TopGear - August 2015 PH

lsewhere in this

magazine, you will

find reviews of Land

Rovers, Minis, Astons

and Lotuses, iconic

British cars of impeccable quality,

performance and brand appeal. Then

there are the Jaguars, the Bentleys, the

Rolls-Royces...the country has no end

of luxury cars to choose from.

And then there is MG.

Younger readers won’t recognize

the marque. Most of its memorable

moments predate the Beatles. In

recent decades, MG sold mostly

rebadged Hondas and warmed-over

rehashes of obsolete models, up until

it folded a few years ago.

But then SAIC (Shanghai Auto-

motive Industry Corporation)

rescued MG, utilizing its uniquely

British resources to develop new

products for the international market.

It’s not an unusual strategy. The

Germans own Rolls-Royce, Mini and

Bentley. The Indians own Jaguar and

Land Rover. The Malaysians own

Lotus. And each and every one of

them still builds uniquely British cars.

As such, the MG 3 certainly feels

British. Doors close with a solid

thump. The styling is chunky and

exciting. Or as chunky and exciting

as a chubby hatchback on 14 -inch

steel wheels can be. Unlike the Mini,

the MG 3 attempts no reference

to historic MGs, the only hint of

nostalgia here being a radiator-shaped

Brit like tea and crumpets

PhotograPhy by christian halili

SHAKEDOWN

subcompact hatchback

LONG TERM

NOTES

MG 3 1.3 AMT

key handle. The front-end treatment

is decidedly racy, and plastic-clad

A-pillars create a neat floating-roof

effect. There are a bewildering

number of graphic options available.

The guitar and lettering are a bit naff,

but we’re digging the Union Jack roof

vinyl, even if it’s a bit rough at the

edges. The rather flat-looking hubcaps

present the only major aesthetic issue.

The interior, though conservatively

styled, feels solidly built. Not solidly-

built for a Chinese car, but solidly built

compared to anything at this price

range. While there are the usual hard

plastics, the cabin is covered in richly

textured, tight-fitting panels. Fabric

seats are firm and supportive, with

good side and thigh bolsters. Despite

lacking seat-height adjustment, the

driving position is spot on. Generous

footwells allow most drivers to find a

comfortable position without much

fiddling, and a recessed bench and

scalloped ceiling give rear passengers

loads of space. The trunk opening

is a bit tight, but the trunk itself is

spacious, even with a full-sized spare.

Appearances notwithstanding, the

MG 3 is similar in size to the Jazz and

the Yaris, so it’s a rather hefty car. Is it

too much car for the 1.3-liter mill?

The ‘New Series Engine’ bears no

WhAT’S up, DOhC?

Twin-cam engine needs

lots of revs to shine. And

possibly shorter gearing.

ThE kEy MASTER

There’s a single keyhole

and no remote locking, so

loading groceries is tricky.

WhEELER DEALERS

A car this cute deserves

better shoes. Sixteen-inch

alloys should be just right.

This new entry is both more and less than what it appears to be Words by NIKy TAMAyo

The stickers are dealer

options, in case you

are wondering

E

52 TOP GEAR PHILIPPINES WWW.toPgear.com.Ph