I have always found the MG3 an interesting proposition. It was the first car I reviewed on the blog at the beginning of 2014, and I've always thought of it as very decisively styled and perfectly able super mini that actually has an awful lot going for it. Although it was hard to find conclusive reasons to buy one over very able competition a couple of years ago, MG have tweaked and modified the 3 quite a bit since then, albeit predominantly internally under the hood. That being said, I was looking forward to getting my hands on the latest edition to see how it coped with a weekend of riding through the ever-changing conditions of Dartmoor.
The OTR price is a fundamental reason for looking twice at the MG3. It's remarkably good value for money, starting at less than £9000, and slightly more for the higher-specced MG3 Form and the like. In terms of spec, you really don't get that much, but you do get to keep a sizeable amount of cash in your wallet.
The MG3 can trace its roots back to the Rover Streetwise, which has almost certainly been erased from most people's memories. That being said, with an MG badge, there's a whole host of historic and heritage angles to take with this car should you wish. Fundamentally, despite it being mostly Chinese, it's nice to see an MG badge on the road.
Styling
The MG3 is a great looking car. Its styling and design is striking, and its appeal benefits from a range of customisation options akin to the Fiat 500 and the Vauxhall Adam, for example. Cute proportions and a well designed profile compliment the high rear lights and spoiler as well as the not inconsiderable side skirts and flared arches. I feel it's a step ahead of rivals this sector, like the somewhat inoffensive Vauxhall Viva.
Handling
The MG3 handles with precision and tenacity and doesn't necessarily undermine the car's sporty looks. Like the MG6, it's well suited to British roads having been predominantly designed and tested here, and it's actually great fun. The twisting roads of Dartmoor provided some fantastic tarmac to open the car up a bit and push it through the bends. The chassis is taught and well tuned, and it's fairly easy to feel confident leaning into most corners. Although the suspension is firm and the ride clattery at times, I would forgive this for how much fun it is to push the car through twisty stuff.
Engine
MG has eschewed the trend for tiny turbo engines in the MG3, and it only ships with one engine, a rather old fashioned 1.5L unit producing 105bhp. It's not all good news here, I'm afraid, as like most reviewers I found the engine wheezy and far less economical that it should have been. Despite this, it's not altogether useless when pushed hard. The 0-60 time of just over 10 seconds feel reasonably achievable, and as long as you're prepared to push it a little it'll still be fun shifting gears through the bends - but arguably not as fun as the likes of the VW Up! or Vauxhall Viva that seem to have far more refined engines and feel a lot quicker.
Running Costs
Although the 1.5L engine isn't the most frugal (I achieved about 33 on average on a long run - not exactly inspiring) the MG3 makes up for this by being about as cheap as you can get to buy and insure. Sitting in insurance group 4, it's two below the Dacia Sandero which sits in the same OTR price, so it's a good buy if cost cutting is your priority. What would be nice however are some features that allow for greater efficiency, like stop/start or low-rolling-resistance tyres.
Interior
There aren't really any features inside, either, but I didn't find that too much of a problem, and despite the inevitable plastic the cabin is a perfectly nice place to be. There's decent cubby hole and drinks holder space, and it's easy to find a comfortable driving position. Good headroom really helps with this, and there's a surprisingly good amount of space in the back, again with excellent headroom. Bluetooth connectivity works well, and the radio system and general controls are well designed and within easy reach. As with the Vauxhall Viva, it was nice to a take a car of this nature on a long trip and not have a screen to faff around with.
Summary
I'm excited about what MG might be able to offer the British market in years to come. I'll still maintain what I originally said in that the MG3 could be great car - it's still good - and there's still plenty of reasons to look at buying one if you're looking in this sector, cost is an issue and you want something a little different. It desperately needs new, more economical engines, however you can't fault the general running costs in terms of maintenance, insurance and the like, and its British-biased handling makes it a genuinely fun drive on some of the more demanding roads such as the ones I took it on in Dartmoor.
Give it some new engine options and development in terms of efficiency and you've got a great supermini here. I still enjoyed it and it's definitely a car to be recommended. I hope I see more on the roads in years to come.
