A hybrid city car that wants to hurt the Clio and Yaris

Some analysts believe that the Chinese ultimately have a better chance of establishing themselves in Europe with combustion engines than with electric engines. And the reason is simple: European brands invest so much in all-electric that they are forced to ignore the divisions dedicated to combustion engines, which should be doomed in 2035 in the old continent. This then leaves the door open for SAIC, Geely and others to reinvest in the most accessible and especially best-selling categories. So, it’s not a big surprise to see MG, already very successful with its MG4, come and try non-rechargeable hybridization. An engine that is currently on the rise in Europe, while a large portion of the automobile population is still closed to purchasing an all-electric vehicle.

MG3 Hybrid in trouble?

Much newer than its Hyundai-style counterparts a few generations ago, this 4.11m 5-door joins the Clio E-Tech (4.05m) and Yaris Hybrid (3.94m). Its tight pricing immediately sets the tone: the MG3 Hybrid+ will launch at €20,000, while the Renault will start at €23,800 and the Toyota at €24,450. The deal looks attractive, especially since the standard equipment is generous: reversing camera, auto air conditioning, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, adaptive cruise control, 10.25-inch screen, etc. And from the platform to all the traction chain components, the MG3 makes sure it benefits from the latest in-house developments.

With the unique hybrid, the 1.5 liter Atkinson cycle petrol with 102 hp/128 Nm of torque is paired with an electric unit of 136 hp/250 Nm and a battery of about 1.7 useful kWh (0.85 KWh in Clio, 0.76 kWh in ). Enough to announce a total of 195 hp for the contained weight (1,285 kg) and promising performance: 0 to 100 km/h will accelerate in 8 seconds – like a Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9 l!

– and 80 to 120 km/h in 5 seconds. In use, the MG3 will always start with its electric unit. When the battery charge is insufficient, its 1.5 liter will serve as a generator at a speed of 80 km/h, from which it will be connected to the front wheels through a 3-speed gearbox, driving the car alone at a constant speed.

Low efficiency?

Ease of use, actual performance and efficiency of this powertrain, which is very different from Renault and Toyota technology, remains to be seen. Knowing that by declaring a normal appetite of 4.4 l (100 g CO2), The MG3 Hybrid+ stays away from the Clio (4.2 l, 95 g) and especially the Yaris (3.8 l, 87 g). So we have to wait for our measurement session in Montalhéry To know the health of Chinese women in real life. Meanwhile, MG has no shortage of assets including the board where all variants will offer two screens in the absence of the original layout. A 7-inch one as a meter screen, and a 10.25-inch one in the middle, the latter didn’t prevent MG from having real buttons. Verdict next June for this Chinese, which will offer the ultimate benefit, a 7 year or 150,000 km warranty.