New MG HS review: New Chinese SUV set to impress
Chinese cars have come on leaps and bounds in the past few years and their sales are rising accordingly. And the newest addition to Australian showrooms might be the best Chinese-built car yet.
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There’s a good chance your iPhone or Samsung was assembled in China. Sales affirm we don’t give a damn about the country of origin when it comes to consumer goods — the criteria for buying are good quality and low cost.
By the same logic, the key fob for MG’s HS mid-size SUV ought to slide into more than a few pockets. This is a good-looking, good-driving soft-roader that is loaded to the windows with safety and connectivity tech.
MG marketing and product development director Danny Lenartic says attention to detail helps elevate the new SUV.
He says the brand is relying on “the one-percenters” — the details that build incrementally to produce the perception of quality.
“We’re not going after the segment leaders (Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5),” he says, “but on a price and equipment level we’re confident the HS lines up very well against the likes of a Nissan X-Trail or Kia Sportage.”
The entry-level Vibe is $30,990 and the Excite adds $3000. Each is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo (119kW/250Nm) matched to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Standard kit includes a class-leading 10.1-inch touchscreen with smartphone mirroring (but no digital radio), leather-look upholstery, soft-touch plastics in line of sight, adjustable ambient lighting on the dash, keyless entry and start and a pair of USB ports front and rear.
Dubbed “MG Pilot”, the safety suite includes autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-start, blind-spot and lane-keep assist, speed sign detection and rear cross-traffic alert.
The Excite adds satnav, dual-zone aircon, power tailgate, satnav, 18-inch alloy wheels and dynamic indicators and the transmission gets a sports driving mode and paddle-shifters.
Space for rear passengers is better than in many rivals and the boot is about the class average at 463L.
Expect to see a range-topper with a sunroof and even more bling in the coming months. MG also has the option of bringing in all-wheel drive variants down the track, a prospect Lenartic says is “under evaluation”.
On the road
Cover up the MG badge on the steering wheel and most drivers will think they’re in a vehicle built in Japan or South Korea — the interior ambience is virtually identical.
It’s a similar story once the HS is under way. Overcome the lag on take-off and the MG is a compliant and willing companion for urban driving.
The view is good from all seats and the light steering makes it ideal for carpark pirouettes.
The few buttons on the dash are essentially quick keys into the various infotainment menus and are backlit for easy viewing, though they then become almost impossible to see if the automatic headlamps kick in during daylight hours.
Storage space is reasonable but owners of the larger smartphones will need to sit them in the centre bin as the front slot will struggle to hold them.
Head beyond the city lights and the 1.5-litre turbo has more than enough power to overtake safely and tackle decent inclines. There’s some occasional confusion from the transmission — it can hold onto a gear for too long before shuffling through to the next ratio.
Larger potholes at a higher pace also show the MG could benefit from local suspension tuning. The initial compliance becomes a touch terse as it absorbs the larger hits.
It is no deal-breaker and the care that MG staff took to record that observation is evidence of their desire to improve.
Verdict 3.5/5
Proponents of the try-before-you-buy adage would do well to try the HS. The standard safety gear will reassure family owners and the mid-size MG can hold its own on price and performance.
MG HS Vibe vitals
Price: $30,990 drive-away
Warranty/servicing: 7 years/unlimited km, 12 months/10,000km
Safety: 5 stars, 6 airbags, AEB, blind spot and lane keep assist, rear cross traffic alert
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbo, 119kW/250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto; FWD
Thirst: 7.3L/100km
Cargo: 463L
Spare: Full-size
Originally published as New MG HS review: New Chinese SUV set to impress
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