trips) but you lose about 30 miles vs a 77kwh ID4 on the motorway.

 

[Edinburgh 2000]

FWIW, I recently traded in my 2018 Leaf and bought a 2024 MG4 Trophy Extended Range, and I love it. It is noticably shorter than the Leaf and so fits neatly in my garage. It is a few mm wider but I can cope with that. I paid less than £19k for it. It has all the toys - 360 cameras, heated seats, intelligent speed limiter etc. I would recommend it. The 77kWh battery should give 300 miles range in most scenarios.

I did a spreadsheet like yours, and was on the fence between the MG4 and the ID3. But the ID3 at that price did not have the 360 cameras, which is what swayed my decision.

 

[EVJourney]

I took a few minutes to put together this chart for the wife:

What shocks me the most is worry about the width, women will normally tell you 6cm isn't a lot, and that is the difference between an e-Golf and ID.7 in width!