MG4 EV vs BYD Dolphin: Budget Hatch EV Comparison

The MG4 and BYD Dolphin have become the two default recommendations we give NZ buyers asking for the most car per dollar in the current EV market. Both are new-car purchases with full warranties, both undercut the established Korean and Japanese competition significantly, and both are genuinely good to drive rather than merely cheap.

Price and specification (2026 NZ)

	MG4	BYD Dolphin
Entry price	$41,990 (Excite 51)	$39,990 (Dynamic)
Top spec	$52,990 (XPower)	$44,990 (Premium)
Battery	51 / 64 kWh	44.9 / 60.4 kWh
WLTP range	350 / 435 km	340 / 420 km
Max DC charge	117 / 140 kW	60 / 80 kW
Warranty	7 years / unlimited km + 8-year battery	6 years / 150,000km + 8-year battery

The Dolphin is marginally cheaper at entry, but the MG4 charges significantly faster in both variants — a genuinely important difference for anyone doing road trips rather than pure city driving.

Charging speed: the real dividing line

This is the single biggest practical difference between these two cars. The MG4's 140kW peak charging (Long Range) means a 10–80% top-up in around 25–30 minutes on a suitable fast charger. The Dolphin's 80kW ceiling stretches the same charge to 35–40 minutes. Over a year of regular road trips, that's a meaningful amount of extra time spent waiting at chargers for Dolphin owners.

Driving experience

The MG4 is built on a rear-wheel-drive platform and is a genuinely enjoyable car to drive — well-balanced, direct steering, and a planted feel through corners that punches above its price point. The Dolphin is front-wheel drive and tuned more for comfort and easy, relaxed driving rather than outright engagement. Neither is wrong, but they suit different buyers.

Interior and practicality

	MG4	BYD Dolphin
Boot capacity	363 L	345 L
Interior presentation	Functional, some harder plastics	More distinctive design, better perceived quality

The Dolphin's interior feels a step up in perceived quality, with more thoughtful design touches and softer materials in places the MG4 uses harder plastic. For buyers who spend a lot of time looking at and touching their car's interior, this is a real point in the Dolphin's favour.

Running costs

	MG4	BYD Dolphin
Electricity cost per 100km	~$3.60	~$3.75
Annual servicing	~$180	~$170

Both are inexpensive to run, with negligible difference between them.

Warranty and brand backing

MG's 7-year vehicle warranty is longer than the Dolphin's 6-year cover, and MG has a longer-established NZ dealer presence, having sold cars here since 2016 versus BYD's more recent NZ arrival. Both offer the same 8-year battery warranty, reflecting industry-standard confidence in their respective battery chemistries.

Verdict

Choose the MG4 if: you do regular longer trips and value fast charging, want the more engaging driving experience, or want the marginally longer vehicle warranty.

Choose the BYD Dolphin if: your driving is mostly city and suburban, interior feel and design matter more to you than outright driving dynamics, and the slightly lower entry price is appealing.

For anyone who charges primarily at home and rarely relies on public fast charging, the Dolphin's slower charging speed is largely irrelevant — but for road-trippers, the MG4's charging advantage is worth the modest price difference on its own.