MG throws hat into hatch ring

Pick of the range is the Hybrid where there are bigger, better alternatives.

- Mark Jones

G Motor's MG3 has just debuted in South Africa. In hatch-friendly countries like Australia and the UK, the MG3 is a runaway success and enjoys a fiercely loyal following. But I honestly think the path to happiness locally is not going to be that simple for the brand. There are a few reasons why I say this, some more significant than others, some less so. Let me explain.

Let's start with what you see on the surface. The MG3 is a decent-looking hatch. It has all the styling cues of South Africa's favourite hatch, the VW Polo, with a bit of Hyundai i20 thrown in and some Ford Fiesta for good measure.

This is not a bad idea for a car the brand wanting to resonate with Poms and the prisoner Poms down South. But I feel in this country where we are going Chinese compact SUV mad, it is a little on the conservative side. I guess this is a more subjective than objective point.