Summary
The MG HS is a budget mid-size SUV/crossover, which sits above the smaller ZS in the MG range. Available petrol-powered or as a plug-in hybrid, it was launched in the UK in late 2019, and received a mid-life facelift in 2023.
Although the HS has received better reviews from the UK motoring media than its smaller ZS sibling, the SUV still ranks 64th out of 67 mid-size family SUVs we have analysed to date. It’s main advantage over rivals is its very low price – the HS is a mid-size SUV for the price of a supermini hatchback from most other brands.
The low price is further enhanced by decent equipment levels, and a lengthy seven-year new car warranty is also a plus point. However, its quality and driving experience are considered to be quite a way off the levels seen in most rivals.
Praising the SUV’s pricing, the Carwow team explains that the HS offers “a lot of toys as standard, but poor boot space and a low-quality interior lets it down.” “Its infotainment system is laggy and its engine rather coarse when pushed”, adds What Car?
Overall, reviewers agree that the HS is rather bland to drive and many of its higher priced rivals offer more interior quality, but if you are simply looking for a spacious and affordable SUV capable of ferrying the family from A to B, this MG is certainly worth considering. “It’s big on value and low on fun”, Parker’s Luke Wilkinson concludes, “but it makes good family transport.”
As of February 2024, the MG HS holds an Expert Rating of 62%.
HS highlights
- Excellent value-for-money
- Spacious cabin
- Low running costs
- Generous warranty
HS lowlights
- Slow infotainment
- Coarse petrol engine
- Not all that fun to drive
- Rivals offer more interior quality
Key specifications
Body style: Mid-size SUV/crossover
Engines: petrol, plug-in hybrid
Price: From £23,555 on-road
Launched: Autumn 2019
Last updated: Spring 2023
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Auto Express
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“If you’re after a keenly-priced family SUV with great levels of safety, then the MG HS could well hit the spot.” (Ellis Hyde)
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Model reviewed: 2023 facelift
Score: 7 / 10
“The MG HS SUV has been facelifted for 2023, but it still feels dated compared to its main rivals.”
Read review
Model reviewed: plug-in hybrid
Score: 7 / 10
“MG’s plug-in hybrid is spacious and practical, and comes with a keen list price and the security of one of the longest warranties in the industry. These qualities should outshine a fairly average driving experience to attract not only company car choosers but also private buyers.”
Read review
Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 6 / 10
“The HS delivers passenger space, a seven-year warranty and a purchase price to set it apart from most rivals, while the interior design and quality are a big improvement over previous MGs, too.”
Read review
Auto Trader
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The HS is a big step up in quality from MG, and while it isn’t as accomplished in absolute terms as many of its rivals, it’s capable enough to be very tempting, thanks to high levels of equipment, a stonking warranty and very keen pricing. Opt for an MG HS and you’ll get a lot of car for your money.”
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Autocar
Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid Exclusive
Score: 7 / 10
“The MG HS PHEV doesn’t do anything radically different from the norm. Five seats, electric-only running of just over 30 miles, a ten-inch touchscreen: so far, so 2022. But its price tag, even if it is about £10,000 more than the petrol HS, is a marker of MG’s intent. Its sales totals are only going one way.”
Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“The MG HS’ combination of impressive comfort and practicality, more than respectable performance, refinement and drivability, passable ride and handling and fairly surprising interior richness should amount to quite a lot more than most reasonable customers will expect from it.”
Read review
Model reviewed: 1.5 GDI Exclusive
Score: 6 / 10
“New compact SUV goes big on luxury feel and metal for the money but covers its budget roots out on the road with mixed success.”
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Car
Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol manual Exclusive
Score: 6 / 10
“MG talks about it being a rival to the Skoda Karoq, Mazda CX-5, Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage, but those cars all feel more substantial and drive better than the MG HS. The more relevant comparisons are with the new SsangYong Korando and the Dacia Duster.”
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Car Keys
Model reviewed: Plug-in Hybrid range
Score: 7 / 10
“Though rivals are better to drive, the HS’s impressive, roomy interior and prospect of low running costs means that it’s certainly worth a look if you’re in the market for a hybrid SUV.”
Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The MG HS feels like a big step forward and a move that brings it closer to rivals than ever before. It no longer looks and feels like a ‘cheap’ option, but rather a crossover that deserves to do well against what might be considered as more mainstream rivals.”
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Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The MG HS SUV is an affordable, practical and well-equipped family car, but rivals are better to drive.” (Charlie Harvey)
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Carwow
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 5 / 10
“The MG HS presents itself as a good value-for-money SUV. You get a lot of toys as standard, but poor boot space and a low-quality interior lets it down.”
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Company Car Today
Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol manual Exclusive
“Like a well-made unbranded mobile phone, the MG HS offers a compelling package but also some irritations that will grate on a daily basis.”
Daily Mirror
Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol manual Exclusive
Score: 6 / 10
“Though most people buy new cars using finance deals, they can be uncompetitive on MGs due to the cars’ quite heavy depreciation. So the HS, like other MGs, will appeal most to older cash buyers.”
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Driving Electric
Model reviewed: Plug-in Hybrid range
Score: 7 / 10
“The MG HS Plug-In is a good-value hybrid family SUV, although it lacks the polish of many of its rivals in certain areas.”
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Heycar
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“For the price of an MG HS, you could forgive it a long list of flaws. But that won’t be necessary as, even putting its tremendous value for money to one side, it’s still a very strong alternative to the Skoda Karoq and Peugeot 3008. Its boot isn’t the biggest, the petrol engine is coarse and rivals are better to drive, but there’s a lot going for the MG HS.”
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Honest John
Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol manual
“Proof that you don’t need to splash the cash to get behind the wheel of a spacious and comfortable SUV, the MG HS matches its pricier rivals for comfort and practicality while undercutting them on price.”
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 5.4 / 10
“New range-topper is big on value, low on fun – but makes good family transport”
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The Sun
Model reviewed: Plug-in hybrid
“There’s lots to like about the HS, not least the fact that it is reviving a great British name.”
Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview
“The MG HS is a big, family SUV priced like a Fiesta yet more sparkly than Strictly Come Dancing’s glitterball.”
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The Telegraph
Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol manual Exclusive
Score: 6 / 10
“For a private buyer wanting a new car in this class, the MG HS, with its seven-year warranty, is worth a look but the case isn’t overwhelming.”
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What Car?
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Not only does the MG HS offer excellent value for money, it also has a classy interior and punchy performance if you’re prepared to work the engine for it. Although its infotainment system is laggy and its engine rather coarse when pushed, it’s well worth considering.”
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: December 2019
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 92%
Child protection: 81%
Vulnerable road users: 64%
Safety assist: 76%
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of January 2024, the MG HS has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of January 2024, we don’t have enough reliability data on the MG HS to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively for us using warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the HS, we’ll publish the score here.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
Fuel consumption | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
Petrol models | 37 mpg | D | 37 – 38 mpg | D – D |
Hybrid models | 32 mpg | E | 32 – 156 mpg | A – E |
CO₂ output | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
Petrol models | 171 g/km | C | 168 – 174 g/km | C – C |
Hybrid models | 43 g/km | A | 43 – 32 g/km | A – A |
Plug-in hybrid models | 156 g/km | B | – g/km | A – A |
Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
All models | 17 | A | 16 – 28 | A – B |
Service and maintenance | Cost | Score |
Year 1 | £128 | A |
Year 2 | £497 | A |
Year 3 | £807 | A |
Year 4 | £985 | A |
Year 5 | £1,329 | A |
Overall | £3,746 | A |
Running costs for the MG HS are slightly higher than its smaller ZS SUV sibling, according to numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
Fuel consumption for petrol models is lower than average, and hybrid models are even thirstier. Like the ZS however, the HS offers some of the cheapest five-year service and maintenance costs in its class. Its insurance grouping is very affordable too.
You might find yourself visiting the pumps more regularly on a day-to-day basis then, but this SUV is likely to save you some cash in the long term when compared to more upmarket SUVs.
Security rating
Independent vehicle theft and security ratings from Thatcham Research
Rating: Superior | Good | Basic | Poor | Unacceptable
Relay Attack: Fail
Date: March 2020
Model tested: Excite T-GDI
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the MG HS has received
2022
- Auto Trader New Car Awards – Best Car for City Drivers
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the MG HS, you might also be interested in these alternatives
Citroën C5 Aircross | Ford Kuga | Honda CR-V | Hyundai Tucson | Jeep Compass | Kia Sportage | Mazda CX-5 | Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross | Nissan Qashqai | Peugeot 3008 | Renault Kadjar | SEAT Ateca | Skoda Karoq | SsangYong Korando | Subaru XV | Suzuki S-Cross | Toyota C-HR | Vauxhall Grandland X | Volkswagen Tiguan
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