New MG3 review

At a time when many manufacturers are removing their small car offerings from the market, MG has given the MG3 a whole new lease of life.

Now, that might seem a bit strange but there's actually good logic behind it. You see, with the Ford Fiesta going off sale, it’s the perfect time for a new generation version of the affordable MG3 to swoop in and take a piece of the action.

Better still, while the MG3 has always been one of the cheapest small cars you can buy, coming with plenty of standard equipment, it now gets regular hybrid technology to help improve performance and efficiency.

That should in turn help it compete against rivals, including the similarly affordable Dacia Sandero and Suzuki Swift plus the big names of the small-car market, such as the Honda Jazz, Seat Ibiza, Skoda Fabia and VW Polo.

So, is the new MG3 a worthy alternative to the best small cars? Read on to find out...

There’s currently only one engine choice for the MG3, called the Hybrid+, and it's a 1.5-litre petrol with a 100kW electric motor and a small hybrid battery.

You'll have to wait a while if you want a non-hybrid petrol engine, but having driven the Hybrid+, we think it has enough performance for most small-car users.

The engine produces loads of oomph from a standstill, and when you deploy the full 191bhp, the MG3 will officially sprint from 0-62mph in 8.0 seconds.

That’s faster than all its non-hybrid rivals, including the Hyundai i20 and VW Polo, and around a second quicker than the full-hybrid Renault Clio. In the real world, that means you’ll have no trouble getting up to speed or nipping into gaps.

There’s more to life than being fast in a straight line though, so what's the MG3 like on a twisty road? Well, due to its fairly firm suspension set-up, it controls body lean surprisingly well, and the steering gives you enough feedback to push on. Even so, the Clio is still more capable dynamically and more fun.

It’s a similar story when you’re driving in a relaxed manner. You can tell the MG3 is firmly sprung, but it’s never uncomfortable and you won't find yourself swaying in your seat, like in the much softer Citroën C3. There's enough damping to easily cope with larger potholes and imperfections without much fuss.

The MG3 isn’t quite as smooth-riding as the Skoda Fabia or VW Polo, and the steering is quite slow and heavy around town, making it more effort to navigate tight turns in than the C3.

It will, at least, be quiet around town, because the hybrid system allows it to drive on electricity alone at low speeds. Even when the engine kicks in, it's not intrusive, and wind and road noise are kept low even at motorway speeds.

The MG3's three-speed automatic gearbox is pretty unintrusive as you drive around normally. There's no hesitation as you set off or when you put your foot down, thanks to assistance from the electric motor.

Driving overview

Strengths Quick in a straight line; comfortable ride

Weaknesses Rivals are more fun to drive; slow steering

While the MG3’s driving position is sound enough, placing you in line with the steering wheel, it's not the easiest car when it comes to finding your perfect driving position.

Every version comes with a six-way adjustable driver’s seat, but the steering wheel only adjusts up and down. You also don’t get adjustable lumbar support, which is a shame because some extra lower back support would go a long way. The Renault Clio will probably be more comfortable on a long drive.

The driver’s seat is mounted quite high, which helps to give you a good view out over the front of the car, while narrow front window pillars mean you can see lots when you pull up to junctions. Rear visibility is hampered slightly by wide rear window pillars, but the large rear windows ensure you can still see plenty over your shoulder.

Better still, to make parking really easy, every MG3 comes with rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera, while stepping up to top Trophy trim upgrades that to a 360-view camera. Visibility at night is better, thanks to the top trim upgrading the standard halogen headlights with bright LED ones.

Every MG3 gets a 10.25in touchscreen infotainment system. It’s far better than the system in the previous-generation car, and even a slight step up from the set-up in the MG4 EV. The display is clear and, for the most part, responds really quickly to your prods, only hesitating slightly when you open certain features. 

Our only real demerit is that it’s controlled almost entirely through touch and even incorporates the air conditioning controls. That makes it far more distracting to make changes on the move than the physical controls you’ll find in the Honda Jazz, Renault Clio and Vauxhall Corsa.

Better news is that DAB radio, Bluetooth, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, and sat-nav are all standard across the range. Given the MG3’s price tag, that’s quite impressive.

So too is the showroom appeal of the interior, thanks to its mixture of textured plastics and, if you go for Trophy trim, leather. When you start to prod around, things are less impressive, with a lot of scratchy-feeling plastic. Build quality isn't as good as in the Swift and a long way behind the VW Polo and other pricier rivals.

Interior overview

Strengths Decent infotainment system; good-looking interior

Weaknesses Build quality could be better; lack of lower back support in front

Despite its status as a small car, the MG3 is not too cramped inside. It's less roomy than the Dacia Sandero but is roughly on a par with the Hyundai i20, so it's not bad for a car with such a budget price tag.

Indeed, even a six-footer sitting in the front passenger seat won’t complain that they don’t have enough head or leg room. What’s more, the interior is wide enough that you won’t be rubbing shoulders, even if they’re quite broad. 

You’ll find plenty of storage spaces dotted around up front, including door bins that’ll take a large bottle of water, a space for your phone at the base of the centre console and two cupholders. There's storage between the seats, extending beneath the armrest, which is covered in a really flimsy sliding plastic tray.

It’s fair to say that the Sandero will give your rear-seat passengers more space, but there’s more than enough head and leg room for a couple of tall adults to get comfortable on a long drive. Things will likely be a little bit of a squeeze with three people sat across the rear bench, but no more so than in the Suzuki Swift. 

Disappointingly, rear-seat versatility is a really weak point of the MG3. You see, where most small cars have rear seats that at least split 60/40 and fold, its rear bench doesn’t split and instead folds flat as one solid piece. What’s more, once folded, there’s a step up from the boot floor to the seat backs.

The boot itself offers 293 litres of storage and has a usefully square opening, but the sloping rear seatbacks meant we could only fit three carry-on suitcases and a soft overnight bag in there. For comparison, a Toyota Yaris took four carry-on cases while the Honda Jazz and Seat Ibiza managed five.

Practicality overview

Strengths Lots of front and rear space

Weaknesses Poor rear seat versatility; small boot

Price is where the MG3 really comes into its stride. It undercuts virtually all small car alternatives, including traditional value-focused options like the Suzuki Swift. Only the Citroën C3 and Dacia Sandero will cost you less. 

Better still, the MG3 is predicted to depreciate quite slowly, retaining more of its list price after three years than all of its rivals, including the VW Polo. That’s great news because it should keep PCP finance rates competitive or get you more money if you decide to sell in three years.

Don’t let MG’s keen eye on price make you think the MG3 skimps on equipment. Even the entry-level SE comes with 16in alloy wheels, air-con, front and rear electric windows, adaptive cruise control, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, automatic headlights, touchscreen infotainment and parking aids. 

We think SE trim is all you could ever need, so it's our pick, but we could see why you’d upgrade to Trophy trim. For not much more money, it adds heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, leather upholstery and rear privacy glass.

No matter which trim you go for, the MG3’s hybrid engine promises to keep running costs low, with an official 63mpg efficiency figure and CO2 emissions as low as 100g/km. That’s around the same performance as the Renault Clio and Swift but slightly better than you’ll manage in the 1.0-litre Hyundai i20.

MG gives you a seven-year/80,000-mile warranty, which it says demonstrates its faith in the reliability of its products. Sadly, the brand didn't perform that well in our 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey – it came 25th out of 32 car makers included. Vauxhall did worse, coming 30th, but most rival brands did better.

In terms of safety, every MG3 comes with a good amount of safety equipment, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assist, forward collision warning and plenty of airbags. Upgrading to Trophy trim adds rear cross-traffic alert and blind-zone protection.

Costs overview

Strengths Affordable list price; slow depreciation; low running costs

Weaknesses Reliability score could be better

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here