Used MG HS 2024-present review

Under British ownership, MG was a struggling brand in the UK, but since its Chinese buyout, cars like the MG HS have helped it go from strength to strength.

Indeed, this family SUV is very popular, and it’s regularly seen in the UK’s top 10 best-selling new cars list, battling against the Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage. Handily, this means there are loads of HSs available on the used market, with prices looking particularly tempting for this second-generation car.

Engines and performance: The HS has three engine options. The base is a 168bhp 1.5-litre petrol, which isn't especially quick, but it pulls well once you’re up to speed. The automatic version can do 0-62mph in 9.6sec, while the manual gearbox version can do 9.4sec. While the manual gearchange isn’t as slick as the equivalent in a Kia Sportage, it is more precise than the one in the Citroën C5 Aircross. Meanwhile, the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic changes through the gears quickly enough, but it’s hesitant if you ask for a sudden burst of speed.

The full-hybrid HS, badged the Hybrid+, is quicker. Introduced in May 2025, it has an electric motor that helps improve responsiveness. It's also faster than the petrol, managing 0-62mph in 7.9sec, but the power delivery and automatic gearbox aren’t as smooth as the Sportage hybrid.

The HS Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) has the same engine as the Hybrid+, but has a more powerful electric motor and a 23.2kWh (usable) battery. It can do 0-62mph in 6.8sec, which is faster than the BYD Seal U Boost (8.9sec) and Jaecoo 7 (8.5sec) PHEVs. The key draw to this version is the official electric-only range of 75 miles, which is more than both of those rivals, as well as the Sportage and Tucson PHEVs.

Ride and handling: The 1.5-litre petrol is the least comfortable version of the HS. It fidgets constantly over small imperfections and undulations, which can lead to a bouncing effect. It stops short of being uncomfortable, but a C5 Aircross is more composed.

More positively, the hybrids have firmer suspension to cope with the added weight of the battery, but not to the detriment of ride comfort. While sharper impacts like potholes and expansion joints still make their presence felt, it’s far better controlled than the petrol model.

The hybrids also handle undulating roads with a surprising level of poise, giving you the confidence to carry speed on a twisty A or B road. Having said that, the Sportage is more polished to drive overall.

Interior and practicality: Considering the HS is one of the cheaper new family SUVs, the quality of its interior really impresses. There are loads of soft-touch plastic and faux-leather materials on the dashboard and doors, which helps it feel expensive. It easily matches a C5 Aircross for plushness, although a Mazda CX-5 beats them both.

All versions come with a 12.3in infotainment touchscreen next to a 12.3 digital driver's display. The latter can show a full-screen sat-nav map alongside the speedometer.

The touchscreen looks clear, but sometimes takes a moment to respond to your inputs. That’s not particularly helpful when you have to rely on it quite often, including to adjust the air-conditioning because there are no physical controls for the temperature and fan speed. The CX-5, by comparison, has a more user-friendly interior, with a better touchscreen infotainment system, a rotary control dial and physical climate controls.

It’s very easy to get comfy behind the wheel on the HS, aided by the standard-fit six-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat. Trophy trim adds lumbar adjustment and a memory function.

Forward visibility is decent, other than the angled front windscreen pillars and large door mirrors hampering the view at junctions. Rear visibility is also okay, helped by the small windows in the large rear pillars. All versions come with rear parking sensors and a reversing camera as standard.

As for space, tall occupants should have no trouble with head or leg room in the front. Likewise, there’s plenty of room for a six-footer to get comfortable in the back, beating a C5 Aircross for rear seat space, but not rear seat flexibility (that car has 40/20/40 split folding seats, as opposed to the 60/40 set-up in the HS).

In the boot, all versions of the HS have 507 litres of space. While that’s similar to the Nissan Qashqai (504 litres), the Dacia Bigster petrol (677 litres) and Sportage petrol (591 litres) have bigger boots.

Trims and equipment: The HS is available in two trims: SE and Trophy. Entry-level SE is very well equipped, offering 19in alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, automatic light and wipers, cruise control (adaptive cruise control if you go for the automatic gearbox), a six-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.

Top-spec Trophy adds even more goodies, including faux-leather upholstery, heated front seats, an electrically adjustable passenger seat, dual-zone air-con, an upgraded eight-speaker sound system, changeable drive modes, a powered tailgate and wireless phone-charging.

"I was really impressed by the real-world range of the PHEV HS. Dan Jones, my road-tester colleague, managed 74 miles on a charge, which is only one mile less than the official figure." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

If you're interested in buying a used MG HS or any of the cars we've mentioned, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at a great price.

A budget of £17,000 will get you a petrol-powered HS from 2024 or 2025 with very low mileage, making it excellent value for money. You’ll find a range of SE or Trophy trim cars at that price point, too.

If you want a Hybrid+ from 2025, you’ll have to spend upwards of £22,000. PHEV versions cost even more, with 2024 and 2025 examples starting from £23,000.

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MPG

Officially, the 1.5-litre petrol engine can do 38.1mpg when paired with the manual gearbox and 37.1mpg with the automatic. The Hybrid+ boosts this to 51.3mpg, while the PHEV can do 701mpg. With the latter, you’ll have to plug the car in very regularly to get anywhere near that figure in real-world driving. MG also quotes 48.7mpg for the PHEV with a depleted battery.

In our real-world tests, the 1.5-litre petrol HS managed 40.4mpg in our efficiency testing, which is pretty good. The PHEV, meanwhile, managed 42.8mpg with a fully depleted battery. The PHEV's battery takes four hours to charge from 0-100% with a 7kW home EV charger.

Road Tax

All versions of the HS are subject to the standard flat rate fee of VED, which is currently £195 per year.

Servicing

Servicing costs for the HS are similar to its family SUV rivals. As part of a two-year service plan, we were quoted £195.45 for a one-year, 15,000-mile service and £272.58 for a two-year, 30,000-mile service. If you take your car for a service at an authorised MG dealer, you will receive 12 months’ MG Roadside Assistance provided by the AA.

Warranty

From new, every HS comes with a seven-year, 80,000-mile warranty. Kia gives you up to seven years or 100,000 miles, but Toyota gives you up to 10 years or 100,000 miles with servicing conditions. Most brands offer three-year, 60,000-mile warranties.

Insurance

Insurance groups for the HS start at 24 for the petrol and end at 28 for the Hybrid+. This means the petrol HS will be slightly more expensive to insure than the petrol versions of the Qashqai and Sportage. The Hybrid+ is a touch cheaper to insure than the hybrid-powered Qashqai, but more than the equivalent Sportage.

Safety

The HS was awarded a full five-star safety rating by Euro NCAP in 2024. All versions come with lots of standard safety kit, too, with features such as automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, automatic high-beam assist and rear cross-traffic alert. There’s also a driver attention monitoring system, but it’s very sensitive, often being more annoying than helpful.

Reliability

The current HS is too new to appear in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey, but its predecessor performed poorly. Among 76 family SUVs, the PHEV ranked 44th and the petrol version 61st, while MG as a brand finished last out of 30 manufacturers.

To find out more about used MG HS reliability, visit our dedicated reliability page.

Engine

The 1.5-litre petrol version is our recommended engine because, despite being less polished to drive than the Hybrid+ and PHEV, it’s considerably cheaper to buy than both of those models. It’s also quick enough for everyday driving, while fuel economy is reasonable. Go for the manual if you want nippier performance than the automatic.

Specification

Both trims are very well equipped, but we’d recommend going for the range-topping Trophy model, because it’s similarly priced to SE on the used market. It also gets you some useful extras, such as heated front seats, wireless phone-charging and a powered tailgate.

Our favourite MG HS: 1.5 T-GDi Trophy

The Kia Sportage is a very capable family SUV. It’s not as cheap as the HS on the used market, but it’s more comfortable, with a more polished ride and handling balance. It’s also more practical and better for reliability, while offering a slightly longer warranty from new.

The Hyundai Tucson is a close relative of the Sportage, but it’s cheaper and better equipped. While it’s not as comfortable to drive as the Sportage, it’s better than the HS. Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty is very competitive and reliability is a key strength. The Tucson has one of the biggest boots in the class, too.

The Citroen C5 Aircross is a more budget-friendly choice. It has a soft suspension set-up that makes it ideal for motorway stints, while its spacious interior and flexible back seats make it a practical choice. Used prices are competitive with the HS.

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If you're interested in buying a used MG HS or any of the cars we've mentioned, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at a great price.