You might think that with the demise of the Ford Fiesta, these affordable, feature-packed small cars would be on the decline, but some companies are fighting back to prove that there’s a world outside of SUVs.
One of these is MG, which is looking to fill the Fiesta gap with its new MG3. It’s a hybrid hatchback, but crucially it’s still very affordable. We’ve already put it head to head with the best new small cars and now it’s time for our first full UK test.
But is it the Fiesta killer or should you dig deeper and get something more expensive? Read on to find out.
At a glance
Advantages: Amazing value, generous amenities, comfortable
Disadvantages: Doesn’t feel as powerful as the numbers suggest, interior feels cheap
What’s new?
A quick glance at a typical supermarket car park is enough to see that MG is doing pretty well in the UK. Cheap but decent cars at a price the average customer can afford are the result of its success. Sales continue to rise and the company is on course to become the UK’s tenth most popular car company if it successfully displaces Vauxhall. That’s pretty impressive considering the disastrous products it produced a decade ago.
One of those terrible products was the old MG3. Cheap, yes. Junk? Also yes. But if you wanted the cheapest new car, it was the second best option after a Dacia Sandero, and even in its final year it had the best sales figures. A real sign of the times.
But this new MG3 is a big change. It’s bigger, smarter and more modern, and it also gets a new hybrid powertrain, a first for MG. However, a cheaper standard petrol version is expected in 2025.
What are the specifications?
On paper at least, the MG3 Hybrid’s specs are really impressive. A combination of a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a powerful 134bhp electric motor produces 191bhp and 313Nm of torque. That’s not unlike a Ford Fiesta ST… but in a sensible hybrid hatchback.
The drive is transmitted to the front wheels via an unusual three-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration from 0-100 km/h takes just eight seconds and the top speed is 170 km/h.
In terms of fuel consumption, MG claims 64.2 mpg and 100 g/km CO2 emissions, with actual figures slightly behind those of a Toyota Yaris Hybrid, for example, despite the latter having considerably lower power requirements.
What is the interior like?
For the price, it’s hard to complain about the MG3’s interior. The overall look isn’t much different from the more expensive electric MG4, with a squared-off steering wheel, clear touchscreen and digital display. There are few physical buttons, but there are useful shortcuts to climate settings, for example, on the main screen.
There are a few slight ergonomic oddities: the mirror adjustment is hidden at the bottom right of the steering wheel, and the rotary selector lever sometimes requires a few vigorous turns and pressure points before it achieves the desired effect.
Quality is on the lower end of the spectrum for a small car, but the MG3 is also on the lower end of the price scale, so that’s forgivable. Some interesting stitching on the seats and dashboard gives the whole thing a more elegant touch.
It also ticks many boxes in terms of space, particularly in terms of rear seat space. Most adults can sit quite comfortably in the back, but headroom might prove to be quite tight. The boot is averagely large for the class, offering slightly more space than a Toyota Yaris but slightly less than a Renault Clio E-Tech Hybrid.
How does it feel to drive?
If you think you’re getting a 200bhp hot hatch when you look at the MG3, you’ll be disappointed. But otherwise it’s a good car, especially for the price.
The handling is also different from the Clio and Yaris, as they rely more heavily on the petrol engine, while the MG3’s electric motor is its main power source and uses a 1.83 kWh battery, which is again larger than those two cars.
You get significantly more power than the Yaris and Clio hybrids, but it never feels as quick as the numbers suggest. There are various modes within the hybrid system that are automatically selected depending on battery charge and throttle input, but the power delivery never feels particularly consistent – sometimes it’s really quite brisk and other times it feels a little flat.
But like the MG4, it’s a pretty snappy chassis, capable of handling even more power. Refinement is good, especially at motorway speeds, and ride quality – thanks in part to the smaller alloys with plenty of sidewall – is mostly comfortable. Some of the MG3’s tuning was done at its UK development base at Longbridge, and it shows in the handling.
Before buying
As with any MG, the low price is key to the MG3’s appeal. With a starting price of £18,495, it may not be the cheapest small car, but it is by far the cheapest hybrid small car and the cheapest hybrid car overall you can buy. A Renault Clio E-Tech costs £3,000 more and a Toyota Yaris another £4,000. The fact that the 190bhp MG3 costs less than a non-turbocharged petrol Skoda Fabia says a lot about its value.
You get practically everything you need in a car of this size as standard. The entry-level SE model has a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as air conditioning and rear parking sensors.
The top-spec Trophy costs an extra £2,000, and although you get plenty of extra features – such as a 360-degree camera, heated front seats and keyless entry – you can probably live without them.
Rumour has it that a cheaper MG3 petrol model is in the works, but we don’t know exactly if and when this will happen.
Verdict
MG is a company that shows no signs of slowing down or improving, and the new MG3 is another exceptional step forward compared to its predecessor. A hybrid small car available for less than the price of a base petrol version of most rivals is a real selling point, as is the fact that it has nearly 200bhp.
It’s not the best hybrid powertrain, nor does it offer the exceptional fuel economy of a Toyota Yaris. But it’s a good small car at a good price, and that should always be praised.
