BMW M5 vs MG 3

What's the difference?

Let’s get one thing out of the way: the new M5 is a very good car. Considering the emissions limitations and size increase of its base model, it is an impressive bit of engineering. 

What’s trickier is deciding whether the new car is really better to drive. Less edgy but supremely comfortable and quiet; BMW leaned into the daily usability of the plug-in hybrid M5 rather than amping the petrol-electric system for maximum thrills. And do you know what? That’s fine with me. 

The new M5 still performs on road and track and does an incredible job of hiding its weight (most of the time). Perhaps the G90 is a little more Audi RS6 than F90 in its demeanour but some would argue that’s no bad thing. 

The concept of the BMW M5 is not static, it evolves with the times, and the G90 is no exception. Expect future Competition and CS variants to unlock some extra lunacy. 

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

Aside from its safety shortcomings and underwhelming powertrain, it’s easy to see why the MG3 has become a successful part of the brand’s line-up. If you’re driving around a rural centre like I was, it makes a lot of sense.

Whether you choose the Excite model, which has a bit more visual pizzazz, or the Core model, which is our pick of the range, the MG3 is well priced, has the media tech buyers are after, is a charming looking thing that comes in a range of great colours, and is smartly packaged, too. 

Thanks to the team at Orange MG for assisting us with this the loan vehicle for this review. Head to Orange MG for more information.

The M5’s raw size is what you notice first. The G90 M5 is a whopping 113mm longer, 67mm wider and 37mm taller than the car it replaces, with the wheelbase stretched 24mm.

It is also the most pumped M5 yet, compared to a 520i it is 70mm chubbier at its flared wheel arches. The ‘M5’ insignia on the C-pillar means you’ll know this is the fast one. 

Presence is not in question, then, but beauty? Not the right word. The G90 makes its predecessors — especially the original ‘E28’ — look demure. 

The cabin layout builds on the concept debuted by the iX electric SUV, with twin integrated screens and focus on technology and minimal buttons. Materials are mostly high quality and feel fitting for the M5’s asking price.

It’s a fresh looking thing, the MG3. 

From its attractive front-end with “London Eye” LED daytime running lights, its Euro-look angular front bumper and chrome-trimmed grille, and its angular window lines, it really does have a distinct personality.

It looks a lot more modern and enticing than the first version of the MG3 sold here, and I have no doubt that a lot of buyers of the MG3 have been attracted by its sharp styling first and foremost. MG has done a tremendous job of creating a family look - it just happens that the family looks like it has been taking good care of itself, keeping active and trim, too.

The rear end isn’t quite as attractive, with the vertical tail-lights making it seem taller than it is. It’s still a nicely sculpted back-end, though.

On the Core model you’ll get some lower blacked-out design trim bits, and the wheels fitted are 15-inch alloys. 

The Excite model seen here is a little more, dare we say it, exciting to look at. That’s down to its body kit, consisting of lower chrome elements on the front bumper, a set of black side skirts, and a hatch-mounted rear spoiler. You get 16-inch alloy wheels, too. 

In terms of dimensions, it’s closer in size to the Kia Rio than it is the Picanto. With a length of 4055mm (on a long-for-its-size 2520mm wheelbase), a width of 1729mm and height of 1504mm, it’s a pretty chunky little unit. 

It is rather conventional in the way its interior is designed, however - there’s no sliding second row (like the Suzuki Ignis) or flip-folding seats (a la the Honda Jazz). Check out the interior pictures below to see for yourself.

BMW has persevered with its twin-screen, minimal-button approach for its 'Operating System 8.5' in the M5. 

The 14.9-inch central touchscreen is bright, responsive and high resolution but the software remains a little strange. The main interface is classy but when looking for settings to adjust you’re presented with a Windows 95-esque panel of small square touch targets. It’s not intuitive. 

Wirelessly mirroring Apple CarPlay or Android Auto works a treat, at least. Digital climate controls keep temp adjustment persistently on screen and a shortcut to fan speed. The nipple-like vent direction adjustment grows on you, as do the digital vent sliders. 

The 12.3-inch digital driver’s display still doesn’t have the freedom of customisation and clarity of Audi’s interface. 

The M5 has two cupholders, a deep central storage cubby, door bins that swallow two 600mL plastic bottles and twin wireless charging pad that resolutely grips smartphones even under the sort of tummy-churning G-Forces this M5 can manage. 

Setting the M5 apart from the regular sedan is a unique centre console bunching 'M Drive' modes, 'M Hybrid' modes and other shortcut functions together next to the gear toggle and M-engraved crystal 'iDrive' controller.

Comfortable front seats are power adjustable with in/out, up/down lumbar support and have two memory positions. 

The 5096mm long M5’s back seat is very spacious. Headroom is good for those beyond 182cm (six-foot), the bench is extremely supportive, while leg and toe room are adequate.

A fold-down centre armrest has two cupholders and there are USB-C charge ports in the back of each bucket seat for a total of four. 

You can buy an accessory mount that holds tablets or smartphones for rear seat passenger entertainment, too.

When you look in the boot, BMW offering a Touring version of the latest M5 makes even more sense. The load aperture is big but the usable space is narrow; the sides intrude on load space. 

The 466-litre space will make fitting suitcases for an airport run tricky and, even with the 40/60 split-fold rear bench, you will struggle to fit a bike in the back. There’s no spare tyre, either.

If you’ve owned the same old car for years and you’re setting foot in an MG3 for the first time, you’ll probably feel amazed that you can get an interior with interesting finishes, a high-tech screen and decent materials at this price point.

Earlier versions of the MG3 were nowhere near as good inside as the current model, which has been on sale since 2018. It’s not perfect, but there are plenty of things to like.

The seats offer plenty of adjustment, including a huge amount of height adjustment for shorter drivers. The seat is comfortable, though some drivers might find it hard to get the right position: there is no reach adjustment for the steering wheel (only rake adjust), and you can’t adjust the seatbelt height, either. 

I really like the seat trim which is a broad tartan design (with “synthetic leather” bolsters and contrast stitching in the top-spec Excite), mirrored by an etched tartan aluminium trim piece on the dashboard - it looks really smart, even if my OCD radar was set off by the fact the trim wasn’t aligned to match perfectly between the cushion sections. Take a look at the interior pictures to see what I mean.

There are some really nice elements to the cabin. Things like the 'lock' and 'unlock' button on the driver’s door, which looks like it has been stolen directly from Audi’s parts catalogue. The same can be said for the speedo instrument font. 

There’s no doubt that it’s built to a price, but it doesn’t feel anywhere near as cheap as you might expect. We’ve criticised Audi, VW and Skoda for cutting costs with hard plastic trims on doors and dashboards, and the MG has plenty of hard plastics, too - but it’s expected at this price, not double it.

There’s a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen media system with AM/FM radio and Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, plus USB connectivity and smartphone mirroring - meaning you get Apple CarPlay, essentially negating the need for sat nav if you use an iPhone. You can option a GPS navigation system on the Core model, but satellite navigation comes standard on the Excite. There's no Android Auto mirroring available at all, though.

In previous models from the SAIC stable - including the LDV T60, and MG ZS - I had troubles with the media screen, but the version in the MG3 Excite I drove was quick and problem free, even when disconnecting and reconnecting my phone multiple times. 

There are other little things that could be improved, like the fact the trip meter is difficult to navigate, and there’s no digital speedometer. Also, the digital climate control in the Excite model shows up on the media screen, though by way of a graphic rather than a temperature number. In the base model Core there’s a simpler manual a/c system. 

The steering wheel has a part leather trim with perforated edges which makes it look and feel a little bit sporty – and it has a flat bottom as well, which will appeal to the sporty-minded buyer. There are stereo and cruise control buttons on the wheel, but the stalks behind are “back to front”, with the left stalk for indicators and lights, and the right for wipers. 

As for storage, up front there is a single cup holder between the seats, a couple of small storage sections including a trench for a wallet, and another storage section in front of the gear selector - that’s where the MG3’s single USB port is, too.

The front door storage includes bottle holders, and there are soft padded elbow pads on the front doors - which is more than we can say for some of those aforementioned Euro brands.

With the driver’s seat set in my position (I’m 182cm tall), I had enough back seat space to be comfortable. There was enough knee room and toe room, and reasonable headroom if I sat perfectly still - although the slightest tilt of my head to the outer side of the car saw my noggin contact the headlining. Rear seat comfort is okay - the backrest is a firm, but there’s good visibility out the windows. There are dual ISOFIX child seat anchor points, and three top-tether points for baby seats. 

In the back the storage is minimal. There are two map pockets, but no door pockets, and there’s no flip-down centre armrest with cupholders. But there is one large pocket in front of the middle-seat rear passenger which would do for a bottle. The back seat also misses out on soft elbow pads on the doors. 

Boot space is good for a car in this size segment. You’ll only really do better if you buy a Honda Jazz or Suzuki Baleno, as the MG3 offers a deep and boxy cargo zone, with a cargo capacity of 307 litres to the cargo cover. 

Need more luggage capacity? The back seats fold down in a 60:40 split, alleviating 1081L of space - though the load-through is limited as the seats don’t fold completely flat. Or you could fit a roof rack. 

The success of the MG3 in Australia has been largely driven by its price. 

And no wonder - pricing for cars of this size has increased steadily, and plenty of brands have found their light cars in the "too hard" basket as a result.

But the MG3 is still relatively cheap. Prices have jumped over the time since we drove this particular car, but they're still sub-$20K for all models in the range.

For context, the 2020 model started at just $16,490 drive-away for the Core model and topped out at $18,490 drive-away for the top-spec Excite, and those prices were the RRPs listed on MG’s site at the time.

But now the MG3 has become a bit pricier - the current pricing for the range is up, with the base model Core now $18,490 drive-away, while the Core with Nav model costs $18,990 drive-away, and the top-spec Excite grade is a Macca's meal short of twenty grand at $19,990 drive-away.

Wondering what features you get when it comes to the models in the range? It's pretty simple, so let’s run through what each model gets.

The Core gets 15-inch alloy wheels, cloth tartan finish seat trim, auto on/off halogen headlights with LED daytime running lights, manual air conditioning, electric windows, electric mirrors, and a leather steering wheel with audio and cruise control buttons. There’s a space-saver spare wheel, too.

The media system includes a 8.0-inch touchscreen with USB connectivity, Apple CarPlay (no Android Auto), Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, and AM/FM radio. There’s no CD player, and the Core model gets four speakers. If you're keen on sat nav, you can step up to the Core Nav model, which adds $500 to the bill.
Stepping up to the Excite nets you a few extras like 16-inch two-tone alloy wheels and a body kit, body-coloured mirrors, vanity mirrors in the sun-visors, and synthetic leather trim on the seats with contrast stitching. 

The Excite also includes GPS sat nav as standard, and steps up the sound system to be a six-speaker unit with “Full Vehicle Yamaha 3D Sound Field”.

Interested in the safety spec inclusions? Read the safety section below for what’s included, and what’s missing.

Our friendly MG dealer let me know that he can’t get enough of the Tudor Yellow models, and that colour - as well as Dover White and Pebble Black - are no-cost optional hues. You should bare in mind that Regal Blue metallic, Scottish Silver metallic and Bristol Red metallic (as seen here) will set you back an additional $500. Looking for orange, green or gold paint? Sorry, no can do.

As for accessories, beyond floor mats there’s not a lot to speak of. Oh, and those wishing for a sunroof? No chance… unless you’re handy with a Sawzall. Note: do not cut a hole in the roof of your car. 

While the prices have gone up since we originally published this review, the MG3 still scores strongly for pricing and specs, because the market has moved up, too, and like-for-like it's still cheaper than almost all of its rivals - Picanto excluded.

Unlike the Mercedes-AMG C63, BMW has kept the M5’s eight-cylinder heart and this has proven to be a good decision. 

The 4.4-litre twin-turbo petrol engine has been optimised with “a cross-bank exhaust manifold and optimised oil separation”, says BMW.

The V8 spins to 7200rpm though it isn't a screamer, outputting a full-bodied 430kW (5600-6500rpm) and 750Nm (1800-5400rpm).

Augmented with a transmission-mounted 145kW electric motor that can produce up to 450Nm, thanks to pre-gearing, maximum combined outputs are 535kW and 1000Nm. 

Weight blunts punch, though, so despite nearly 100kW and 250Nm more, the new M5 is a tenth slower to 100km/h than its predecessor (claimed), at 3.5 seconds for the sprint.

You can thank a 220kW/tonne power-to-weight ratio, worse than the old car's 233kW/tonne figure. The new G90 claws some time back with brute force, hitting 200km/h in just 10.9 seconds and goes on to a limited top speed of 305km/h.

You can choose from five powertrain settings, starting with 'Electric' and 'Hybrid' for everyday use, while 'eControl' lets you store battery power for urban use.

'Dynamic' provides the best balance, says BMW, while 'Dynamic Plus' is like a qualifying mode. Think maximum combined punch for up to 10 minutes, at which point you’ll have drained the battery. 

Driving in pure electric mode, the take-off can be a little jerky but the quietude and decent power make it pleasant. Power sources are combined expertly in Hybrid and giving it some stick in Dynamic is more than enough to make your passengers feel queasy.

Keen to know the engine specs for the MG3? Well, it’s pretty simple on the specifications front.

There’s just one motor available: a 1.5-litre four-cylinder non-turbo petrol engine, dubbed NSE Major by MG. 

It has class competitive outputs of 82kW (at 6000rpm) and 150Nm (at 4500rpm). It is only available with a four-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. There’s no manual transmission available anymore - it was available in the earlier MG3s, but no more. 

While some competitors offer higher-powered flagship variants that act as the horsepower hero of the range, there’s no such variant in the MG3 range. Not yet, anyway. For now there’s just one engine size, no turbo, and no diesel or EV models to speak of either.

The tare mass/tare weight for the MG3 hatch is 1170kg, which is a bit heavier than a Mazda 2, but pretty much on par with a Kia Rio. 

Considering a caravan holiday with your new MG3? Maybe think twice - the maximum towing capacity is just 200kg. 

If you’re worried about engine problems, clutch problems, or have questions about the battery, gearbox, or the oil requirements, be sure to stay tuned to our MG problems page. And if you're curious about whether it has a timing chain or timing belt? It's a chain.

Electric-only range is rated up to 69km in WLTP testing, but the 18.6kWh battery is more likely to give you around 60km in real-world driving. It can be topped up in about two hours using an 11kW AC charger, or overnight on a three-pin socket. 

BMW includes both Mode 3 (public) and Mode 2 (home) charging cables with the M5. 

The M5 uses 3.2L/100km of 98 RON premium unleaded in ADR testing, corresponding to just 72g/km of CO2, so it should sail through the first rounds of Australian emissions regulations. 

Indulging in what the V8 has to offer sees that consumption spike, though. An enthusiastic road drive saw the M5 gulp 12.4L/100km, according to the trip computer.

The combined cycle fuel consumption claim - which is what the brand claims the vehicle should use across a mix of driving situations - is the same across the MG3 line-up: 6.7 litres per 100 kilometres.

During my time with the car - which consisted of exactly 100km of mixed driving - I saw an at-the-pump fuel economy return of 7.7L/100km, which is decent.

The fuel tank capacity of the MG3 is 45 litres - meaning a theoretical mileage per tank of about 580km. It runs on regular unleaded (91RON), too.

Just be aware, the filler neck of the fuel tank is a little less angled than some other cars, so you might find it can splash back when it ‘clicks’ the first time.

The three M5 elements start with daily usability. We trundled out of Bathurst in electric mode, with the adaptive dampers (and other myriad settings) in Comfort. 

The M5 has steel springs, double wishbone front suspension and a five-link rear axle, all of which has been heavily reworked by the boffins at M. Naturally, the ride is firm, though in Comfort the body moves through its motions smoothly. 

The M5 is an effortless tourer, its eight-speed automatic shmoozing through ratios as it climbs and descends steep gradients. Wind and tyre noise insulation is good on coarse chip tarmac, though a bit more burble from the V8 would be appreciated. 

The M5 has nine adjustable parameters to wake it up: 'Drivetrain', 'Energy Recovery', 'Drivelogic' (gear shift aggression), 'Chassis', 'Steering', 'Brake', 'M xDrive', stability control settings and 'M Sound'. Favourite settings can be stored to the wheel-mounted M1 and M2 buttons. 

With the dampers still in Comfort the M5 remains fantastically capable with power delivery from the xDrive mighty rewarding on corner exit. Sport dampers sharpen the experience up further, amplifying the M5’s surprising agility. Thank the rear-wheel steer for this big sedan’s switchback performance. 

Step beyond the limit of grip, brake too late, or get on the power too early, though, and the M5’s mass reveals itself rapidly. It doesn’t help that the accurate steering is devoid of feel. The brake-by-wire pedal is too numb and light, as well, making it tricky to judge grip levels on the road.

Feel is less of an issue on a dry Mount Panorama circuit, where the M5 turns out to be a total pussycat. The all-wheel drive, consistent dynamics, strong brakes and well-tuned stability control make for an approachable but seriously fast sedan.

The responsive transmission will hold gears to redline and is eager on the downshift in its most aggressive setting while tactile shift paddles make commanding ratio changes yourself that bit more engaging. 

Prodigious punch out of corners is matched by the impressive consistency of the carbon ceramic brakes. The M5 pulled up for The Chase every time with minimal fuss, even from above 250km/h.

Similar credit goes to the 285mm front and 295mm rear Hankook S1 Evo tyres which remained consistent and predictable all day despite reaching temperatures over 130 degrees, according to the tyre pressure monitor.

You might think of MG as a sports car brand - that’s what they built back in history, after all, and those are the reminiscences the company is hoping you’ll have when you see the famed octagonal badge.

And of the current crop of models that MG sells in Australia, the MG3 is undoubtedly the sportiest. 

That comes down to its driving manners, steering and ride - but not the engine and transmission.

The powertrain feels to be lacking enough power and torque to make it feel light and zippy when accelerating. The automatic transmission doesn’t make the greatest use of the engine, and can be indecisive when climbing hills or when you ask more of the car. Oh, don’t even think about a 0-100 performance claim - no such number exists.

In urban driving at lower speeds it’s fine. Between traffic lights and encountering roundabouts, and there’s not much to complain about. It doesn’t have any lag or lurch from a standstill, and is smooth and quick enough to get away from rest, too.

It’s just once you start to ask more of the engine and transmission that you notice that things could be better. There is, at least, a manual shift mode for the transmission to allow you to take control of the shifts, and there’s a sport mode too, which will hang on to gears and quell the indecision of the transmission to a degree.

On the open road it gets along fine, sitting at the speed limit without much fuss - although once you encounter a hill, you will notice the speed drop off a little. And the cruise control seemingly has a bit of a mind of its own, with a set speed displayed at 100km/h, I noticed the speed varying between 90km/h and 110km/h, depending on the terrain.

It’s the road holding, grip, handling and steering that help it live up to the badge, with steering that has a nice hefty weight to it and good directness at pace or around town. It even offers a little bit of feel through the wheel, which is welcome. That grip was surprising given the tyres fitted to the Excite’s 16-inch alloy wheels (Giti GitiComfort 228 tyres in 195/55/16 size).

The ride is tuned with a firmer character to it than you might expect. It’s not to the point of discomfort, and nor is it fidgety or clumsy over potholes or sharp edges. And that tune for the Macpherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear suspension means that it feels plenty grippy in corners. Over my drive loop - incorporating sweeping bends and tighter twists - the MG3 stuck itself to the road commendably, with no noticeable skittishness to speak of. 

Indeed, I kept thinking that the suspension tune reminded me of a VW, Skoda or Audi city car - assured, confident, and ultimately a bit of fun.

The braking performance was good, too - it pulled up true and straight under heavy braking, and offered decent response at city speeds, too.

One minor criticism was some noticeable wind noise from around the windscreen pillar / mirror area, which was evident at speeds from 70km/h up.

Safety technology is the MG3’s biggest shortfall. There’s no ANCAP crash test safety rating to speak of, and the MG3 doesn’t come with any form of auto emergency braking (AEB), which is disappointing given the tech has been available on affordable city cars since 2013 (the VW up! was an early benchmark). 

Even the facelifted Mitsubishi Mirage has AEB with pedestrian detection, but the MG3 doesn’t. Nor does it come with lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert or rear AEB.

So what do you get? The range comes standard with a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, electronic stability control, and six airbags (dual front, front side, full-length curtain). And that may be enough for you, but we know you can get more safety tech in rival cars, so it can’t score well against this criteria.

Where is the MG3 built? It’s made in China. 

In Australia, BMW has moved to match other manufacturers in offering a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty on all its cars. 

Servicing is recommended on a condition basis, with the M5’s multimedia system prompting a visit to the mechanics. BMW offers pre-paid service packs for five years/80,000km at a price of $5059 for the basic offer and $8152 for 'Inclusive Plus', which covers brake pad and rotor replacements. 

It is expensive next to a regular 5 Series but when you consider the purchase price and performance level, the M5’s service pricing is not astronomical. 

I kept thinking about one particular thing over my time in the MG3 - the warranty. It’s such a great peace of mind move from the company to back its cars with a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty plan. 

If your brain works like mine, you could calculate it out and see the purchase of the MG3 completely differently: what about thinking of it as a $2500-ish-per-year investment, and at the end you get a free car…! The same can be said of the Kia Picanto and Rio, though.

That warranty should put your mind at ease when it comes to reliability, problems, common faults and issues, as any required fixes are set to be covered by the brand over that period. And buyers get seven years of roadside assistance included, too.

Maintenance is required every 12 months/10,000km, whichever comes first. That’s a bit more regular than some rivals (most have 15,000km intervals), but the brand backs its cars with a seven-year fixed service cost plan. Servicing costs averaged out over the first seven years/70,000km of ownership equate to $382 per visit (before GST), which isn't cheap, but nor is it expensive.

Here's a rundown of the recommended service costing (all prices pre-GST): 12 months/10,000km: $231.76; 24 months/20,000km: $385.23; 36 months/30,000km - $379.72; 48 months/40,000km - $680.74; 60 months/50,000km - $231.76; 72 months/60,000km - $533.19; 84 months/70,000km - $231.76.

Keep the service logbook stamps up to date in your owners manual - it’s a ticket to better resale value.