MG 3 recalled after crash test reveals safety fault

MG Motor Australia is recalling more than 10,000 examples of its MG 3 to address an issue identified by safety authority Euro NCAP during crash testing.

“In the event of collision, the inner side of the cushion frame may move forward and downwards much further than expected, inadvertently contacting the unlocking lever and then the locking pin, thereby causing the inboard rail to unlock,” the company says in its recall notice.

“In the event of an accident if the driver seat moves excessively, it could increase the risk of injury or death to vehicle occupants.”

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During Euro NCAP testing, the driver’s side seat slid forward by 111.5mm on the side closest to the centre console upon impact.

MG says that, while it’s issuing a recall in Australia, it’s not aware of any incidents relating to the defect.

Despite the fault being deemed a “critical safety failure” by Euro NCAP, which said it hadn’t seen such an issue in almost 30 years of crash testing, the MG 3 still received a four-star safety rating overall, which has also been applied to Australia’s version of the light hatch by local safety authority ANCAP.

Euro NCAP said its scoring system doesn’t allow for a deduction or override in the case of a component failure like this, and both it and ANCAP have announced they’re reviewing this aspect of their testing protocols.

• A total of 10,516 vehicles are affected, produced between March 6, 2024 and July 30, 2025
• The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) list is attached here
• The original recall notice is attached here

MG Motor Australia will contact impacted owners directly, and advise them to schedule an appointment with an authorised dealership to have the fix carried out.

This will see dealers fit an additional component to the driver’s seat rail, a task that’s estimated to take between 30-60 minutes to complete.

If you have any further questions, you can contact MG Motor Australia on 1800 644 637.

Company CEO Peter Ciao said in September, following Euro NCAP’s announcement, that the Chinese auto brand wouldn’t compromise on safety in the future.

“You can never go back. My job is to focus on the future,” he said. “For the future, no compromise. MG is five-star, that’s it.”

MG still hasn’t announced a fix for the MG 3 Hybrid+, in which power delivery can be dramatically reduced when the hybrid battery is nearing depletion. A software update was announced late last year for the related ZS Hybrid+ small SUV to fix this same issue.

It did, however, quietly add a front centre airbag and a driver monitoring system to MG 3 vehicles produced from April 30, 2025.

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