hatchback

Once Australia's cheapest new car, the MG3 is now decidedly more expensive but that's for good reason. With a new platform, upgraded cabin, the latest safety technology and an all-new hybrid powertrain MG's new city car isn't just a replacement for your clapped out Hyundai Getz, this promises to be a true rival fro the Toyota Yaris and Volkswagen Polo.

Australia’s most affordable new car has gone through a dramatic makeover.The new MG3 hatchback features a fresh design, oodles of safety tech, an updated cabin and the choice of hybrid power.Those updates don’t come cheap and the MG3 loses its crown as Australia’s cheapest new car with prices now starting at $23,990 (before on-road costs), which is a significant jump over the outgoing model’s $18,990 drive-away starting point.MG Australia boss Peter Ciao, said the new MG3 updates were significant.“The MG3 has been redesigned from the ground up and sets a new standard for hybrid and small petrol vehicles in Australia. MG has brought together a brilliant mix of affordability, range and quality for Australian drivers in the all-new MG3 range,” said Ciao.The MG3 comes with the choice of two engines: a 81kW/142Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a hybrid set-up that uses the same petrol engine combined with an electric motor to make 155kW. No combined torque figure is provided for the hybrid.Petrol versions use a CVT automatic and the hybrid uses what MG calls a “Hybrid Transmission”.The hybrid set-up cuts fuel use from 6.0L/100km in the petrol-only versions to a miserly 4.3L/100km.For comparison the MG3 Hybrid’s main rival is the Toyota Yaris, which drinks a claimed 3.3L/100km and its hybrid tech makes a combined 85kW and 141Nm. The Yaris is significantly more expensive than the MG3, though.Petrol and hybrid models are available in two trim grades: Excite and Essence.The MG3 petrol Excite is priced from $23,990, adding hybrid power costs an extra $4000.Essence petrol buyers can expect to pay from $25,990, and hybrid power ups the price to $29,990. The biggest change to the new MG3 is the inclusion of a wide range of active safety tech as standard across the range.The outgoing MG3 had none, but the new version has auto emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and lane keep assist.All MG3s have 16-inch alloy wheels. Petrol versions have a space saver spare, but the hybrid makes do with a tyre repair kit.Excite variants have halogen lights, cloth seats, a synthetic leather wrapped steering wheel and a mix of cloth and synthetic leather trims on the doors and centre console.The Essence grade boosts this with synthetic leather and cloth upholstery, leather steering wheel and LED headlights.They also have a sunroof, rain sensing wipers, keyless entry, sat nav and digital radio that the Excite dies without.Every MG3 has a 10.25-inch multimedia touchscreen that is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This is paired with a 7.0-inch digital driver display. 

BMW’s most affordable model has just been given a significant makeover. The 1 Series hatchback has been overhauled for 2025, with refreshed styling, a new interior, tweaked underpinnings, a big uptick in standard gear and a name change.

We get behind the wheel of the top-spec GWM Ora to see if it's worth a $12,000 jump over the base version.

Volkswagen has slashed the price of its fully loaded Golf GTI performance car.The iconic hatchback, which was the hot hatch benchmark for decades, is now priced at $59,990 drive-away nationwide.Volkswagen has added the previously two optional packs as standard. The German brand said this car with all the options would usually cost about $68,000 drive-away, give or take a few hundred depending on your location.The new price puts it in the same ballpark as a full-fruit Hyundai i30 N and much cheaper than the more potent but similarly front-wheel-drive Honda Civic Type R.The formerly optional Luxury pack adds plush leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel and power adjustment for the driver’s seat.It now comes standard with 19-inch alloy wheels, a head-up display and a premium Harman Kardon stereo via the Sound and Style pack.Power comes from a familiar 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine that makes 180kW and 370Nm and is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that drives the front wheels.There are also multiple driving modes and a customisable setting with 15 different levels of spring firmness, ranging from soft and supple to hard and sharp.Volkswagen Passenger Vehicles Head of Product Michelle Rowney said the Golf GTI was still as popular as ever and sales doubled in 2023 compared to 2022.“Increased production availability of the Golf GTI allows us to finally meet the demand for our quintessential hot hatchback, and we want to accelerate its appeal with a special, fully loaded $59,990 drive-away offer,” said Rowney.The Golf GTI already came with plenty of standard features such as a 10-inch multimedia screen and a digital driver display of the same size, wireless smartphone mirroring and a wireless device charging pad.The rest of this year promises to be a boon for new-car shoppers as many brands are starting to offer sharp drive-away deals and heavy discounts as demand for new cars slows and production woes of the past few years subside.

American Honda Motor has revealed the facelifted version of its locally built Honda Civic hatch, possibly previewing tech and styling changes that could apply to Australian models soon.

The Skoda Fabia is the latest vehicle in the Czech brand’s range to score a more affordable variant.The brand copped some flak for having only the circa-$38,990 drive-away fully-loaded Fabia Monte Carlo on sale in Australia.Now it has introduced the Fabia Select, which is priced at $31,990 drive-away.The Fabia now slips in underneath its twin under-the-skin, the Volkswagen Polo.It puts it in the same ballpark as the smaller Mazda2 and the more fuel efficient but not as well equipped Toyota Yaris Ascent Sport Hybrid.The Fabia is powered by a three-cylinder 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that makes 85kW and 200Nm matched to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto driving the front wheels.Skoda Australia Head of Product and Marketing Kieran Merrigan says the Fabia combines strong value for money and a high level of equipment.“The Fabia continues with the enormous boot and generous legroom that surpasses some vehicles from the next class up,” said Merrigan.Skoda’s global boss Klaus Zellmer foreshadowed the recently added cheaper variants. He said last year at the Munich motor show the brand had “homework to do” on its Australian pricing, especially when it came to the Fabia.Since then Skoda Australia has brought in a new entry-level $32,990 drive-away Kamiq small SUV and new $39,990 drive-away Karoq mid-size SUV.Fabia Select buyers can expect 16-inch alloy wheels, LED lighting front and back and power folding side mirrors.Inside there is an 8.25-inch multimedia screen paired with an 8.0-inch digital driver display. This is complemented by a leather-trimmed sports steering wheel and manually adjustable cloth wrapped seats.There is a wide array of safety tech included such as blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert that sounds the alarm if a car is approaching from the side as you reverse.The Fabia Select is backed by Skoda’s seven-year/unlimited km warranty and will land in showrooms from August.

Booming car maker MG has raised the prices of its MG4 electric hatchback.The Chinese maker started a tsunami of price cuts when it slashed the price of 2023 MG4 models in March.Those price cuts brought the price down to $39,990 drive-away for the entry-level MG4 51kWh Excite, which was a reduction of thousands.Now MG has lifted the price by $1000 for newer 2024-plated MG4s. The price remains lower than the pre-March drive-away figure and still undercuts the circa-$41,490 drive-away BYD Dolphin.The range-topping Xpower performance variant is the only exception with its price remaining at $59,990 drive-away.An MG spokesperson put the price rise on 2024 models down to increased cost of doing business.“Like other markets and industries, our costs are going up as are the costs to do business so it is only natural that the prices will have to follow that trend, however, we have made a conscious decision to absorb those costs for some models when and where possible.”Buyers can still get their hands on 2023 MG4s according to the brand with plenty of stock across most variants.A price war has been unfolding in the electric car market in the past few months with some makers offering massive discounts on their electric cars.BYD has knocked up to $8000 off 2023 Atto 3 demonstrators and Peugeot slashed $25,000 off the price of its e-2008 small electric SUV. Peugeot has since sold out of the e-2008 and it won't be on sale until an updated model has arrived.Nissan has lopped $16,000 off the price of its slow-selling Leaf electric hatchback.GWM cut thousands off the price of the Ora hatch to $35,990 drive-away, whic. makes it Australia’s cheapest EV.Renault has gotten in on the act too, slicing $10,000 off its Megane E-Tech small electric SUV, which only launched a few months ago.Tesla cut the price of the Model Y and 3 repeatedly in April.The Model Y is between $4500 and $8500 cheaper than it was in March and the Model 3 is between $3000 and $4000 more affordable.High-end makers aren't immune either. Lotus shaved $50,000 off the price of its Eletre luxury SUV before the first vehicles arrives in a few months. 

These two hatchbacks make headlines for their relatively affordable price tags and long driving range but which is better?

Volkswagen adds a new ID.3 variant with a longer range as part of range-wide upgrades, but Australian launch still as far out as 2025.