Naturally, the optimum MG6 running costs belong to the diesel version. When launched in late 2012 it had a claimed average fuel consumption of 53.5mpg. Improvements for the 2014 model year saw this figure climb to 57.6mpg, rising again to 61.4mpg as part of the 2015 facelift. These enhancements also reduced CO2 emissions, meaning cheaper VED rates and company car tax bands – see the emissions summary below for details.

The petrol MG6, sold until 2015, returns around 37mpg on the combined cycle, which isn’t exactly class-leading.

Residual values aren’t so hot – a pre-facelift diesel MG6 GT SE is forecast to be worth around 31 percent of its value after three years and 30,000 miles and the equivalent petrol model just 22 percent. Interestingly the percentage of retained values are expected to improve following the 2015 facelift with accompanying new price reductions, but they’re still below those of mainstream rivals.

MG6 emissions for the 1.9-litre diesel engine were rated at 139g/km of CO2 when it was launched in 2012 but improvements for the 2014 model year saw this figure fall to 129g/km. They reduced further still to 119g/km as part of the 2015 facelift.

Likewise, the 1.8-litre petrol MG6 originally emitted 184g/km CO2, which isn’t exactly record-breaking, but has since dropped to 174g/km from 2012 onwards. This version was withdrawn from sale in 2015.

Although earlier MG6s suffered with below-par build quality and some flimsy parts, the main concern centred around the 1.8-litre petrol engine, which was a development of the previous K-Series Rover unit which suffered numerous head gasket failures.

Positively, those mechanical fears have proven groundless, the modifications undertaken by MG’s Chinese owners, SAIC, seemingly consigning such problems to the annals of motoring history.

SAIC was also responsible for the design of the more appealing diesel engine, rather than carrying on with Rover’s previous oil-burner. It’s been improved to boost efficiency over the time it’s been on sale, again with no significant mechanical issues reported.