MG 3 vs Toyota Yaris Cross

What's the difference?

VS
MG 3
MG 3

2020 price

Toyota Yaris Cross
Toyota Yaris Cross

$22,999 - $45,990

2023 price

Summary

2020 MG 3
2023 Toyota Yaris Cross
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Inline 4, 1.5L

Inline 3, 1.5L
Fuel Type
Premium Unleaded Petrol

Unleaded Petrol/Electric
Fuel Efficiency
6.7L/100km (combined)

3.8L/100km (combined)
Seating
5

5
Dislikes
  • Lacking safety tech
  • Powertrain not great in demanding situations
  • No digital speedo

  • Firm ride
  • Could use more power
  • Flimsy mesh luggage compartment cover
2020 MG 3 Summary

This story has been updated in February 2022 to reflect market changes and pricing adjustments for the MG3. It was originally published in the first half of 2020.

My time at CarsGuide started in October 2017, and since then I’ve booked literally thousands of cars across Australia. One car that has eluded me - and the CarsGuide team - over that period is the one you see here: the MG3. Or the MG MG3, or MG 3, if you wish.

Despite asking MG’s Australian arm countless times to loan an MG3 hatchback over that period, the company in charge of the brand’s PR in Australia refused to agree to loan us a vehicle to test. Now the company has an in-house PR team with a pretty decent fleet of press cars, yet still, no MG3.

Over the years, our desire to review the MG3 hatch - and to help you decide whether it's right for you or not - has only gotten stronger because sales have skyrocketed. Back in late 2017 the brand was averaging only a handful of cars per month - indeed, just 52 examples of the MG3 were sold in total in 2017.

Since then, the MG3 has skyrocketed, and it is the best-selling light car in Australia. In 2021, the brand moved more than 13,000 MG3s - meaning it is averaging 250 cars sold per week. Makes the paltry 2017 numbers look a bit meagre. In becoming the number-one seller in the segment, it has beaten big-name rivals including the Kia Rio, Mazda 2 and now defunct Honda Jazz, while also being well clear of the cheaper Kia Picanto, which is what many people will be shopping this car against if price is a key driver for their decision.

And that's the case in point, really - a lot of its success comes down to the price of the Chinese-built, British-badged city car. It’s cheap - but is it a cheerful experience? We got the chance to find out in 2020, thanks to a friendly MG dealership in NSW - and this review has been updated with the most current pricing, because nothing else has changed.

View full pricing & specs
2023 Toyota Yaris Cross Summary

The Yaris Cross is a good example of great timing.

Jacking up a small/supermini-sized wagon is hardly original, as the 2000s Peugeot 207 Outdoor proved. It bombed locally, and there were others too, probably, that never even reached our ears, let alone our shores. The point is, this seemed like a niche too far.

Not to Toyota, though. Sure, its Yaris has long included tallish wagon offshoots elsewhere, with names like Verso and Ractis. But it took a redesign that included a Subaru Outback-esque makeover, the telling 'Cross' badge and hybrid with available all-wheel drive (AWD) options to get buyers interested.

As wait times stretch to a year and beyond, now there's a "thrilling" (according to the press release) GR (for Gazoo Racing) Sport Hybrid addition, for those who seek their compact crossovers in racy eco tracksuit couture.

Can the Yaris Cross pull it off? Let's find out.

View full pricing & specs

Deep dive comparison

2020 MG 3 2023 Toyota Yaris Cross

Change vehicle