One of the two permanent vehicles we have is a 2014 MG3 Style (yes, I know the trim names are a little stupid)... I have had the pleasure of owning her for a while now, and she has been an overall delight to drive.
I picked her up at the end of November 2016, and since then she has covered about 12,000 miles with a total mileage of around 45,000. She was originally a company or fleet car, from what we can work out from the log book, and she was bought to replace a far less sensible 1996 Rover 216. Needless to say, she has been much more reliable than the former pride of Longbridge, and shows just how much quality and reliability have improved in around 20 years.
As MG advertising continually seems to point out, the previous generation Ford Fiesta, which was replaced at the end last year, was, spec for spec, around £5,000 more expensive than an MG3. This would mean that the equivalent MG is around two thirds the price of a Fiesta, and has lower insurance costs to boot. Whilst this is broadly true, the picture is a little more complex than that.
The Fiesta does have the same boot size, has roughly the same exterior dimensions and actually has less interior space, but it can be sold and serviced at any Ford dealer nationwide, and has much more choice when it comes to specification. The MG3 has just one engine and gearbox choice, when a Fiesta has about seven engines and three gearboxes to consider. This MG engine in question (which, for Rover fans, unlike the older MG6 petrol is unrelated to any previous MG Rover product) is a four cylinder, 1.5 litre chain cam petrol unit with variable valve timing producing 105 bhp. This is actually quite a lot in a car with group four insurance (highly suitable for first time drivers), and means performance is surprisingly brisk.
I have heard lots of journalists criticise the power unit for being rough and needing to be worked hard to maintain decent progress, and although it does need more revs to get going than the 1.0 litre three cylinder turbo in my Seat Toledo, it really is not that bad. It is torquey enough, is quiet at most revs, seems to spin progressively and even has a pleasant exhaust note. Sadly, MG have since released a turbocharged version in the MG GS and also a brand new 1.0 litre three cylinder turbo in the new MG ZS, which makes this look rather old-fashioned indeed. True, when compared with the 1.25 litre in the previous generation Fiesta and current Ford Ka+ (which dates back at least 15 years) it does not look too bad. However, with embarrassingly high fuel consumption and emission figures for a modern supermini, I can understand why some writers are not impressed, and getting an average of just over 38 mpg on ours, when compared with 50+ for a new generation Fiesta, is not brilliant at all. However, with a relatively low annual mileage, and given the MG3's much cheaper price, it is not that bad in context.
The two cars to which the MG3 are often compared are the Ford Ka+ and the Dacia Sandero. Both are as practical and have similar issues with cheaper interior plastics than, say a Volkswagen Polo, and, when comparably equipped, they are about the same price. They also offer better fuel economy. However, this somewhat misses the point. The MG3 is actually more of a cut-price rival for a Mini, and offers similar customisation options (some of which are truly hideous).
There may be a bit of cheap plastic in the interior and "pull up" exterior door handles (as opposed to the more modern "pull out" on virtually every other modern car), as well as an inefficient engine, but the MG3 is a stylish little car. All models have LED running lights, colour co-ordinated air vents and racy instruments that do a little dial sweep when the engine is started. The car is also fitted with hydraulic power steering, when virtually every other small car has the vaguer, but lighter, electric power steering set up. This means that the car car be a little heavier to park than some, but it is never too heavy, and the car is an absolute joy to drive. The handling is an absolute revelation, with the feedback through the steering a delight like few others and plenty of grip. The trade off is quite a firm ride, and this can get tiresome at times, but I personally think it is a great compromise.
With interior space from the class above (easily fitting four six foot tall people), luxuries on our upper level Style model like cruise control, parking sensors, automatic lights, automatic wipers, Bluetooth, DAB radio, diamond cut alloy wheels and a USB port, the MG3 is very easy to live with day to day. What is less easy is the clutch which bites a little higher than expected, and a gearbox which can be a little vague (in comparison with a Ford or Volkswagen), but if you have driven older cars, such as a 15 year old Corsa or Peugeot 206, it is definitely not as bad at those.
To sum up then, the MG3 is actually something of a bargain and a very fun car to own. The only problems with have had are a washer jet which seems to get blocked up too easily, and parking sensors which sometimes do not operate in the rain. That is it for 14 months of ownership. Fiestas, Polos and Corsas may be more plentiful and offer more choice of trims, but I am still very pleased indeed that we will be keeping our MG3 for many years to come. It is a very suitable car for a younger driver (provided they have one with parking sensors, as the visibility and door mirrors are a bit compromised). I would certainly take one over our old friends the "recycled last generation Fiesta" Ford Ka+ or the infamous Dacia Sandero.
