Chris Riley tests the 2024 MG3 Essence small hatch with pricing, specs, ride and handling, safety, verdict and everything the over-50 driver needs to know.
Summary: The price will be the first thing that grabs your attention, but there’s more the MG3 than a low price.
2024 MG3 Essence light hatch
Pricing: $25,990 (plus on road costs)
Warranty: Ten-years, 250,000 km, one year roadside assist
Safety: 3-star ANCAP (2024)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder inline DOHC
Service intervals: 12 months or 10,000km
Power: 81kW @ 6000rpm
Torque: 142Nm @ 4500rpm
Transmission: CVT, front-wheel drive
Body: 4113mm (long); 1797mm (wide); 1502mm (high)
Build country: China
Kerb weight: 1199kg
Towing capacity: 500kg
Luggage storage: 293L (seats up), 983L (seats folded)
Wheels: 16-inch alloy
Tyres: 195/55 R16
Spare wheel: space saver
Ground clearance: 148mm
Turning circle: 10.4m
Fuel tank: 45 litres
Claimed fuel consumption: 6.0L/100km (91 RON unleaded)
Consumption on test: 7.6L/100km (long term), 6.7L/100km (short term)
seniordriveraus consumption on test: not tested
[review]
The MG3 is a light hatch and the smallest model offered by the company.
It’s a car built very much to a price, targeted at first time drivers and those who haven’t got much to spend.
Although the latest model scores the same disappointing three stars for safety as its predecessor, ANCAP which tests the cars reveals it narrowly missed out on a four-star result and its comments are encouraging.
With a little work perhaps, the company may be able to turn the result around (although the whole safety thing seems to be lost on buyers looking for a bargain).
What’s it cost?
As always it is difficult to nail down the grades and prices of cars offered.
MG3 now comes with a standard petrol- engine and now also as a more desirable hybrid.
There are two grades, Excite and Essence, priced from $23,990 and $25,990 respectively.
Excite + (Hybrid) is $27,990 and Essence + (Hybrid) is $29,990.
Driveaway pricing varies from state to state.
Our test vehicle is the MG3 Essence with a standard petrol-engine, paired with a CVT-style continuously variable auto.
Standard equipment includes cloth trim and single-zone air conditioning, with rear air vents, manual-adjust seats, 16-inch alloy wheels, push-button start, adaptive cruise control, auto halogen headlights, LED daytime running lights, rear parking sensors, electric auto fold side mirrors and follow me home lights.
Essence adds a sunroof, LED headlights, keyless entry, rain-sensing wipers, leather steering wheel, combination cloth and artificial leather trim and a front centre armrest.
Infotainment consists of a 10.25-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth with limited voice control, AM/FM radio, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and six-speaker audio.
Stepping up to the Essence adds DAB+ digital radio and satellite navigation.
There’s a USB-A and USB-C port in the front, along with a 12-volt outlet, plus another USB-A port in the back and another USB-A port located near the rear vision mirror, presumably for powering dash cams and the like.
And now for the big one: safety.
The previous model now in runout remains unrated for safety.
Reading between the lines, MG put in some hard yards to lift the safety reputation of the MG3, but it still gets a miserable three stars from ANCAP.
Six airbags and a reverse camera are standard.
Also standard is autonomous emergency braking (Car-to-Car, Vulnerable Road User and Junction Assist) as well as a lane support system with lane keep assist (LKA), lane departure warning (LDW) and emergency lane keeping (ELK), are standard, together with traffic jam assist, steering, acceleration, braking assistance, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.
An advanced speed assistance system (SAS) with speed sign recognition is also standard.
Essence ups the ante with a 360-degree surround-view camera system.
On a more positive note, MG3 is covered by an industry leading 10-year, 250,000km warranty.
What’s it go like?
When the MG3 was released a couple of years ago, it was difficult to get a drive in one.
Word had it the company was trying to keep it away from the media and the few reviews that did emerge were far from flattering.
Safety was an issue.
Fast forward and the company says the new model has been completely redesigned, with a new platform, new interior and exterior design, superior performance and improved fuel economy.
Our time had come.
MG3 remains a small hatch and as such rear legroom and boot space are obviously limited, but at least rear seat passengers get air outlets.
The seats are reasonably comfortable, but the steering wheel lacks reach adjustment so finding the ideal driving position could be a chore.
The touchscreen and instrument panels have been replaced with more responsive, free-standing units.
However, their operation could be more intuitive, and it took us some time to work out to activate cruise control (it’s the little steering wheel icon on the steering wheel).
Driving the car for the first time, it is impressively quiet inside, making conversation easy.
Our phone took a couple of goes to hook up, but after that it was reconnected without any dramas.
Although it comes with CarPlay and Android Auto, both require a cable and wireless charging is conspicuously absent.
Voice activation is also limited to apps, or so the message said, and the built-in navigation in Essence would not respond to commands.
A revised 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine produces 81kW at 6000 rpm of power and 142Nm at 4500 rpm, slightly down on the previous model which offered 82kW and 150Nm.
In comparison the Hybrid delivers a combined 155kW and 425Nm which is quite frankly amazing.
The engine in our test vehicle is hooked up to a CVT-style auto, with drive to the front wheels.
It replaces a four-speed auto, allegedly.
With a 45-litre tank, fuel consumption is rated at 6.0L/100km and it takes standard unleaded.
CO2 emissions are a claimed 139 g/km.
Performance is, in a word, underwhelming.
It’s okay once it is up and running, and no longer under any kind of stress.
But acceleration is a challenge, with little assistance from the CVT which feels and acts like a four-speed auto, and overtaking is a no, no.
Two drive modes are offered, Normal and Eco, accessed by flicking the transmission lever left or right.
In Eco mode, however, one can change gears manually, by pushing backwards or forwards, with eight steps or gears from which to choose.
This is the only mode that brings any joy to the act of driving this car.
The MG3 in standard petrol guise at least will appeal only to someone who has no previous experience of driving.
It’s okay for getting from A to B, but we’d hate to see what it goes like with four people aboard – pretty slowly at a guess.
On the upside, ride and handling are okay.
There’s plenty of body roll in corners, but unlike some cars we’ve driven, the MG3 doesn’t get out of shape.
It doesn’t use much fuel.
We were getting a long-term average of 7.6L/100km and short term average of 6.7L/100km.
A space saver spare is provided in the event of a flat tyre.
What we like
- Cheapish
- Well equipped
- Low fuel consumption
- 10-year / 250,000km warranty
What we don’t like
- Disappointing performance
- Limited rear legroom
- Small boot
- Poor safety rating
- Space saver spare
What over-50s need to know
MG3 will appeal in terms of price and fuel consumption.
While it’s easy to get in and out of and easy to drive, performance is not going to set the world on fire.
We’re looking forward to driving the hybrid version. Sure, it’s $4000 more, but it sounds like the extra power could transform this car.
We’d suggest dropping the petrol-model altogether and lowering the price of the hybrid.
Those interested should also check out the Suzuki Swift which is available for around the same price as the MG3 hybrid.
seniordriver comments
Let’s say it right up front: if you’re going to buy an MG3, it’s all about price (or the lack of it). The MG3 is one of just five cars selling in Australia for under $25,000 (the others are the Kia Picanto from $18,290, the Mazda 2 1.5 G15 Pure from $22,870, the MG5 1.5 Vibe at $24,990, the base model Hyundai i30 at $24,000 and the Suzuki Swift five-door hatch from $24,490). The Suzuki price is driveaway, so most of the others will come in over $25,000 when on-road costs are factored in.
The poor old MG3 has been pilloried over its very ordinary safety rating (the previous model wasn’t even rated) but the new one at least gets three ANCAP stars. However, ANCAP’s comment that the MG3 only narrowly missed out on four stars is encouraging. We suspect Chris is on the money when he suggests that safety won’t be a concern for most buyers.
The CVT mimics an eight-speed auto and does a commendable job.
The ten-year warranty is a real bonus and indicates the company has real confidence in its product. Only Mitsubishi offers a similar warranty, and they require you to have the car serviced by an authorised dealer.
So the buying choice will be driven by price, but many will be surprised by the number of features you get for your money.