Item: MG 3
Rating: 2
Author: What Car? Team

The MG 3's engine isn’t turbocharged like the majority of its rivals', so it feels gutless and asthmatic at low revs. On quicker roads, it’s easier to make use of the engine’s maximum grunt, which arrives at a 4500rpm – but once you’re that high up in the rev range, be prepared for quite a lot of vibration and harshness.

1.5 VTi-TECH

Hatchback

MG has a long heritage in the UK, and while these days it is owned by Chinese firm SAIC, it is slowly but surely beefing up its model range.

Kicking things off is the MG 3, a rival for affordable hatchbacks such as the Dacia Sandero and Skoda Fabia. Then there’s the ZS small SUV, which faces off against the likes of the Renault Captur and Seat Arona. And at the top of the range is the GS, which goes up against Dacia’s Duster and the Ssangyong Tivoli.

While any future MG products are likely to be introduced in China before coming to the UK, design work is still undertaken in the UK. MG’s design studio is based at Longbridge, where the brand made its name with models such as the MGB GT.

MG MOTOR UK

This entry-level trim gets you alloy wheels, air-conditioning, rear parking sensors, electric windows all round and an 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system. Given the MG 3's budget-focused nature, it's the one to go for.

Excite

1.5 VTi-TECH Excite 5dr

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The MG 3&nbsp;is very cheap to buy. It undercuts even value-focused options, including the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/fabia/hatchback/review/n47">Skoda Fabia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/swift/hatchback/review/n54">Suzuki Swift</a>, although if you're looking for the cheapest new car in Britain, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/dacia/sandero/hatchback/review/n55">Dacia Sandero</a> is king.

It's not all good news, though, because <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-best-cars-for-depreciation-and-the-worst/n23009">depreciation</a> is fairly heavy, and the MG 3 isn't very&nbsp;frugal by modern standards. CO2 emissions are also high compared with most other <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/small">small cars</a>. You do get front and rear electric windows, remote control locking and air-conditioning across the range, though, and Exclusive Nav trim adds cruise control to the list.&nbsp;

Buyers will also&nbsp;be pleased to hear&nbsp;that <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mg-motor-uk">MG</a> has extended its seven-year/80,000-mile warranty, which was only&nbsp;available for&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mg-motor-uk/zs/hatchback/review/n17318">ZS</a>,&nbsp;to the 3. The company claims that this demonstrates faith in the reliability of its products; it’s a claim not entirely supported by our 2020 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2020-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n20069">What Car? reliability survey</a>, in which MG finished joint 22nd (out of 31 brands) in the overall league table.

In terms of safety, there are six airbags on every model, plus you get&nbsp;stability control, an Isofix child seat mount on each outer rear seat&nbsp;and a tyre pressure monitoring system. All that pales into insignificance, though, when you consider that the MG 3 achieved only three (out of five) stars in its <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n19724">Euro NCAP safety test</a> – and that was back in 2014, when the standards were far less stringent than they are today.

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There's only one MG 3 engine choice: a 1.5-litre petrol with&nbsp;105bhp. That's more power than a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/dacia/sandero/hatchback/review/n55">Dacia Sandero</a> has and even trumps our favourite <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n83">VW Polo</a>, the 1.0 TSI 95.

Sadly, numbers don't tell the whole story.&nbsp;You see, because the MG 3's engine&nbsp;isn’t turbocharged like the majority of its rivals', it feels gutless and asthmatic at low revs. On quicker roads, it’s&nbsp;easier to make use of the engine’s maximum grunt, which arrives at 4500rpm – but once you’re that high up in the rev range, be prepared for quite a lot of vibration and harshness.

Indeed, that buzzy engine never quite fades into the background – you can hear it working away at a steady cruise and there's also plenty of road noise on the motorway. Factor in a gearbox that feels rubbery and imprecise, and a clutch pedal that's vague&nbsp;and hard to judge, and the MG 3 isn't a hatchback you’ll particularly relish throwing down your local B-road.

That said, don’t go thinking the&nbsp;MG 3 is completely without merit. In terms of grip and body control, it's better than the Sandero. However, the steering is overly heavy at parking speeds, and doesn't deliver a great sense of connection with the road when you're going quickly.&nbsp;

Then there's the ride. The MG 3 has firm and fairly unsophisticated suspension, so it doesn't deal well with road scars around town and is positively jarring over potholes. The Sandero is far softer and more agreeable.

OUR PICK

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

http://example.com

15-vti-tech

Remember MG? That great British manufacturer known for making fun yet low-cost sports cars? Well, it’s still around – and the MG 3&nbsp;is the brand's cheapest offering.

Now, we don’t blame you if MG’s recent resurgence has passed you by. Ever since the marque was taken over by China's SAIC Motor, each new model has struggled to make a big&nbsp;impact. However, there has been a much-needed increase&nbsp;in sales in recent years, with the keenly priced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mg-motor-uk/zs/hatchback/review/n17318">ZS</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mg-motor-uk/hs/hatchback/review/n20298">HS</a> SUVs largely responsible.

The MG 3 – a Ford Fiesta-sized hatchback – is&nbsp;one of the most affordable new cars on the market, undercutting the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/fabia/hatchback/review/n47">Skoda Fabia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/swift/hatchback/review/n54">Suzuki Swift</a>. In fact, unless you want to go even smaller (think <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/fiat/panda/hatchback/review/n128">Fiat Panda</a>), only the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/dacia/sandero/hatchback/review/n55">Dacia Sandero</a>&nbsp;is cheaper.

On paper at least, the MG 3 looks competitive in other respects, as it's well-equipped and comes with a relatively powerful 1.5-litre&nbsp;petrol engine. There are&nbsp;even some personalisation options to help you make yours stand out in a crowded car park.

There's plenty of competition in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/small">small car</a> class, though, so&nbsp;it will have its work cut out if it wants to steal buyers away from other, more established brands.

Over the next few pages of this MG 3 review, we’ll tell you how it stacks up against its closest rivals, covering what it's like to drive, whether you passengers will be comfortable, how big the boot is, how much it will cost to run and much more.

When you've decided which make and model of car to buy, make sure you get it for&nbsp;the best price by using the free <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying service</a>. It can help you save thousands of pounds off the list price, and is a great place to look out for the best&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mg-motor-uk/mg3/hatchback/deals">new MG 3 deals</a>.

There’s plenty of adjustment in the MG 3's driving seat, but the steering wheel doesn’t move in and out (only up and down)&nbsp;so some will find it hard to get comfortable. Visibility to the front and back is good, though, and the dashboard is logically laid out, with most of the buttons easy to find and press on the move.

In terms of aesthetics, the 3 had an overhaul in the latter half of 2018, and with that came a major redesign of the interior. At first glance, you wonder how the MG 3 can be offered at such a low price. Prod the dashboard or door linings and the cost-cutting becomes apparent, but the MG 3 is still far from unpleasant inside.

An 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system comes as standard in all trim levels. It isn't brilliant, but it does allow you to sync up your iPhone&nbsp;using <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a> (there's no support for Android devices), and responds reasonably promptly to prods. You only get four speakers if you go for entry-level Excite trim, but six if you upgrade to Exclusive Nav.&nbsp;

As the name suggests, Exclusive Nav also brings a built-in sat-nav – not that you really need one of those in the modern days of smartphone navigation apps.

The MG 3&nbsp;is keenly priced, but still hard to recommend

The MG 3 isn't too cramped inside. While it's not&nbsp;as roomy in the front or back as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/dacia/sandero/hatchback/review/n55">Dacia Sandero</a>, it’s roughly on a par with&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n106">Ford Fiesta</a>. Not bad for a car with such a budget price tag.

There’s enough head and leg room to ensure four adults will stay comfortable, even on long journeys. Boot space isn't great compared with the Sandero (or many other small cars for that matter), but the load bay&nbsp;is at least&nbsp;a practical, square shape and the rear seats can be folded down when you need to take longer loads (the seatback&nbsp;splits in a 60/40 configuration).

In terms of interior storage, the 3 has decent-sized door bins and&nbsp;a generously sized glovebox. If you opt for the range-topping Exclusive model, you get map pockets, too.

excite

This range-topping trim brings cruise control, a reversing camera and a few other minor upgrades including a built-in sat nav. 

Exclusive Nav

exclusive

The MG 3 is keenly priced, but a bumpy ride, wheezy engine and disappointing safety rating all count against it. It's hard to recommend. 

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Spacious enough for four adults to sit comfortably</li> <li>Logically laid-out interior that doesn’t</li> <li>feel too cheap</li> <li>Mature driving manners </li> <li>Decent-sized boot</li> <li>Competitive buying and running costs</li></ul>

Small cars, or superminis as they’re also known, used to be bought almost exclusively as first cars or by people with no children – but the likes of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n106">Ford Fiesta</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ibiza/hatchback/review/n17359">Seat Ibiza</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n83">Volkswagen Polo</a> have grown to the point where they can be considered all-round family transport, albeit with the odd compromise.

The Fiesta remains a star of the class, thanks to its strong Ecoboost petrol engines and suspension settings that are beautifully judged for British roads. However, the latest Volkswagen offers even more practicality, decent performance and a classy interior that has the edge on the Ford’s for quality.

Any of these models will be a competent commuter car – especially if fitted with one of the increasingly popular small turbocharged petrol engines – but just remember that while you’ll be able to carry two adults and two children, it might still be a struggle to get all of their luggage into the boot.

Small

MG 3 review

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Buying advice for the MG 3 covering running costs, MPG, Fuel Economy, Reliability and Safety, from the expert What Car? review team.

The MG 3 is very cheap to buy. It undercuts even value-focused options, including the Skoda Fabia and Suzuki Swift, although if you're looking for the cheapest new car in Britain, the Dacia Sandero is king.,It's not all good news, though, because depreciation is fairly heavy, and the MG 3 isn't very frugal by modern standards. CO2 emissions are also high compared with most other small cars. You do get front and rear electric windows, remote control locking and air-conditioning across the range, though, and Exclusive Nav trim adds cruise control to the list. ,Buyers will also be pleased to hear that MG has extended its seven-year/80,000-mile warranty, which was only available for the ZS, to the 3. The company claims that this demonstrates faith in the reliability of its products; it’s a claim not entirely supported by our 2020 What Car? reliability survey, in which MG finished joint 22nd (out of 31 brands) in the overall league table.In terms of safety, there are six airbags on every model, plus you get stability control, an Isofix child seat mount on each outer rear seat and a tyre pressure monitoring system. All that pales into insignificance, though, when you consider that the MG 3 achieved only three (out of five) stars in its Euro NCAP safety test – and that was back in 2014, when the standards were far less stringent than they are today.,,For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

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