Used MG HS 2019-present review

Large SUVs are desirable products and, as such, can often bleed your wallet dry. Not the MG HS. It's honed the art of offering buyers as much value for money as possible – especially in used form.

That sounds intriguing, but it must be a red flag for quality issues, right? Well, not quite, because this is a surprisingly plush, polished and well-rounded car, despite its extremely reasonable prices.

The MG HS's two engine options starts with a 162bhp 1.5-litre petrol unit, badged 1.5 T-GDi. When worked hard, it can deliver keen acceleration – 0-60mph took 9.0sec on our damp test track. All models with this engine get a six-speed manual gearbox as standard from new, though examples with an optional seven-speed automatic are available.

The other choice is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) 1.5-litre petrol variant that gets a 10-speed automatic gearbox and a total power output of 258bhp. It’ll take you from 0-60mph in 6.9sec, plus it feels a lot sprightlier than its non-PHEV counterpart in town and on motorways. It can run on electric power alone for up to 32 miles (WLTP range).

There are two trim levels to choose from for the HS. The first is named Excite and gets leather seats, adaptive cruise control with steering assist (auto only), keyless entry and start, automatic headlights and wipers, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, power-folding door mirrors, alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, a six-way-adjustable electric driver's seat and dual-zone climate control.

The infotainment system includes a 10.1in touchscreen, a DAB radio, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and sat-nav. As you can see, the HS comes very well equipped straight off the bat.

However, if you do crave more, there’s Exclusive. On top of the Excite's long list of features, it gets diamond-cut alloy wheels, LED headlights, heated and electrically adjustable sports front seats, two-tone leather upholstery, ambient lighting, a panoramic roof and an electric tailgate.

The non-PHEV HS’s suspension strikes a good balance between ride comfort and handling prowess. The ride isn’t quite pillow-soft, but it takes the sting out of most potholes. It deals pretty well with undulating road surfaces too, with only a small amount of float occasionally.

It has less body lean and better-weighted steering than some roly-poly rivals, such as the Citroën C5 Aircross – although we should mention that that car is more comfortable. The HS’s brake pedal is easy to modulate, whether in start-stop traffic or pulling up from higher speeds.

The PHEV is a different animal. While the ride is still mostly smooth over gentler bumps and is settled at motorway speeds, there's a fair thump when you hit something sharper or more substantial. The extra weight of the battery affects the handling, with significantly more body lean and less grip.

Usually if a car’s been made to fit a modest budget, its interior will show it, but the HS’s interior doesn’t appear cheap at all. Overall, it’s almost on par with pricier rivals including the Mazda CX-5 and Peugeot 5008.

The steering wheel is wrapped in tactile perforated leather, the switches work with pleasing precision and there are huge swathes of soft-touch plastic and faux leather on the dashboard and doors.

The infotainment touchscreen isn’t too tricky to navigate and even has a couple of physical shortcut buttons, but it’s not all good news. We found it frustratingly laggy, with a long delay between pressing an icon and anything actually happening.

Passenger space up front is plentiful, with only the tallest of the tall lacking room to spare. Rear space is good, although because of the high floor some passengers will find their legs forced up towards their chests. Head room is passable when the space-swallowing panoramic roof is fitted.

The HS’s boot is arguably rather small compared with the other cars we've talked about. We could fit in only six carry-on cases, whereas a Mazda CX-5 will swallow eight. Indeed, even the smaller Skoda Karoq has more room for cargo than the MG HS.

If you're interested in finding a used MG HS or any of the other large SUVs mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

As of writing, around £16,000 to £18,000 will get you into a 2019 or 2020 HS with low to average mileage. Cars in this price range will be in Excite trim and have the non-PHEV engine. Nearly-new 2021 models in Exclusive trim go for around £22,000.

For a PHEV, expect to spend around £26,000 at least for a 2020 or 2021 Excite car with minimal mileage.

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MPG

The 1.5 T-GDi has an average fuel consumption of 37.9mpg, which isn't particularly terrific nor terrible. The PHEV promises 155.8mpg, although you'll be hard-pressed to replicate that figure in real-world conditions.

Road tax

As with all petrol (and diesel) cars registered after April 2017, the 1.5 T-GDI will attract a flat-rate fee of £155 a year in road tax. The PHEV, on the other hand, will cost owners £145 per year. To find out more about current road tax costs, click here.

Insurance and servicing

Insurance groups are generally quite low for the HS, although PHEV models push it towards average. Servicing won't be too expensive and all new MGs get a seven-year warranty from new, which is transferrable to future owners.

Despite the added performance and fuel economy of the PHEV, the price hike over the 1.5 T-GDi is too large for us to recommend it at the moment. Most will find the non-PHEV quick and economical enough, so we think it's best to save the cash.

In terms of trim levels, Excite is already very well equipped, meaning we find little desire to upgrade to Exclusive.

Our favourite MG HS: 1.5 T-GDi Excite

Almost all the HS's competitors will demand higher prices. For similar money as an entry-level 2020 MG HS, you could pick up a top-spec 2021 Dacia Duster but the trade-off is you're getting a smaller car (the Duster is in the family SUV class).

If you have your heart set on a large SUV and have some extra money to spend, the Ford Kuga is an excellent choice. It's spacious, well priced and we particularly like the PHEV version.

If you're interested in finding a used MG HS or any of the other large SUVs mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

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