MG 3

MG 3: which version to buy and why

If the question is which MG 3 to choose, the data splits into two real generations, not four. First generation covers 2011–2012, then a restyling from 2013 to 2017, then restyling 2 from 2018 with no stop date. Second generation starts 2024-02-01.

If the question is which MG 3 to choose, the data splits into two real generations, not four. First generation covers 2011–2012, then a restyling from 2013 to 2017, then restyling 2 from 2018 with no stop date. Second generation starts 2024-02-01. Every body in the file is Mini 5-doors, every drivetrain is FWD, every engine that lists layout is Front, transverse, Inline, 4 cylinders, 4 valves per cylinder, Distributed injection (multi-point). The buying choice is therefore engine output, gearbox, emissions step, and how much mass sits on each horsepower — not body type.

MG 3 specs by generation: what actually changed

1 generation (2011-01-01 to 2012-12-31) has 2 versions, both Manual, 5 gears, Gasoline, 95 fuel, Euro 5, 0–100 in 10.9 s, tank 45 L, kerb 1125 kg, gross 1665 kg, clearance 157 mm. 1.3 MT is 92 hp / 67 kW at 6000 rpm, 118 Nm at 4500 rpm, 1343 cc, top speed 179 km/h. Compression, bore × stroke, city/highway/combined mpg figures, and CO2 are not measured. 1.5 MT is 106 hp / 77 kW at 6000, 135 Nm at 4500, 1498 cc, 10.5 compression, 75 × 84.8 mm, 7.5 / 4.9 / 5.8 L/100 km, 136 g/km CO2, top speed 182 km/h. Wheels not measured. Boost: No.

1 generation restyling (2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31) still Mini 5-doors, 2 versions. Both 1498 cc Gasoline, 106 hp / 78 kW at 6000, 137 Nm at 4500, 10.5, 75 × 84.8, 95, Euro 6, 7.5 / 4.9 / 5.8, 124 g/km CO2, 0–100 10.9 s, tank 45 L, clearance 157 mm. 1.5 AT is Automatic, 4 gears, top speed 182 km/h, kerb 1125 kg, gross 1665 kg; wheels and engine position not measured. 1.5 MT is Manual, 5 gears, top speed 180 km/h, kerb 1155 kg, gross 1685 kg, Front, transverse, wheels 185/70 R14 and 195/55 R16. Rear suspension English label in the file is Semi-independent, springorts hélicoïdaux, sem; rear brakes Disc; front Ventilated disc; front Independent, spring.

1 generation, restyling 2 (2018-01-01, no stop) has 4 versions, all 1498 cc Gasoline, 95, Euro 6, Front, transverse, clearance 157 mm. Three share the name 1.5 AT and must be split by power. 1.5 AT 111 hp is 81 kW at 6000, 150 Nm at 4500, Automatic 4, top speed 182 km/h, kerb 1125 kg, gross 1665 kg; 0–100, consumption, tank, CO2, wheels not measured. 1.5 AT 106 hp is 77 kW, 137 Nm, Automatic 4, 182 km/h, 1125 / 1665 kg, CO2 140 g/km; 0–100, consumption, tank not measured. 1.5 MT is 106 hp / 77 kW, 137 Nm, Manual 5, 0–100 10.9 s, 182 km/h, 140 g/km, 1125 / 1665 kg; consumption and tank not measured. 1.5 AT 117 hp is 86 kW, 150 Nm, Automatic 4, top speed 175 km/h, tank 45 L, kerb 1160 kg; 0–100, consumption, CO2, gross weight, wheels not measured.

2 generation (from 2024-02-01) is one version: 1.5 AT, Hybrid, 194 hp / 142 kW, 128 Nm, 1498 cc, 92 fuel, Automatic 3 gears, FWD, 0–100 in 8 s, top speed 171 km/h, gross 1285 kg, clearance 157 mm. Power rpm, torque rpm, boost, compression, bore × stroke, consumption, tank, CO2, eco class, kerb, wheels not measured.

MG 3 engine: horsepower per litre and what the extra cubic centimetres buy

Displacement is either 1343 cc or 1498 cc. 1.3 MT (1 generation) makes 92 hp from 1343 cc: 68.5 hp per litre. Every 1.5 Gasoline version uses 1498 cc. At 106 hp that is 70.8 hp/L — 2.3 hp/L more than the 1.3, and 14 hp more in total for 155 cc extra. Restyling 2 1.5 AT 111 hp is 74.1 hp/L. Restyling 2 1.5 AT 117 hp is 78.1 hp/L. Second-generation Hybrid 1.5 AT is 194 hp from the same 1498 cc: 129.5 hp/L, 61.4 hp/L above the 117 hp Gasoline peak.

Torque does not climb with the Hybrid. 1.3 MT 118 Nm; first-generation 1.5 MT 135 Nm (+17 Nm vs 1.3); restyled 1.5 AT / 1.5 MT and later 106 hp cars 137 Nm; 111 hp and 117 hp restyling-2 1.5 AT 150 Nm. Hybrid 1.5 AT lists 128 Nm — 22 Nm below the 150 Nm Gasoline peak and 9 Nm below the 137 Nm 106 hp cars. Buyers chasing mid-range pull on paper still sit on the 111/117 hp restyling-2 Automatics, not on the Hybrid’s 194 hp headline.

Kw labels in the file are not a single conversion: restyle 1.5 AT / 1.5 MT 106 hp is 78 kW; first-generation 1.5 MT 106 hp is 77 kW; restyling-2 106 hp cars are 77 kW. Same horsepower, 1 kW difference in the source — treat them as labelled, not as a rounding you invent.

Fuel: Gasoline versions that list it use 95. Hybrid 1.5 AT uses 92. Eco class steps from Euro 5 (both 2011–2012 cars) to Euro 6 from the 2013 restyling onward. Second generation eco class is not measured.

MG 3 horsepower vs weight: kg per hp

Kerb is measured on most first-generation cars. 1.3 MT: 1125 kg / 92 hp = 12.23 kg/hp. First-generation 1.5 MT: 1125 / 106 = 10.61 kg/hp — 1.62 kg/hp lighter per horsepower. Restyling 1.5 AT: 1125 / 106 = 10.61. Restyling 1.5 MT: 1155 / 106 = 10.90 — 30 kg more kerb than the restyle Automatic for the same 106 hp, and 20 kg more gross (1685 vs 1665). Restyling 2 1.5 AT 111 hp: 1125 / 111 = 10.14 kg/hp. Restyling 2 106 hp 1.5 AT and 1.5 MT: 10.61 again. Restyling 2 1.5 AT 117 hp: 1160 / 117 = 9.91 kg/hp — the densest Gasoline ratio, 35 kg more kerb than the 1125 kg cars but 11 hp more than 106 and 6 hp more than 111.

Second-generation Hybrid kerb is not measured. Gross is 1285 kg versus 1665–1685 kg on earlier cars that list gross — 380 kg less than 1665, 400 kg less than 1685. On that 1285 kg gross, 194 hp is 6.62 kg/hp. That is not the same statistic as kerb/hp on older cars; it only shows the Hybrid’s listed maximum mass is both lower and paired with more power.

MG 3 hybrid specs vs Gasoline: 0–100, top speed, mpg

0–100 is 10.9 s on every Gasoline version that lists it: 1.3 MT, both 1.5 cars of 1 generation and of the first restyling, and restyling-2 1.5 MT. Restyling-2 Automatics (111 / 106 / 117 hp) 0–100 is not measured. Hybrid 1.5 AT is 8 s — 2.9 s quicker than 10.9.

Top speed does not follow power. 1.3 MT 179 km/h. First-generation 1.5 MT 182. Restyle 1.5 AT 182; restyle 1.5 MT 180 (2 km/h slower than the Automatic with the same 106 hp, and 30 kg heavier). Restyling-2 106 and 111 hp cars 182. Restyling-2 1.5 AT 117 hp 175 km/h — 7 km/h slower than 182 despite 11 hp more than 106. Hybrid 1.5 AT 171 km/h — 4 km/h below the 117 hp Gasoline Automatic and 11 km/h below 182. Highest listed speed in the catalogue is 182 km/h, not the 194 hp Hybrid.

Consumption is measured only on 1 generation 1.5 MT and both restyling 2013–2017 1.5 cars: 7.5 city / 4.9 highway / 5.8 combined L/100 km. 1.3 MT, all restyling-2 versions, and Hybrid 1.5 AT consumption is not measured. CO2: 136 g/km on 2011–2012 1.5 MT, 124 g/km on 2013–2017 1.5 cars (−12 g/km at the same 5.8 combined), 140 g/km on restyling-2 1.5 AT 106 hp and 1.5 MT (+16 vs 124). Other CO2 not measured.

MG 3 dimensions, tank, wheels

Ground clearance is 157 mm on every version that lists it, including Hybrid 1.5 AT. Tank is 45 L where measured (1 generation both cars, 2013–2017 both cars, restyling-2 1.5 AT 117 hp); elsewhere not measured. Wheels appear only on restyling 1.5 MT: 185/70 R14 and 195/55 R16; every other version wheels not measured. MG 3 dimensions as length/width/height are not in this dataset — not measured.

Engines and specs (all versions, names as in the file)

Which version to choose

If you want the smallest engine bill and a 5-speed Manual: 1.3 MT (1 generation). It is 14 hp and 17 Nm below first-generation 1.5 MT, 3 km/h slower (179 vs 182), same 10.9 s 0–100, same 1125 / 1665 kg. You give up measured consumption and CO2 (not measured on 1.3). Power density 68.5 vs 70.8 hp/L.

If you want measured mpg and the lowest listed CO2: restyling 1.5 AT or 1.5 MT (2013–2017). Same 7.5 / 4.9 / 5.8 as 2011–2012 1.5 MT, but CO2 124 vs 136 g/km, Euro 6 vs Euro 5, torque 137 vs 135 Nm, and kW labelled 78 vs 77. Between those two restyle cars, 1.5 AT is 30 kg lighter at the kerb (1125 vs 1155), 20 kg lighter gross, 2 km/h faster (182 vs 180). 1.5 MT is the only version with listed wheels (185/70 R14, 195/55 R16) and the only restyle car with engine position measured (Front, transverse). Automatic is 4 gears; Manual is 5.

If you want the strongest Gasoline Automatic in first generation: restyling 2 1.5 AT 117 hp — 11 hp and 13 Nm above the 106 hp Automatics, 6 hp above 1.5 AT 111 hp, same 150 Nm as the 111 hp car. Cost in the numbers: 35 kg extra kerb (1160 vs 1125), top speed 175 vs 182 km/h. 0–100 and mpg not measured. 1.5 AT 111 hp is the middle: 150 Nm without the 1160 kg kerb, still 182 km/h, 10.14 kg/hp vs 9.91 on the 117.

If you need a 106 hp restyling-2 car: 1.5 AT 106 hp and 1.5 MT share 77 kW, 137 Nm, 140 g/km, 182 km/h, 1125 / 1665 kg. Only 1.5 MT has 0–100 measured (10.9 s). Gearbox is the real fork: Automatic 4 vs Manual 5.

If the brief is MG 3 hybrid horsepower and a 2024-on Mini 5-doors: 2 generation 1.5 AT — 194 hp, 8 s to 100, 3-speed Automatic, 92 fuel, 171 km/h, 1285 kg gross. You do not get a measured kerb, tank, mpg, CO2, or boost. Torque 128 Nm is below every 1.5 Gasoline from the restyling onward. You buy power and a 2.9 s 0–100 cut, not a higher listed top speed.

Reliability and “problems” are not in this file; they are not measured here. Prices are not in this file. The arithmetic that is in the file is: 1.5 over 1.3 is +14 hp and +17 Nm at the same 10.9 s; 2013 restyling is Euro 6 and −12 g/km CO2 at unchanged 5.8 L/100 km; restyling 2 adds 111 and 117 hp Automatics and raises listed CO2 to 140 g/km where measured; second generation 1.5 AT Hybrid is +77 hp versus 117 and −2.9 s versus 10.9, with −11 km/h versus the 182 km/h Gasoline peak.