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A new base-model MG 3 has arrived from $21,990 drive-away, fitted with safety upgrades – including more airbags – that are, for now, not on any other variant in the range.
The price of the cheapest 2025 MG 3 city hatch has dropped below $22,000 with a new entry-level Vibe model, arriving in showrooms now.
And it coincides with the arrival of safety upgrades for the MG 3 – following a three-star ANCAP rating handed out last year – which, for now, only apply to the new base model.
Yet the Vibe is also the sole variant not offered with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert technology, as fitted to higher grades.
It takes the title of Australia’s most affordable new automatic car, priced from $21,990 drive-away – undercutting the $22,340 Kia Picanto Sport auto.
But it is not as cheap as the old MG 3, which opened from less than $20,000 – and was priced from just $15,990 drive-away with an automatic prior to the pandemic.
It is $898 cheaper than the drive-away deal for the previous entry grade, the $22,888 MG 3 Excite, and much lower than the circa-$26,000 drive-away the same Excite model cost when it arrived in showrooms 12 months ago.
Among the features stripped out to hit the lower price are blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, which are standard on every Kia Picanto, as well as most other new cars on sale in Australia.
However, it is the first MG 3 with a front-centre airbag to prevent head clashes in severe side-impact collisions, as well as a driver monitoring camera that beeps at the driver if they are seen to take their eyes away from the road for too long.
MG is yet to confirm when the safety upgrades will apply to the rest of the range, and if the company will voluntarily submit the MG 3 for ANCAP re-testing.
It is possible MG may be waiting to clear existing stock of the rest of the range before ramping up production of an updated version with the new safety equipment.
Drive has contacted the company for further information.
Other features removed for the Vibe include 16-inch alloy wheels – with hubcaps on 15-inch steel wheels instead – a space-saver spare wheel (a tyre repair kit fitted instead), push-button start, rear air vents, folding mirrors, and a one-touch auto up/down driver’s window.
The 2025 MG 3 range is otherwise unchanged, at least until the safety features from the Vibe grade – designated a Model Year 2025.5 vehicle – are added to the rest of the line-up.
Examples of the new MG 3 Vibe are arriving in showrooms this week.
2025 MG 3 price in Australia
Note: Drive-away prices listed are special offers valid at the time of publication, until May 31. Check the MG website for the latest prices, if reading this article from June 1.
2025.5 MG 3 Vibe standard features:
2025 MG 3 Excite adds (over Vibe):
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
