Morris Garages (MG) Motors, a Chinese-owned British automotive company, is planning to introduce the first MG hatchback in Pakistan, the MG 3. The car is available in the international market in its 2nd generation. Javed Afridi, the owner of MG Pakistan, has teased the launch of MG 3 in Pakistan with a price tag of fewer than 2 million rupees. If that happens, MG 3 will be one of the most affordable hatchbacks in the country.
MG Motors Pakistan has recently acquired the greenfield status under the Automotive Development Policy 2016-20. The automotive company is currently selling imported CBU units of two SUVs- MG HS and MG ZS. Soon, MG Pakistan will start the local assembly of its cars. But still, if and when MG 3 joins the MG car lineup, it will come in CBU units, just like its other siblings.
The MG 3 has been launched globally in two variants- MG 3 Excite and MG 3 Core. The series has become popular due to its affordability.
Exterior
The MG 3 comes standard with its MG ‘Exclusive’ Grille that comes with chrome surround and
satin silver inlay highlight. The 5-door hatchback comes in a beautiful and compact design. Both variants have Projector halogen headlamps with manual height adjustment function as well as LED ‘London Eye’ daytime running lights (DRLs). Both variants also come with standard features of Follow me home delayed headlight illumination and automatic headlight illumination system.
Other standard features in the MG 3 include blinking of lights on warning alarm, heated glass rear window with timed cut-off, intermittent rear wiper, and intermittent windscreen wipers. Side sill extensions are only available in the Excite variant and metallic paint is optional in both variants. The MG 3 Core comes with 15-inch alloy wheels and the Excite variant comes with 16-inch two-tone machined alloy wheels.
Interior
The interior of the MG 3 looks elegant and practical but the material used is cheap scratch-prone plastic. The five-seater hatchback has the standard features which other hatchbacks in the same price range offer such as reclining front seats, height adjustment of driver’s seat, height-adjustable front head restraints, and outboard rear head restraints.
The standard front door storage bins with bottle holders are also present in both variants. A front cup holder and front seat back map pockets provide standard storage space. Other standard features include driver and passenger sun visors with vanity mirrors, leather-trimmed steering wheel with contrast stitching and perforation detail premium trimmed gear knob with alloy-look highlight, satin chrome highlights to door handles, air vents and steering wheel. A 12V accessory power point is also available in the center console.
Standard instruments include speedometer with digital odometer, rev counter, water temperature and fuel gauges, distance to next service indicator, trip computer including fuel consumption and range to empty as well as tire pressure monitoring system. The electric control air conditioning system keeps the car temperature down.
An 8-inch multifunction touchscreen display is available in the dashboard. It only comes with Apple CarPlay connectivity and does not support android connectivity. The Core variant comes with 4 Speaker audio systems with Bluetooth, USB & front Yamaha Sound Field while the Excite variant comes with 6 Speaker audio systems with Bluetooth, USB, and full vehicle Yamaha 3D Sound Field.
Satellite navigation is only available in the Excite variant while steering wheel audio controls are available in both variants. Both variants come with standard safety and security features such as cruise control, ABS with electronic brake-force distribution, emergency Brake Assist (EBA), electronic stability program (ESP), hill launch assist, and Active Cornering Brake Control (CBC). Both variants of MG 3 come with 6 airbags and front doors come with side-impact absorbent door padding.
Other features include remote control central locking, rear parking sensors, electrically operated door mirrors, and a rearview camera.
Boot space is satisfactory and can be increased by folding the rear seats which have a 40/60 split-fold feature. A boot light is also present as a standard feature in both variants.
Engine
The MG 3 comes in only one option of a 1.5L NA inline petrol engine. The 1498cc engine can generate a power of 82 kW @ 6000 rpm and a maximum torque of 150 Nm @ 4500 rpm. The 4-cylinder engine comes with 4-speed automatic transmission. The engine has a fuel capacity of 45 liters.
Mileage
The MG 3 has an unimpressive mileage of 10 km/l in the city and 18 km/l on the highway.
Colors
MG 3 is available in the following colors:
Pitch black
Arctic white
Ruby red black top
Ruby red white top
Thames blue
Tudor yellow
Tudor yellow white top
Ride & handling
MG 3 has poor reviews when it comes to its ride and performance. Its ride is characterized by harshness and irritable vibration. The buzzy engine makes the ride uncomfortable and at high speeds, it becomes extremely noisy. The imprecise gearbox and sluggish clutch add to the poor ride. Its suspension is also rigid which means the ride becomes jerky and jarry at rough roads. The only area in which it delivers quality is when it comes to body control and grip.
Maintenance
Its spare parts will be easily available in the market and its maintenance will also be economical and easy.
Competitors
MG 3 has some major competitors in the Pakistani market such as Suzuki Swift, Kia Picanto, and Toyota Vitz.
Suzuki Swift although has a 1.3L engine but its engine is more powerful and provides a better fuel economy than MG 3. It also has better ride handling and performance than the MG 3.
Toyota Vitz is another strong competitor due to its popularity in the Pakistani market. The availability of its parts and its smooth ride are some dominating features.
Kia Picanto also provides a strong competition to MG 3 due to its fuel efficiency as well as its wide variety of practical and functional driver-assist features.
Specs
Engine:
1.5-litre NA 4-cylinder inline petrol
1498cc
Maximum power- 82 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum torque- 150 Nm @ 4500 rpm
Transmission:
4-speed automatic transmission
Tire size:
Core - 15-inch alloy wheels
Excite- 16-inch two-tone machined alloy wheels
Pros & cons
Pros
- Affordable
- Spacious
- Well-equipped
Cons
- Sluggish engine
- Noisy to drive
- Poor ride and performance
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