MG’s next-generation mid-sized SUV is due in Australian showrooms in September, but it’ll be a longer wait for plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models.
CarExpert understands the replacement for the current MG HS Plus EV is due sometime in the first half of 2025, which means there will be a wait of at least three months following the petrol models’ launch.
The outgoing HS lineup is currently in runout at local dealers, though CarExpert understands there’s enough stock of the current HS Plus EV to last until the end of this year.
MG Motor Australia hasn’t released powertrain specifications for the new HS lineup, but we can look to the UK for details.
HS
MG UK has confirmed the HS PHEV pairs a 105kW 1.5-litre petrol engine with a 154kW electric motor and a 24.7kWh battery.
It has a claimed 0-100km/h time of 6.8 seconds and 121km of electric range on an unspecified test cycle.
The PHEV also features vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, allowing you to power devices.
Petrol models will be offered with a 125kW/275Nm turbocharged 1.5-litre four with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, while a recent government filing indicated the HS will also be offered with a turbo 2.0-litre four mated with a nine-speed automatic.
Measuring 4655mm long (4670mm as a PHEV) and 1890mm wide, the HS has grown in almost every dimension. It’s 14mm wider, while its 2750mm wheelbase is 26mm longer than that of the outgoing model.
Boot space has increased by 44L to 507L.
Inside, there are dual 12.3-inch displays – one a digital instrument cluster, the other an infotainment touchscreen – situated in the same assembly.
MG hasn’t confirmed the local lineup yet, but a look at the spec list in the UK shows us what we can expect.
The top-spec model there features a surround-view camera, power tailgate, six-way power driver’s seat, eight-speaker sound system, and a wireless phone charger.
As with the outgoing HS, there’s a wide range of standard active safety technology across the range including autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection; blind-spot monitoring; lane-keep assist; and rear cross-traffic alert.
There’s also adaptive cruise control, intelligent speed limit assist, and traffic jam assist.
Last year, the HS Plus EV was Australia’s second best-selling PHEV with 2171 sales – just 103 units down on the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.
In the first half of 2024, however, it fell several places. Just 307 units were sold, making it the seventh best-selling PHEV on the Australian market.
MORE: Everything MG HS
