New MG HS Review

The new MG HS starts at £0 Motability Advance Payment for the HS Excite manual with the 1.5 T-GDi 160 BHP engine, but for £399 we think the automatic makes more sense. It comes with a great specification that includes satellite navigation, rear parking camera, adaptive cruise control (in the automatic only), leather 'style' seats and the MG PILOT Driver Assistance System. The Exclusive trim now starts at £999, and for that you also get a panoramic roof, electrically adjustable heated leather sports seats and ambient lighting (section updated October 2020).

MG HS Motability Advance Payment Offers

MG is one of the market's fastest growing brands, with almost all its sales currently being of its compact ZS SUV. This HS model slots in above that car, enabling the brand to hold on to family buyers who might have out-grown its smaller models. And to target new customers who previously would never have considered MG in this segment.

These people are going to want a higher standard of luxury and sophistication than anything the brand has previously offered - and the HS range sets out to provide just that. If MG can successfully deliver with a car like this, all kinds of things might be possible in the future.

Only one engine is offered here, a 160 BHP (or 162 PS) 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol unit that only drives through the front wheels. It's a reasonably willing thing, capable of 0-62 miles per hour in 9.9 seconds, reaching a top speed of 118mph. Customers have the choice of either a six-speed manual or seven-speed DCT automatic gearbox, which on top versions can also be manually controlled using the steering-wheel-mounted paddles. DCT versions also feature a series of drive modes including Eco, Normal, Sport and a driver customisable option. A steering wheel mounted 'Super Sport' button allows the driver to quickly engage Sport mode and it also illuminates the interior's red ambient lighting.

You might worry about a petrol engine's relative lack of torque being insufficient for towing duties. This MG's unit develops 250Mn of pulling power, enough to allow it to tug along a braked trailer of up to 1,750kgs in weight - which should be enough for owners to haul medium-sized trailers, caravans, or boats. Because this is a front driven-only model, you shouldn't expect to be able to engage in any serious off road shenanigans - the relatively restricted ground clearance doesn't allow for that anyway. And you shouldn't expect ride and handling to be cutting-edge, though typical family buyers will probably be quite satisfied.

You expect plenty of metal for your money from an MG and you'll not be disappointed here. Don't be put off by the fact that an HS isn't much cheaper than, say, a Nissan Qashqai; it's quite a lot bigger than one of those - though there are still only five seats. The styling's pretty straightforward, taking the family look lately established with the compact ZS and applying it to a wider, squarer shape.

Inside, interior space is class-leading, something you'll especially notice in the rear where there's vastly more space than you'd get in a Nissan Qashqai or a SEAT Ateca. It's possible to fit three adults here, which is unusual in this class. Headroom's good too - even with the panoramic sunroof fitted. Up front, there's a much higher quality dash than you might be expecting. The seats could be a little more supportive and the indicator stalks feel a bit plasticky, but that's about it on the debit side. There aren't many buttons, most features re-located to a large 10.1-inch centre-dash infotainment touchscreen compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Out back, there's a decently-sized 450-litre boot - that capacity measured up to the windowline.

If you were buying this car outright, pricing is pitched in the £18,000-£25,000 bracket, which isn't much more than MG was asking for its old (now discontinued) slightly smaller GS SUV model. Anyway, that's good value, even if your point of comparison is merely a volume family hatch-based model like a Nissan Qashqai or a SEAT Ateca. But the HS is sized - and priced - to compete more with bigger, more complete mid-sized SUVs; Volkswagen's Tiguan, Mazda's CX-5, Ford's Kuga and Honda's CR-V.

Just one single 1.5-litre petrol engine is offered but there's a DCT automatic option and three levels of trim - 'Explore', 'Excite' and 'Exclusive'. The mid-level 'Excite' version gets keyless entry with push button start, a 10.1-inch colour touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, electric folding mirrors, rear parking camera, 18-inch alloys, rain sensing wipers and sat-nav. Top spec 'Exclusive' gives you leather upholstery, front and rear LED sequential indicators, electrically adjustable heated sports front seats, dual zone climate control, ambient lighting and a panoramic opening 'Skyroof'. Automatic DCT versions also include driving modes including Super Sport and a customisable electronic opening tailgate.

We didn't expect the HS to deliver class-lading efficiency stats and it doesn't. It gets pretty close to the class standard though. The 1.5-litre petrol model manages a combined WLTP figure of 37.2mpg for the manual and 36.2mpg for the DCT. Which means it should return more than 400 miles to a tank. 

The MG dealer network with Motability Specialists is growing all the time - the brand expects to soon have 120 dealerships here in the UK. At those outlets, a full digital service record of checks and maintenance provides the customer with complete transparency and full access to the service history of their vehicle.

If you've previously looked at the kind of spacious mid-to-large-sized SUV your family needs, then looked away when you've seen the Motability Advance Payment prices, then this MG HS could be for you. It's certainly the case that that the cabin finishing isn't quite of the standard you'd find with more established brands. And the same is true of the efficiency figures and the handling. But there's not as much in it as you might think and the potential savings here are substantial.

If that matters, then we think you'll find plenty to like about this HS. It's practical, well equipped and even quite nice to look at. 

People with a disability and carers who choose a new MG HS through Motability will receive a brand new car, delivered by a Motability Specialist at a local MG dealership, complete with insurance, servicing and maintenance, full breakdown assistance, replacement tyre cover, windscreen repair or replacement cover plus a mileage allowance of 60,000 miles over three years.