MG3 HYBRID+

We say farewell to a small car that generated big smiles

- Ryan Birch

WITH my colleague Ellis now gleefully driving around in our shimmering yellow Renault 5, I landed the keys to our MG3 Hybrid+ for its final few weeks on the fleet.

For me, the fact you can get a brand-new supermini with a full-hybrid powertrain, enough space for four adults plus luggage in the boot, a seven-year warranty, and all the latest tech you really need – like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, and adaptive cruise control along with myriad safety kit - all for a whisper over £21,000 in top-spec guise is marvellous.

The MG’s efficiency in our hands has been great, too. We've covered nearly 3,200 miles and averaged just over 50mpg. Better still, that figure has hardly moved no matter what sort of driving we subjected it to. That’s impressive, considering I recently used the MG for a 300-mile round trip to Wales, when the car was fully loaded with four adults and all our kit.