MG HS 2023 (2023 - )

The old MG GS was so bad that, when MG launched its replacement, it renamed it entirely to have a clean break from its predecessor.

Since then, MG has been staging quite the comeback with several cost-effective cars that exceed expectations.

Arguably, the best is the all-electric MG4 EV, which ticks a surprising number of boxes despite having a price tag that would suggest otherwise.

The replacement for the GS is the HS – a combustion-engined mid-size SUV.

It predates the impressive MG4 EV, but it's had a recent facelift, which has brought many improvements.

Among the upgrades are some new tech and a revised front which features a droopier grille, possibly inspired by the bottom-heavy shape of today's more rounded Mercedes grilles.

It looks more aggressive, with clawed air intakes on either side, which house the day-running lights, plus a lower grille, with some sporty-looking bodywork dividing it all up.

Rather than burdening you with too much choice, there's a relatively straightforward choice regarding trims and powertrains.

Entry-level SE comes with 18-inch diamond cut alloys, LED lights, a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, four speakers, DAB radio, SatNav, synthetic leather upholstery, lumbar adjustment, keyless entry/start, a digital information display and leather steering wheel, plus air conditioning.

The Trophy trim, on the other hand, gets six speakers, genuine leather upholstery, sports seats, dual-zone air conditioning, plus driver and front passenger electrically adjustable heated seats.

There's a choice of a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed DCT automatic. If you opt for the automatic on the Trophy edition, you'll also get paddle shifters, metal sports pedals, various selectable driving modes and a powered tailgate.

The entry-level engine, the 1.5T-GDI, is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit producing 162PS.

Alternatively, there’s a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version which blends the same engine with an electric motor for a combined 258PS – and choosing the PHEV also means you’ll get some of the Trophy version’s kit on the entry-level SE trim.

The PHEV comes with a 10-speed (yes, ten) automatic gearbox.

Every model of the HS is well-equipped, then – even more so if you choose the PHEV.

But is that enough to compete with the likes of the Mazda CX-5 and the Ford Kuga?

That’s what we’re aiming to find out.

The MG HS is a good-looking car, inside and out.

The front end, which we mentioned earlier, looks like it means business, while the sides have a sizeable indentation in the doors, which allows plenty of room for meaty side steps and skirts.

There’s a modest roof spoiler above the back window, while the rear bodywork extends outwards towards the bottom, with a sizeable silver-tipped tailpipe sitting on each side.

The interior impresses immediately, with a bold, sporty, flat-bottomed steering wheel with a brushed aluminium lower spoke, a very nicely shaped centre console and more silver trim around the air vents and instrument hood.

The brushed aluminium effect dominates the area around the gear lever, along with some reflective piano black in places.

The infotainment screen pokes out above the central air vents like a tablet.

Unfortunately, the system is a bit of a letdown, as it feels disappointingly slow and clunky despite being reasonably easy to use.

That’s made even more frustrating as the controls to adjust the air conditioning are buried into the screen, making it fiddly to operate on the move – and there’s no voice control or rotary controller to ease the burden.

Nevertheless, it isn’t enough to spoil the interior design, which is full of plush, soft-to-the-touch materials.

It’s not far off the best in class, arguably looking better than the Mazda CX-5, while perhaps not quite matching it for overall build quality.

The entry-level 1.5-litre engine seems decent but, given it also has the benefit of a turbocharger, it feels a little sluggish.

Nevertheless, with a 0-60mph time of 9.6 seconds and a top speed of 118mph, it's roughly on par with its key competitors.

It still makes the PHEV version tempting, though, as the hybrid has almost 100PS extra, bringing the 0-60mph time down to 6.9 seconds.

If you’re a performance-seeker, you’ll likely be frustrated with the petrol-only version, which needs to be worked hard to make quick progress, while the experience feels effortless by comparison in the PHEV.

The petrol’s seven-speed automatic gearbox is also a tad fidgety, so we’d go for the manual, although the ten-speed automatic in the plug-in hybrid is superior.

The PHEV feels more manageable to live with, especially as you can opt for all-electric driving when doing slower speeds, making it perfect for the rush hour when rapidity is all but impossible.

Unfortunately, while the PHEV has undoubtedly superior performance in a straight line, it's a case of reversed roles regarding cornering and ride comfort.

Both versions have an excellent weight to the steering around bends at speed, but the PHEV's extra heft means there's far more body lean and more understeer when entering a corner.

Likewise, while both versions are comfortable, the petrol is noticeably softer, with the PHEV being less forgiving when going over potholes and creases in the road surface.

All this is due to the plug-in hybrid batteries' extra weight.

The Ford Kuga has generally been the class leader for handling prowess, and while the HS petrol version is competitive, the PHEV version is inferior to the Kuga hybrid.

If you're very tall, headroom is at a premium in the HS, as the seating position is very high, and the front seats don't go as low as you'd expect.

Legroom is fine, though; generally, there's plenty of space, so you don't feel hemmed in.

Headroom isn't so much of an issue in the back, but longer journeys might feel tiresome for taller people thanks to the higher-than-usual floor, which positions your legs such that under-thigh support is lacking.

You can mitigate this problem by reclining the rear seats.

Like in the front, though, there's a charitable amount of legroom and generally, the amount of space on offer is impressive and is at least a match for most of the MG’s adversaries.

Unfortunately, there is a catch – namely that the boot space is sacrificed to make the cabin larger.

A 463-litre boot (448-litres in the PHEV) is slightly smaller than most of its rivals but significantly smaller than the Skoda Kodiaq’s.

The available cargo capacity expands to 1,454 litres (1,375 litres in the PHEV), with the rear seats folded in a 60/40 split. In contrast, some rivals offer the more versatile 40/20/40 configuration.

The cabin has several storage spaces, including cupholders, a small cubby in front of the gear lever and several USB ports.

The petrol version of the MG HS will return 37.9mpg with the manual gearbox and 36.6mpg with the automatic, emitting 168 and 174g/km of CO2 respectively.

The PHEV, on the other hand, manages 155mpg, emitting 43g/km of CO2, as well as claiming an all-electric range of up to 32 miles, while charging takes around three hours for a 0-100% top-up using a 7kW home wallbox.

As a company car, you’d be foolish to choose anything other than the PHEV, as the savings in Benefit In Kind tax make the petrol version unviable by comparison.

As an outright buy, though, the PHEV pushes the price up considerably, taking it into the territory of arguably superior rivals.

The HS has competitive predicted depreciation, meaning you should be able to find some decent finance deals.

MG also has a good reputation for reliability, backed up by a whopping seven-year, 80,000-mile warranty (unlimited mileage for the first year).

Overall, the MG HS is a commendable car that continues MG’s burgeoning reputation as a manufacturer that punches above its weight, offering vehicles at a knock-down rate without cutting corners.

Admittedly, the infotainment system is a letdown, while the PHEV’s inferior handling compared with the petrol version is a shame, given the PHEV’s powertrain performance is better.

In addition, the PHEV’s price is around a third more expensive than the petrol version, meaning the hybrid is at a price point where better all-round rivals come into play.

If boot space is vital to your needs, you're best off checking out the competition.

However, the looks are respectable on the outside. At the same time, the interior is very impressive – and you'll struggle to find such an extensive equipment list without spending significantly more money, especially considering the plethora of safety tech.

The MG HS is a very good car – but one that makes more sense if you opt for the cheaper models in the range.