Australia’s most affordable new car has gone through a dramatic makeover.
The new MG3 hatchback features a fresh design, oodles of safety tech, an updated cabin and the choice of hybrid power.
Those updates don’t come cheap and the MG3 loses its crown as Australia’s cheapest new car with prices now starting at $23,990 (before on-road costs), which is a significant jump over the outgoing model’s $18,990 drive-away starting point.
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MG Australia boss Peter Ciao, said the new MG3 updates were significant.
“The MG3 has been redesigned from the ground up and sets a new standard for hybrid and small petrol vehicles in Australia. MG has brought together a brilliant mix of affordability, range and quality for Australian drivers in the all-new MG3 range,” said Ciao.
The MG3 comes with the choice of two engines: a 81kW/142Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a hybrid set-up that uses the same petrol engine combined with an electric motor to make 155kW. No combined torque figure is provided for the hybrid.
Petrol versions use a CVT automatic and the hybrid uses what MG calls a “Hybrid Transmission”.
The hybrid set-up cuts fuel use from 6.0L/100km in the petrol-only versions to a miserly 4.3L/100km.
For comparison the MG3 Hybrid’s main rival is the Toyota Yaris, which drinks a claimed 3.3L/100km and its hybrid tech makes a combined 85kW and 141Nm.
The Yaris is significantly more expensive than the MG3, though.
Petrol and hybrid models are available in two trim grades: Excite and Essence.
The MG3 petrol Excite is priced from $23,990, adding hybrid power costs an extra $4000.
Essence petrol buyers can expect to pay from $25,990, and hybrid power ups the price to $29,990. The biggest change to the new MG3 is the inclusion of a wide range of active safety tech as standard across the range.
The outgoing MG3 had none, but the new version has auto emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and lane keep assist.
All MG3s have 16-inch alloy wheels. Petrol versions have a space saver spare, but the hybrid makes do with a tyre repair kit.
Excite variants have halogen lights, cloth seats, a synthetic leather wrapped steering wheel and a mix of cloth and synthetic leather trims on the doors and centre console.
The Essence grade boosts this with synthetic leather and cloth upholstery, leather steering wheel and LED headlights.
They also have a sunroof, rain sensing wipers, keyless entry, sat nav and digital radio that the Excite dies without.
Every MG3 has a 10.25-inch multimedia touchscreen that is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This is paired with a 7.0-inch digital driver display.
| Variant | Price (before on-road costs) |
| MG3 Excite petrol | $23,990 |
| MG3 Essence petrol | $25,990 |
| MG3 Excite hybrid | $27,990 |
| MG3 Essence hybrid | $29,990 |
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