MG are continuing their fighting return to the mainstream with the launch of their new flagship model, named the HS. It’s a C-segment SUV which has been designed with an emphasis on family functionality and an insistence on soft-touch materials and high quality throughout the cabin.
What is a flagship vehicle nowadays? It seems like flagship models are becoming less noticeable as manufacturers are generally producing a wider range of vehicles than ever before. It’s quite refreshing to hear that MG will be championing this as the top-tier car in terms of design, quality, refinement, equipment and affordability.
The MG HS goes on sale with an on-the-road price of just £17,995 and every model comes backed with MG’s 7-year warranty which is standard across the MG range - a sign of their confidence in build quality and reliability.
What is a C-segment SUV?
The term C-segment is attached to medium-sized vehicles, so like a Vauxhall Astra or a Volkswagen Golf. A C-Segment SUV, therefore, is a medium-sized SUV, so the MG HS pitches itself up against the likes of the Skoda Karoq, the Seat Ateca and the Nissan Qashqai. Large enough to carry 5 people in relative comfort but not so large as to be awkward for everyday use. Family-sized - which is exactly the target market for this new flagship SUV - family buyers.
The MG HS will boast class-leading headroom, shoulder room and hip room for the front passengers, and the rear passengers will be pleased with reclining seats, two USB ports and a fold-down armrest which houses a pair of cup holders.
Family buyers will be excited to know that the MG HS comes with a huge amount of safety features as standard, part of MG’s ‘Pilot suite’ of equipment. This includes Active Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, Intelligent Headlight Control, Traffic Jam Assist, Rear Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Detection and Door Opening Warning… I told you there was a huge amount. That’s all good news though because it means you and your precious cargo will be kept as safe as possible inside the car because technology will be on your side.
In terms of equipment levels, the standard features on the entry-level Explore model include 17” alloy wheels, keyless entry, push-button start, a 10.1” touch screen, Apple Car Play, Android Auto and electric folding and heated door mirrors… that’s quite a lot of kit for a car of this size which costs just £17,995.
The MG HS is powered exclusively by MG’s latest 162 PS turbocharged petrol which can be mated to a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic gearbox.
So, what do you reckon? Are you warming to the idea of owning a new-generation MG? It looks like the quality is certainly there and the equipment levels are very difficult to disagree with. That 7-year warranty will also help convince a lot of prospective buyers too… If you like what you see, let us know and we can book you a test drive as soon as it becomes available.