The MG3 has been revamped for 2019 – with pleasing results.

The front end has been facelifted, the back has been given a shapely nip and tuck, while the interior has been updated.

The first thing that strikes you about the car is its eye-catching ‘star-rider’ grille, which frames MG’s famous octagonal logo and, when combined with distinctive headlights, gives the front end a pleasant look.

But this hatchback is even easier on the eye when viewed from behind, with some revisions to its silhouette creating some very trendy angular lines.

It’s all designed to make a distinctive statement of modern British style to target young and style-conscious buyers, according to MG.

The only engine option available is a 1.5-litre petrol unit, which develops 105bhp.

The engine is capable of providing a reasonable turn of speed, although it does have to be worked hard to achieve more sprightly performance.

Indeed, the MG3 seems to take a while to get up a head of steam in the lower rev range, but is responsive and punchy once you’re over 4,000rpm.

And the great thing is that the fuel consumption doesn’t suffer too badly when you drive the car to its full potential.

The driving experience is made all the more pleasurable when you factor in the MG3’s nimble handling.

While most of this car is Chinese, a lot of the bits that count towards good driving dynamics are British.

The car offers positive steering, prodigious grip and well-contained body roll – so much so that you feel confident when cornering swiftly.

It all means that the MG3 is an engaging car to drive around town or on country roads.

If it had another 20 or 30bhp to go with the excellent handling, it would be a genuinely fun car, but a 0-62mph time of over ten seconds means praise for its driving dynamics must remain qualified.

At motorway speeds, there’s a fair bit of tyre and wind noise to take into account, meaning it isn’t the most refined drive on long-distance journeys.

Inside, the new MG3 has one of the most spacious cabins in its class, with class-leading head and leg room for five people.

When you sit in the back seats, you discover that the front seats are sculpted to improve leg room, while there’s certanly no shortage of rear headroom.

The boot space is also impressive, with 285 litres of capacity.

The range comes with a host of technology, including Bluetooth telephone and audio streaming and USB as standard.

Meanwhile, what was an ageing interior has been brought up to date with a user-friendly eight-inch touchscreen which, along with Apple CarPlay, is available on Excite and Exclusive versions.

In terms of general ambience, the cabin has a light and funky feel. Although some of the plastics may feel a bit basic, MG has made some successful attempts to brighten up the interior.

Most notably, the silver plastic around the touch screen and then running horizontally across the left of the dash creates a rather striking two-tone effect.

In many ways, it’s a car that’s a bit different from others on the roads right now and one that might appeal to individualistic buyers.

That impression is underlined by the fact the MG3 is one of the most customisable cars, with customers having the choice of six distinctive colours, twelve graphics packs, and unique door mirror caps. It means buyers can have a lot of fun creating an MG3 that suits their taste.

In terms of affordability, the MG3 comes out favourably, falling into the ultra-low insurance group of 7/8E. The Expand version is available from just £9,495, while the higher-specification Exclusive comes in at £12,795.

It adds up to a car that’s tightly priced, good to drive, trendy and spacious.