After years in the wilderness, there’s a lot to like about the latest MG model

SOMEONE told me they avoid visiting their granny in a care home because it makes them sad to see her being spoon-fed mashed potato.

I thought that was a bit selfish, but I can relate. Up until now I’ve dreaded launches for MG cars.

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Once one of the best-known British brands in the world, MG produced a slew of history-making cars. The MGB, to name but one, ruled the roads in the Sixties.

After going under in 2005 following decades of mismanagement, it was bought by a faceless corporation called SAIC, which since 2007 has been churning out MG-badged cars in China with all the build quality of a knock-off Tamagotchi and sex appeal of a verruca sock.

It’s almost as sad as watching your gran weather the winter years of her life with bowls of Angel Delight and afternoon bingo.

Unlike my mate though, I have a conscience. I can’t dismiss modern MGs simply because it might sully a fond memory or two.

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And I’m pleased to say, after driving the new MG3, things aren’t nearly as bleak as expected. In fact, there’s a lot to like about the car.

The new model is billed as a facelift, but it seems far more than that from where I’m sitting.

It’s a vast improvement over the outgoing version — a rare sight on our roads since its launch in 2013.

From the outside the MG3 now looks, well, quite cool. The dull, ill-fitting panels which had been slotted together like Lego have gone, and it looks like designers have done more than sketch something on the back of a fag packet.

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From the aggressive grille and LEDs at the front, to the new rear bumper, it appears slick and well stitched together.

The interior no longer looks like it’s been lifted from a Nineties Toyota Carina either. It’s nicely laid out and boasts intuitive tech, including an eight-inch colour screen hosting Apple CarPlay.

There are endless personalisation options too, with a healthy palette of eye-catching colours.

But the MG3’s two key selling points are the sub-ten grand price tag and seven-year warranty.

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The fact you can buy one for £149 a month with no deposit almost makes everything else moot.

Nothing I say about the cheap interior plastics or notchy gearbox should cause MG any blushes, because what the hell do you expect at that price?

You’re getting a perfectly functional, practical and tidy-looking car for the price of a swanky London gym membership.

The one thing the price does not forgive is the engine. A 1.5litre petrol engine built by a brand like Ford would be a peppy little thing, while relatively economical.

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But the one MG has carried over from the last model has all the grunt of a beached guppy fish.

No amount of wringing its neck can coax even a hint of fun out of it, and you end up dreading the slightest of inclines.

Word on the street is that MG wanted to use a new one-litre turbo engine, but it didn’t make it past the new WLTP emissions tests.

I don’t know if that’s true but a punchy three-cylinder unit would be the sweet spot in a car like this.

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Even so, it seems MG is finally carving out a legitimate slot in the market.

Going up against brands such as Dacia and SsangYong, it’s differentiating itself by placing emphasis on attractive design, which pushes it more towards young drivers than elderly potterers destined for the care home.

New baby Beemer is a dreamer to drive

You can walk around the BMW X4 for hours and fail to find an angle that looks aesthetically pleasing.

If you hold your hand up so it covers the bottom half, and focus solely on the sweeping bonnet and sloping roofline, it’s just about acceptable. But that’s it.

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BMW had a similar issue in 2008, when it first trialled the idea of a coupé/SUV in the form of the bizarrely gargantuan X6. But it sold relatively well, so we’ve now got a replacement for its smaller sibling.

Based on the more upright and typically SUV-ish X3, the latest baby Sports Activity Vehicle benefits from lighter underpinnings, a longer, wider and lower stance, as well as an M Sport locking rear differential.

Argue all you want about its styling, it’s very difficult to knock the drive, which is surprisingly sprightly, given the XL footprint of this not-so-shrinking violet. There are two diesel models at launch – a 188bhp 20d and a more potent 322bhp M40d – while a mid-range 263bhp 30d and powerful 358bhp M40i petrol will soon join the range.

The meaty M40d delivers a frankly ridiculous 680Nm of torque, which sees the X4 sprint from 0-62mph in just 4.9 seconds, accompanied by a sporty soundtrack.

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It has the handling chops to back up its brawn too, with phenomenal amounts of grip and a lack of body roll that makes it quite fun to thread through narrow and twisty country roads.

The interior is also a lovely place to be, with neatly laid out buttons and dials and BMW’s excellent iDrive system offering plenty of connected services.

Ease off the throttle and it feels composed, comfortable and surprisingly peaceful inside, which is chiefly down to acoustic glass in the windscreen and additional sound-proofing throughout the body.

The premium SUV market is heavily contested – and rivals Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and Porsche offer tempting, sporty soft-roaders.

But the new X4 is practical, genuinely fun to drive and not as enormous or obnoxious as the larger X6.

Styling will be down to personal taste but as coupéd-up SUVs go, this one’s difficult to fault.

Leon Poultney

Happy birthday, Mart

NOT so long ago every household in the country had a copy of Exchange And Mart – a bit like that Bakelite telephone screwed to the wall and sounding like an air raid siren.

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But none of us remembers it looking like this. This is the very first issue, which came out on May 13, 1868. Yep, that’s right, Exchange And Mart is 150 years old.

Back then you could use it to buy a rifle and find yourself a good manservant – when I was a teenager me and my brothers would scan the pages for cars we would buy if we had the cash.

Like so many things, Exchange And Mart only exists online today, but this is a fascinating piece of history.

Reader’s car of the week

THIS is a fine example of a convertible E46 330ci, sent in by Mark Schultz, of Ashford, Kent.

Mark says: “This is my 2002 BMW 330ci M Sport Convertible, in all her glory.

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“Only 64,000 on the clock and in tip-top condition. Can’t help but smile while driving anywhere. Even after all these years she still manages to turn heads.”

To see your pride and joy here, send a picture and a brief description to [email protected].

Bike News

Versys so versatile

WITH the recent announcement that Hollywood star Ewan McGregor and his global adventurer pal Charley Boorman are set to hit the road again, we thought we’d take a look at adventure bikes.

They’ve grown (the bikes, not Charley’s waistline), and not just in size, but in appeal too.

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Adventure bikes have ruled the bike sales roost for a long time now, and manufacturers are trying everything they can to keep the sales coming.

But bigger isn’t necessarily better, so rather than testing the largest one we could find, we thought we’d take a look at one of the smallest – the Kawasaki Versys-X300.

The diminutive Versys has rugged, ready for anything tyres and off-roading suspension.

Added to that is 296cc of can-do attitude and panniers that are just as handy when it comes to lugging your laptop to the office as they are helping you disappear round the world.

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You might be thinking that the little parallel twin isn’t up to the job, but don’t be fooled.

It will happily pull you along at motorway speeds, and beyond if you happen to want it.

There are bigger variants of Versys in the Kawasaki range, and they all have their own unique appeal, but this small version is more than just A2 licence compliant and easy to ride – it’s cheap too.

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With prices starting at £5,149, you’ll have enough left in the bank to pay for a decent hotel room rather than lugging a tent and a flask of lukewarm soup around with you on your travels.

As an entry into the world of adventure bikes, the small-engined Versys is a great way to go.

Lower power on mud and gravel is easier to handle – and there’s an irony attached to the fact the people who buy 1,200cc lumps like the Triumph Tiger wouldn’t know a patch of grass if it slapped them in the face.

• For more bikes search “Bike World” on YouTube or find Bike World on Amazon.