MG HS SUV review

The MG HS is the largest MG model the brand has ever made, and is one of two of its SUV offerings, sitting above the MG ZS SUV and MG 5 estate EV in the lineup. It does offer good value, rivalling competitors like the Nissan Qashqai, Ford Kuga, Skoda Karoq and Peugeot 3008.

The MG HS doesn’t offer anything particularly groundbreaking in terms of styling, but it is a fairly smart design, and its low beltline does mean it offers good visibility and a spacious feeling to the interior. The rear of the HS does kick up slightly, which adds a touch of sportiness with wide rear lights, dual exhausts and a silver skid-plate style rear bumper.

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In the larger SUV class, buyers expect more upmarket features, and the interior of the HS mostly delivers in this aspect. It’s the best interior of any more recent MG model, with loads of soft-touch materials and metallic trim, with leather-look upholstery on both its trim levels. You can choose your MG HS in either Excite or Exclusive trim, with both offering a 10.1-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The HS is priced very competitively, with MG expecting buyers to go for the more expensive Exclusive trim as a result – this version brings luxuries like a panoramic sunroof, rear-view camera and LED headlights.

Space is certainly plentiful, as the HS is relatively large compared with rivals, and the car offers plenty of room for passengers. Legroom and headroom are good, and there's comfortably room for three people in the back and a 463-litre boot behind the seats. A towing capacity of 1,750kg should also endear the HS to caravanners.

Driven at a relaxed pace, the HS performs adequately, but its 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine is less convincing if you push it, when it feels coarse and less powerful than its 160bhp power output would suggest. The HS is a bit thirstier than its rivals, too. It's a similar story with its handling, which has an initial stiffness that hints at positive responses but eventually gives way to some vagueness and a bouncy ride.

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Alternatively, there’s a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the HS. With much more power (255bhp), it’s much quicker. The mediocre handling isn’t much better, but the HS PHEV will manage around 30 miles of fully electric driving. It looks expensive compared to the petrol one, but it’s considerably cheaper than other similarly sized plug-in SUVs.

Some SUV owners will be more impressed by the MG's seven-year warranty and won't be too concerned about its handling. It's also covered for up to 80,000 miles (whichever comes first) and, thanks to safety kit like standard autonomous emergency braking, it was awarded a five-star safety score by Euro NCAP.