Jack Quick
MG slashes prices of electric and plug-in hybrid SUVs
The Chinese carmaker price war rages on. Australian asking prices for the MG ZS EV and HS Plus EV have been cut by up to $6000.
1 Year Ago
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About the MG HS
Last updated Dec 18, 2024The HS was introduced as a replacement for the forgotten GS, and is MG's entry into the fiercely competitive mid-sized SUV segment. While the smaller ZS is offered with an electric powertrain, the HS has an available plug-in hybrid, called the Plus EV, as well as a turbocharged all-wheel drive powertrain.
Pros
- Generous list of safety equipment across the range
- Spacious, neatly presented cabin
- Excellent value for money
Cons
- Clunky infotainment
- Some of the driver assist functions need finessing
- Optional 2.0-litre powertrain disappoints
MG HS Rating
MG HS News
2023 MG HS Price
Core
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 1.5L, 7-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, FWD | $29,990 |
Excite X
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.0L, 6-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $36,990 |
Essence X
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 2.0L, 6-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $41,990 |
Essence
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 1.5L, 7-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, FWD | $37,990 |
| 1.5L, 10-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Electric, FWD | $49,990 |
Essence Anfield Edition
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 1.5L, 7-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, FWD | $39,690 |
Excite
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 1.5L, 7-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, FWD | $34,990 |
| 1.5L, 10-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Electric, FWD | $45,990 |
Vibe
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 1.5L, 7-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, FWD | $31,990 |
*excl. on-roads
All MG HS Pricing
2023 MG HS Dimensions
1664mm
1876mm
4574mm
The dimensions shown above are for the base model.
See all 2023 MG HS Dimensions2023 MG HS Boot Space
The MG HS’s total luggage space is 463L, increasing to a maximum of 1287L with the second row folded.
These figures drop to 451L and 1275L in the Plus EV, which also misses out on a space saver spare and instead offers only a tyre repair kit.
2023 MG HS Gallery
CarExpert High Resolution Photos of the MG HS
View 50 images
2023 MG HS Exterior
The Core and Vibe ride on 17-inch alloy wheels, while all other models use 18-inch alloy wheels.
The Plus EV is distinguished by its charge port and a couple of exclusive colours, however it looks largely the same as the regular HS range.
View 6 images
2023 MG HS Interior
If you think the MG 3 and ZS line-ups feel built to a price inside, the HS certainly breaks tradition in being one of the nicer cabins in its class.
From the elegant, minimalist dashboard to the array of soft-touch materials and contrast stitching, the MG HS makes a statement that Chinese cars don’t have to look or feel cheap.
All the touch points are competitive with Japanese and Korean rivals in terms of perceived quality. We didn’t have any noticeable rattles or squeaks in our test car, and everything feels well put together.
While it presents well, some of the ergonomics could use some work.
The climate controls, for example, are only accessed via the screen after pressing the toggle-style A/C switch on the centre stack. The driver’s instrument display also defaults to a driver assist view when you engage adaptive cruise control which doesn’t include a real-time digital speedo – you have to flick back a couple menus to get this, and you can’t have cruise speed and speedo in view at once.
There are also no shortcuts for air recirculation without accessing the aforementioned menu in the central display, and there’s nowhere to conveniently store a larger smartphone out of view when connected to smartphone mirroring.
Unlike the MG 3 and ZS, the HS offers reach and rake adjustment for the steering wheel, and once you’ve found your driving position the front seats are quite supportive and offer strong bolstering. You may just feel a tad upright.
We’ve already touched on the 10.1-inch touchscreen with regards to the climate controls, but the MG HS’s infotainment setup feels a generation behind the best in class. Even with smartphone mirroring, it can be quite slow to respond and occasionally will freeze or drop out. The native navigation is also very clearly supplied by a third party.
One of the real HS highlights is rear roominess. Legroom is excellent, there’s only a tiny floor hump, headroom is generous and it’s properly adult friendly. Like other HS variants, the 60:40 split seat back has a couple of different tilt positions on offer, though you do need to reach over your shoulder to the release latches to awkwardly adjust the angles.
There are also three top-tether and two ISOFIX anchor points for child seats, plus a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders (featuring a swish brushed alloy look panel and damped opening mechanism), bottle holders in the doors, map pockets behind the rear seats and, in all bar the Core, rear air vents and a pair of USB charge ports.
The boot area has a high floor height and could probably offer a bit more volume because there’s a whole lot of unused space between the floor and the top of the modest space saver spare located well below it. Due to the placement of the Plus EV’s plug-in hybrid hardware, it’s the only variant to miss out on a spare wheel.
View 6 images
2023 MG HS Safety Rating
When the MG HS was tested by ANCAP in 2019, it received a rating of five stars.
That rating was based on an adult occupant protection score of 92 per cent, child occupant protection of 83 per cent, pedestrian protection of 64 per cent and safety assist of 77 per cent.
All 2022 MG HS models come standard with the MG Pilot suite of safety features. This includes:
- Autonomous emergency braking with forward-collision warning
- Lane-keep assist
- Lane-departure warning
- Adaptive cruise control
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Blind-spot monitoring
There are also front, front-side and front-curtain airbags.
2023 MG HS Fuel Economy
Claimed fuel economy for the 2022 MG HS is 7.3L/100km on the combined cycle in models with the 1.5-litre engine, 9.5L/100km in those with the 2.0-litre engine, and 1.7L/100km in the Plus EV.
The latter has a claimed 63km of pure electric range, however this is on the lenient NEDC standard.
All models except the HS Plus EV have a 55L fuel tank. The dual-motor version of the HS complements its claimed 63km of EV range from its 16.6kWh battery with a 37-litre fuel tank.
| MG HS | Fuel Type | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5L, 7-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, FWD | Premium Unleaded | 7.3 L/100km |
Cost of ownership
What are the running and servicing costs of a MG HS?
MG backs its cars with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. The HS Plus EV also includes a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre battery warranty for private buyers.
Servicing is required every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever comes first, with seven years of capped-price servicing.
The 1.5T's first seven services are priced at $282, $339, $333, $395, $282, $819 and $282.
The 2.0T's first seven are priced at $279, $556, $330, $612, $279, $1105 and $279.
The Plus EV's first seven are priced at $265, $373, $265, $421, $265, $968 and $265.
How does the 2023 MG HS drive?
Our expert take on MG HS drivability.
All HS models have a comfortable ride in town and on the freeway. It isolates the cabin nicely in compression and settles quickly and confidently in rebound, only really becoming a bit unruly through a bit of suspension slapping here and there. Noise levels are kept to a minimum, even at highway speeds.
The HS feels solid and substantial if lithe enough and easy to punt around the ’burbs, the steering reasonably direct if a touch under assisted. It lolls about a little on its suspension – strut up front, multi-link in the rear – for a slightly soft-edge dynamic that’s actually quite pleasing and, you sense, very much by tuning design.
Visibility is pretty good thanks to the large glasshouse, and the MG Pilot suite of active safety systems includes blind-spot monitoring so you have an extra set of eyes when making gaps in traffic or changing lanes on the freeway.
Speaking of the assist tech, we found the car has a habit of beeping and bonging without actually telling you what’s wrong. This equipment definitely needs finessing, though at least there’s a good amount of adjustability for these systems through the touchscreen.
The base powertrain is smooth despite its dual-clutch automatic and more tractable than many other base engines in this segment.
The plug-in hybrid pleases with its seamless transition between petrol and electric power. There’s no shortage of power on tap and, though it’s a lot to send to only the front wheels, the Plus EV never feels too unruly. The steering feels a touch heavy and the brake pedal a tad wooden, however.
The turbocharged 2.0-litre is the most disappointing powertrain in the range, despite its competitive outputs, with a dual-clutch transmission that proves lethargic, indecisive and quite jerky.
2023 MG HS Colours
What colours are available for the MG HS
The MG HS is available in the following colours:
- York White
- Surfing Blue metallic
- Black Pearl metallic
- New Pearl White metallic
- Sterling Silver metallic
- Brixton Blue Metallic
- Sterling Silver Metallic (Plus EV)
- Diamond Red Metallic (Plus EV)
2023 MG HS Warranty
2023 MG HS vs other SUVs to consider
The HS's most direct rival is its fellow Chinese SUV, the Haval H6. The base H6 doesn't have quite as exhaustive a list of standard safety equipment, but the H6 range counters with a more powerful standard engine that also manages to be almost as efficient as the HS's base engine.
The SsangYong Korando is another sharply-priced challenger SUV, albeit one from Korea instead of China.
There's also the traditional mainstays of the mid-sized SUV segment to consider, including the Mitsubishi Outlander. This SUV has traditionally been the sharpest priced of the Japanese entrants in this segment, though with its 2021 redesign it's gotten a little pricier, if a lot nicer inside.
Should you buy the 2023 MG HS
Is this the right car for you? Out experts buy or not guide.
The MG HS’s strong points are its handsome and premium-feeling cabin, plentiful space, long warranty, features list, comfortable ride, and inoffensive design language that looks anything but cheap and tacky.
If the MG HS wore a Mazda, Kia or Hyundai badge, few people would be surprised or feel disappointed. It’s not a class-leader, but nor is it a class laggard.
Indeed, this might be one of the first Chinese cars we've driven which offers a viable alternative based on more than mere price, and which we could add to a person’s shortlist without throwing in too many querulous ‘umms’ and ahhhs’ along the way.
However, it makes the most sense with either the perfectly acceptable base engine or the plug-in hybrid, with the turbocharged 2.0-litre needing a bit more polish before we can recommend it.
MG HS FAQs
The cheapest MG HS is the Core that starts from $29,990.
The most expensive MG HS is the Essence that starts from $50,990.
The best towing capacity of a MG HS is 1500 kg offered by the following variants: Vibe, Excite X, Essence X, Excite and Essence.
The largest MG HS is the Vibe which measures 1876mm wide, 4574mm in length and sits 1685mm tall.
The most powerful MG HS is the Excite which has 189kW of power from its 1.5L TURBO PETROL DIRECT INJECTION engine.
The MG HS is built in China and shipped to Australia.
The heaviest MG HS is the Essence which weighs 2196 kg (kerb weight).
The MG HS may use different fuel/energy types based on the variant which includes electric or premium unleaded.