MG3 3Style review | New Release - Car News May 2014

15:53 Thursday 08 May 2014

I'll admit it that the first time I clapped eyes on our MG3 press car, I wasn't exactly thrilled by the prospect of spending a week with it.

It's the second car to come from the long-dormant MG marque since its acquisition by the China-based SAIC Motor Corporation, and given the decidedly frosty reception given to the first car -- the Golf-sized MG6 -- I wasn't holding out much hope for the company's new supermini.

My fears were compounded somewhat by the rather, ahem, garish paint scheme MG had chosen to lavish upon the car. Pink wing mirrors combined with what MG calls a 'Weave' roof graphic do not a masculine car make, and for several minutes I was toying with the idea of driving the 3 with a paper bag on my head.

In the end, I decided against it, and on the basis that the car's first job was to take me up to Leeds (where nobody knows me), I drove the car with my head fully on show. And you know what? I liked it.

MG 3

If you discount that truly hideous pink trinketry, it's not a bad-looking car. It's a bit bland in a generic Far-Eastern sort of way, but for my money it's one of the better-looking superminis on the road. Thankfully, the pink mirrors don't come as standard but are just one of many "graphic packs" which are quickly becoming de rigueur options on all small cars. Some of the better graphic packs include things like Mod roundels and a Union Jack roof, but, given that the Weave pack on our car cost a not-inconsiderable £199, we'd be inclined to keep it simple and eschew the graphics packs entirely.

Step inside the MG3 and you'll be pleasantly surprised by the cabin. Everything is well laid out and feels well made, and while there are some cheap plastics on show, this is to be fully expected in a car of the 3's price. What's surprising as well is that the less luxurious materials do little to detract from the car's impressive feeling of solidity and quality.

MG 3

The cabin design itself is pleasingly sporty, if a little dated, with neat red stitching complementing the leather upholstery. But where the 3 plays its joker is in the sheer amount of space on offer inside. There's far, far more rear legroom than you'd get in, say, a Fiesta, with enough room for four six-footers to get comfortable on even a longer journey. The boot is also well above average size for a car in this class.

So far so good. Unfortunately, however, the 3's big shortcoming becomes apparent when you get behind the wheel and turn the key. MG has fitted the 3 with a naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine which develops 105bhp and 101lb-ft of torque, giving a 0-62mph time of 11.4 seconds and a top speed of 108mph. This might not sound too bad on paper -- in fact, considering the price, it's very good -- however, the engine is by far the worst part of the car. At low revs it's fine, but take it up past around 4,000rpm and torque drops off considerably. Refinement also suffers considerably at high speeds, with the engine's gruff nature spoiling an otherwise hushed drive.

MG 3

A quick glance at the MG3's economy figures is also telling. We managed to coax just over 40mpg out of it and this, combined with CO2 emissions of 136g/km, is simply not enough to compete with the class-leaders, most of which come with sub-100g/km engines and MPG figures north of 60mpg.

What makes the 3's engine even more frustrating is that, in all other ways, it's one of the best cars in its class to drive. The chassis -- and we're being deadly serious here -- is brilliant, offering composed body control and nimble, taut handling. The steering is also crisp, well-weighted and linear in its response. How MG has managed to pull this off we don't know, but it's managed to build one of the best handling cars in the class. If we had to pick nits, we'd say that the ride is a bit choppy; however, overall, the 3 is an engaging and rewarding drive.

Another area in which the 3 shines is on the spec sheets. There are three models on offer, ranging from the basic 3Time through to the mid-range 3Form to the car we had, the range-topping 3Style. All models come as standard with a USB socket, electric windows and a CD player, while the car we had 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, automatic lights and wipers, rear parking sensors, a leather steering wheel, electronic air-conditioning, DAB, MP3 and Bluetooth.

MG 3

Some of the MG3's personalisation options are an acquired taste.

And the price for all this? Well, this top-of-the-range 3 comes in at £9,999 (excluding the pink door mirrors and silly roof), putting it on an even keel with the entry-level Ford Fiesta Studio, which has just 59bhp and an awful lot less kit. The entry-level 3, meanwhile, costs just £8,399, making it a direct rival to the Dacia Sandero.

The question is, should you buy one? Well, if you're looking for a cheap supermini, we'd argue that the MG3 is a superior car to the Dacia Sandero. We'd also argue that there's a strong case for buying a top-spec 3 over an entry-level Fiesta. We would, however, urge you to try before you buy, as that engine could just be enough to put you off.

Ultimately, thanks to its engine, the MG3 isn't quite good enough to challenge the likes of the Fiesta, the Polo and the Clio; however, factor in the bargain basement price tag, the engaging driving experience and the amount of space inside, and the 3 makes a compelling case for itself.