Skip advert
Advertisement

Morgan 3 Wheeler (2012 - 2021) review - ride and handling

This is not a car best enjoyed at its dynamic limits, but it can entertain at a crawl better than some cars manage flat out

Evo rating
Price
from £25,950
  • Looks fantastic, simple clean driving experience, burnouts
  • Understeer and plenty of it, lacks grip, less fun in the wet

The 3 Wheeler is surprisingly comfortable despite its diminutive proportions, especially given the fact you're sat practically on top of the rear wheel. The chassis setup is split between independent wishbone suspension at the front, with a single trailing arm at the rear, all mated to a tubular steel spaceframe.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The skinny tyres and wide track at the front means it's very easy to push the car into understeer. A single rear wheel also means traction is at a premium, with the 3 Wheeler spinning up its tyres all the way through to third gear in greasy conditions.

This might sound like a recipe for dynamic disaster, but it instead, all the 3 Wheeler's handling quirks come together to deliver a thoroughly enjoyable drive.

The car is never really particularly frightening, but it isn't something you can cover ground in quickly like you might a Caterham. Too much speed and you risk reaching the limit of those front tyres very quickly, push too hard coming out of a corner and it'll oversteer. Instead, the Morgan is best driven 'briskly', flowing through B-roads with the wind (or rain) in your hair.

We should note that if you're coming from something like a Caterham or an Ariel Atom, the change in limits is quite dramatic. Don't expect to be able to push this car like you could a track weapon. It's also worth mentioning that really pushing the car on a track can result in it rising up on two wheels, which is definitely to be avoided.

The setup is stiff, but not to the point of spinal destruction. It does have a tendency sometimes to 'hop' on its single rear wheel, especially if the road is bad, but the car never loses composure or struggles to settle down.

Steering is full of feedback, but could do with being a touch quicker. It doesn't have the ultra-precise feel of something like a Caterham, but definitely lets you know what the front tyres are up to.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Sustainable fuel v unleaded petrol: we dyno test the impact on car performance
Sustainable fuel v unleaded petrol dyno test
Features

Sustainable fuel v unleaded petrol: we dyno test the impact on car performance

Considering running your car on sustainable fuel? We’ve dyno tested the first publicly available option to see the effect on power, torque and emissio…
5 May 2024
Mandatory speed limiters to be fitted to all new UK cars in 2024
80mph motorway speed limit
News

Mandatory speed limiters to be fitted to all new UK cars in 2024

The use of mandatory speed limiters on all new cars was approved by the European Parliament in 2019, and they're set to come into force later this yea…
8 May 2024
Renault Mégane RS Trophy Fast Fleet test – 13,000 miles in the swansong hot hatch
Renault Megane RS Trophy Fast Fleet test
Long term tests

Renault Mégane RS Trophy Fast Fleet test – 13,000 miles in the swansong hot hatch

Despite initial reservations, the Liquid Yellow hatch won over its keeper after 8 months on the evo Fast Fleet
7 May 2024