THE final days of MG Rover saw a crop of cars given a sporty MG makeover and though it was in some ways a short cut these souped up hatches and saloons were surprisingly good.

Truth be told I kind of miss the ZR, ZS and ZT - cars which brought a touch of zest to the Rover 25, 45 and 75 models.

Fast forward a few years and a lot has changed. As everyone knows MG Rover went to the great car maker in the sky some time back but the good news is that MG lives on - albeit it in a very different guise.

Under the Chinese automotive powerhouse that is SAIC MG has been back for a while now and is just starting to really make its presence felt.

Parts are manufactured in China and shipped over for assembly in Longbridge but crucially the new MGs are to all intents and purposed designed and engineered in Birmingham.

The first car produced was the MG6 GT hatchback, followed soon after by the four-door saloon version of the MG6, the Magnette.

These petrol-powered models were well-received but the message rang out loud and clear that a diesel was needed.

MG duly came up with the goods and a diesel offering is now available on both models.

It's a very welcome addition to the range and was absolutely essential if the company was going to start selling cars in serious numbers.

MG's saloon and hatch stand out for being different but at the same juncture aren't particularly distinctive.

That said the simplicity of the design is unlikely to cause offence or put potential buyers off.

Little design flourishes here and there are perhaps a portent of what might be yet to come and one certainly gets the feeling that MG has plenty more in the pipeline.

Just take a look at the racy MG3 and a smart looking concept crossover that is highly likely to make it into production if you need convincing.

It's a stiff and sturdy car that's well built though and in many regards impresses.

Sit in and the cabin and instrumentation have a classy look and feel, with the emphasis on simplicity rather than complexity.

It means it's easy to feel at home in it quickly and I loved the inbuilt satnav system that stood out for its clarity of display and ease of use.

There are however little touches here and there that let it down slightly, such as an overtly complicated starting mechanism, requiring the key to be inserted correctly, the car to  be in neutral and the clutch depressed before you can start it up. This car even had a sheet explaining the system.

But the stand-out feature I didn't like was the handbrake, which not only looks and feels out of place but is quite difficult to operate. Many times I thought it was engaged when it wasn't.

Minor design gripes apart the car is roomy throughout, well suited to the needs of a family and comfortable too.

The boot is noticeably spacious, though another slight moan would be the limited rear visibility, in part due to huge C pillars that seem to get in the way.

On the move the MG is surprisingly good. It's actually a rather decent driver's car that combines a supple but comfortable ride with dynamics that impress.

The more I drove it the more I liked it in this respect, which is always a good sign and there's no doubting it does indeed have some of that traditional MG sporting spirit.

The diesel engine is a revelation too. Smooth, refined and packing quite a punch it really does leave the petrol version - which isn't bad itself - in the shade.