MG says it has no plans to discontinue the MG 3, Australia’s second cheapest car, even as rivals continue to leave the segment and the brand increases prices.
There have been rumours floating around the web of a new version of the MG 3, but rest assured, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon according to MG executives here in Australia.
“We all know we’re living in increasingly difficult times in terms of affordability, so from our perspective whilst I talked about value, we’re not walking away from value and still need to use products like that to give people the opportunity to have a brand new car with a seven-year warranty and plenty of features”, said MG’s marketing boss, Rick Whaite.
There’s obviously a strong demand for the MG 3 and MG Motor Australia says its keen to continue with the model, whatever that might look like in the future.
If you look at the focus of MG in EVs, you’d have to think that if it was to continue to be offered, there’s a high likelihood it would involve electrification, either as a hybrid or fully-electric vehicle.
A recent report suggested a successor with an available hybrid powertrain could debut in 2024.
“Everything is under consideration but we could essentially take other models from our parent company, which could then take that (MG 3) nameplate”, according to an MG spokesperson speaking at Sydney’s Fully Charged home energy and electric vehicle show.
It’s unclear what product it could borrow from another SAIC Motor brand. LDV/Maxus and Roewe don’t offer a car this size, though SAIC Motor does produce light cars under its Baojun joint venture with General Motors.
It might not have a current ANCAP safety rating but that hasn’t stopped the MG 3 from becoming the best-selling light car in Australia and by some margin.
You can drive away in an MG 3 for as little as $19,490 for the MG 3 Core Auto, with the only option being $500 for metallic paint. If you want the works then the top-spec MG 3 Excite will cost you all of $20,990 drive-away.
Little wonder the MG 3 currently holds an unassailable 45 per cent market share in its segment year-to-date 2023 – three-times its closest rival, the Mazda 2. In February 2023 it sold 1622 of them to Mazda’s 504 of its Mazda 2, giving it a staggering 47.8 per cent market share.
It has also been helped by the steady withdrawal of rivals since its 2016 introduction in Australia.
Since then, the Ford Fiesta, Holden Barina, Honda City and Jazz, and Hyundai Accent have all been discontinued, as have the smaller Holden Spark, Mitsubishi Mirage and Nissan Micra.
Most recently, Suzuki pulled the plug on the Baleno in Australia, while Kia confirmed this year its current generation of Rio would be its last on the local market.
MG has increased prices across the MG 3 range by $500 for 2023, citing increased production and supply chain costs.
Other MG models have seen price increases of up to $4140, while the company has also said its new MG 4 won’t necessarily become Australia’s cheapest electric vehicle.
“Cheapest is not necessarily our appetite, rather, it’s about value. As MG has always done, we will do our very best to make sure it’s an incredibly compelling proposition to the market,” said Mr Whaite.
MORE: Everything MG 3
