MG HS 1.5 Standard (A) Review

30 Jun 2020|32,443 views
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The MG HS ticks all the right boxes with its comfortable drive and well-appointed interior, making it one SUV worthy of serious consideration.
What We Dislike
Transmission can be clunky at very low speeds

MG - a name once synonymous with British sports cars - is now a volume car manufacturer, with a focus on SUVs. A big surprise? No, not really. Every other manufacturer is doing the same.

The biggest talk is that MG technically isn't British anymore. Backed by SAIC Motor Corporation Limited, MGs are now tooled in China.

MG and Rover cars have had a tumultuous past, and we don't have to highlight the generic assumptions that follow a Chinese manufacturer, either. For the MG HS is one impressive SUV that's worthy of some serious attention.

Hand Some

The HS is a pretty bold-looking SUV, with its sharp snout exuding feelings of sportiness
For a start, the HS is quite a looker with its sensuous and sharp lines. It might just look like it borrowed some cues from Mazda's KODO design language - hardly a bad thing.

To put the similarities into perspective, the MG HS sits just 24mm longer and 36mm wider than its closest competitor from Mazda, the CX-5 SUV.

At 4,574mm long, 1,876mm wide and 1,664mm tall, the HS isn't your run-of-the-mill, petite SUV. Its fairly large footprint along with good styling offer added presence on the road.

A cossetting space

High-quality cabin materials puts the HS on par with premium SUVs way above its price
The good looks continue on the inside. Beautifully appointed, you can expect this level of cabin materials in a car way above the starting price of the HS.

A large and cossetting space, its intricate collection of soft-touch plastics, suede, leather and polished metal inserts certainly look and feel expensive.

Ambient lighting along with a large panoramic roof further adds to the lush experience.

The freestanding 10.1-inch infotainment display visually compliments the dashboard. While not as user-friendly or fluid to use like its competitors, it is easily forgivable as it offers Apple CarPlay integration.

There's more than enough legroom and headroom for lanky adults in the rear, too
Elsewhere in the cabin, the HS proves to be reasonably practical. With the front seat adjusted for this near 1.8m tall writer's comfort, there's still offer plenty of legroom and headroom in the rear.

That said, the middle seat's firm backing means its best suited for two in the rear for long trips.

Adding on the practicality front is the MG's 463-litre boot, which is slightly bigger than its closest Oriental competitors like the Mazda CX-5 (442 litres) and the Toyota Harrier (456 litres).

Comfortable cruiser

The HS is a composed and comfortable cruiser, perfect for the daily routine
Get on the road and the first thing that gets you is how quiet and refined the HS is. Noise, vibration and harshness levels are well kept at bay, even through bad road undulations.

Thanks to the MG's comfort-based setup, it offers a surprisingly pliant and gentle ride that's perfect for the daily drive.

A very welcoming thing, we reckon, especially after testing the likes of the Mazda CX-5 and Seat Ateca, which sport stiffer damping setups.

The 1.5-litre turbocharged engine puts out a respectable 160bhp and 250Nm of torque
On the move, there's a decent amount of forward punch. With a healthy 160bhp and 250Nm of torque from the 1.5-litre turbocharged lump, power is sent to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

This allows for the HS to be pretty brisk at highway speeds, with overtaking manoeuvres executed in a breeze.

Hitting the cheeky 'Super Sport' button on the steering wheel allows for the transmission to hold higher revs, making that overtake just a tad more spirited.

The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission can get a little clumsy at very low speeds
But occasionally, the transmission can get a little hesitant.

Try to be too spirited when moving off and the car hesitates, as the transmission seems to dump the clutch to allow power to be sent to the wheels.

That said, the HS is more of a cruiser than a bruiser. And its composed and relaxed driving qualities are worthy of high praise.

The MG is the SUV to beat?

The MG HS is perhaps one of the most complete SUVs available for under $100,000
The MG HS is the newest contender to a crowded segment here. Despite its Anglo-Chinese backing and a short history of making SUVs, it still manages to deliver high levels of quality and abilities that not many can offer.

And its strongest suit? Price. At $99,888 (as of 26 June 2020), the MG HS is at least $9,000 less than its established segment peers, such as the Mazda CX-5 ($108,999), Seat Ateca ($112,999) and the Citroen C5 Aircross ($115,999).

The MG HS is living proof that quality doesn't have to come with a price or a highly-acclaimed badge.

Need a better look at that plush cabin, or a second look at the space available at the rear of the MG HS? Watch our video review here!



What We Dislike
Transmission can be clunky at very low speeds

MG - a name once synonymous with British sports cars - is now a volume car manufacturer, with a focus on SUVs. A big surprise? No, not really. Every other manufacturer is doing the same.

The biggest talk is that MG technically isn't British anymore. Backed by SAIC Motor Corporation Limited, MGs are now tooled in China.

MG and Rover cars have had a tumultuous past, and we don't have to highlight the generic assumptions that follow a Chinese manufacturer, either. For the MG HS is one impressive SUV that's worthy of some serious attention.

Hand Some

The HS is a pretty bold-looking SUV, with its sharp snout exuding feelings of sportiness
For a start, the HS is quite a looker with its sensuous and sharp lines. It might just look like it borrowed some cues from Mazda's KODO design language - hardly a bad thing.

To put the similarities into perspective, the MG HS sits just 24mm longer and 36mm wider than its closest competitor from Mazda, the CX-5 SUV.

At 4,574mm long, 1,876mm wide and 1,664mm tall, the HS isn't your run-of-the-mill, petite SUV. Its fairly large footprint along with good styling offer added presence on the road.

A cossetting space

High-quality cabin materials puts the HS on par with premium SUVs way above its price
The good looks continue on the inside. Beautifully appointed, you can expect this level of cabin materials in a car way above the starting price of the HS.

A large and cossetting space, its intricate collection of soft-touch plastics, suede, leather and polished metal inserts certainly look and feel expensive.

Ambient lighting along with a large panoramic roof further adds to the lush experience.

The freestanding 10.1-inch infotainment display visually compliments the dashboard. While not as user-friendly or fluid to use like its competitors, it is easily forgivable as it offers Apple CarPlay integration.

There's more than enough legroom and headroom for lanky adults in the rear, too
Elsewhere in the cabin, the HS proves to be reasonably practical. With the front seat adjusted for this near 1.8m tall writer's comfort, there's still offer plenty of legroom and headroom in the rear.

That said, the middle seat's firm backing means its best suited for two in the rear for long trips.

Adding on the practicality front is the MG's 463-litre boot, which is slightly bigger than its closest Oriental competitors like the Mazda CX-5 (442 litres) and the Toyota Harrier (456 litres).

Comfortable cruiser

The HS is a composed and comfortable cruiser, perfect for the daily routine
Get on the road and the first thing that gets you is how quiet and refined the HS is. Noise, vibration and harshness levels are well kept at bay, even through bad road undulations.

Thanks to the MG's comfort-based setup, it offers a surprisingly pliant and gentle ride that's perfect for the daily drive.

A very welcoming thing, we reckon, especially after testing the likes of the Mazda CX-5 and Seat Ateca, which sport stiffer damping setups.

The 1.5-litre turbocharged engine puts out a respectable 160bhp and 250Nm of torque
On the move, there's a decent amount of forward punch. With a healthy 160bhp and 250Nm of torque from the 1.5-litre turbocharged lump, power is sent to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

This allows for the HS to be pretty brisk at highway speeds, with overtaking manoeuvres executed in a breeze.

Hitting the cheeky 'Super Sport' button on the steering wheel allows for the transmission to hold higher revs, making that overtake just a tad more spirited.

The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission can get a little clumsy at very low speeds
But occasionally, the transmission can get a little hesitant.

Try to be too spirited when moving off and the car hesitates, as the transmission seems to dump the clutch to allow power to be sent to the wheels.

That said, the HS is more of a cruiser than a bruiser. And its composed and relaxed driving qualities are worthy of high praise.

The MG is the SUV to beat?

The MG HS is perhaps one of the most complete SUVs available for under $100,000
The MG HS is the newest contender to a crowded segment here. Despite its Anglo-Chinese backing and a short history of making SUVs, it still manages to deliver high levels of quality and abilities that not many can offer.

And its strongest suit? Price. At $99,888 (as of 26 June 2020), the MG HS is at least $9,000 less than its established segment peers, such as the Mazda CX-5 ($108,999), Seat Ateca ($112,999) and the Citroen C5 Aircross ($115,999).

The MG HS is living proof that quality doesn't have to come with a price or a highly-acclaimed badge.

Need a better look at that plush cabin, or a second look at the space available at the rear of the MG HS? Watch our video review here!



author
Written by Idris Talib 
While the world goes car-lite, Idris believes we should celebrate cars before they go extinct.
Photos by Low Fai Ming
 

Car Information

MG HS 1.5 Turbo (A)

4/5

CAT B|Petrol|14.7km/L

Horsepower

119kW (160 bhp)

Torque

250 Nm

Acceleration

-

This model is no longer being sold by local distributor
All Used MG HS
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car review mg hs mg motor mg rover rover mg hs mg hs suv hs suv mg suv mg rover hs mg motor hs mg rover hs suv mg suv eurokars eurokars ev eurokars mg mg eurokars

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