Ranked #200 car in the UK · Hatchback · 1,060 units sold last year

MG MG3

The MG3 has long been one of the cheapest ways into a new supermini, and the latest (2024 on) car is a big step up as the MG3 Hybrid+ full hybrid - genuinely frugal and far more modern than before. The older (2018-2023) MG3 is a basic but extremely cheap used petrol supermini. Either way, the long MG warranty is part of the appeal. Cross-shop the Dacia Sandero, Kia Picanto and used superminis.

How these figures are sourced the valuation is anchored to a researched used-market price for this model (AutoTrader median, 2023 at 30k miles). Reliability, mileage and variant data are real DVSA MOT records. Dimensions, tyre sizes and costs, servicing figures and the insurance group are segment-level estimates rather than sourced per car, and are being replaced model by model.

MG MG3
Photo: SAIC Motor via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · source
Body
Hatchback
Years
2018–2026
Fuel
Hybrid
Economy
64 mpg

combined

Insurance
Group 15

The short version

The MG MG3 loses value faster than most cars. On three-year value retention it ranks better than 30% of models.

Pick your version

Estimates are tuned to the version you choose.

Fuel

Hybrid · 1498cc

Power

194 ps

Drivetrain

FWD

Quoted MPG

64 mpg

The cheapest hybrid car in UK. 1.5L petrol + 1.83 kWh battery + motor, 194 PS combined, 3-speed dedicated hybrid auto, FWD. 8.0s 0-62, 64+ mpg achievable. SE trim — 16-inch alloys, 10.25-inch screen, full LED. The genuine budget hybrid.

Tell us about the one you're looking at

2023
20182026
23,346 mi
0Expected: 23,346180k
good
PoorFairGoodExcellent

Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical car.

Remembered as you browse other cars.

Optional — fills in the exact year and ULEZ status for your specific car. The registration isn’t stored.

Estimated market value

How we got this number — click for the breakdown, or to challenge it.

£11,250

Range £9,050£13,650

medium confidence

When new (2023)circa £18,000Age-based value£9,480Mileage adjustment+£0Condition & region-£11Market calibration+£2,531Forecourt price£12,000Private sale£10,450Part-exchange£9,200

The depreciation curve

How a 2023-registration MG MG3 loses value over time.

What it costs to own

Over

Based on the 2023 car with 23,346 miles you entered above — worth about £11,250 today — here is the cost of owning it for the next 5 years, at roughly 7,782 miles a year.

5-year total

£13,752

Per year

£2,750

All-in per mile

£0.35

Fuel per mile

14.5p

Depreciation£2,315
Fuel / energy£5,657
Servicing£1,765
Road tax£1,000
Insurance£3,015

Best age to buy — around 2 years

A 2-year-old example loses roughly £1,550 a year — 72% less than the £5,450 a one-year-old sheds. The steepest drop is behind it.

Uses current UK pump and home-charging prices (DESNZ weekly), typical-driver insurance and manufacturer service intervals. "Fuel per mile" is just the energy input — so an EV at ~9p and a diesel at ~22p make running-cost comparison direct. A guide; your own costs will vary.

How it compares

Where this car ranks against the 340 vehicles in our index — higher is better.

Holds its valuebetter than 30%

Percentile rank across our full index. A measure is shown only where the data spreads meaningfully across the index.

Petrol, diesel, hybrid or EV?

How the available versions compare on price, running cost, and the headaches each tends to develop.

1.5 Hybrid+ 194

The cheapest new hybrid in the UK. Undercuts Toyota Yaris Hybrid by ~£5k. 7-year MG warranty closes the deal. Surprisingly quick (8.0s 0-62) and properly efficient. The MG3 is the budget-hybrid story of 2024.

New price
circa £20,000
Annual fuel / energy
£1,300
3-yr depreciation
42%

Watch for

  • ·Too new for clear patterns
  • ·3-speed transmission can feel busy on motorway
  • ·Interior plastics cheap vs Toyota Yaris despite similar pricing now

Fuel/energy costs based on this week’s UK averages (w/c 03/08/2026) · Petrol 159.9p/L, Diesel 179.2p/L, Electricity 27.0p/kWh · DESNZ

Estimated insurance

Group 15 of 50 (low — cheaper end of the scale) · Comprehensive · 3 years NCB

Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this car, by driver age band and risk profile. Pick the combination closest to your circumstances.

3 years
0 yearsBaseline: 3 years15+
Risk profile:

Estimated annual premium · typical, age 33-39

£603/ year

Roughly £50 per month

Typical

Average UK driver — 3 years NCB, average postcode, no recent claims.
Age bandLower riskTypicalHigher risk
Age 17-25£1,375£1,719£2,234
Age 26-32£718£844£1,030
Age 33-39Selected£531£603£712
Age 40-49£450£500£581
Age 50+£402£446£527

How we estimate this

Indicative annual comprehensive premium estimates. The 'Typical' figure represents an average UK driver in each age band; Lower and Higher risk show the realistic spread driven by factors UK insurers legitimately price on (postcode, occupation, claims history, NCB, voluntary excess, modifications). Based on 10,000 miles/yr, £250 voluntary excess, and the no-claims bonus selected above. Always get individual quotes before buying.

Expected annual costs

Adjust the annual mileage to match how you'll actually use the car. Insurance is what you selected above (age 33-39, typical risk, 3 yrs NCB).

7,782 mi/yr
2,000UK avg for this model: 7,78230,000

Routine service

£185

Annual main-dealer service

Major service

£210

Every 2 years, annualised

Road tax

£200

Standard rate, post year-one

Fuel

£884

64 mpg, £1.60/L

Insurance

£603

Age 33-39, group 15

Clean-air zones

ULEZ compliant
  • Hybrid variants are compliant with London ULEZ and all UK clean-air zones.

Based on London ULEZ standards — Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, Sheffield, Glasgow and other UK clean-air zones generally follow the same rules.

Total expected£2,082 / year

Excludes depreciation and unscheduled repairs (see next section).

Unexpected costs

What out-of-warranty repairs typically run, by mileage band. Your selected mileage is highlighted.

0-30k miles

£80

per year · low risk

30-60k miles

£240

per year · low risk

60-100k miles

£520

per year · medium risk

100k+ miles

£900

per year · high risk

Tyres

195/65 R15 · 205/55 R16 · 215/45 R17

What a full set of four will cost you (including fit and balance), and which brand each tier of buyer should pick. A typical set lasts about 24,000 miles.

Budget

£300

set of 4, fitted · £60 per tyre

Mid-range

£440

set of 4, fitted · £95 per tyre

Premium

£620

set of 4, fitted · £140 per tyre

What to fit

Optional extras worth paying for

Factory options ranked by how much of their original cost they recover at resale. Anything above 70% return tends to make money back; below 40% is paying for your own enjoyment.

OptionNew costAdded used valueReturn

Tow bar (factory-fit)

Niche, but the buyers who want one will pay for it.

£650£45069%

Parking sensors & reversing camera

Near-expected now — its absence costs more than its presence returns.

£500£30060%

Heated seats / cold-weather pack

£450£20044%

Metallic or premium paint

Almost universal — an unusual colour is the bigger resale risk.

£600£20033%

Panoramic / opening roof

£1,100£35032%

Larger alloy wheels

£700£20029%

Parts most likely to fail

Drawn from owner reports and warranty data. Filtered for relevance to 23,346 miles.

Watch now

Failure typically happens around your current mileage.

Upcoming

A known weak point — but you haven't reached its usual mileage yet.

Already due

Past its usual failure mileage. Either already fixed, or about to.

12V batteryUpcoming

Typical at 40k-70kCost £100-£180low severityParts high

General wear item — not a model-specific fault.

Brake discs & padsUpcoming

Typical at 35k-60kCost £250-£500 per axlelow severityParts high

General wear item — not a model-specific fault.

Suspension bushes & drop linksUpcoming

Typical at 60k-100kCost £150-£400medium severityParts high

General wear item — not a model-specific fault.

Exhaust & emissions componentsUpcoming

Typical at 70k-110kCost £200-£700medium severityParts high

General wear item — not a model-specific fault.

"Parts low/medium/high" indicates how easy the replacement part is to source — discontinued or specialist parts mean longer workshop time and bigger bills.

Safety rating

Euro NCAP's independent crash-test rating for the MG MG3, from its 2025 assessment.

4/5
TEST YEAR2025
Current rating · valid to 2031

The passenger compartment of the MG 3 remained stable in the frontal offset test.

Independent crash-test data from Euro NCAP. Star ratings reflect the test protocol of the year shown — newer protocols are stricter, so a 5-star from 2024 represents a higher bar than a 5-star from 2014. Euro NCAP ratings run for six years from publication; a lapsed rating means the protocol has moved on, not that the car performs any worse than it did on test.

Reliability

Not enough first-MOT data yet. This measure needs cars registered from 2020 that have reached their first MOT at three years old; too few have so far for a figure worth publishing.

Not enough first-MOT data yet — no score. A car needs 100 first MOTs from 2020 registrations onward before this can be measured.

MOT outlook

Insufficient MOT history at this car's reference age — too few tests to compute a reliable percentile.

Things owners say

  • 01MG's long (7-year) warranty is central to the value case - check remaining cover.
  • 02The pre-2024 MG3 is basic and dated inside but very cheap - buy it on value, not refinement.
  • 03The 2024 Hybrid+ is a much more capable, frugal car - worth the step up if budget allows.

Safety recalls

Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the MG MG3, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.

Check on GOV.UK

Opens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.

Theft risk

A general indicator from UK 2025 theft data and this car’s characteristics — not a prediction for any one vehicle.

Whole-car theft

Around average

Theft risk is around the UK average. Like most modern cars it has keyless entry, so relay theft is the method to guard against.

Parts theft

Higher

Hybrid versions are a catalytic-converter target — a hybrid cat is rich in precious metals and can be cut out in about a minute.

Worth doing

  • Keep keys in a Faraday pouch and away from the front door to block relay attacks.
  • A catalytic-converter guard or forensic marking makes a hybrid far less appealing to cut.

Clean-air zones

Whether driving a MG MG3 into a UK clean-air zone will cost you anything. Rules use the same Euro standard across most zones — petrol from 2006 and diesel from 2015 onwards are exempt; pure electric is always exempt.

Charging zones for cars

CityAreaDaily chargeLikely outcome
LondonAll of Greater London (within the M25)£12.50
Likely exempt
Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
BirminghamInside the A4540 Middleway£8.00
Likely exempt
Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
BristolCity centre and part of the Portway£9.00
Likely exempt
Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
GlasgowCity centre
Likely exempt
Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
EdinburghCity centre
Likely exempt
Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
AberdeenCity centre
Likely exempt
Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.
DundeeCity centre
Likely exempt
Hybrid petrol engines from 2006 meet Euro 4.

Zones that don't charge private cars

  • BathCity centre (Private cars and motorbikes are not charged).
  • BradfordOuter ring road and the Aire Valley (Private cars are not charged).
  • SheffieldInside the A61 inner ring road (Private cars are not charged).
  • Newcastle & GatesheadCity centres and the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges (Private cars are not charged).
  • PortsmouthPart of the city centre (Applies to taxis, PHVs, buses, coaches and HGVs only).

Model-level guidance only. To check a specific registration, use the official gov.uk clean-air zone checker. Zone charges and boundaries are set by local councils and change over time.

Servicing & the dealer network

How well-supported MG is across the UK — a practical read on how easy servicing, parts and warranty work will be to find.

Franchised UK dealers

~150

Large network

Value mass-market

Network size relative to the UK's largest (MG is 3.3% of all franchised outlets)

Servicing, parts and warranty work are easy to find UK-wide, and most independent garages know the brand well — which keeps maintenance competitive.

For context, the UK has roughly 4,500 franchised car-dealer outlets in total, plus about 15,500 independent garages.

Approximate figures, curated from public UK industry sources (NFDA, Car Dealer Magazine). Franchised networks shrink year on year — these indicate network size, not an exact count.

Dimensions & weight

These are segment estimates, not manufacturer figures. 296 of 325 catalogued cars share one of 14 identical dimension sets, so they describe a class rather than this particular car. Sourced figures replace them model by model.

Length

4,300 mm

Width

1,790 mm

Height

1,460 mm

Kerb weight

1,350 kg

Boot

380–1,250 L

Fuel tank

48 L

Common questions

MG MG3, answered from the data

How much does a used MG MG3 cost?
A 2023 MG MG3 with around 23,346 miles is worth roughly £11,250 today (typical range £9,700–£12,750). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.
How quickly does the MG MG3 depreciate?
A new MG MG3 typically loses about 46% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.
What insurance group is the MG MG3?
The MG MG3 sits in insurance group 15 of 50 — the cheaper end of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.
What goes wrong on a used MG MG3?
The most common age-related issues we track for the MG MG3 are: 12v battery (typically around 40k-70k, £100-£180 to put right); brake discs & pads (typically around 35k-60k, £250-£500 per axle to put right); suspension bushes & drop links (typically around 60k-100k, £150-£400 to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.
What does the MG MG3 cost to run?
Expect around 64 mpg combined on the 1.5 Hybrid+ 194 SE, £200 a year in road tax, about £185 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.
Is the MG MG3 ULEZ compliant?
Most petrol MG MG3s from 2006 and diesels from September 2015 meet the Euro standards for London ULEZ and other UK clean-air zones, so they are generally exempt from the daily charge. Pure-electric versions are always exempt.

Answers are generated from this car's Forecourt data — DVSA MOT records, DfT licensing statistics and our valuation model — and update with the weekly data refresh.

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