We're getting closer to seeing the new MG 3 budget hatch in full.
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An official photo of the 2024MG 3interior has been released ahead of its Geneva motor show reveal, and it closely resembles the MG 4 electric car.
Based on the image, the new MG 3 will receive a large digital instrument cluster and infotainment screen which MG says will offer a "wide choice of connected services".
It appears the MG 3 will run the brand's most recent infotainment system software.
There are buttons for the climate, navigation, and volume control underneath the centre infotainment display.
The new MG 3 will receive a new centre tunnel which features a turn-dial transmission shifter, and buttons for the parking brake, as well as drive modes. Two cupholders now reside in front of the transmission shifter.
There appears to be a wireless phone charger and a small shelf ahead of the shifter, while behind it sits a covered centre compartment and a centre console bin with a padded armrest.
The seats appear to be covered in a mix of leather and cloth material with orange/red stitching. The MG 4 has a similar seat pattern but offers blue stitching or red stitching for the more powerful models.
In Europe, the MG 3's petrol engine will be replaced with a hybrid drivetrain. MG Australia has confirmed locally the 2024 MG 3 will be available with both petrol and hybrid power.
MG claims its hybrid powertrain – which is yet to be detailed – "delivers a class-leading combination of efficiency, performance, and the capability for zero-emissions driving".
It offers a four-cylinder hybrid powertrain in the ZS-based VS crossover in Thailand, which marries a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine making 80kW and 142Nm with a 70kW/200Nm electric motor and a 2.1kWh lithium-ion battery.
The hybrid crossover has a combined power output of 130kW, with claimed fuel consumption as low as 5.8 litres per 100km.
Last week CarExpert snapped photos of the MG 3's lighter interior with off-white upholstery. It's unclear if the MG 3 locally will offer the light interior, or only black.
In the back seat there are air vents at the rear of the centre console, plus map pockets on the seat backs.
The new MG 3 will finally get autonomous emergency braking, mandatory on all newly introduced models in Australia from March 2023.
Other new safety technologies we are likely to see on the next MG 3 include traffic sign recognition, lane-keep assist, and tyre-pressure monitoring.
In saying that, MG Motor Australia CEO Peter Ciao told CarExpert in 2023 the new model is unlikely to earn a five-star ANCAP safety rating.
"It will definitely be a hybrid and it will have a lot more safety equipment, too, but it won't get a five-star safety rating," Mr Ciao told CarExpert.
"It's important that MG Australia offers some of the most affordable cars in the segments we compete in and we want to continue that with the new MG 3," he added.
Pricing has yet to be confirmed, but it's expected to be slightly more expensive than the current model, which opens at $19,990 drive-away.
Despite its age, the MG 3 has grown in popularity and held a whopping 43.3 per cent share of its segment in 2023.
MG Motor Australia sold 15,430 examples of its compact hatchback in 2023. It outsold the Suzuki Swift (6914), Mazda 2 (5181) and Kia Rio (4067).
The MG 3 is currently the cheapest model in Australia since Kia increased the pricing of its recently facelifted Picanto. It's the only car in Australia to sit underneath $20,000, with the base Core currently available at $19,990 drive-away.
MORE: Everything MG 3
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
