The MG Go! concept has been revealed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and showcases the Chinese manufacturer’s forthcoming Renault 5 rival. The compact, B-segment electric hatchback is due to arrive in 2027 – and it may still be badged MG2, although we hear that’s still up for debate within MG.

Designed exclusively at MG’s London design centre, the MG Go! concept takes inspiration from heritage models like the original MGB GT and Metro Turbo, but MG is also keen to point out that its new compact EV will be a very youthful, modern car. 

I had a look around a model of the MG Go! concept at a tech reveal day in London and then on stand at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2026, and it is seriously cute. I can see echoes of the Suzuki Swift and Mini Cooper more than I can see historic MGs, but there’s no doubting that it’s a perky, modern little five-door hatchback that’s got real presence and appeal - and a touch of retro cheekiness.

It looks pretty purposeful, with its flared arches, contrasting rear wing and the deep front splitter that hints at the iconic Metro Turbo and 6R4, but I suspect those features of the MG Go! concept won’t make it to production (unless they do a hot hatch version, which would be fun!). Even so… I really like it. 

I don’t know if it’s got the presence to really knock the ongoing success of the Renault 5? Maybe. But it’s certainly a properly appealing little car, and if MG can keep the owlish expression, fun colour contrasts and general modern-retro feel of the Go! than I suspect it’s onto a winner.

"With MG Go!, we wanted to create something compact and contemporary, but also warm, expressive and immediately likeable. It is not about looking back for its own sake, but about capturing some of the clarity, charm and emotional appeal that have always made MG so distinctive,” said Carl Gotham, design director of Advanced Design, London.

There’s no confirmation yet on which platform and battery the new MG hatchback will use. We do know that it will be pure electric, and MG already has the hybrid MG3 supermini in this same sector, so it’s likely that it will continue to offer the MG3 as a petrol offering alongside the new MG2 EV.

I’d speculate that we’ll see a version of the MG4 platform complete with the battery from the MG4 Urban, which uses 41.9 and 52.8kWh batteries. That’d likely give the baby MG range of around 200 to 250 miles, which would be spot on for what it needs to compete with rivals like the Renault 5, VW ID.Polo and Citroen e-C3. 

Mind you, MG has also confirmed that we’ll see new battery tech in the next year or so, including semi-solid state batteries that will appear first in the MG4 Urban EV, so the new MG2 (or maybe it should stick with MG Go! for the production car) may well get that new battery tech that brings better efficiency and improved safety. 

The MG Go! concept has been revealed at a very warm Goodwood Festival of Speed 2026