Which charges faster on public DC in Malaysia, the smart #3 or the MG4?

On the brochure peak spec, the smart #3 Premium has a HIGHER DC peak charging power. However, for the actual 10 to 80% session (which is what you will do at a charging station), this site's data shows the MG4 Lux completing that session in a SHORTER time. That is because the MG4's charging curve holds a higher average power across the session, while the smart #3 hits its peak briefly and then tapers earlier. For drivers actually stopping at networks such as Gentari, JomCharge, ChargEV, or TNB Electron in Malaysia, the MG4 Lux's session length is a little shorter. On home AC charging, the smart #3 Premium carries a three-phase onboard charger that is faster at three-phase AC stations, but on a typical single-phase home wallbox, both finish overnight just the same. Exact time figures are on this site's comparison tool.

Which has a better dealer and service footprint in Malaysia?

Both brands are relatively new in Malaysia, so neither has the long footprint of a well-established local brand. However, smart Malaysia is distributed by Pro-Net, a Proton subsidiary, which lets smart leverage Proton's existing dealer and service-centre network across the Peninsula. That gives smart wider reach outside the Klang Valley, particularly in states where Proton has long been rooted. MG Malaysia is distributed by PROAUTO, with a newer and more concentrated network of showrooms and service centres in the major cities. For buyers based in the Klang Valley, Penang, or Johor Bahru, both are within reasonable reach; for buyers outside the major cities, Pro-Net's network borrowed from Proton typically gives smart the accessibility edge.

Which is cheaper to charge in Malaysia?

Charging cost depends mainly on battery capacity and the electricity rate you use, not on the brand. Because the smart #3 Premium and the MG4 Lux carry similarly sized NMC battery packs, the energy needed for the same span (for example 20% to 80%) is nearly the same on either car, so the charging cost is also close. The biggest factor in Malaysia is where you charge: the TNB domestic tariff is among the lowest in the region, so charging at home on a wallbox is far cheaper than public DC fast charging on networks such as Gentari, JomCharge, ChargEV, or TNB Electron. Owners who mostly charge at home will find the running cost nearly the same on either car. Exact side-by-side figures for Malaysia, computed with your own tariff, are on this site's charging cost calculator.

smart #3 vs MG4: EV Comparison in Malaysia

The smart #3 and the MG4 are two of the newer China-platform electric vehicles (battery electric vehicle / BEV) to enter the Malaysia market, and both make for an interesting cross-shop for buyers who want to try a newer brand without paying European premium money. The smart #3 Premium is a compact crossover SUV born from the Geely and Mercedes-Benz joint venture, with Geely's SEA platform underneath and Mercedes design sensibility on the outside, distributed in Malaysia by Pro-Net (part of the Proton group). The MG4 Lux is a lower and more agile hatchback from SAIC, distributed by PROAUTO. Beyond the body style, the two cars share a lot of technical ground on the surface: similarly sized NMC battery packs, comparable DC charging power class, and close WLTP range. What sets them apart is positioning philosophy, the dealer footprint differences typical of newer brands, and the actual 10 to 80% charging session data on this site. This guide weighs the two qualitatively. The exact figures (cost, time, realistic range) are on this site's comparison tool and per-car pages.

By mht-dev, Frontend Engineer & Creator

A frontend engineer who bought a first electric car in March 2026 and built EV Charge Calculator while working out the real cost of charging it, writing every guide from an everyday new EV owner's perspective.

Two newer brands, two different philosophies

In Malaysia, the smart #3 Premium and the MG4 Lux arrive from two very different brand philosophies even though both are built in China. smart, the iconic European city-car brand, has been revived as a joint venture between Geely and Mercedes-Benz: Geely contributes the electric SEA platform (the same one that underpins the Zeekr X and several Volvos), while Mercedes contributes the interior and exterior design language. The result is a compact crossover SUV positioned as premium, with cabin finishes that reflect the Mercedes lineage. The MG4 Lux comes from SAIC, one of the largest state-owned automakers in China, on the MSP (Modular Scalable Platform) which leans into a rear-wheel-drive configuration for sportier hatchback handling. MG's position in Malaysia is value for money, not premium.

The body style also separates the two cars physically. The smart #3 Premium is a compact crossover SUV with a higher driving position, a roomy cabin, and a profile suited to young families or drivers who appreciate a higher view of the road. The MG4 Lux is a low five-door hatchback with a sportier profile and a driving feel closer to the road; its rear-wheel drive sets it apart from most front-wheel-drive electric cars in this price bracket. Both are pure BEVs (not hybrids), so each one charges at home on an AC wallbox or at a public DC fast charger on the road. Both battery packs are also NMC (nickel manganese cobalt) chemistry, so daily charging habits (topping up to the mid-to-high range as a routine, saving the full charge for longer trips) are the same on either car.

DC charging speed: spec peak vs the actual session

This is the section where the brochure can mislead. The smart #3 Premium has a HIGHER DC peak charging power on the brochure spec than the MG4 Lux. However, the measured 10 to 80% charging session data on this site shows the opposite result: the MG4 Lux completes a 10 to 80% DC session in a SHORTER time. The reason is the charging curve, not the peak number. The MG4 Lux's curve holds a higher average power across the actual session, while the smart #3 Premium touches its peak briefly and then tapers earlier through the session. For a driver who actually only cares how long they stand at the station before they can resume the journey, the MG4 Lux has a small but real edge. On home AC charging, the gap exists in a different direction: the smart #3 Premium carries a three-phase onboard charger that allows FASTER AC charging at three-phase AC stations in certain corporate car parks and hotels, while the MG4 Lux charges at a more modest AC power. For a typical overnight charge at home on a single-phase wallbox, both finish full by morning without much difference.

The wider Malaysia network supports both universally. Both the smart #3 Premium and the MG4 Lux use the CCS2 plug, which is the standard across networks such as Gentari, JomCharge, ChargEV, and TNB Electron throughout the Peninsula. There is no need for an adapter or special cable on either, and both can stop at the same stations. For drivers who will actually use the public DC network on inter-city trips, the difference that matters is not the plug or the network but the length of the actual session at the station, where this site's data shows the MG4 Lux ahead by a small margin.

Range, cost on the TNB tariff, and the dealer network

In the variants compared for Malaysia, the smart #3 Premium claims a slightly longer WLTP range than the MG4 Lux. Both are measured on the same WLTP standard, so the brochure comparison is genuinely apples-to-apples (unlike comparisons involving cars that quote NEDC or CLTC, where the brochure has to be discounted more heavily). WLTP still runs optimistic relative to actual driving on Malaysia roads, especially at highway speeds with the air-conditioning on full, so both cars return less than the sticker figure. For daily driving around the Klang Valley, Penang, or other major cities, both have enough range; the difference is felt most on longer inter-city trips.

The cost side favours both in Malaysia, more so than in most ASEAN markets. The TNB domestic tariff is among the lowest in the region, so charging at home on an AC wallbox costs very little per kWh compared with public DC fast charging on networks such as Gentari, JomCharge, ChargEV, or TNB Electron. Because the smart #3 Premium and the MG4 Lux carry similarly sized battery packs, the energy needed for the same span (for example 20% to 80%) is nearly the same on either car, so the charging cost is also close. The biggest factor is not the brand of car but where you charge. Exact side-by-side figures for Malaysia, computed with your own tariff, are on this site's charging cost calculator.

The dealer side is also relevant because both brands are newer in Malaysia. smart Malaysia is distributed by Pro-Net, a Proton subsidiary, which lets smart leverage Proton's existing dealer and service-centre network to reach buyers outside the Klang Valley. MG Malaysia is distributed by PROAUTO, with a newer and more concentrated network of showrooms and service centres in the major cities. For buyers based outside the Klang Valley or Penang, the proximity of a nearby dealer can be a practical consideration: the Proton network lent to smart gives smart better reach across many states, while MG needs to be confirmed on a case-by-case basis depending on your location.

Which one suits you?

Pick the smart #3 Premium if you value the premium positioning of the Geely-Mercedes joint venture with more refined cabin finishes, the crossover SUV form with a higher driving position and roomier cabin, a slightly longer WLTP range, and the wider dealer network thanks to Pro-Net's sharing of Proton's existing footprint across the Peninsula. For buyers based outside the Klang Valley, where the proximity of a nearby service centre matters more, the Proton-lent dealer footprint is a real advantage, particularly for a brand that is new to the market.

Pick the MG4 Lux if you value the genuinely shorter 10 to 80% DC charging session (even though the smart's peak spec is higher on paper), the more agile hatchback shape with rear-wheel drive that sets it apart from most of its peers, the lower price at SAIC's value positioning, and the sportier feel from behind the wheel. Whichever you pick, charging at home on the TNB tariff is the cheapest way to drive either of them day to day. To close the decision with real numbers, this site provides a comparison tool prefilled with the smart #3 Premium and the MG4 Lux side by side, a per-car page for each, and a charging cost calculator that works it out with your own electricity tariff and battery percentage.

Frequently asked questions

Which charges faster on public DC in Malaysia, the smart #3 or the MG4?: On the brochure peak spec, the smart #3 Premium has a HIGHER DC peak charging power. However, for the actual 10 to 80% session (which is what you will do at a charging station), this site's data shows the MG4 Lux completing that session in a SHORTER time. That is because the MG4's charging curve holds a higher average power across the session, while the smart #3 hits its peak briefly and then tapers earlier. For drivers actually stopping at networks such as Gentari, JomCharge, ChargEV, or TNB Electron in Malaysia, the MG4 Lux's session length is a little shorter. On home AC charging, the smart #3 Premium carries a three-phase onboard charger that is faster at three-phase AC stations, but on a typical single-phase home wallbox, both finish overnight just the same. Exact time figures are on this site's comparison tool.
Which has a better dealer and service footprint in Malaysia?: Both brands are relatively new in Malaysia, so neither has the long footprint of a well-established local brand. However, smart Malaysia is distributed by Pro-Net, a Proton subsidiary, which lets smart leverage Proton's existing dealer and service-centre network across the Peninsula. That gives smart wider reach outside the Klang Valley, particularly in states where Proton has long been rooted. MG Malaysia is distributed by PROAUTO, with a newer and more concentrated network of showrooms and service centres in the major cities. For buyers based in the Klang Valley, Penang, or Johor Bahru, both are within reasonable reach; for buyers outside the major cities, Pro-Net's network borrowed from Proton typically gives smart the accessibility edge.
Which is cheaper to charge in Malaysia?: Charging cost depends mainly on battery capacity and the electricity rate you use, not on the brand. Because the smart #3 Premium and the MG4 Lux carry similarly sized NMC battery packs, the energy needed for the same span (for example 20% to 80%) is nearly the same on either car, so the charging cost is also close. The biggest factor in Malaysia is where you charge: the TNB domestic tariff is among the lowest in the region, so charging at home on a wallbox is far cheaper than public DC fast charging on networks such as Gentari, JomCharge, ChargEV, or TNB Electron. Owners who mostly charge at home will find the running cost nearly the same on either car. Exact side-by-side figures for Malaysia, computed with your own tariff, are on this site's charging cost calculator.