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MG is expected to bring the new 4 to Europe imminently after its design was registered with European legislators.

The second-generation hatchback went on sale in China in March, and it is markedly different from the car it replaces: it is bigger, sports a new, Cyberster-inspired design and gets a new cabin which mirrors that of the new and technically related S5 EV crossover.

When the 4 launched, UK boss David Allison said whether it would come here or not was still being decided. The UK model was instead updated with some of the new iteration's upgrades, including an extensive interior refresh with high-quality materials.

Now with the designs registered in Europe (pictured below), its arrival on the continent is all but confirmed – and with the UK being MG's biggest market, it will inevitably come here too.

Given that the 4 is already one of the brand's best sellers here, and that production of the first-generation car – which is built alongside its successor – will soon end, Autocar understands the new model's arrival is expected soon.

However, when that will be is yet to be determined. While MG confirmed the patent application was official, it told Autocar in a statement that “it is too early to say whether this design will be offered in the UK”.

Compared with the current 4, the second-generation EV has grown in size to bridge the gap between the existing 4 and the S5. It's 4.4m long, compared with 4.3m long for the first-generation model, and the wheelbase has grown by 45mm to 2.75m.

The new 4’s styling draws heavily on that of the Cyberster convertible, the smaller MG 3 hatchback and the S5 EV, with thin headlights up front and arrow-shaped brake lights at the rear.

Filings with Chinese authorities state it has a single electric motor with 161bhp, which is down from 168bhp, but it weighs in at 1485kg – a marked reduction from the current 49kWh car’s 1620kg.

Power is drawn from a lithium-iron-phosphate battery of undisclosed capacity, which is likely to give a range comparable with the 218 miles offered by the existing entry-level 4.

The GWM Ora 03 has become one of the UK’s cheapest electric cars at £21,245, after the Chinese brand cut the model’s price by £3750 to match the UK government’s new Electric Car Grant.

The ECG, announced last week, will discount new EVs (priced below £37,000) by either £3750 or £1500. These bandings will, however, depend on the cleanliness of the energy grid in the countries both where the EVs are assembled and where their batteries are manufactured. And to qualify for a discount in the first instance, a vehicle’s manufacturer must also be signed up to the Science Based Targets Initiative.

These criteria have been described by industry insiders as a back-door method of excluding Chinese EVs from any grants while propping up those made in the UK and Europe – although the government has yet to publish a list of qualifying models.

In response, some Chinese brands have introduced their own £3750 discounts on their EVs. Leapmotor was first, making its T03 city car the cheapest EV on sale in the UK, and GWM has now followed suit with the Ora 03.

It means the Ora 03 now starts at £21,245, rather than the previous £24,995, undercutting the Citroën ë-C3 (£22,095), Renault 5 (£22,995) and Hyundai Inster (£23,505).

It is possible, however, that those cars will become cheaper than the Ora 03 once the government publishes its list of cars approved for the ECG.

The mid-rung Ora 03 Pro, with a 260-mile range, has been cut to £25,245, while the range-topping Ora 03 GT has dropped to £29,245.

GWM said the discount can also be used as a deposit contribution on a PCP finance deal, requiring a smaller outlay from the buyer to access 0% APR rates.

The move is almost certainly intended to boost sales of the Ora 03, which has struggled to generate much sales traction since its UK launch in late 2022 (as the Ora Funky Cat).

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, GWM sold 193 cars in the UK during the first half of this year, down from 895 over the same period in 2024.

Mercedes-Benz will continue producing the current A-Class hatchback until at least 2028.

The move comes despite repeated statements from CEO Ola Källenius that the popular hatchback, along with the B-Class MPV, would cease production at the end of 2025, bringing to an end two generations of models based on the company’s MFA platform.

Mercedes originally touted a future compact car strategy built around four new models, all based on the new MMA platform: the CLA, CLA Shooting Brake, GLA and GLB - all of which will offer a choice of combustion and electrified drivetrains.

However, Mercedes sources suggest they will now be supported by an upgraded version of today’s A-Class hatchback, of which production is claimed to have been extended by up to three years.

The decision is understood to have been driven by continued demand for the seven-year-old ICE model, in combination with a slower than expected take up of Mercedes' newer electric models.

Production of the A-Class Saloon ended earlier this year. Production of the A-Class hatchback is now expected to continue beyond the introduction of EU7 emissions regulations in late 2026, although it remains unclear whether existing petrol and diesel engines will be adapted to meet the new standards.

Autocar understands that the A35 and A45 AMG hot hatches will be taken off sale because their M139 2.0-litre turbocharged engine does not comply with EU7, although there is not currently a time frame on when this will happen.

Production is likely to shift to the Kecskemét plant in Hungary, as the Rastatt factory where it is currently produced has been repurposed for production of the new CLA and CLA Shooting Brake.

The future of the B-Class remains uncertain, but Autocar understands Mercedes will stick to its original plan and cease production of the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer rival at the end of 2025.

The extension of the A-Class hatchback’s model cycle coincides with a broader reshuffle of Mercedes' compact car line-up.

Following the launch of the CLA, the CLA Shooting Brake is set to go on sale in the UK before the end of the year. The EQB will also bow out by the end of 2025. A new generation of the GLB, to be sold with the choice of ICE and electric drivetrains, is scheduled to begin production in Hungary in 2026.

The next-generation GLA will follow as the final MMA-based compact model, arriving in late 2026 to replace both the existing GLA and electric EQA.

While no successor to the A-Class is planned on the MMA platform, its prolonged production life reflects Mercedes' need to sustain compact car sales amid a broader shift toward electrification and high-margin luxury segments.

In 2019, the brand’s compact car range peaked at 667,000 global sales. In 2024, that figure had declined to 534,800.

In a statement sent to Autocar, Mercedes-Benz said: "The A-Class continues to enjoy high demand among our customers, and we are currently in the lifecycle of this vehicle. Recently, the series was updated and enhanced with an extensive facelift - making this vehicle even more desirable for our customers. We do not comment on phase-out dates or portfolio decisions."