MG MG3 vs Toyota Yaris

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Toyota Yaris Discontinued model
MG MG3 in South Africa

MG MG3

1.5L Hybrid+ Hybrid 3-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 469,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 75 kW 🔧 128 Nm ⛽ 23.26 km/l
VS
Toyota Yaris in South Africa

Toyota Yaris

1.5 XR CVT Petrol CVT Discontinued model
ZAR 359,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 145 Nm ⛽ 15.1 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

MG MG3 vs Toyota Yaris: the short answer

MG3 and Yaris are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context MG3: current from ZAR 269,900 · Yaris: last listed from ZAR 289,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification MG3 Yaris
Maximum Power MG375 kW @ 6000 rpm Yaris88 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque MG3128 Nm @ 4500 rpm Yaris145 Nm @ 4800 rpm
Engine Size MG31498 cc Yaris1496 cc
Combined Fuel Economy MG323.26 km/l Yaris15.1 km/l
Ground Clearance MG3149 mm Yaris160 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

MG3

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency

Yaris

Strengths
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

MG3

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Yaris

  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec MG3 Yaris
Model Introduced Year 2025 2020
Generation Current-generation five-door MG3 offered locally with naturally aspirated petrol and self-charging hybrid powertrains. Current generation on Toyota's TNGA-B platform
Facelift History South African launch specification introduced in 2025. Regular updates with improved safety and features
Facelift Launched Since 2025 2021
Facelift Version Ending Current 2024
Body Style Five-door hatchback Hatchback
Model Year 2026 2021
Production Status active discontinued
Segment Compact Hatchback Hatchback
Vehicle Type Hatchback Hatchback
Tare Mass Kg - 1110 kg
Spec MG3 Yaris
Length 4113 mm 4180 mm
Width 1797 mm 1745 mm
Height 1502 mm 1500 mm
Wheelbase 2570 mm 2550 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 149 mm 160 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed 125 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 36 l 42 l
Boot/Cargo Space 293 l 286 l
Kerb Weight 1308 kg 1110 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1766 kg 1515 kg
Payload Capacity 458 kg 405 kg
Towing Capacity 500 kg 1600 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.25 m 5.1 m
Front Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 991 mm
Rear Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 940 mm
Front Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 1039 mm
Rear Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 881 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This MG3 and Yaris comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: MG3 40 vs Yaris 37.

Efficiency index: MG3 90 vs Yaris 61.

Safety-equipment index: MG3 92 vs Yaris 98.

Practicality index: MG3 48 vs Yaris 53.

Ownership-cover index: MG3 not separately scored vs Yaris 43.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

MG3 leads by 7 points

MG3 and Yaris are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 66 /100
Lead 7 points
Data 82% source coverage
66
#1 Evidence leader

MG3

82% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 90
Safety 92
Practicality 48
Leads by 7 points
59
#2

Yaris

90% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Performance 37
Performance 37
Efficiency 61
Safety 98
Practicality 53
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance MG3 +3 Efficiency MG3 +29 Safety Yaris +6 Practicality Yaris +5

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

MG3

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 48/100

Yaris

Performance 37/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 53/100
Ownership 43/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index MG MG3 leads the specification evidence index with 66 pts vs 59 pts for Yaris

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, MG3 leads. However, Yaris may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

MG3 vs Yaris questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.