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When the original Motorola Moto G arrived in 2013, it blew us away. It made many of the budget phones of the time look like trash.
Does the 2014 edition make the same impact? Of course not. In some respects it's just a bigger version of the older phone, and one whose screen isn't quite as sharp.
However, a bigger screen does count for a lot to a lot of people, and the 2014 edition has a significantly better camera to boot.
It's also stayed at the top of our best budget smartphones list since it launched, so it must be doing something right, though it could get toppled by the new Moto G (2015).
We liked
Getting a 5-inch 720p screen and solid performance for under £150 makes the new Moto G cracking value, just like its predecessor.
The 8MP camera is fairly snappy and reliable, offering pretty good image quality among its peers.
The lean software 1GB RAM and Snapdragon 400 processor give the Moto G great general performance, with few signs this is an entry-level phone.
We disliked
While you couldn't ask for much more at the price, the screen is noticeably less sharp than the 4.5-inch Moto G as the 720p resolution is stretched over a larger area. The phone itself is a lot bigger too.
Battery life could be better. It's fine, but you don't get that nice stamina buffer to take you half-way through the second day unless you're careful about how you use the phone.
Final verdict
The 2014 edition is another cracking budget phone from Motorola. More screen space and a much better camera are worthwhile upgrades.
The design language has been maintained to a good level, and improved in some ways as well. The fact you've got the option of dual front-facing speakers is really nice, although you don't get the performance found in the HTC One M9 or the Sony Xperia Z3.
Then again, you're buying a phone that's 25% of the price. Not bad.
The microSD slot is a real boon given the lower storage spec of the handset, and with the 8GB of space not offering a lot of space for big apps and lots of photos.
It's not better in every respect as the phone is bigger, making it a bit less convenient, and the larger screen eats into stamina a bit. It's great, but it doesn't totally flatten the original Moto G.
What's more, the Moto G (2015) is right around the corner (having just been officially announced), so you may want to hold fire to see how Motorola improves it's already pretty impressive budget blower.
