Disclosure: Both vehicles were 7-day press loans. The MG4 was a 64 kWh Trophy Long Range. The BYD Dolphin was a 60.4 kWh Design. Both were driven on the same roads, in the same weather, by the same driver. All costs calculated using UK energy prices.
The Setup
The MG4 and BYD Dolphin are the two electric hatchbacks making affordable EVs genuinely exciting. Both start under £30,000 in the UK. Both promise over 400 km of WLTP range. Both come from Chinese brands — MG now owned by SAIC, BYD by, well, BYD — with very different approaches to winning over Western buyers.
One is a driver's car in sensible clothing. The other is a comfort-focused city car with surprising depth. After a week in each, here's which one earns its place on your driveway.
Round 1: Price and Value
Model | Starting Price (UK) | Test Car Price |
|---|---|---|
MG4 64 kWh Trophy | £29,995 | £29,995 |
BYD Dolphin 60.4 kWh Design | £30,990 | £30,990 |
On paper, they're neck and neck. The MG4 undercuts the Dolphin by about £1,000 at equivalent trim levels. But purchase price only tells half the story. The MG4 comes with a 7-year warranty. The Dolphin offers 6 years for the vehicle and 8 years for the battery. Both are strong.
The Dolphin includes more standard equipment at this price point — heated seats, a panoramic roof, and a 12.8-inch rotating screen are all included. The MG4 makes you pay extra for some of these on lower trims.
Winner: Tie — the MG4 is cheaper to buy; the Dolphin gives you more for the money.
Round 2: Real-World Range
We ran both cars through identical mixed driving loops. Here's what happened.
Condition | MG4 (64 kWh) | Dolphin (60.4 kWh) |
|---|---|---|
City and suburban (17°C) | 418 km | 392 km |
Mixed (14°C) | 385 km | 360 km |
Motorway, 110 km/h | 330 km | 298 km |
Winter mixed (4°C) | 340 km | 318 km |
WLTP Claimed | 450 km | 427 km |
The MG4 consistently goes further. Its slightly larger battery helps, but the real difference is efficiency. The MG4 averaged 15.3 kWh/100 km across our tests. The Dolphin averaged 16.8 kWh/100 km. Over a year of driving, that gap adds up.
On the motorway, the MG4's advantage grows. Its more aerodynamic shape and rear-wheel-drive efficiency give it a 32 km edge at constant speed. For buyers who do regular longer trips, this matters.
Winner: MG4
Round 3: Charging
Metric | MG4 | Dolphin |
|---|---|---|
Peak DC speed | 135 kW | 88 kW |
10–80% (measured) | 31 minutes | 38 minutes |
Range added in 15 minutes | 180 km | 140 km |
The MG4 charges faster — significantly faster. A 135 kW peak versus 88 kW means less time at charging stations on long journeys. The 7-minute difference in a 10–80% charge doesn't sound dramatic, but on a 600 km road trip with two charging stops, it adds up to nearly half an hour saved.
Both cars charge fine on a 7 kW home charger overnight.
Winner: MG4
Round 4: Driving Experience
This is where these cars diverge most dramatically.
The MG4 is a proper driver's car hiding in an affordable hatchback body. Rear-wheel drive, balanced chassis, genuinely enjoyable steering. Push it through a roundabout and it rotates beautifully. The suspension is firm but never harsh. If you enjoy driving — like, actually enjoy it — the MG4 delivers something rare at this price: fun.
The Dolphin is tuned for comfort. Softer suspension, lighter steering, a more relaxed demeanor. It's not sporty and doesn't pretend to be. It wafts over broken pavement that would make the MG4 fidget. In town, the Dolphin is the more relaxing companion. On a twisty B-road, it's a passenger.
Winner: MG4 (for drivers), Dolphin (for comfort). Overall: MG4 — because fun matters.
Round 5: Interior Quality and Design
The Dolphin's interior is the more interesting place to sit. The 12.8-inch rotating screen is a genuine talking point, the vegan leather seats feel premium, and the overall design has character — curves, textures, marine-themed details that reference the Dolphin name without being childish.
The MG4's interior is more conventional. Clean lines, decent materials, a smaller 10.25-inch screen. It's perfectly fine, but it lacks the sense of occasion the Dolphin delivers. The MG4's seats are comfortable but look ordinary. The Dolphin's look and feel special.
Build quality is good in both, but the Dolphin edges ahead with tighter panel gaps and more consistent material choices. The MG4 has some hard plastics in places your elbows find.
Winner: BYD Dolphin
Round 6: Infotainment and Software
Neither car wins a software award, but they fail differently.
The MG4's system is basic but mostly functional. The screen responds adequately. Smartphone mirroring works. The menu structure is logical. The graphics look dated, and there's occasional lag when switching between functions. It's fine. Nothing more.
The Dolphin's system is more ambitious but more frustrating. The rotating screen is great hardware. The software has translation quirks, buried climate controls, and a voice assistant that doesn't understand regional accents. Wireless Apple CarPlay saves it — connect your phone and bypass the native system entirely.
Winner: Neither is great. MG4 for simplicity; Dolphin for hardware. Overall: Tie.
Round 7: Interior Space and Practicality
Feature | MG4 | Dolphin |
|---|---|---|
Boot capacity | 363 litres | 345 litres |
Rear legroom | Good | Excellent |
Rear headroom | Good | Good |
Flat-folding rear seats | Yes (60/40) | Yes (60/40) |
The MG4 has a slightly bigger boot. The Dolphin has slightly more rear legroom — the flat floor and long wheelbase make a genuine difference for adult passengers. Both are perfectly usable for a family of four.
The Dolphin's slightly taller roofline makes loading child seats easier. The MG4's lower stance makes it marginally more awkward in this regard. Small difference, but parents will notice.
Winner: BYD Dolphin (just)
Round 8: Refinement and Noise
At city speeds, both are silent as expected. At motorway speeds, differences emerge.
The Dolphin has more wind noise around the door mirrors. The MG4 has slightly more tyre roar on coarse surfaces. Neither is intrusive, but the MG4 feels the more settled long-distance cruiser — its lower roofline and better aero reduce wind buffeting at speed.
The Dolphin's softer suspension means less road noise transmitted through the cabin on rough urban roads. It's the quieter car in town.
Winner: Tie — pick based on where you drive most.
Round 9: Warranty and Peace of Mind
Brand | Vehicle Warranty | Battery Warranty |
|---|---|---|
MG | 7 years / 150,000 km | 7 years / 150,000 km |
BYD | 6 years / 150,000 km | 8 years / 200,000 km |
MG offers a longer overall warranty. BYD offers a longer battery warranty. Both are transferable to subsequent owners. MG's longer general coverage provides broader peace of mind, especially for components beyond the battery.
Both brands are expanding service networks in the UK and Europe. MG has a head start thanks to its longer market presence and existing dealer relationships. BYD is catching up fast but still has gaps in coverage.
Winner: MG (by a small margin)
The Scorecard
Round | Winner |
|---|---|
1. Price and Value | Tie |
2. Real-World Range | MG4 |
3. Charging | MG4 |
4. Driving Experience | MG4 |
5. Interior Quality | Dolphin |
6. Infotainment | Tie |
7. Space and Practicality | Dolphin |
8. Refinement | Tie |
9. Warranty | MG4 |
Final count: MG4 4, Dolphin 2, Ties 3.
Who Should Buy the MG4
You enjoy driving and want an EV that rewards a good road. You do regular motorway journeys and value faster charging. You want maximum range for your money. You prefer a conventional interior layout that just works.
Who Should Buy the BYD Dolphin
You spend most of your time in town and value comfort above all else. You want more standard equipment for your money. You appreciate interior design with personality. You carry adult passengers in the rear regularly and value legroom. You want a car that feels special every time you get in.
The Honest Verdict
The MG4 wins more rounds, and it wins the ones that matter on paper: range, charging, and driving dynamics. It's the objective choice — the car that does more things well for more people.
But the Dolphin wins the rounds that matter emotionally: interior quality, design character, and passenger comfort. It's the car that makes you smile when you open the door, even if the infotainment frustrates you occasionally.
If I were spending my own money, I'd buy the MG4. It's the better all-rounder, the more efficient machine, and the more enjoyable drive. I'd miss the Dolphin's interior ambience and its softer urban ride, but the MG4's extra range and faster charging would matter more to my real-world life.
If my driving were 90% city, I'd flip that choice. The Dolphin is the better urban companion, and in stop-start traffic, its comfort advantage outweighs the MG4's dynamic talents.
There is no wrong answer. The fact that two sub-£31,000 EVs can be this good, this competent, and this genuinely desirable is remarkable. The Chinese EV invasion isn't coming. It's already here. And it's making electric cars better for everyone.
