MG3
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Which Mg MG3 engine is the most reliable? See common problems, reviews and reliability verdicts across generations and engines.
Frequently asked questions
Which Mg MG3 engine is the most reliable?
1.5 Hybrid+ (MG ZS) — Maint. Sensitive verdict. The ZS Hybrid+ is a 1.5 petrol plus a small hybrid battery (about 1.83 kWh in the Australian test) and a three-speed hybrid transmission, system output about 196 hp. The MG3 Hybrid+ from 2024 is the same layout: a 102 hp Atkinson 1.5, a separate generator, about 1.83 kWh and the three-speed box, system about 194 hp. The 24.59 second run below was timed on a ZS. It does not destroy the engine. It does, when the hybrid battery is down around two bars, stop giving you the power the brochure implies. CarSauce timed 0–100 km/h at 24.59 seconds with the pack depleted and 8.04 seconds once regen had refilled it. MG's claim was 8.7 seconds. MG France's own note, posted by owners on MGEVs thread 20090, explains the mechanism: below about 40 km/h only the electric motor drives the wheels; once the pack is empty at higher speed the 102 hp engine is split with a generator of about 45 kW, so the wheels see what is left until the pack is back above two bars. Update PD052, which MG France told dealers to load before handover, starts the engine earlier so the pack does not fall that far. It does not turn the car into a normal automatic. Owners who have PD052 (threads 21408 and 20444) report the engine sitting at 4,000–5,000 rpm on a motorway hill, and one dealer told MG technical, who said they knew and had no further fix yet. Another dealer called the revs the three-speed gearbox, the same as changing from third to fourth. 'Nutzbremsung eingeschränkt' on a long descent with a full battery is a different message and is the regen doing what a full battery forces. The regret is an overtake with two bars left, not a cracked block.
Which Mg MG3 engines should you avoid?
None of the Mg MG3 engines listed are rated "Problematic" or "Avoid" — but always check the service history before buying.
What are the most common Mg MG3 problems?
The most commonly reported problems across all Mg MG3 generations and engines: Two bars left, and the car stops pulling, PD052 trades the power cut for 5,000 rpm, The scream is the three-speed hybrid box.