[Bertie Bear]

Most reviewers agree that the 1.5 engine is underpowered and noisy and would benefit from a turbo. But I have seen some owners say it really improves after a few thousand miles and actually becomes quite nippy.
Can any long-term owners say whether they are happy with the performance and overtaking ability of the MG3?

 

[James Riley]

It’s a dog - plain and simple. Utterly gutless and ruins an otherwise decent package. We had to get rid of ours after a few months it was so disappointing and I think successive EU-led emissions remapping have made it worse still.

I think some owners just get used to it.

 

[Bertie Bear]

It’s a dog - plain and simple. Utterly gutless and ruins an otherwise decent package. We had to get rid of ours after a few months it was so disappointing and I think successive EU-led emissions remapping have made it worse still.

I think some owners just get used to it.

Many thanks for replying James.
What I don't quite understand is that some owners have said it's very slow getting away (let's say 0-30), while others complain at it's lack of speed for overtaking (say 30-50 or 50 -70). But how does it achieve the 10.4 seconds for 0-60 claimed by MG?

 

[mattykan]

By only using 1st and 2nd gears.

Apparently all of the power is at the top end of the rev band requiring you to stay in gear for longer.

The ZS has the same problem in first gear where the gearing produces all noise but pretty much no torque.

Cheers..

 

[Bertie Bear]

60mph in 2nd gear? Sounds fun, must take a test drive!

 

[mattykan]

Don't forget that MG changed the 1.5 litre VTi-Tech engine to be the same Atkinson cycle engine from the ZS in the facelifted model. This one will be different from the older MG3 cars and may be tuned for emissions and not performance.

Cheers..

 

[Man in the Car]

What I don't quite understand is that some owners have said it's very slow getting away (let's say 0-30), while others complain at it's lack of speed for overtaking (say 30-50 or 50 -70). But how does it achieve the 10.4 seconds for 0-60 claimed by MG?

I would say that they don't know how to drive it properly - although I haven't driven one, I get the impression that the 1.5 behaves very similarly to how the 1.4 K series did in the ZR 105 - you need to use the upper half of the rev range to get the torque and performance, and low down it will struggle.

And tbh, 0-60 in over 10 seconds is not that impressive for a 1.5 in the first place....

 

[James Riley]

Many thanks for replying James.
What I don't quite understand is that some owners have said it's very slow getting away (let's say 0-30), while others complain at it's lack of speed for overtaking (say 30-50 or 50 -70). But how does it achieve the 10.4 seconds for 0-60 claimed by MG?

if I recall, you have to absolutely floor
It to get off the mark quickly - revs must be above 3000rpm. There’s a sweet spot in 3rd at a little over 3000rpm but it’s so fleeting you’re never quite sure when you’ll get it.

Teamed with the rather rubbery gear shift, every journey was a new experience as you’re usual instinctive sense of how much to push down the pedal and in what gear didn’t really work with this car.

 

[ROVER-25X]

When a group of us had a good look around the engine of one in about 2013/14 we came to the conclusion that it looked a lot like a K-Series, you never know it may have been the basis for the 1.5, especially when you see the power is in the top end but I will agree, its gutless, I do believe that China have a 1.5 Turbo ?

I would just rip the 1.5 out and throw in a 1.8 K turbo like KMAPS have done, the power the car deserves.

 

[Bertie Bear]

And tbh, 0-60 in over 10 seconds is not that impressive for a 1.5 in the first place....

It's not express of course, but it's not far short of the 0-60 speeds achieved by 'Fast Fords' such as the XR2 and Sportka that had 1.6 engines. Going back a few years, I know!