MG4 and MG S5 EV: SAIC's Budget EVs and the Tariff Paradox - EV Hub

TL;DR

MG’s budget EVs are the most tariff-burdened cars in their class — every MG BEV pays the EU’s 35.3% countervailing duty, more than double BYD’s 17%. Yet here’s the paradox: the MG4 still lands cheaper than a BYD Dolphin, despite carrying twice the tariff rate.

The MG4 costs $9,690 in China and lands in Germany at $23,762 (+145%) — the harshest premium in the budget segment, because a 45.3% total tariff stack plus $6,600 of fixed costs land on a sub-$10k base. But a BYD Dolphin, at $14,020 with only a 17% CVD, lands at $28,072 (+100%). The MG4’s base price is $4,330 lower, and at the budget end, base price beats tariff rate every time.

The lesson flips the moment base prices converge. The MG S5 EV ($16,460) and the BYD Atto 3 ($16,260) are within $200 of each other — and there the 35.3% versus 17% gap is decisive: the MG lands $4,249 more expensive.

Key statistics

MG countervailing duty: 35.3% (highest producer rate), on top of 10% duty = 45.3% total
MG4: $9,690 China → $23,762 Germany (+145%), but still ~$4,300 cheaper than a Dolphin
MG S5 EV: $16,460 China → $35,752 Germany (+117%)
The paradox: at the budget end, base price beats tariff rate; at equal base prices, the rate is decisive
Worked example: MG S5 EV, $16,460 → $35,752 Germany (+117%)

The MG EV lineup

MG’s battery-electric lineup in our catalog is just two models, but they span the crucial budget band:

Model	Type	Range (CLTC)	Battery	Motor	Base (China)
MG4	Compact hatch/SUV	437 km	42.8 kWh	120 kW	$9,690
MG S5 EV	Compact SUV	425 km	49.1 kWh	125 kW	$16,460

Both carry the SAIC Group’s 35.3% countervailing duty, which — as we covered — is the single highest rate in the EU’s Chinese-EV tariff table. For context, the BYD volume EVs pay 17%.

The full tariff stack, worked example: MG S5 EV → Germany

Here is the itemized math for an MG S5 EV (base $16,460):

Cost item	Amount	How it’s calculated
Base price (CIF)	$16,460	MG S5 EV, China MSRP
Standard import duty	$1,646	10% of CIF
Countervailing duty	$6,391	35.3% of (CIF + duty)
VAT	$4,655	19% of (CIF + duty + CVD)
Fixed costs (freight + clearance + cert + reg + inland)	$6,600	—
Total landed	$35,752	+117.2% over base

The 35.3% countervailing duty ($6,391) is 39% of the base price on its own — the largest single line item after the car itself, and 3.9× the standard duty. That’s the SAIC penalty in dollar terms.

The tariff paradox: MG4 (35.3%) vs Dolphin (17%)

Here’s the counterintuitive comparison that most “import calculator” tools get wrong:

Model	Base (China)	CVD rate	Landed (Germany)	Premium
MG4	$9,690	35.3%	$23,762	+145%
Dolphin	$14,020	17%	$28,072	+100%
Atto 3	$16,260	17%	$31,503	+94%
MG S5 EV	$16,460	35.3%	$35,752	+117%

Two conclusions, both non-obvious:

The MG4 wins the budget segment despite the worst tariff. It pays 35.3% to the Dolphin’s 17%, but it still lands $4,310 cheaper because its base price is $4,330 lower. At the budget end, the car’s price dominates the tariff rate.
The rate becomes decisive at equal base prices. The MG S5 EV ($16,460) and Atto 3 ($16,260) are $200 apart in China — but the MG lands $4,249 more expensive in Germany, purely because of the 35.3% versus 17% CVD gap.

So the practical rule is: compare on landed cost, not on tariff rate. A high-CVD car can still be the better import if its base price is low enough; a low-CVD car stops being cheap the moment it’s compared against a much cheaper rival.

Model by model: MG4 and MG S5 EV across 7 markets

Model	Base	Germany	UK	UAE	Australia	Germany premium
MG4	$9,690	$23,762	$19,041	$15,133	$16,509	+145%
MG S5 EV	$16,460	$35,752	$27,977	$22,597	$23,956	+117%

The non-EU premium collapses to roughly a third of Germany’s for both cars — +56% (MG4) and +37% (S5 EV) in the UAE — because the 35.3% countervailing duty and 19% VAT simply don’t apply outside the EU.

What buyers should ask before importing an MG

“Is the cheaper base price real value, or just a smaller car?” — the MG4 beats the Dolphin on landed cost because it’s a smaller, cheaper car. Confirm the spec (battery, range, motor) matches what you need, not just the sticker.
“Am I comparing landed costs, not tariff rates?” — a 35.3% CVD on a cheap base can still beat a 17% CVD on a pricier base. Always compare the final landed figure.
“Is there an RHD or export variant?” — MG builds RHD versions for the UK and Australia; confirm the variant for your market before relying on any China-market price.
“What’s my margin after the 45.3% tariff stack?” — on the MG4, duty plus CVD is $4,732 before VAT; model the full stack, not just the headline rate.
“Am I importing for the EU or elsewhere?” — the same MG4 is $8,600 cheaper to land in the UAE than in Germany.

Frequently asked questions

Is the MG4 actually cheaper to import than a BYD Dolphin? Yes — the MG4 lands in Germany at $23,762 versus $28,072 for the Dolphin, despite paying 35.3% instead of 17% countervailing duty. Its $4,330 lower base price more than offsets the higher rate.

Why does the MG4 have the highest premium (+145%)? Because it’s the cheapest car in the comparison and it carries the highest tariff (45.3% total). A huge tariff stack plus flat fixed costs on a sub-$10k base produces the steepest percentage markup in the segment.

When does the 35.3% rate actually matter? When base prices are comparable. The MG S5 EV and BYD Atto 3 are within $200 in China, but the MG lands $4,249 more expensive in Germany — the entire difference is the countervailing-duty gap.

Does the 35.3% apply outside the EU? No. It’s an EU measure. The same MG4 lands at +56% in the UAE and +70% in Australia, versus +145% in Germany.

Sources

European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2754 — SAIC’s 35.3% countervailing duty
EV Hub landed-cost records: MG4 and MG S5 EV × 7 markets, itemized