Overall Rating |  |
This affordable soft-top sold steadily for seven years before its replacement by the tweaked and tidied MGTF. It's good in parts but no match for MX-5 or the newer MR2.
For
- Lots about from under £5000
- Responsive Rover K-Series engines
- It's got that famous octagonal badge
Against
- Reliability issues, especially on early cars
- Cosy cabin - some might say cramped
- Some shabby older cars about now
Road Test
When Rover eventually revived the small MG soft-top in 1995, fans of small, affordable sportsters gave the MGF the thumbs-up. Rear-wheel drive and a mid-mounted engine gives excellent handling balance, the engines love revs, and styling is spot-on.
MGF looks more muscular than arch-rival MX-5 and goes a bit faster, too. But it's not such a flawlessly conceived overall package. Roadholding is grippy, but where MX-5 feels precision-made, MGF makes do with a body that feels less than solid when cornered hard or when it hits big bumps. Ride can suffer as a result. And both steering and gear-change could be crisper to exploit the 1.8i engines' unarguable sporting potential.
It's a snug two-seater and rather claustrophobic with the hood up. Cabin layout and interior finish are mediocre (the MGTF improves in this area).
But it's an MG, a lot of fun, and doesn't cost too much to run!
Need To Know
NCAP: Not tested
Best Models: 1.8i VVC
Worst Models: 1.6i
Replacement: by MGTF in 2002
Alternatives
|
Star Ratings
Handling  Comfort Quality & Reliability Performance Roominess  Running Costs Value for Money Stereo/Sat Nav |
|
|
|
|
