MG 3鈥檚 four-star safety score hides 鈥渟erious鈥 seat flaw
September 10, 2025 by Siobhan Doyle
Car changing is a big deal
The MG 3 may have earned a four-star rating from safety experts at Euro NCAP, but a rare seat failure in crash testing raises concerns you shouldn鈥檛 ignore.
MG has built a reputation for building cheap and cheerful cars, but in the latest round of Euro NCAP crash tests, the new MG 3 hatchback revealed a worrying flaw that could leave drivers at risk.
During a frontal crash test, engineers found that the driver鈥檚 seat latch mechanism failed. This caused the seat to twist mid-impact 鈥 something Euro NCAP says it has never seen before in more than 25 years of testing cars.
The twist put severe strain on the driver dummy鈥檚 right leg, resulting in a 鈥減oor鈥 rating for lower leg protection. It also meant MG couldn鈥檛 prove how well the car would protect people of different sizes in various seating positions.
MG initially suggested the seat hadn鈥檛 been properly locked into place before testing. But Euro NCAP confirmed that its engineers had followed correct procedures.
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What is MG doing to fix this?
MG plans to redesign the driver鈥檚 seat latch, with improvements already underway as of August 2025, and to upgrade the driver airbag from October 2025. However, these changes will not apply to cars already in customers鈥 hands, leaving existing owners potentially exposed.
Euro NCAP has reported the issue to the relevant authorities, who may consider a recall.
It has a four-star safety, but should you be concerned?
Despite the seat failure, the MG 3 still managed to earn a four-star rating overall, thanks to good scores in other areas such as crash avoidance and driver-assistance technology.
But Euro NCAP officials stressed that the seat issue is serious enough for buyers to think twice. 鈥淲e recommend that consumers consider other cars over the MG 3,鈥 said Dr Aled Williams, programme director at Euro NCAP.
A spokesperson at MG said: 鈥淏ased upon a specific concern raised in the Euro NCAP test regarding a mechanism on the driver鈥檚 seat, which did not affect the overall safety rating achieved by MG3 Hybrid+, MG is pro-actively investigating this and working closely with the relevant authorities.
鈥淲ith a technical appraisal underway, we are presently not in a position to add any more at this stage. We wish to reassure all customers that Euro NCAP鈥檚 feedback is valued and that MG is prioritising the matter and will naturally, be providing further updates.鈥
What does this mean for you?
The MG 3 has long been a budget-friendly choice for drivers seeking a small, practical car without going fully electric. Available in petrol and hybrid versions, it offers an alternative to the Renault Clio and Toyota Yaris, with low prices, long warranties, and a generous level of equipment.
Euro NCAP鈥檚 results do raise some red flags. On top of the seat latch problem, the driver鈥檚 head was found to hit the steering wheel because the airbag didn鈥檛 fully cushion the impact, which meant head protection was rated only as 鈥渁dequate.鈥
China鈥檚 car industry has grown rapidly, with many new models now sold across Europe. But Euro NCAP says manufacturers must keep up with Europe鈥檚 strict safety expectations. 鈥淐onsumers need to know the cars they buy are safe,鈥 said Dr Michiel van Ratingen, secretary general of Euro NCAP.
Interestingly, Euro NCAP鈥檚 scoring system doesn鈥檛 currently allow for an overall rating to be reduced because of a single failed part. That鈥檚 why the MG 3 still walked away with four stars.
Euro NCAP now says it will review its rules to make sure unusual 鈥 but serious 鈥 failures are better reflected in future ratings.
You can compare the MG 3 against other cars using Euro NCAP鈥檚 website to find the safest model that fits your needs.
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