Day 1 – First Impressions of the MG3
The MG3 was delivered to my house on Monday, and so the first I got to look at it was in the early evening. It was refreshing to see the sporty looking modern MG, nicely dressed in all black, with a red stripe across the top and slightly off-centred.
The external styling of the car looks super modern, sporty, and very appealing. I particularly like the look of the front of the car, there is something about the headlight design and lower front bumper which makes the car stick out from all the other hatchbacks.
Day 2 – Exciting Drive
Taking the car out for a spin for the first time in the day was very exciting, I took the car for a reasonably long drive to get a feel for what it can do. The 1.5 litre, 106bhp engine isn’t the fastest hatchback around, but there is still enough power to enjoy the ride. Driving the MG around, you get a great sense of enjoyment from the handling abilities of the small car. The suspension can take a lot more power than the car actually has, which means that you will able to enjoy yourself taking this car around some twisty corners without getting into too much trouble.
Day 3 – Long Journey – No Problem
Travelling to a press event over an hour away was a perfect way to test the MG3. Setting up my SatNav I choose to avoid the motorways and head for the A and B roads to see what the car would be like on an hour long commute. I enjoyed every minute of it. Powering up dual carriageways and around curvy roads with the MG was thrilling, and after an hour in the car I still wanted to do more!
Day 4 –What do people think of the MG3?
Taking the car out in the evening to meet some friends, I was keen to see what they thought of the car; they were impressed by the little MG. Being a small car, but having 4 doors, you could get 4 adults in the car, no problem! Positive comments were made about the exterior styling, the leather seats, and also the dash design. There are characteristics on the car that could be improved, but the it appears to be unbeaten for the price.
Day 5 – What do you get inside?
Driving back from the office, through the busy city centre of Birmingham, I was unsurprisingly stuck in traffic. This gave me some time testing the interior of the car. For entertainment the car has FM and DAB radio, CD player, and Bluetooth streaming, all nicely packed in one little radio unit. The sound quality is pretty good for the class of stereo system, and will meet the majority of owners needs.
The driving aids on the car include automatic lights and wipers, as well as a whole range of acronyms keeping the car on the road including ABS, SCS, EBD, EBA, HHC, BDW and iTPMS. You don’t need to know what they all do, but you can see MG have put some thought into keeping the car in control, and the passengers safe.
Day 6 – Meeting the MG Owners Club
I had a day at Silverstone arranged to marshal the track for the first MG race meeting of the year. I took the MG down early to get some pictures of the car around Silverstone, the home of British racing, and I was lucky enough to be able to get the car into the Silverstone pit lane to capture some pictures.
Throughout the day I had various MG enthusiasts approach me asking my thoughts on the MG3. So, what do you think of the MG3? How long have you had it? Can I have a look inside? It appears the MG3 still has a strong following from the MG owners clubs; they are keen to see what the latest generation’s performance is like.
Day 7 – How Much Fun Can You Have In It?
Taking the MG3 out for a spin with a bit of my spare time, I was impressed with how much fun you can have with this very affordable, and well equipped small car. To get the most out of the MG you really need to use the revs on the 1.5 litre engine, but for me the most amount of enjoyment came from controlling the car through the corners. The MG feels stiff, has plenty of grip, and is loads of fun in the corners.
Summary – Great, Sporty, Small MG
I had a great week with the car. The car is stylish, fun to drive, surprisingly practical, and super affordable. I look forward to the future developments of the MG3, hopefully in the not too distant future.
7 Day Video Highlights
Supplied By: MG