MG Philippines launched its latest offering not too long ago. The MG 3 — introduced together with the G50 Plus — is the newest vehicle from the SAIC Motor-led distributor.

With good looks and a decent powerplant the MG 3 has the potential to become a staple in the Philippine hatchback category. But how will it fare against a segment staple like the Toyota Wigo? Well, wonder no more because we will pit the two nameplates against each other to find out which is better.

Tale of the tape

The MG 3 measures 4,055 millimeters (mm) long, 1,729 mm wide, and 1,521 mm tall. It has a 132 mm ground clearance and a wheelbase of 2,800 mm.

On the other hand, the Toyota Wigo offers a slightly smaller stature with a total length of 3,760 mm, an overall width of 1,665 mm, and a height of 1,515. It clears the ground by 160 mm and offers a wheelbase that measures 2,525 mm.

With a beefier body, the MG 3 will have good road presence. Likewise, its longer wheelbase and lower ground clearance will make it a stable car to drive with smooth ride quality.

Exterior

Outside, the MG 3 sports a stylish front end thanks to its large black grille with a modern design. To each of its sides are vents with a more standard-looking meshwork as well as a lower front bumper with latticework of a similar pattern.

The MG logo — in the case of the range-topping MG 3 hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) — is flanked by LED headlamps with LED daytime running lights. It also gets a pair of front fog lamps housed in the same cluster to keep the look classy and minimal.

Its side profile is highlighted by black window surrounds, a side mirror with black trims, and two-tone 16-inch alloy wheels. A curvy beltline coupled with body-colored door handles, wheel wells, and side skirts, brings together the sexy look of the MG 3 from this angle.

The hind of the MG 3 offers conventional hatchback looks but slightly redefines the image with modern appliques like its sharp-looking halogen taillamps paired with a high-mount LED stop lamp. There are also sleek-looking reflectors on each of the hatchback’s butt cheeks.

A rear bumper that echoes the design of the MG 3’s lower front grille, alongside discreet diffusers, round up the vehicle’s features at the back.

Not to be outdone, the Toyota Wigo looks to continue beguiling compact car buyers with its updated, muscular appeal.

At its fore is an aggressive-looking fascia with a new, gaping grille that gives the hatchback a down-for-anything demeanor. A chrome trim — with the Toyota badge in the middle — connects the LED headlamps. It also has clearance lamps and illuminated LED fog lamps.

The side of the Toyota Wigo gets a black B-pillar with its side mirror also sporting a black trim. Its door panels have simple yet straightforward lines with body-toned door handles and wheel arches that house a set of 14-inch tires.

At the rear, the Toyota Wigo offers a large rear glass with a wiper. Sitting atop it is an inconspicuous spoiler. Halogen combination lamps decorate the back end of the hatchback.

We call this round a tie since the MG 3 and Toyota Wigo offer near-identical exterior features while representing two different style disciplines: one classy and stylish, the other aggressive and utilitarian.

Interior

Inside, the MG 3 gets a seven-inch instrument panel with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also offers a leather steering wheel and seat upholstery that consists of PVC and fabric materials.

Other notable features include rear air conditioning vents, an electronic parking brake, and USB ports for charging devices.

Meanwhile, the Toyota Wigo offers a simple layout with easy-to-maintain materials. The seats, for example, are covered in fabric. There’s no leather trims on the steering wheel but the shifter has a leather boot. It also gets a standard instrument cluster and an eight-inch infotainment unit with Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

This round goes to the MG 3 as it has more toys to offer its occupants to make their journeys more convenient and comfortable.

Engine

Power for the MG 3 comes from a 1.5-liter engine. The top-of-the-line variant uses the same powerplant but with hybrid technology. The said mill can either be paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) or a three-speed hybrid transmission.

It puts out some 118-187 horsepower with 150-250 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque.

Deceleration is handled by ventilated disc brakes at the front and solid disc brakes (or drum brakes, depending on the variant) at the rear. MacPherson struts support the car at the front while a torsion beam setup facilitates suspension at the back.

On the other hand, the Toyota Wigo uses a smaller 1.0-liter engine mated to either a five-speed manual transmission or a CVT. It generates a maximum of 66 horses with 89 Nm of pulling power.

Brakes come in the form of discs (front) and drums (back). It gets a similar setup with MacPhresons and torsion beams.

For obvious reasons, the winner of this round is the MG 3. With more power and torque as well as a hybrid option, customers can do more with this vehicle.

Safety

The MG 3 offers a robust list of safety features, which include airbags and seatbelts, an anti-lock braking system (ABS), vehicle stability control (VSC), hill start assist, a pre-collision system, lane departure alert, lane watch, lane keep assist, and a tire pressure monitoring system.

It also gets a 360-degree monitor to help owners get in and out of tight spots.

The Toyota Wigo offers its owners decent safety technologies like an alarm and an immobilizer, ABS, VSC, hill assist control, a parking camera, rear sensors, and a digital video recorder.

Like the aforementioned round, the MG 3 takes the win for offering a more complete list of safety amenities.

Variants and pricing

MG 3

• MG 3 Standard: P678,888
• MG 3 Comfort: P828,888
• MG 3 Luxury: P898,888
• MG 3 HEV: P1.088 million

Toyota Wigo

• Wigo J: P609,000
• Wigo E: P684,000
• Wigo G: P729,000

Verdict

The winner of this battle is the MG 3. It has better features that can make both short and long trims memorable ones. Nevertheless, it is not to say that the Toyota Wigo is a bad vehicle, it can give car buyers a good ride without having to cost them an arm and a leg.

Photos from Ruben Manahan IV, Jirehl Kent Flores, and Toyota Motor Philippines

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