Cupra Born vs MG4 – which is best?

The Cupra Born is a sportier version of the VW ID.3 and benefits from the experience and parts sharing within the VW Group. The MG4, meanwhile, comes with the backing of a major Chinese conglomerate and offers cutting-edge tech. They’re very comparable, but which should you buy?

Cupra Born vs MG4 compared

Styling

Both the Born and MG4 jazz up a pretty conventional hatchback shape with some eye-catching details. Both have sharply angled LED headlights and a plunging bonnet, and both push the wheels out right to each corner, maximising interior space.

MG wouldn’t mind us saying that the 4 looks like a spaceship, with bold lines, sculpted surfacing and clever detailing. It’s clearly trying to project a sporty look, which is underlined on Trophy-spec models with the big two-section spoiler. The Born gets its sportiness from copper touches and trim pieces designed to look like big air vents.

To our eyes, the Born looks a little more cohesive than the MG4, although we do like the way the 4 looks. And you can get the MG in some truly out-there paint colours like this oompa-loompa orange.

Interior

There are clear similarities inside, as the Cupra and MG are both dominated by a central touchscreen. The MG’s dashboard feels a bit more pared back than the Cupra’s, partly due to the Born’s covered central storage area and partly due to the bigger touchscreen.

Considering you’ll need to go through the touchscreen for most functions in the MG4, it’s a little on the small side. TV-sized screens are excessive, yes, but the 4’s screen crams a lot of info, options and features into the display and it all looks a bit busy. Thankfully the menus are (mostly) intuitively laid out, and there’s a star button on the steering wheel that can be customised for one of your most-used features.

The Born’s screen is bigger and easier to read, although some of the menus could be easier to find. The graphics and responses are both a little better in the Cupra, while the remaining physical controls are better labelled than in the MG.

Dimensions and practicality

While boot space is fine in the MG4 and average in the Cupra Born, these cars both offer excellent rear-seat space. Two tall adults can sit one behind the other with no issues whatsoever. If you’re not tall, you simply get to enjoy an incredible amount of stretch-out room.

The MG4’s rear seats are slightly too upright for our liking, while the Cupra’s more reclined seats make it a bit easier to relax on long journeys.

Further back, the MG’s boot looks a little narrower but there’s less of a load lip than in the Cupra, so it’s a score draw. Both will feel a little squeezed if you’ve got a newborn’s pushchair or more than a couple of big suitcases.

Range and performance

Most Born models come with a 58kWh battery, which enables a maximum quoted range of 259 miles. This is the ‘standard range’ Born and the cheapest. There’s a long-range 77kWh battery that offers up to 340 miles to a charge.

That figure beats the MG4’s 323-mile estimate from its 77kWh Extended Range battery. But the MG has the upper hand on the smaller batteries – the ‘Long Range’ 64kWh version promises 281 miles, and there’s a smaller 51kWh battery option available which reduces the cost.

Remember that these figures are best-case projections, and your range will vary depending on how and where you drive, plus the prevailing weather conditions and the health of the battery pack.

Both the Cupra and MG send their power to the rear wheels, which means the front wheels don’t have to do the steering and control over 200hp, all at the same time. As a result, both cars offer plenty of grip and stability, plus brisk acceleration up to motorway speeds.

The Cupra feels a little quicker, and it’s set up with driving fun in mind. It’s darty and hot hatch-like, whereas the MG is set up to be a serene daily driver – it’s wafty, confidence-inspiring and easy to place.

Cupra Born VZ vs MG4 XPower

If you’re a speed freak, the Cupra and MG both offer something to whet your appetite. The MG4 XPower is exhilaratingly rapid in a straight line, with its 0-62mph time of just 3.8 seconds comprehensively outgunning the Cupra’s 5.6-second sprint. It’s actually faster than many peacocking sports cars and supercars!

Although the Cupra Born VZ is less ballistically bonkers than the XPower, it’s a more rounded hot hatch that makes the MG look a bit like a one-trick pony. A range of chassis upgrades improve the driving experience, and the new Sabelt bucket seats keep your organs in the right places through fast corners. But also, the VZ’s adaptive dampers improve the ride quality, and it boasts the biggest battery of any Born for the longest quoted range in the lineup – 372 miles is possible if you can avoid pinning the go pedal. That’s some way north of MG’s 239-mile estimate.

Value

In terms of price, the MG humiliates the Cupra. Comparing brand-new cars, there’s a difference of around £8,000 between the respective entry-level models – but £2,000 of that is because the MG comes with a smaller battery.

The Born counters with more standard equipment. A heated steering wheel, reversing camera, connected features and a roof spoiler are all included on the entry-level Born V1 but not on the MG4 SE. By the time you’ve compared the Born V1 with the MG4 Trophy, the Born is still around £3,000 more – but Cupra throws in sports seats, sports suspension with drive modes and bigger wheels.

On the used market, the Cupra is still more expensive but the gap narrows. If you’re going to be buying on PCP finance, the difference in monthly prices isn’t much at all. Both represent excellent value as a second-hand buy.

Both have a longer warranty than average. The Cupra's five-year warranty is beaten for length by MG's seven years of cover, however.

Which is best?

The MG4 is a car that makes your wallet feel good – prices are temptingly low and running costs are potentially a fraction of a petrol rival. It’s spacious, decently equipped and drives perfectly for normal everyday journeys.

The Cupra Born makes you feel good. Its interior is a nicer place to be, it’s entertaining to drive and it still handles the practical stuff well. And when you realise that a used example in particular is only a small step up from the MG, you could well be tempted to go for the Cupra.

Why not make your own mind up by taking these cars out for test drives at your local Motorpoint store?

Read our Cupra Born review and MG4 review for more information on these cars. Made your mind up? Shop used Cupra Born cars and used MG4 cars for sale.