MG3 FORTY years ago the advertising men (and they were undoubtedly men) at British Leyland thought they knew their advertising demographic for MG.

A quick look at the magazine adverts from that time makes it perfectly clear.

In one, a yellow MGB is pictured taking an aggressive corner. The suspension is compressed (granted it didn't take much to achieve this state on a 'B) and the front left tyre is kicking up a cloud of dust. The driver is all-but invisible but the young lady in the passenger seat can be seen clearly, a slightly nervous smile playing across her face.

In the other, an orange MGB is parked outside a cinema which is advertising the decidedly saucy movie Last Tango In Paris. Strolling in front of the sports car is a young lady dressed in trendy flared jeans and a very tight white t-shirt. She is looking at the camera, a cigarillo clamped between her lips, and it is obviously a very cold evening.

The advertising tagline is the same in both cases: MG - your mother wouldn't like it.

 

The Northern Echo:

 

SEXIST: British Leyland in the Seventies - subtle it wasn't

 

MGs were never cutting edge. They didn't have the pedigree of a Bentley or the appeal of a Jaguar. They were cheeky sporting cars for the working class. And way back in 1973, when blatant sexism was not only permitted in advertising but seemingly positively encouraged, they were "bloke's cars".

Fast forward to 2014 and the new MG3 couldn't be more different.

Since 1973, MG has died (twice) and risen from the grave both times. It's now owned the Chinese, who swooped in and bought up all the best bits when MG-Rover collapsed in 2005, and the MG3 is part-assembled in Birmingham on the old Rover 75 line.

I never thought I'd call the Chinese - not a country noted for its openness - 'enlightened' but, compared to the numpties in charge of BL's marketing budget back in '73, they are positively open-minded.

The MG3 is a low-cost hatchback aimed at men and women equally. To prove it, the test car came with pink mirrors and a cream and pink roof decal (a couple of choice options from MG's personalisation range) . I wonder what Mr MGB 1973 would have made of that?

 

ON THE ROAD: Although the traditionalists would rather MG did a sports car, the MG3 is the car UK dealers have been asking for.

Let's be honest, the MG6 saloon is never going to set the sales charts alive. It's a decent enough steer but the large family car class isn't as popular as it used to be and the 6 is destined to only ever be a minor player.

However, the MG3 competes in a class which still accounts for nearly one in every four cars sold. If MG can crack the supermini market sales could really take off.

But the 3 is late to the party. It's based on a car that's been on sale in China since 2010, albeit fettled by British engineers and substantially upgraded for more demanding UK buyers, and the conservative design (particularly the old-fashioned flappy door handles and the titchy square pea-shooter of an exhaust pipe) won't win any style awards no matter how many stickers you attach to it (although my daughter judged the pink mirrors to be 'cool' she is only five). The 3 does uphold MG's reputation for low budget fun, though, and, crucially, it doesn't look cheap. The 1.5-litre engine is larger than the 2014 supermini standard. It's a flexible unit and there's enough power in reserve for a bit of overtaking fun. The five-speed gearbox changes smoothly but there's a lot of slop in the gearstick.

In common with nearly every other supermini there's no real feel through the steering but the ride is comfortable for a tiddler. The chassis takes pot holes in its stride and the wheels weren't deflected by any of the enormous road subsidence bumps it encountered on my way home. MG employs more than 300 engineers in the UK and, on this evidence, they haven't been sleeping on the job.

ON THE INSIDE: The first thing you'll notice about the interior is the steering wheel - it's enormous; like something off a much larger car. I wondered if this was because the 3 didn't have power assistance but no, the helm is as light as a feather at parking speeds. Perhaps MG just has a job lot of steering wheels from the MG6 to get rid of?

Otherwise, the MG3 is pretty decent. You won't find expensive slush-moulded plastics on the dash but it doesn't look cheap and the controls are logically laid out. The radio/CD head unit is neatly integrated into the fascia but let down by an idiosyncratic user interface and not having an on-off button (you have to press and hold the SRC button, obviously).

There's a surprising amount of room in the rear and a couple of adults can travel in comfort without having to fold their legs around their ears.

WHAT DO YOU GET: The MG3's a winner in the showroom. You don't find all-round electric windows, a leather trimmed steering wheel, DAB radio and Bluetooth smartphone connections on many cars costing less than £10,000. There's a hidden compartment on top of the dashboard which pops open to reveal a handy docking station for MP3 players, sat navs and phones.

The twisty knobs that control the air conditioning are easy to use and look rather classy.

HOW PRACTICAL IS IT? If you're prepared to forgo a spare wheel, the boot capacity is an impressive 285-litres. If you want peace of mind it drops to a still useful 265 litres. The rear seat backs split 60:40. The five-door layout is handy for rear seat passengers.

RUNNING COSTS: Cost-conscious buyers will want to take a look at MG's fixed servicing options and there are various warranty extension packages. That 1.5-litre engine isn't the cleanest in this class (emissions of 136g/km means you pay £130 a year for road duty) and we managed just 38mpg but the insurance industry looks kindly on the MG and has rated it in group four.

VERDICT: Unlike the MGB, I reckon your mother would heartily endorse an MG3. It's a perky little performer with lots of equipment at a price that won't break the bank. And if you crave more performance there's a rumour that MG could be considering finding a way to cram the MG6's 163bhp turbo beneath that little bonnet.

Spec: Engine: 1.5-litre.

Power: 106bhp.

Torque: 101 lb/ft.

Top speed: 108 mph.

0-62mph: 10.9 seconds.

Fuel economy: 48.7 mpg (official combined).

CO2 emissions: 136g/km .

Insurance group: 4.