The MG6 Magnette TSE priced at £19,995 is both head turning and soul searching.Few cars I have driven on test have caused such a stir as the MG Magnette saloon which will revive memories of a very popular series which had a sporting link for the brand in the 30s, 50s and 60s.MG production resumed at Longbridge under Chinese ownership in April with the MG GT6 hatchback, the first new MG in 16 years from a company which is nearly 90 years old. It was followed just two months later by the Magnette saloon which carries a small price premium over the mechanically equivalent hatchbacks known as MG6.Today's Magnette, like its hatchback stablemate, comes in S, SE or TSE trim but only as a saloon version of the five-door GT6 hatchback.That gives the saloon a luggage space of 498-litres but the boot access is just 16.5 inches high and 39 inches wide, which is not particularly large although the space inside is good.The styling was created by the MG team in Longbridge and has the latest 'high boot' look of many executive models on the market.The design also incorporates a very smooth aerodynamic profile and swept around appearance to the front and rear. Depending upon which way you look at the Magnette there are elements of Vauxhall, BMW and Mercedes in its features.The four-door body is generous and easy to slip into so you have a lot of room, particularly in the back, and the front seats have a very good range of adjustment and their shape helps securely locate occupants when sharply turning.In the back the seat is much less sculptured but it is comfortable and has small headrests.Oddments room is good throughout but the large compartments have no internal divisions so anything put into them slides about during acceleration and braking.It is not only a roomy car but it's fairly comfortable as well with a slight bias towards firmness which helps handling and it manages to do a good job of absorbing most but not all bumps although it struggles to keep quiet about its achievements as the road noise is probably the most pronounced feature of the Magnette.Handling is safe and surefooted with front struts and rear multi-link suspension and there are no real vices to master as grip is good and you know precisely what's happening or about to happen so you can ease off and let everything come back on to line if you are pressing on very hard.The performance from the 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine is very good. It hits 60mph quickly and without hesitation or noticeable effort and it cruises without complaint at the motorway limit.Through the gears, it pulls strongly and has safe overtaking ability but you have to make the most of them as the ratios are chosen for economy rather than performance and it's not as flexible as you might expect.Gearchanges are direct, if notchy, and the clutch has longer than average travel and this is disconcerting when you are driving in town.The brakes are a little lacking in feedback but need only modest effort to bring about rapid and well controlled deceleration, although I found the handbrake barely held it on a test slope.Its turning circle was reasonable but not tight, and it did not suffer from vibration or kick-back, but it was not as communicative as I would prefer.The one-touch coded plastic key and secondary controls would be familiar to any driver and are placed close to the wheel or close on the fascia and the simple instruments are directly in front of the driver and clear, although you may at first struggle to understand how their 'bars' work for temperature and fuel level. Some switches on the wheel's central boss were very badly marked by comparison.I liked the multi-mode central display of the on-board computer and thought the TSE model's rear view camera was particularly clear and useful with the 'high boot' design potentially hiding some obstructions from the driver's view when reversing.Electronic climate control was straightforward and worked very well with good, direction and temperature control, backed up by full electric windows.Visibility was very good apart from the restriction reversing, with good wipers and bright lights.With the road noise being most obvious, mechanical sources produced little by comparison, and even the engine under load was not intrusive or irritating. Wind noise was low and mostly from the mirrors.MG currently has a small dealer base but this will grow as does the model range from the original MG F sports car to the newer hatchbacks and saloons.While British enthusiasts mourned the demise of Rover and MG, and many consider the current assembly operation is a poor substitute, the fact that it is taking place at all does give hope for the future where there was none five years ago.The new Magnette is an MG, but not as we have known the brand in recent years, and if you look at some other brands it is easy to overlook how they have developed from their origins and may be made thousands of miles from where they started a long time ago.While it is fine to look back with nostalgia it makes even more important financial sense to look forward and I know some MG enthusiasts who will really enjoy the Magnette. MG6 Magnette MILESTONES MG6 Magnette 1.8-litre TSE saloon. Price: £19,995.Engine/transmission: 120mph, 0-60mph 8.4sec, 35.7mpg, CO2 184g/km, VED road tax £315 First Year rate then £210 for the second year onwards, BIK company car tax 26%.Performance: 124mph, 0-62mph 10.7 seconds, CO2 169g/km, VED road tax £265 First Year rate then £190 per annum, BIK company car tax 23%Insurance group: 14E.Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 milesFor: Stylish and roomy for passengers, good ride and reasonable economy, well equipped, potentially low running costs despite high CO2 emissions.Against: Not as refined or high a quality as it could be, constant road noise, poor clutch, gearchange and handbrake.
