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.