MG3: Hybrid speedster at a low price

MG lands its next coup: while many manufacturers are withdrawing from the small car segment, the English car brand of Chinese manufacturer SAIC is coming up with a surprisingly affordable, small five-door model. There is another surprise under the hood. The MG3 is initially only available as a full hybrid, in which a 1.5-liter petrol engine and an electric motor together deliver 194 hp (143 KW). They have an easy time with the 4.11 meter short car, as a first test drive shows.

The MG3 Hybrid+ drives for a surprisingly long time in all-electric mode, although it cannot be charged externally. This is done by the petrol engine, which always operates in the economical Atkinson cycle. The MG3 Hybrid+ also recovers braking energy. The small car's battery has a capacity of 1.83 kWh, the "largest battery of all hybrid models" according to MG. The system operates at 350 volts. With a gentle foot on the accelerator, this means a few electric kilometers are possible.

The four-cylinder engine is connected to the front wheels via a three-speed automatic transmission. Because the electric motor always helps out when the combustion engine is operating in the unfavorable speed range, the three gears are sufficient. The result is fuel consumption of less than 5 liters. According to the WLTP, the figure is 4.4 liters. The drive works perfectly in the city.

There is plenty of space inside for a hybrid of this size, and the trunk is actually quite large at 241 to 983 liters. The same cannot be said of the price of the small MG, which is surprisingly low: the MG3 Hybrid+ Standard costs less than 20,000 euros (19,990 euros). The Luxury model costs 23,990 euros. In between there is the Comfort model. Later, MG plans to offer a pure petrol engine without hybrid drive. This should then be significantly cheaper.

The standard equipment does not include a rear window wiper, but automatic air conditioning is standard. Most driver assistance systems such as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Emergency Brake Assist and Lane Keeping Assist are also standard in all variants. Navigation, smartphone integration and DAB Plus radio are also part of the standard equipment. In the Luxury version, there is also a rain sensor for the windshield wipers and LED lights instead of halogen. It also warns of cross traffic when reversing and monitors the blind spot when changing lanes. A 360-degree camera facilitates lane changes and parking. The smart interior is always black, but the luxury version is also available in microfiber. (aum/gr)