TopGear - August 2015 PH

54 TOP GEAR PHILIPPINES WWW.topgear.com.ph

SHAKEDOWN

subcompact hatchback

‘The MG 3 is

a cracking car

to drive. It’s

a charmer’

The SPeCS

Price:

P695,000

engine:

1.3-liter DOHC I4

Power:

89hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque:

118Nm @ 5,000rpm

Transmission:

5-speed auto manual

Layout/seating:

FWD/5

ThIrST MeTer

The VerDICT

Despite its small

engine and quirky

transmission, the MG

3 is a remarkably nice

car. Might take some

time before people

warm up to the brand,

however.

16 20

GeArBOX

clutch so you can set off quicker.

It’s still not as responsive as your

typical manual system, and the oddly

reversed +/- gate take some getting

used to, but for non-racers, it’s a

pretty decent manual system.

There are those who would be wary

of such an unusual transmission—a

concern we expressed to the people

at the MG dealership halfway through

the loan period. Encouragingly,

replacement clutches are cheap, and

the entire job should be doable for

around the same price as a regular

clutch change on a Japanese car.

Over a thousand kilometers of

driving, the car averaged 10-14km/L.

Segment economy was hard to gauge:

The on-board meter was consistently

20 % pessimistic measured against

actual fill-ups. Still, it seemed to hover

around 7-8km/L in heavy traffic,

and 14-18 km/L on the highway. Not

fantastic for a 1.3-liter compact, but

considering the unit wasn’t broken in

yet, not bad, either.

Still, it’s a shame the MG 3 isn’t

packing more firepower. It’s a

crackling car to drive. The stubby nose

and the short windshield give a good

view out front, though the equally

stubby side mirrors struggle to justify

their existence. The 185 / 70 R 14 GT

Champiro 728 tires don’t offer much

in terms of traction or refinement, yet

a taut suspension and impressively

absorptive dampers make the MG 3 a

sparkling charmer simply screaming

for more power and grip.

This athleticism comes at the

expense of some ride comfort. It’s

not back-breakingly stiff, but the

short wheelbase and stiff springs

cause rocking over high-frequency

washboard surfaces. Still, it’s a small

price to pay for what is a surprisingly

playful car. Despite some body roll, the

MG 3 takes a set through high-speed

sweepers remarkably well. Steering

is heavy and progressive, and turn-in

is sharp. Sharp within the squealing

limits of the tires, that is. Higher-

end variants come with a bigger

1.5-liter motor and 15 -inch wheels,

but as they’re saddled with the same

automated manual, I doubt they’ll do

the chassis justice.

Further down the line, the model

may receive that upcoming dual-

clutch gearbox and a promised

1.5-liter turbo engine. Perhaps then,

this rather lukewarm hatch will fulfill

its hot-hatch aspirations. For the

time being, it serves as a quirky and

premium-feeling alternative to the

common car. It’s not quite as British

as can be, but at these prices, you don’t

expect a Mini Cooper S.

Would be nice, though.

There’s very decent

room in the cargo area.

A pleasant surprise