MG3

The city car segment welcomed a new competitor at the beginning of 2024: the MG3 Hybrid+. Offered only as a hybrid, the Sino-British city car intends to stand up to the benchmarks in the category thanks to generous equipment, promising power and tight prices.

The look and dimensions of the MG3 Hybrid+

The days of the seductive little roadsters of the 1960s and 1970s are long gone. Since its takeover by the Chinese group Geely, MG has offered a more pragmatic range. To speak to a wide audience, the manufacturer is betting on the MG3, a city car with a reasonable size: 4.11 m long, 1.80 m wide and 1.50 m high. Launched in 2024, it aims to compete with the Renault Clio and Toyota Yaris, two benchmarks in the segment. Unlike many rival models, the MG does not show off and is content with a simple look with a classic silhouette with a few sculpted lines. The front end takes up the identity of the brand debuted on the MG4 with thin, gathered headlamps and a plunging bonnet with marked pleats. The rear benefits from triangular lights and a spoiler placed at the top of the tailgate.

The dashboard is simple with a horizontal design and has a 12.25-inch touchscreen and a 7-inch digital instrument cluster as standard. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also included in the (rich) basic equipment, as are the reversing camera and adaptive cruise control. The cabin, mainly filled with hard plastics but also with some foamed materials that raise the level, benefits from a spaciousness in the average of the category. The trunk has a volume of 293 dm3. In terms of comfort, the city car plays the big part thanks to a high finish with a heated steering wheel and seats.

The engine of the MG3 Hybrid+

For its city car, MG has taken care of the technique by developing a brand new platform. Under the hood is a 102 hp 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine combined with a 136 hp electric motor and a 1.83 kWh battery. The whole thing boasts 195 cumulative hp, which is a generous power for a city car with an unladen weight of less than 1,300 kg.

In everyday life, the electric unit is the first to wake up and the only one to operate up to 40 km/h. From this speed, and up to 80 km/h, the combustion engine acts as a generator in the event that the battery is not sufficiently charged. Once the 80 km/h speed limit has passed, the four-cylinder engine, supported by the electric module, operates conventionally. Power is delivered to the front wheels via a 3-speed gearbox. Average fuel consumption is announced at 4.4 l/100 km. In addition to this non-plug-in hybrid version, a 100% combustion engine could arrive in 2025.