MG Reviews

The MG3 range is opened by the attractively priced Core model, which has an RRP/MSRP of $16,490 drive-away.

The range-topping model in the two-strong MG3 range is the Excite, which lists at $18,490 drive-away (MSRP/RRP).

The MG ZS has been a star performer for the brand in Australia, fighting in one of the busiest parts of the new car market.So, should you buy one? This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) review will help you judge if the car is right for you.

The new-generation MG didn't go off to a great start in Australia with their first offering, the small SUV ZS, but this larger, more family friendly HS has a lot going for it with updated style and better driving experience.

MG has launched the new HS model in one of the busiest parts of the Australian new car market. Competing with big-name players, the all-new MG HS model will need to offer more than just good value for buyers to consider it. So, how does it stack up?

The compact SUV market is a game that every manufacturer wants to play. There are more than 20 entrants in the segment, some of them truly excellent - even at the budget end of the spectrum.

This is the ZS, the smallest SUV in the MG range. It offers city-friendly size, but a bigger-than-you'd think interior. So, is it worth considering? And what about the safety factor? Read on to find out more...

Mazda has been the standout performer over the last decade or so when its cars have gone from "who cares" to "must haves" in a very short period of time. New It began with the ground breaking 3, continued with the 6, and then followed on with the mini 2. Sales of small cars like the Mazda2 have soared as Australians

Ferns, sheep and car models - New Zealand has probably more of these than most countries and thanks to liberal import rules, is just the place you'd expect to find rarities like the MG6. The Cruze-sized hatchback is available from 12 dealers in New Zealand and distributed through British Motor Distributors.It will be practically identical when - or if - it comes to Australia and on a comparative basis, it could be priced around $25,000 - about $5000 less than a similarly-equipped Cruze.The MG6 Turbo here may be about $38,000. Note that this article should only be seen as a guide to the MG6. If the model comes to Australia there may be changes to the features and drive review.VALUEThe big news is space. For the bucks - and we're talking $30,000 in New Zealand currency as a base - it's a surprisingly long car that translates into a spacious cabin and, especially, a long and useable boot area.In fact, space equates to a Skoda Octavia - and that's big! Equipment in the NZ model includes 17-inch alloys, iPod/USB audio, electric sunroof and a one-touch engine start button - and this is the base model.Pay more and the kit adds rear parking aids, cruise control, tyre-pressure monitoring, sat-nav with a colour screen, leather upholstery and heated front seats with electric adjustment for the driver.DESIGN The shape is neat with styling overtones of Europe. It's 4651mm long and sits on a 2705mm wheelbase and hence has heaps of legroom. The boot is a generous 472 litres with the rear seats up and a cavernous 1268 litres when folded down.Cabin treatment is generally good though falls down in appearance with the leather-trimmed version looking like its upholstery is made of vinyl, small instrument gauges and a handbrake that is badly positioned and requires a lot of effort to engage.The high rear tail looks good but begs a rear camera or, at least, park sensors - both are available in the top-spec NZ model while sensors are on the mid-spec car.TECHNOLOGYThe MG6 Turbo comes with a 118kW 1.8-litre turbo-petrol engine which is a revamp and blown version of the Rover K-series unit fitted previously - an infamously - to the Freelander Mk I and MGF. It was a temperamental engine that hated the Australian summers and displayed its discomfort by blowing head gaskets.It's been overhauled - now known as the N-series - since the company established in China but hard to say how it'll behave on its return to our warmer climes. There's only a five-speed manual gearbox in NZ but an auto in planned for the future, possibly in time for an Australian launch. Fuel economy is 7.9 L/100km with a 184g/km CO2 emission. The suspension is common MacPherson struts at the front and multi-link at the rear.SAFETYThis has a four-star crash rating in the European NCAP tests. It also has six airbags, ESC and a full-size spare.DRIVING A short sprint shows the MG6 is well behaved, pleasantly free of surprises and has decent roadholding. Basically, it's a simple and predictable hatchback and even the turbocharged engine holds no surprises. Power delivery is smooth and linear to the point where it feels more like a normally-aspirated 2-litre than a turbocharged 1.8. It won't scare any drivers.The fact it comes initially only as a manual will deter many buyers but the clutch and gearshift arrangement are light and easy to use. Less so the steering which feels too heavy at parking speeds.MG6 TURBOPrice: est $38,000Warranty: TBAResale: n/aService interval: TBASafety Equipment: six airbags, ABS, EBD Crash rating: 4 starsEngine: 118kW/215Nm 1.8-litre 4-cyl turbo-petrolBody: 5-door, 5 seats Dimensions: 4651mm (L); 1829mm (W); 1478mm (H); 2705mm (WB) WEIGHT: 1495kgTransmission: 5-spd manual; front-wheel driveEconomy: 7.9 l/100km; 184g/km CO2BREAKOUTIn 2005, MG Rover went into liquidation and was bought by China's oldest carmaker, NAC. NAC soon after merged with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), China's biggest carmaker. MG Rover became one of 10 SAIC-controlled vehicle companies.To maintain the UK link, many MG Rover parts were engineered in the UK and then made in China. Cars would be assembled in the UK and at SAIC's new Lingang plant near Shanghai. Under the Roewe badge (the Rover name couldn't be used in China), AIC makes three models in China - the 350, 550 and the 750 (the old 75) - while the MG6 is made in both Britain and China.The MGF roadster is known as the MG TF and is assembled in Britain from parts made in China. SAIC is on record as planning a front-engined rear-drive roadster in the ilk of the MGB.

Mention the name MG and an image of a rakish sports car racing down a winding country road, windscreen folded forward, its driver’s hair blowing in the wind comes instantly to mind. The British brand is synonymous with sports cars, it’s the first car you think of when sports cars are talked about, so it was a sad day when the revered old badge was put down in the early 1980s.Equally it was an exciting day when Rover unveiled a new MG sports car at Geneva in 1995. It took another two years before the MGF arrived in Australia, but it was a time of great celebration by MG enthusiasts, coming 24 years after the last MG sports car was sold here.Despite the absence the love of MGs barely waned over the years. Thousands of enthusiasts and more than 20 MG-dedicated car clubs ensured the memory of the great sports car brand would live on. The return of the octagonal badge gave them cause for celebration, and the MGF didn’t disappoint.Thankfully the ‘F’ wasn’t a stuffy remake of the past aimed at crusty old buffers who remain locked in the 1930s, it was a thoroughly modern design that brought the MG brand right up to date.It had to be because the sports car market was several degrees hotter than it was when the last MG sports car left the production line back in 1982. While MG was lying dormant Mazda, BMW, Mercedes and Honda had rediscovered the joys of topdown sports motoring and had developed new models. By the time MG returned to showrooms around the world buyers had plenty of choice.MODEL WATCHThe pretty ‘F’ was a major departure from MG tradition with its engine located amidships, just behind the cockpit, for optimum 45-55 per cent front-rear weight distribution and brilliant handling. Put simply the MGF was a great driver’s car.Double wishbone independent suspension was featured at each end, along with anti-roll bars and Hydragas spring/damper units as well as a conventional strut. The Hydragas suspension was a development of the old Hydrolastic suspension used on Minis back in the 1960s. It’s a system that links the front and rear suspension units to better control the ride.Steering was by rack-and-pinion and there was an electric power steering option available that was both positive in feel and linear in response.Braking was by discs on all corners, ventilated at the front and solid at the rear, with the assistance of ABS antilock electronics.MG offered a choice of engines. The entry model was powered by a 1.8-litre double overhead camshaft fuel-injected four -cylinder that produced a respectable 90 kW at 5500 revs and 166 Nm at 3000 revs. That was enough to have the ‘F’ accelerating from rest to 100 km/h in a little over nine seconds and on to a top speed of better than 190 km/h.For more zip there was the VVC engine. The VVC was Rover’s Variable Valve Control engine, a 1.8-litre double overhead cam fuel-injected four, but with variable valve timing which altered the inlet valve opening and closing periods to deliver optimum performance, economy and emissions over a broad range of operating conditions.The VVC engine produced a power peak of 107 kW and maximum torque of 173 Nm at 4500 revs, and was redlined at 7300 revs. That was sufficient to power the ‘F’ to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds, and a top speed of 210 km/h.Initially there was just one transmission on offer, a five-speed manual, but in 2001 there was also the choice of a sports-shift five-speed auto on the regular ‘F’.The interior was roomy and comfortable with a number of small compartments to store most necessities, while the boot was roomy enough to carry a reasonable amount of luggage.The roof was manually operated, but was easy to raise and lower. The rear window was plastic which meant it was prone to discolouration over time, particularly if not looked after.Standard features included dual airbags, power windows, central locking, engine immobiliser and sound system. Options were air-conditioning, CD player and a hard top.Upgraded models were introduced late in 2000. The ‘F’ roadster got more equipment, including a tilt steering column and a CD player, and there was a five-speed sports-shift auto available. The VVC model was also upgraded with standard air-con, tilt column, and CD sound.IN THE SHOPBuild quality has been an issue with all British cars since those dark days of the 1970s when it was a very real concern. Today it’s less of an issue, but is still something to consider as British-built cars are generally not up to the build quality coming from carmakers in other countries.The MGF does have some issues of build quality, but they mainly concern interior trim, which doesn’t stand up over time. Wood grain panels that come adrift, plastic surrounds that fall off, switches that come loose are very visible turnoffs in an otherwise good car.Lack of an adjustable steering column and a rather high seating position makes it a little cramped for tall drivers, and the heater box in the passenger side footwell is an unwelcome intrusion on leg room.Always be careful when checking a soft-top sports car or convertible to see how the roof and interior have been treated. One ‘F’ recently inspected had a foul smell inside, the result of being allowed to get wet with the roof down. The roof was mouldy, the dash stained, the carpets smelly and in need of replacement. In this case the interior needed to be thoroughly cleaned.A little time is needed to become acquainted with the F’s sharp response. Unlike most front-engine cars, it really is quite well balanced which can be unnerving if you’re not used to it, but once you become accustomed to the handling you’ll find it to be brilliant.On top of that the ride is really comfortable, mostly because the weight over the front wheels is much less than it would be if the engine was located in the front, and that means the suspension can be more compliant.OWNERS SAYAlan Mackew has owned his 1997 MGF VVC for nearly four years. It has now done 110,000 km and he has found it to be totally reliable requiring only routine maintenance and a water pump at 105,000 km. The VVC engine spins freely to the red line and the ride and handling is excellent with a very supple ride provided by the fluid suspension. He says the only real weakness of the car is that if the coolant is not properly changed by someone who knows what they are doing there is a high probability that an airlock will be created in the cooling system resulting in a blown cylinder-head gasket.Jane Attard bought an MGF after considering a Toyota MR2 and a Mazda MX5. The MGF offered the boot space, smooth ride and the style that she preferred. The MX5 felt like a 1960’s Sprite, full of shakes and high pitched engine noise, whereas the MG is exceptionally smooth and solid. She liked the MX5’s short throw gear shift, but found the rest of the car ordinary. The MG has a signature racing style petrol cap that’s been copied by many since it came out. It also has a mohair hood whereas the other cars had vinyl. The MR2 had too many grey plastic external panels and no boot space. The MG had many standard features that were extra on the other cars, such as door sill tread plates and embroidered quality mats. Jane also discovered how safe the MGF is when a crash finished her ’99 MGF off; once the door was forced open she emerged unhurt. Again she shopped for a sports car, looking at the MX5, MR2, the Alfa, BMW Z3 and again bought an MGF. Her new MGF steptronic came with even more features such as leather seat bolsters as standard. Full leather option, including the console and bins, was a factory option whereas on the MX5 and MR2 the factory seats would be stripped by a local tradesman and recovered in leather. There was also a factory full tonneau like the old sport cars had, which is not available for other modern convertibles. The MG also has the bonus of a heritage that a Mazda and Toyota can never have and that you don’t see an MGF on every street is a big plus. For Jane, the MG is the winner.LOOK FOR• great ride and handling• zippy VVC engine• roomy interior with generous luggage space• poor build quality• MG heritage