After making a splash in 2023 with the MG ZS, the fourth best-selling car in Spain less than 30 units behind the third, the British brand MG, belonging to the Chinese group SAIC Motor, is once again shaking up the new car market with the launch in Spain of the long-awaited MG3 Hybrid, a hybrid utility vehicle that boasts of being “the first affordable hybrid vehicle on the Spanish market.”
“The common denominator of the Spanish market in recent years, especially in the last three, is the excessive price of cars,” said this morning the product and PR manager of MG in Spain, José Antonio Galve, during the first day of the Madrid Car Experience, the largest automobile event in Spain that is held from May 22 to 26 at the Madrid Fairgrounds (Ifema).
According to Galve, the price of new cars in Spain has skyrocketed in recent years (more than 40% since 2018). “This is not only said by MG, it is demonstrated by the latest studies published by the OCU, by several prestigious automotive barometers, and it is certified by the Tax Agency in its tax revenue results figures, such as the registration tax. The Collection from this tax in 2023 has been the highest in the last 15 years,” says the Spanish manager, who does not hide the aggressive low price strategy with which MG has carved out a niche for itself in the Spanish and European market.
In Galve’s own words, the new MG3 Hybrid aims to expand the offer of non-plug-in hybrid cars in Spain, until now limited to a few brands with special prominence from Toyota, the leading brand of this technology worldwide.
“If we analyze the Spanish market by type of technology, 60% of sales in Spain with ‘full hybrid’ technology are concentrated in a single automotive group. And if we zoom in on the segment where the new MG3 Hybrid is going to compete, the Of hybrid utility vehicles, 80% of registrations in Spain are made by a single model. In other words, there is a very limited supply with very high prices and this has a clear consequence: until today, hybrid technology was not available. of the majority,” says the product manager at MG Spain.
The range of the new MG3 Hybrid, which is already on sale in Spain from 19,990 euros, will be structured in three finishes: Standard, Comfort and Luxury. All three versions are equipped with MG’s Hybrid technology, which boasts “performances never seen before in the segment,” according to Galve. “The MG3 Hybrid is capable of delivering 195 HP with a consumption of only 4.4 liters per 100 kilometers. This makes it the vehicle with the most surprising performance-consumption ratio in the entire Spanish market,” says the manager.
According to Galve, “the MG3 is a hybrid vehicle with electric vehicle behavior” thanks to a high-capacity 1.83 kWh battery that has “almost three times more electrical capacity than its direct competition.” In addition, the battery works at 350 V voltage, “almost double that of its direct competition”, and with NCM chemistry, which allows for greater energy density in less space.
“The MG3 is capable of driving in 100% electric mode up to almost 100 km/h, and can travel more than 11 kilometers in electric mode, which allows it to have a quiet ride that is the leader in its segment,” says the product manager.
And all this managed by a non-CVT type automatic gearbox. “This solves the noise problem with an immediate response to the urgent need for power and speed, such as that necessary when overtaking,” says Galve.
The manager announces that the MG Pilot system will be standard across the range and equips 11 ADAS driving assistance systems such as adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and emergency braking system.
The interior inherits elements from the electric MG4, such as the ergonomic multifunction two-spoke steering wheel and double digital screen (a 10.25-inch central one for the infotainment system and another 7″ one for the instrumentation). In addition, it is equipped with MG Connect , so it offers connection through Apple Carplay and Android Auto, in addition to several USB and USB-C sockets distributed throughout the cabin.
In terms of size, the MG3 Hybrid measures 4.11 meters long by 1.80 wide and 1.5 high, making it larger than most of its rivals. “It is above the average of the competition in all its dimensions, positioning it near the so-called C segments. This allows it to offer occupants excellent interior habitability but with utility vehicle maneuverability ideal for day-to-day use in its natural habitat. , which is the city,” explains Galve.
To commemorate the brand’s 100th anniversary and the launch of its first non-plug-in hybrid model, MG has announced the launch of a 2,000 euro discount promotion for all MG3 customers applicable to all finishes.
In addition, it offers two years of free maintenance for first customers and an attractive financing plan. “Not only have we wanted to offer from the beginning the most accessible hybrid utility vehicle on the Spanish market, we also intend to make it so if you opt for traditional financing, so we will offer a truly affordable fee available to everyone of only 99 euros per month “Galve said.
“And given the unquestionable rise of other purchasing formulas, such as renting to individuals, once again MG puts the customer at the focus of all our efforts, offering an all-inclusive rental with a daily cost of only 11 euros, under a brand rental, without entry, with comprehensive insurance, with all maintenance included in the official MG network and with roadside assistance,” added Galve, who hopes that the MG3 will be a sales success like the MG ZS . “To date more than 100,000 people have visited the GM3 section of our website and 2,000 of them have already left us their data to carry out a test drive,” he revealed.
The manager also presented in Madrid the MG Cyberster, the electric sports car with 544 HP that will arrive in Spain after the summer, and the IM LS6 and IM L6, the first two models of the new premium brand IM Motors, which will be marketed in 2025 with solid-state batteries, advanced autonomous driving, recharging with a maximum power of up to 400 kW, ultrasonic radars, digital chassis or intelligent four-wheel drive. “All these very high features will be accompanied by the most luxurious life experience on board, inspired by the ‘business’ and ‘executive’ cabins of the best airlines in the world, where even the smallest detail is taken care of,” he assured.