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
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.
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.
