MG3 review: a well-priced and efficient hybrid supermini

Quick verdict

The MG3 is among the most fun to drive, comfortable and best-equipped cars in its class. It’s also easily the fastest while returning strong fuel consumption figures. That it achieves all of this while vastly undercutting pretty much every other rival on price makes it a proper supermini star.

MG3: price, specs and rivals

MG is a brand that’s rapidly on the up. Between 2021 and 2023, it has seen a hefty 64 per cent growth in its sales, lifting the brand from 18,000 sales in 2020 to 81,000 last year. 

Cars like the all-electric MG4 have played a massive part in bumping up those numbers, but now the brand has decided to wade into the supermini segment to continue that impressive growth. 

When it appeared in 2007, the previous MG3 wasn’t all that competitive in the small car arena. Yes, it was very cheap, and it even handled quite well, but in every other respect, it fell well short of the standards expected to compete with the best in the supermini class. 

The all-new model changes all of that – and drastically. The five-door hatchback has gained a vast injection of tech, including a hybrid powertrain that gives the MG3 class-leading performance – at least on paper. 

Due to its mix of petrol and electric power, the closest competition to the MG3 is the Toyota Yaris and the multiple award-winning Renault Clio, which is one of our favourite superminis. The non-hybrid Skoda Fabia is also a very talented supermini alternative. However, with a price starting from £18,495, the MG3 is significantly cheaper than any of those cars, falling more closely in line with the Suzuki Swift. And the aggressive pricing isn’t going to end there, either. Later in 2024, MG will release a pure petrol powered model, which could start from as low as £15,000. That puts it directly in the sights of the Dacia Sandero and Citroen C3.

There are two trim levels, with the base model SE coming with adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, rear parking sensors, the 10.25-inch infotainment screen with navigation and electric windows all around. The top-of-the-range Trophy costs £2,000 more than the SE, and adds LED headlights, blind spot detection, heated front seats and steering wheel, plus a 360-degree parking camera, among other features. Whichever model you choose, you’ll get an awful lot of tech for the cash.

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For several reasons, the petrol/electric hybrid system used in the MG3 is quite unusual compared with its Clio and Yaris rivals. The key detail that sets the MG3 apart is how it uses its electric motor because its rivals use the e-motor as an assistant to the petrol engine, whereas it’s the headline act in the MG3.

Because of this arrangement, the hybrid MG3 behaves more like an EV, accelerating off the mark with the similarly instantaneous response of a fully electric car, with the equivalent Toyota and Renault feeling much less powerful and lethargic off the mark. The electric motor in the MG3 is responsive but not always the easiest to modulate; at low speeds, the throttle is hard to control, making things a bit jerky when backing into a parking space.

Like an electric car, the hybrid MG3 has three levels of regenerative braking, which helps to put some electricity back into the 1.83kWh battery when you’re slowing down. That battery is larger than most rivals to help it drive using electric power as much as possible at lower speeds. When its energy is depleted, the petrol engine quietly awakes to drive a generator that tops the battery up with electricity.

The hybrid MG3's power comes mostly from its electric motor. When more performance is needed, its 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine can send its power directly to the front wheels in combination with the electric motor through a three-speed auto gearbox. 

The total power output is 192bhp, which is significantly more than what you’ll get from the Clio E-Tech or Yaris hybrid, and helps the MG3 to cover the 0-62mph dash in eight seconds flat – significantly quicker than the 9.7 seconds it takes the Yaris to reach the same speed. 

We found that there was a significant lag between mashing the throttle and the petrol engine and electric motor combination in the MG3 giving it its all. However, many other hybrid rivals can be accused of being similarly laggy. The e-motor is so potent at lower speeds, this only becomes an issue when you’re driving enthusiastically or accelerating up a motorway slip road. The top speed of 106mph is more than enough for the UK motorway network.

MG has an engineering team based in Longbridge to set the MG3 up for UK roads, and it shows. Despite a reasonably chunky (by supermini standards) 1,300kg kerb weight for the hybrid version, the MG3 is fun to drive, with plenty of grip. One area that could be improved is the steering, which feels unnatural due to slightly odd weighting. We’d still rate it as more enjoyable to drive than either the Renault Clio or Toyota Yaris, though.

The MG rides fairly well, smoothing out the imperfections of pockmarked roads thanks in no small part to its small 16-inch wheels and large profile tyres. Noise isolation from suspension shocks is also a match for the best European superminis. 

We’ve criticised MGs in the past for overly intrusive driver aids, but things have improved dramatically on this current model. On narrow roads, it’s far less likely to tug at the wheel when it thinks you’re about to cross a white line, making it much less irritating. If it still grates, it can be turned off.

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Despite offering class-leading performance, the MG3 hybrid's efficiency is very competitive. Its closest rivals, the Renault Clio and Toyota Yaris, achieved 56.2 and 58.5mpg, respectively, when they faced off in an Auto Express twin test. 

The MG3 can get very close to those figures, because we averaged 55.4mpg behind the wheel. It’s at its best around town and in 30/40mph limits, where the electric motor can work at its most efficient, and it means over 60mpg is possible. At motorway speeds, where the petrol engine is doing more work, it drops down to just over 50mpg, but that’s still a strong return overall.

Both SE and Trophy trims of the hybrid MG3 put out 100g/km, which is significantly lower than a traditional petrol-powered supermini. It’s not quite as low as the sub-100 g/km figures produced by either the Clio E-Tech or Yaris hybrid, which means those two have slightly lower Benefit-in-Kind (BIK) company car tax rates. None will match a full EV like the Peugeot E-208 or Vauxhall Corsa Electric for company car tax.

The MG3 hybrid is several insurance groups higher than its competitors, which will likely lead to pricier premiums. The entry-level SE is in group 23, while the top-of-the-range Trophy is in 24. For comparison, the Clio E-Tech is in group 15.

Data provided by vehicle valuation experts CDL indicates that the MG3 will retain almost half of its original value after three years or 36,000 miles. The Clio E-Tech hybrid is expected to retain slightly more – between 51 and 53.5 per cent, depending on trim level – but it also starts from around £4,500 more than the MG3 in SE trim.

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Cabin fit and finish hasn’t always been the first reason you’d buy an MG over its rivals, and here, the MG3 is decent but not class leading. While there are some squidgy materials in the places you frequently touch, like the armrests, and the steering wheel, there is plenty of hard plastic elsewhere. This isn’t that unusual in this class, but a Renault Clio or a Peugeot 208 feel much posher inside. There are some very cheap areas, such as the flimsy sliding tray beneath the front centre armrest.

We appreciate that style is subjective, but the MG’s exterior looks a little plain and already seems dated compared to its sharp-suited rivals like the Clio and 208. Part of that, is down to its small 16-inch wheels, although the trade-off they bring in ride comfort seems worthwhile.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

The infotainment system is shown on a bright 10.25-inch screen. It’s fairly responsive to touches, and loading times are fine, but most people will end up bypassing the system and using navigation or music streaming apps from their phone via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. Much like its MG4 sibling, you can set up a shortcut from the steering wheel that allows you to adjust the climate controls using the toggle on the right side of the wheel.

The audio system gets the job done, but the sound quality is a little weak compared to the class best, and there’s no option to upgrade to a fancier system.

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At 4,113mm long, the MG3 is slightly longer than the class average, and much of that seems to come from its protruding bonnet, rather than being put to best use for passenger space.

A 293-litre boot is pretty much identical to hybrid rivals like the Renault Clio and Toyota Yaris, but smaller than non-hybrid alternatives like the Skoda Fabia. The rear seat back doesn’t split as in most other rivals, which limits its versatility. The Fabia is also better if you’ll often carry adults in the back, because the MG3’s headroom is a little tighter than the very best in the segment. The seats themselves are very comfortable, though, and there’s plenty of foot space under the front seats.

Up front, visibility is reasonable, both ahead and over the shoulder. The driving seat has a decent range of adjustment, but there’s no reach adjustment for the steering wheel, which makes it harder for all body types to get comfortable.

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MG didn’t fare well as a brand in our 2023 Driver Power customer satisfaction surveys. The brand finished last in the manufacturers' category, with one-third of owners reporting a fault of some sort.

Euro NCAP has yet to test the MG3, but the last car in its range tested was the MG4, which scored the maximum five stars in 2022, so we expect it to perform well. Plenty of safety features come as standard, such as adaptive cruise control and a lane-keep assistance system. The top-of-the-range Trophy trim adds a blind spot monitoring system to warn you of vehicles alongside you when you indicate to change lanes on a motorway.

Warranty

All MG models come with a seven-year/80,000-mile warranty, which is more generous than the three-year/60,000-mile warranty for the Clio but can’t quite match the up to 10-year/100,000-mile warranty available with the Yaris.

Servicing

Servicing for the MG3 hybrid is required every 12 months or 15,000 miles, whichever comes soonest.

Should you buy an MG3?

There’s a huge amount to like about the MG. Its sharp-handling chassis makes it fun to drive, yet it balances this out with a compliant ride and strong refinement. The hybrid system delivers a level of performance that blows its rivals away, yet despite this, it’s relaxing to drive and almost as frugal as those much slower alternatives. Equipment levels are strong, and while there are some question marks over the marque’s ownership satisfaction scores, there is plenty else to appreciate. 

While we do think there are one or two small areas that could be improved, they’re very easy to forgive when the MG3 is significantly cheaper than any of its closest competitors.