Week behind the wheel: MG3 Hybrid+
A viable option for those drivers in the market for a new car, but not willing or able to go electric? John Challen spends seven days with the latest MG.
Monday
In a world seemingly dominated by new EVs appearing on the market, it’s easy to overlook the other contenders that might appeal. There’s a lot of renewed talk about plug-in hybrids, but a standard petrol-electric is still a shift in the right direction. The MG’s system switches seamlessly from the petrol engine to battery and, while the pure EV range is little more than a few miles, the regenerative system works a treat, on first showing.
Tuesday
Time to explore the car in a bit more detail, starting at the back. The boot of the MG3 Hybrid+ has got bigger, thanks to larger overall dimensions of the car – more interior space is another benefit here – and claims to be the largest in the B-segment. It certainly swallows a week’s shopping with ease – and space to spare.
Wednesday
Back behind the wheel and the view is dominated – in a good way – by the car’s 7-inch infotainment screen, which has a straightforward menu for navigation, infotainment, climate, phone, car and home. One area where it really comes into its own from a practical point of view is when reversing. The camera gives a clear view of the surroundings to the rear – and also displays the length (in centimetres) to the vehicle or obstacle behind. Simple, but very effective.
Thursday
I might have made use of the reversing camera’s distance display but, in reality, the MG3 is small enough to ensure the technology shouldn’t be needed too often. Having jumped into the supermini from my long-term BMW i5, the compact dimensions were quite welcome when needing to pop into town, where finding a suitable parking place an often be a challenge.
Friday
It’s not just big fancy cars that attract attention around these parts – I’ve caught quite a few people looking on the driveway at Challen Towers to check out the latest arrival. The colour helps – a beautiful blue that shines brighter on a summer’s day. It’s not a deal-breaker for some people, but having a car that stands out from the crowd helps – and this MG really does that!
Saturday
On the road, the MG3 is very capable, relatively refined and a comfortable place to be. One area where it does suffer – alongside many other new models – is in the aural department. ADAS technologies are all well and good, but they can be a bit too intrusive, with the number and variation of noises within the car taking a bit of getting used to. You can turn them off, but only every time you start the engine. I get it, but it’s still a bit frustrating.
Sunday
Should you take the plunge and go for an MG3 if you’re in the market for a supermini? Having spent a week with one, I can see that lots of people would be impressed, especially with the sub-£19k starting price. At the entry level, there’s a stripped back and relatively basic interior with mid-quality materials. However, as a range, MG3 (like the wholly successful MG4 before it) ticks many boxes and that will be enough for a lot of drivers to put their faith in the new supermini.
John Challen
John previously edited International Fleet World magazine, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role, having been in automotive journalism for more than 20 years. Over those two decades, he has researched and written about a vast range of automotive topics, including fleet, EVs, engineering, design, retail and the aftermarket.
