Accelerated evolution

CAN THE MG 3 HYBRID DO FOR CITY CARS WHAT THE MG 4 DID FOR COMPACT EVS? LET CURIOSITY BE NO MORE AS WE GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF MG'S FIRST REGULAR PETROL-ELECTRIC MODEL

- JEZ SPINKS

THE SUB-$20,000 car is dead, long live ... well, your best hopes for a brand-new budget car in 2024 and beyond.

MG's second-generation MG 3 has arrived, ousting its predecessor that was the last new car Australians could buy for less than 20 grand with no more to pay.

Following the Kia Picanto's move above the $20K drive-away mark earlier this year, the new MG 3's opening pricing has climbed from $18,990 drive-away to $23,990 plus on-road charges. Ouch.

We had been pre-warned, with MG keen to emphasise that the replacement would come as standard with significantly more equipment - notably, extra safety features that were conspicuous by their absence on the old MG 3 (along with its distinctly underwhelming three-star NCAP crash rating).

There's also a big leap in technology, headlined by MG's first regular (non-plug-in) hybrid drivetrain. That inevitably costs more again - a $4000 premium, to be exact, over the standard MG 3 models powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. The MG 3 Hybrid+ starts from $27,990 before on-roads.

Whether petrol or petrol-electric, there are two trim grades familiar to MG showrooms: Excite and Essence. Safety on the old model was most politely described as elementary, its most advanced driver aids essentially being bread-and-butter anti-lock braking and electronic stability control.

Every MG 3 now adds the smashed-avo works, incorporating various warning systems (forward collision, lane departure), multimonitoring (blind spots, rear cross traffic, tyre pressures, "unsteady driver"), and assistance features (adaptive cruise, speed-limit notification, emergency lane keeping).

All models sit on stylish (to our eyes) 16-inch alloys, a size up for entry versions, and provide dashboards graced with a digital display combination of central 10.25-inch infotainment screen and 7.0-inch driver cluster.