Updates always make us hope for the best, even when it seems like there is no way out. In our case, the new MG HS crossover has received only minor changes that will remind us of itself. It is still a big question whether this will give it an advantage among competitors.
Content
Revived in 2006 with the help of the Chinese corporation SAIC, MG worked hard to get on the list of worthy representatives and compete with the bigger brands. The compact MG ZS EV, and later the MG Marvel R, MG4 EV — were well received and maintained a level of practicality and affordability, offering much more than the competition.
Fresh gasoline models such as the MG One have much more interesting design combined with a richness of technology and driving appeal to capture the public’s attention. At the same time, one of the largest crossovers in the MS HS lineup remains without electric versions, interesting design solutions and with a commitment to traditional packages, without unnecessary modern driver assistance technologies.
My first acquaintance with MS HS took place in 2021 when the car entered the Ukrainian market. Even then, it had a high-quality assembly, adequate behavior, and quite dynamic engines. In addition to a mono-drive with a 1.5-liter turbo engine, the range included all-wheel drive and a powerful two-liter engine. The car did not have many technical innovations and was simple, comfortable, and moderately attractive. The price of the large crossover had almost no competitors, so it quickly found its audience.
So, while waiting for the restyled version and after the MG One test, one could expect the HS to get at least half of the advantages that the others have. However, the 2023 MG HS has changed little compared to its predecessor: a different grille, modified front and rear bumpers, new LED headlights and taillights, and new 18-inch alloy wheels. In the cabin, there are only minimal changes to the 10.1-inch multimedia screen, which has become more responsive to touch. So there is a slight disappointment.
And the main thing is that the positioning of the crossover in the market has definitely changed because there are many more representatives from China that offer «wow effect» in the form of fancy design and technology. They also have an even lower price. For example, the hero of the previous test drive — Changan CS55 Plus or Jetour Dashing have not only a nice price, but also a list of active safety systems, extravagance in appearance, and drive just as well. Of course, they don’t have the aura of an English brand, but they have enough experience and achievements behind them, albeit in the local market. I’m not talking about the advantages of the Kia Sportage or Peugeot 3008, but the price will be a bit higher.
The MG HS is a mid-size crossover with a length of 4,610 mm, a width of 1,876 mm and a height of 1,685 mm. The wheelbase is 2,722 mm. It is equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine (15E4E) with 162 hp, mated to a 7-speed robotic transmission with two DCT wet clutches. It is offered in three configurations COM, Trophy, Trophy AWD. The maximum version has a two-liter engine with 228 hp, a 6-speed «robot» and all-wheel drive.
The thing is, the MG HS is like an old friend you suddenly met, and you’ve remained like family, as if no years had passed. This Briton is reliable, with clear technical content, and has no complicated settings. Everything here is familiar, from the gearshift lever to the outline of the hood in front of your eyes and the dimensions. So, for the so-called «petrolheads» — those who like «old school» and want to stay in the familiar environment of the gentlemen, the ICE — HS is exactly what you need.
The manufacturer has offered the right chassis configuration for a mid-size crossover with MacPherson struts in the front and a multi-link suspension in the rear. Such balanced settings between stiffness and softness are very useful on the highway, but in the city it turned out to be quite comfortable. HS absorbs bumps well, but you can still feel their existence, on the verge of a distant rumble. The main thing is that it does not disturb passengers in any way.
Rather, it’s the noise from the road and the wind that starts to break into the cabin somewhere after accelerating to 110 km/h. Noise absorption here is not as quiet and refined as in the same Sportage or Nissan Qashqai. But the suspension eats up much more than the French Peugeot 3008 or Renault Koleos.
The downside here is that this suspension configuration does not hold the body well at high speeds when the car is trying to maintain traction on torn asphalt. The stability control system works well here, and the rolls do not become critical, as is the case with the Changan CS55, when you have to steer the car on the move and keep it on course.
The surprisingly pleasant and predictable steering of the MG Hs does have a slight drawback in the fuzzy «zero». The crossover doesn’t inspire the same confidence when maneuvering as a Mazda CX-5 or Nissan Qashqai. Therefore, winding roads are not the best for demonstrating the crossover’s abilities, and if it is also slippery, you can really get scared on a sharp turn with bad tires. This causes a contradictory feeling because at low speeds the steering wheel provides enough information from the road and the car clearly follows the set direction. The crossover is generally easy to drive, even with one hand. The steering wheel is pleasant, of the usual size, and no experiments have been carried out with it, which clearly has a good effect on the steering.
If you like to drive calmly and quietly, you can focus on keeping the accelerator lightly touched with your right foot. And then the crossover will be obedient. At low speeds, the 1.5-liter engine behaves civilized and can provide enough power, but if you go beyond four thousand rpm, you will see that the dynamics drop a little.
The seven-speed robotic gearbox doesn’t inspire confidence. During a smooth ride, it has time to work out, shifts smoothly and without annoying jolts. A completely different behavior is manifested during active driving, when you need to accelerate, it seems to change, it begins to react sluggishly and jump between gears where it is not necessary. And a sharp start can be a test of your nerves, when the accelerator, completely pressed into the floor, does not cause any reaction at all. Before such sharp accelerations, it remains to turn on the sport mode, where there will be a forced gear change.
Even in sports driving mode, during overtaking, the «robot» refused to downshift, obviously worried that the HS would stop. Here, the steering wheel paddles helped, and for those who are used to driving a manual, there is a manual mode for the lever itself.
The gearbox is easy to confuse because it works in tandem with the engine to break the peace and quiet. Here you need to learn to be careful with the throttle to avoid the engine’s noisy screams about what it is up to or how it did not understand you. But still, compared to the Changan CS55, there is much more stable behavior here, and you can get used to the accelerator rapidly.
The DCT has different driving mode settings: Eco, Normal, Sport, which can be changed with a button near the gear lever. The difference between them is not significant, but the sport mode «warms up» the engine for a more exciting drive. You can also use the steering wheel button «Supersport» for quick switching, which looks out of place in a family crossover, like an ashtray on a sports bike. After pressing the red button, the steering wheel becomes stiffer, the accelerator reacts to every foot movement, the gearbox jumps between shifts, and the engine loudly reminds you of its existence. Fuel consumption also jumps up quickly, up to 15 liters at the start and stays around 10 liters while driving.
If in normal mode the car can easily maintain fuel consumption at 8.6 liters, then the economy mode allows it to drop to 7.2 liters, but this is at best.
The reality is that our basic turbocharged gasoline engine that powers this 1.5-ton SUV won’t deliver the best fuel economy numbers, especially compared to competitors that often offer hybrid powertrains or cylinder deactivation technology that saves fuel. There is only AutoHold, which puts the car in «handbrake» when stopped, and also works as an anti-roll bar on slopes, which is felt when starting to drive.
The MG HS is designed to tow a trailer with a weight of 1750 kg, so you can easily take a lot of things on a family trip. And in addition, bicycles.
The Chinese have long since gotten rid of the association with a lack of security. All the coolest features in cars, even those of famous brands, are made in China. So it comes as a surprise when almost all MG models are equipped with cool 360-degree cameras that work perfectly even in the dark or in bad weather, and the mid-size crossover has no cameras even after restyling. Only the rear camera and parking sensors come to the rescue when parking.
In 2019, the MG HS passed a series of EuroNCAP crash tests and received the maximum five-star rating. An impressive 92% rating for adult passengers, 81% — for child protection and 76% — in the safety assistance category.
The absence of new active safety systems is most likely only a temporary loss because in the UK, all versions have a full set of assistants as standard, and there is also a plug-in hybrid engine. Perhaps we are being offered just such brief and selective versions that will not push the price to the sky, so that no one will pay attention to the crossover at all.
The main thing is that the base already has all the necessary passive safety equipment (ESP, ABS, EBD, CBC, TCS, VDC, HAZ, BDW, ARP, AUTO HOLD, TPMS, immobilizer, alarm, 4 airbags), including the Hill Descent Control (HHC) and Hill Descent Control (HDC). This system allows the box to stay in one gear, which is sometimes very useful. Especially since the ground clearance and overhangs allow the crossover to drive on light off-road terrain. Although with automatic all-wheel drive (AWD) it will be a little calmer.
It is important to note that the blind spot monitoring system will be available from the second package, and it works differently than in other cars. It will be illuminated by a separate light in the cabin, instead of the indicator on the mirrors.
There are no active assistants in the MG HS in any configuration. It’s nice that at least the cruise control and emergency braking system remain. I’d like to point out that the crossover doesn’t keep a lane or distance to the car in front of it, so you don’t have to relax — attention and control are entirely the responsibility of the driver.
The MG has full LED lighting and an automatic light control system, so once you turn it on, you don’t even remember. The new ice strips instead of fog lights look stylish, but do not improve the overall impression of the crossover’s slightly outdated design.
Conservatives will also be pleased with the organization of space in the cabin. I have almost no complaints about the quality of materials: soft upholstery almost everywhere, a classic combination of leather, matte silver inserts, glossy black and rough plastic. Smooth stitching, smooth lines, comfortable air duct deflectors with soft adjustment, you can easily direct the air in any direction.
Despite the dark colors of the interior, there is plenty of light. The wide glass area guarantees good visibility, while the panoramic glass with sliding front hatch allows for even more visual expansion. A separate button opens and closes the curtain, which almost completely isolates the cabin from the sun if necessary. It’s good that the controls for the sunroof and sunroof are not combined, which is quite common, which is convenient when you’re traveling and don’t have the ability to monitor when to stop the sunroof.
Our test car is equipped with a bright red Trophy color scheme and a black and red interior. It looks really rich and luxurious. The basic configuration offers a brown or black interior.
Of course, compared to its competitors, the HS doesn’t have the wow effect of the Kia Sportage interior, nor does it have the same functionality as the Skoda Karoq. This classic also stands out against the Chinese Changan CS55 and even the Jetour Dashing, which are closer to the modern style. But it’s always nice when there is a duplication of physical keys for accessing the main data, which are usually controlled by the central monitor, which is still 10.1-inch. So you can adjust the air temperature without going into the menu, easily switch to the main settings or to the main screen.
The display resolution can be called just normal. After the restyling, they say that they improved the touch control on the screen, but it still lags when switching quickly, so you have to press several times. It’s nice that the screen is still not very glossy and closer to matte, which does not shine so much. The same matte digital screen is used for the dashboard, the style of which will change depending on the driving mode. There are plenty of settings here, too: a trip computer, tire pressure, starting battery status, digital speedometer and tachometer.
The infuriating function of the entertainment system remained, so listening to music through a Bluetooth-connected phone, you risk getting back in the car and being startled by the radio. The radio cannot be turned off forcibly — only by turning the volume to zero.
There’s no built-in navigation, but smartphone connectivity via cable to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is available even in the initial configuration. And there are no complaints about the operation of this function. The infotainment system has a simple menu that is easy to understand, but the settings for the dual-zone climate control on the touchscreen are not very convenient, and the seat heating is turned on only here. At least there’s a separate button to access it. There are enough USB ports: two in front and two in the back, so all passengers can easily charge their gadgets on the road.
One of the main advantages, in addition to the price for such a large crossover, is that in the MG HS you also get plenty of space in the cabin. For those sitting in the front, this means it’s easy to get into a comfortable driving position, which is height- and reach-adjustable. The seats are electronically adjustable in six directions, and there is even a separate lever for adjusting the lumbar support. Special thanks to the manufacturer for this. In general, sports bucket chairs have a normal length cushion under your feet and support envelops you from all sides. It seems to me that a person with an above-average body weight will be strongly pressed by the side support in the legs. But then again, the headrests won’t be adjustable either. It’s hard to say whether this is good or bad because I was quite comfortable.
The first COM trim level will not include a 12.3-inch virtual instrument cluster, electric trunk release, electric front passenger seat adjustments, rain sensor, soft colored interior lighting, dual-zone climate control and an air purifier.
The legroom in the back is more than generous in HS. A person of average height has enough space to sit behind another person of the same height. If necessary, three adults can sit in the back seat with sufficient comfort. There is also an armrest with built-in cupholders and a separate small glove compartment. In general, the capacity is good for a family car: large pockets in the door cards, free space in the armrest with an outlet for cooling, a spacious glove compartment with cooling, and pockets behind the front seats.
Passengers were given more space compared to what was left for the luggage compartment. Not very impressive 463 liters (1287 liters with the backrests folded down) and this is one of the smallest figures among competitors. For example, the Nissan Qashqai has 503 liters, and the Skoda Karoq — 521 to 588 liters depending on the seat position, but the Citroen C5 Aircross will offer 580 to 720 liters of space.
As we know, in Ukraine, the MG HS is priced from 955,640 UAH ($24,172) for the initial COM configuration. Our Trophy test car will already ask you to pay UAH 1,122,840 ($28,400), and the maximum version with all-wheel drive and a more powerful Trophy AWD engine will cost UAH 1,226,320 ($31,000). This is quite a nice price for a solid mid-size crossover. The JAC JS6 (950,000 UAH) and Chery Tiggo 7 Pro (921,690 UAH) will be cheaper.
Although in terms of reliability, build quality, and handling, the MG is still closer to the Renault Koleos (UAH 1,167,300) with a 2.5-liter gasoline engine and CVT, as well as the Nissan Qashqai, which is currently offered only in hybrid versions (from UAH 1,253,620). We mentioned the Citroen C5 Aircross as a competitor, but it has only a diesel engine with a price tag of UAH 1,204,800. Closer to the MG HS will be only the Skoda Karoq with a 1.4-liter 1.4 TSI gasoline engine for UAH 1,195,792. Here our hero clearly loses against the background of brand reputation, confidence in the manufacturer and positioning, and even more so in technology.
Personally, I am very impressed with this crossover, and not only because of its red color and interior combination. It is simple, like a good friend. Somewhere in the distance, it reminded me of Infiniti, not in terms of drive, of course, but in terms of its stubborn resistance to design changes and innovation, as well as its quiet comfort.
And now, choosing this crossover as a permanent means of transportation is more like choosing IKEA furniture instead of custom-made. It’s stylish, beautiful, comfortable, but if you look closely and press a little, you’ll see exactly where the savings were made.
I think that this crossover will be a godsend for conservatives, but I would expect more in terms of technology.
PROS: Attractive price, comfortable suspension, interior looks good, spacious interior.
CONS: Poor fuel economy, unreasonable gearbox, lack of active assistants, media settings.
| Body, type | SUV |
| Dimensions (LxWxH), mm | 4 610/1 876/1 685 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2 722 |
| Declared ground clearance, mm | 145 |
| Trunk volume, liters. | 55/466/2179 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1625 |
| Engine | SGE 1.5T |
| Power, hp (kW) | 162 (119) |
| Torque, Nm | 250 |
| Type of drive | front |
| Pendant | Macpherson/multi-lever |
| Transmission | 7DCT |
| Dynamics 0-100, s | 9,9 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 190 |
| Fuel consumption, l (mixed) | 7,7 |
| Cost, UAH | 955 640 |
| The cost of the test car, UAH | 1 122 840 |
| Competitors | Chery Tiggo 7 Pro (921 690 UAH) |
| Haval Jolion (UAH 997,000) | |
| JAC JS6 (UAH 950,000) | |
| Jetour Dashing (UAH 995 000) | |
| Skoda Karoq (1 195 792 UAH) |
