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In impartial crash testing, the MG 3 skilled a “crucial security failure” not seen in virtually 30 years of Euro NCAP testing… but it nonetheless scored a four-star ranking, which has additionally been utilized by native security authority ANCAP.
Through the frontal offset crash check carried out by Euro NCAP, the sunshine hatchback’s driver’s seat latching mechanism failed, inflicting the motive force’s seat to twist partway via the influence.
Naturally, this had an impact on the forces on the crash check dummy, main Euro NCAP and ANCAP to offer the MG 3 a ‘poor’ rating for defense of the motive force’s legs.
The motive force dummy’s head was additionally discovered to “backside out” the airbag in opposition to the steering wheel, leading to a head safety ranking of ‘sufficient’.
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“The seat failure additionally meant that MG couldn’t reveal how properly the automotive would shield the knees and femurs of occupants of various sizes or these seated in various positions,” the security authority additional defined.
It’s a problem Euro NCAP says it hasn’t seen within the evaluation of a whole bunch of passenger autos it has carried out since 1997.
The auto security authority says it shared its findings with MG, which reportedly initially argued the failure was because of improper latching of the seat earlier than the check, earlier than committing to enhancing the design of the mechanism.
Euro NCAP has shared its findings with the Automobile Kind Approval workplace that licensed the MG 3 on the market throughout the European Union, in case it believes an official product security recall discover must be issued.
However regardless of this apparent flaw within the MG 3, Euro NCAP says its scoring system doesn’t permit for a deduction or override within the case of a element failure like this.
Each Euro NCAP and ANCAP have mentioned they’re reviewing this facet of their testing protocols, significantly when a producer doesn’t work to rectify or enhance security failures.
Nonetheless, the shortage of a penalty for this difficulty noticed the MG 3 truly obtain a better rating than in it did in ANCAP testing carried out in 2024, with evaluation of its improved suite of lively security and driver help expertise pushing up the general ranking at the same time as footage exhibits the seat clearly twisting on influence.
This four-star ranking has additionally been utilized by ANCAP, given the impartial auto security authorities have largely harmonised their protocols; there are solely slight variations in class scores like baby occupant safety (ANCAP: 75 per cent, Euro NCAP: 73 per cent).
Whereas the general rankings had been the identical between Euro NCAP and ANCAP, there was a marked distinction within the tenor of Euro NCAP and ANCAP’s releases.
“This uplift from three-stars to four-stars is a step in the best route, but the seat latch failure shouldn’t be one thing we count on to see, and is trigger for warning,” mentioned ANCAP chief government Carla Hoorweg within the security authority’s press launch.
“It’s clear that MG is attempting laborious to carry improved merchandise to market. What we wish to see, nonetheless, is a concentrate on high quality in addition to security. These components go hand-in-hand.
“The failure of the seat adjuster elevated the danger of damage to the motive force. Key automobile parts like this could be capable to face up to this typical urban-environment crash.
“We count on MG to make a working change to rectify the fault, and transfer to retrospectively repair affected autos already out there.”
Euro NCAP was far more withering in its criticism, calling the problem a “crucial security failure” and an “virtually unheard-of prevalence” that “raises questions on how properly the MG 3 can shield its driver within the occasion of an influence”.
Its program director, Dr Aled Williams, additional advisable customers look to rival autos.
“It’s troubling to discover a automotive on sale in 2025 with a elementary weak point in its seat latching mechanism, an important a part of the automotive’s occupant restraint system,” mentioned Dr Williams in Euro NCAP’s launch.
“This fault has been reported to the related Kind-Approval authorities so consideration may be given as as to whether a automobile recall needs to be issued.
“For that motive, we’d advocate that buyers think about options to the MG 3.”
Euro NCAP secretary common Dr Michiel van Ratingen additional used the MG 3’s outcome to sound a warning to all Chinese language auto manufacturers.
“China’s automotive business has undergone a fast rise, with an inflow of latest manufacturers and new fashions, and the nation grew to become the world’s largest automotive exporter in 2023, overtaking Germany and Japan. Lots of these new vehicles are being bought throughout European markets,” he mentioned.
“We’d urge all automotive makers to make sure they adhere to rigorous growth and manufacturing processes, in order that they preserve the security requirements which can be prevalent in Europe.”
Even the titles of the authorities’ press releases communicated totally different tones – ANCAP mentioned “warning nonetheless warranted”, whereas Euro NCAP included “uncommon and critical seat failure” in its title.
There was a distinction in responses by MG in Europe and Australia, too.
Euro NCAP says MG has confirmed it should implement adjustments to the motive force’s seat latching mechanism from August and the motive force’s airbag from October, although it gained’t replace autos already delivered to clients.
“MG is dedicated to persevering with to enhance security throughout our vary of autos wherever attainable. We’re proud to see the MG 3 obtain the next security ranking throughout its vary,” mentioned an MG Motor Australia spokesperson in a press launch revealed the identical day as ANCAP’s and Euro NCAP’s.
“Our workforce has labored to enhance the security of this mannequin and to make sure it was retested. Now we have taken ANCAP’s testing outcomes and suggestions on board and can incorporate this data into future fashions.”
MG Motor Australia offered no additional remark when subsequently approached by CarExpert, and hasn’t mentioned when a rectified model might arrive right here.
It quietly rolled out a entrance centre airbag and a driver monitoring system to MG 3 autos produced from April 30, 2025, so the automobile has acquired not less than one security replace since launch.
Nonetheless, that is the newest instance of MG Motor Australia not offering a selected date by which it should tackle a fault with the second-generation MG 3, its smallest and least expensive mannequin.
Whereas MG confirmed in January that the associated ZS small SUV would get a software program replace for its accessible hybrid system to handle a regarding security difficulty, MG Motor Australia nonetheless has not confirmed an replace for the MG 3 Hybrid+ which makes use of the identical powertrain.
In CarExpert testing, the MG 3 Hybrid+ was discovered to not speed up past 54km/h on a steep grade even with the accelerator pedal pushed all the best way to the ground, on account of the hybrid battery missing ample cost.
Whereas the hybrid system in these situations ought to permit for extra energy to be equipped by the petrol engine, on a number of events the MG 3 Hybrid+ was discovered to not do that – a problem that would reveal itself in probably high-risk eventualities like freeway overtaking.
“The Hybrid+ powertrain will actively cost the battery when extra load on the powertrain is detected, the engine will cost the battery to retain a average State of Cost (SoC),” the model wrote of the replace being utilized to the ZS.
“When on an incline, the Hybrid+ powertrain has been recalibrated to interact the engine when the automobile is driving with average or larger velocity. The general expertise can be a balanced expertise of energy supply and effectivity.
“When automobile velocity is over 100km/h, the Hybrid+ powertrain will have interaction the engine to make sure sustained energy relying on the battery SoC.”
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