As superminis have continued to get more expensive, it’s left a welcome gap at the affordable end of the spectrum for manufacturers to come in with value-packed offerings. It’s what Dacia has done with its Sandero, but also what British brand MG has also done it as well with its appealing ‘3’, with a starting price of just £9,495.
Facelifted in 2018, the MG3 is now more striking to look at, while it’s also available with a better interior and new trim levels. It also comes with a superb seven-year 80,000-mile warranty, too.
Here’s what else you need to know about it.
What engines are available?
Just one engine is available on the MG3 – a naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine producing 106bhp and 137Nm of torque. It’s by no means a hot hatch, though a 0-60mph time of 10.4 seconds is respectable, while a top speed of 108mph is claimed.
In terms of running costs, MG says it can manage a combined 42.3mpg, while it has CO2 emissions of 140g/km.
It comes paired as standard to a five-speed manual transmission, with all versions being front-wheel-drive.
What trim levels are offered?
Maintaining the simplistic offering, MG offers three clear trim levels, with equipment highlights and pricing as below.
Explore – from £9,495
In entry-level trim this is one of the most affordable cars on the market today, and therefore standard kit isn’t exceptionally generous.
That said, it still comes with LED daytime running lights, 14-inch steel wheels with plastic covers, Bluetooth and tyre pressure monitoring.
Excite – from £11,395
Mid-spec Excite versions are appealing – adding stylish 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, a leather steering wheel, a body-coloured boot spoiler and a multi-functional steering wheel. Other highlights include an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and DAB radio, as well as rear parking sensors. Air conditioning is also included.
Exclusive – from £12,795
Top-spec Exclusive models build on this with a reversing camera, sports seats and cruise control.
What about personalisation?
If you’re looking to stand out from the crowd, there are few better cars to do it than the MG3.
Starting with a rather bold colour palette, which includes vibrant Hello Yellow, Ruby Red and Laser Blue. If you fancy something a bit more reserved, try Arctic White, Black Pearl or Aspen Silver.
After this, MG offers a host of exterior colour packs, which includes bonnet and roof decorations. Full-length stripes are a highlight, as is a bright orange roof. You can also choose to have the wing mirrors painted in black, red, silver or black, while gloss black alloy wheels can be had, too. Each brings a small price increase.
A good range of accessories are available through MG, too – including a tow bar, roof cycle carrier, dog guard and a protection pack.