Used MG 3 2013-2024 review
The MG 3 is a spacious small car that’s fun to drive, but a gutless engine and dated interior on pre-facelift examples mean there are better options
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What's the used MG MG3 like?
Ownership cost
Our recommendations
Alternatives
Reliability
Oliver Young
Updated: 29 April 2024
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What's the used MG MG3 like?
The small car class seems to be getting more and more expensive by the hour, but the MG 3 has been trying to buck that trend even since it arrived in 2013.
It was positioned as a good-value alternative to rivals such as the Dacia Sandero, Kia Rio and Vauxhall Corsa when new. It remains affordable when used, too, but more on that on the next page...
Overview
The MG 3 is a spacious small car that’s fun to drive, but a gutless engine and dated interior on pre-facelift examples mean there are better options.
Pros
- Fun to drive
- Low insurance
- Good rear leg room
Cons
- Poor engine performance
- Plenty of road noise
- Dated interior on pre-facelift examples
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Engines & Performance: A 1.5-litre petrol is the only engine on offer, and while it offers a great headline power figure for the class (105bhp), this non-turbocharged unit isn’t as flexible as more modern offerings.
You really have to thrash it in order to make progress. When you do so, the unit sounds a bit rough, plus it rumbles away in the background on the motorway, unlike more hushed engines you can find inside rivals – the VW Polo, for example.
Ride & Handling: You’ll also notice that the 3's ride is on the firm side. This is great for handling, where the 3 feels rather sharp fleet and decent fun. However, the downside is the ride is abrupt with potholes, is unsettled over rough roads and transmits plenty of road noise into the interior.
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The steering is heavy for a small car, too, making parking a bit trickier. It is accurate, though, enabling you to place the car through corners with ease.
Interior & Practicality: The 3 is spacious inside, with plenty of head room. You can fit two tallish adults in the rear seats, thanks to a surprising amount of leg room. The steering wheel adjusts only for height, though, so the driving position isn’t as comfortable as it could be.
The quality of plastics inside isn’t great, but considering how cheap the 3 was when new, this is to be expected. What does really date the interior is that there isn't an infotainment screen on models made before the 3 was given a facelift in late 2018, with a very fiddly radio unit that has lots of small buttons. Post-facelift 3s have a much more up-to-date 8.0in touchscreen that's responsive and has an attractive layout. It only has Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity, though, not Android Auto as well.
Trims & Equipment: Speaking of pre and post-facelift 3s, there's a marked difference between the two in terms of standard equipment. Entry-level 3Time models are best avoided in favour of mid-range 3Form and 3Form Sport, because you get air conditioning, a DAB radio, Bluetooth and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, with 16in alloy wheels and some exterior styling tweaks exclusive to the 3Form Sport. Additional luxuries were reserved for the range-topping 3Style, which had diamond-cut wheels, cruise control, automatic lights and wipers and rear parking sensors. The 3Style Lux came with leather seats.
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The facelift led to a rationalisation of the MG 3 range to just three models: Explore, Excite and Exclusive. Explore is a bit basic, with only 14in steel wheels, Bluetooth and central locking, so look instead for an Excite version with an 8.0in colour touchscreen, rear parking sensors, air-con and 16in alloys. Top-spec Exclusive models come with a reversing camera, cruise control, an upgraded stereo and sports seats.
Interested in buying a used MG 3? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.
Tips & Advice
Make sure you’re insured for the test drive
Short-term car insurance – also called test-drive insurance – will ensure you’re legal when you’re shopping for your next car
Ownership cost
What used MG MG3 will I get for my budget?
Used prices for the MG 3 cost from £3000 for a 2013 example. A well-equipped 3Style model is a little bit more, at £4000.
For a facelifted car, have around £6000. If you want one of the last MG 3 examples of this generation, have around £12,000.
Check the value of a used MG 3 with What Car? Valuations
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How much does cost to run a MG MG3?
MPG: If you go for a pre-2016 model, official NEDC fuel economy is 48.7mpg and CO2 emissions are 136g/km. Examples produced after 2016 improve upon those figures, reducing consumption to 51.4mpg and CO2 to 124g/km. However, facelifted versions are rated under the current (and slightly more realistic) WLTP system and therefore have slightly worse figures of 47.1mpg and 140g/km.
Road tax: Early examples of the 3 registered before 1 April 2017 will be charged road tax based upon the amount of CO2 they produced, whereas ones registered after this date incur a flat rate fee regardless of the emissions produced. This is currently £190 per year.
Insurance and servicing: The MG 3 sits in a low insurance group, helping to keep running costs down. However, both fuel and yearly road tax are high compared with rivals, because the 3 has a relatively large petrol engine.
Servicing is usually every 15,000 miles, but if your car is fitted with the start-stop function (a fuel-saving feature that cuts the engine when the car is stationary), it'll need to be seen every 10,000 miles.
Reliability
The MG 3 proves itself mechanically sound, according to our 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey, with only a few major repairs noted among the models from recent years. Minor electrical glitches like sensor faults and dashboard display issues were reported, but these were not widespread.
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Dealer service for the MG 3 generally received high marks for efficiency and helpfulness, with many owners satisfied with the prompt and proactive problem resolution. However, some owners expressed concerns over the occasional lack of replacement part availability, leading to extended repair times.
Discover more about used MG 3 reliability and common problems on our dedicated reliability page.
Tips & Advice
Organise your motoring life
Whether you need to keep tabs on your insurance renewal, sort breakdown cover, or book a service, My What Car? has you covered
Can I buy a car with cash?
Paying cash isn’t always an easy way to a new car – and you may not be able to get the big discounts you might expect
Our recommendations
Which used MG MG3 should I buy?
Since there's only one engine and gearbox choice, this bit is quite simple.
The 3Style seems to be one of the more common trims available and has all the equipment we like from the 3Form and 3Form Sport with a few added luxuries for not much more money.
If you happen to be going for a facelifted model from 2019 onwards, there isn't much of a price difference between mid-range Excite and top-of-the-range Exclusive, so you might want to stretch to the higher-spec car for more equipment.
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Our favourite MG 3: 1.5 3Style
Tips & Advice
Avoid ULEZ and clean-air zone fines
If you regularly drive into a clean air zone, you’ll want to ensure your next car is compliant to avoid costly fines
Alternatives
What alternatives should I consider to a used MG MG3?
The Dacia Sandero is a very roomy car and can have it with a more modern, turbocharged engine. It's similarly priced when used, too.
Value for money has always been a key selling point of the Kia Rio, and most examples will still have some warranty coverage left. The Rio's interior is well put together, if a little dull, and the car gets plenty of standard equipment.
Then there’s the Vauxhall Corsa, which has been a big seller for many years now thanks to low prices, affordable running costs and cheap insurance rates. It’s not the most exciting small car to drive, but it is one of the more spacious cars in its class.
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? Newsletter here
Interested in buying a used MG 3? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.
How reliable is the MG MG3 ?
MG MG3
Read reliability
About the writer
Name: Oliver Young
Title: Senior Reviewer
Follow Oliver Young on
Oliver Young spent three years as What Car?'s used car reporter, before becoming a reviewer in 2024 and senior reviewer in 2026. Oliver produces new car reviews for What Car? magazine and whatcar.com as part of the road test team.
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