MG HS long-term test: report 1

The car MG HS 1.5 T-GDI DCT Trophy  Run by Chris Haining, sub-editor

Why it’s here To see whether MG's family SUV is a genuine bargain, or a car whose low price leads to too many compromises   

Needs to be comfy and relaxing on a long motorway commute without costing the Earth on petrol; offer the practicality an action-packed life demands

Mileage 1243 List price £28,995 Target Price £27,689 Price as tested £29,495 Official fuel economy 37.2mpg Test fuel economy 39.5mpg Options Tan synthetic leather (£500)

28 March 2025 – Initial impressions

The octagonal badges on the nose and rump of my MG HS are steeped in history. For those who don’t know, the initials MG stand for Morris Garages, with the company set up in 1924 to breathe on Morris cars in order to make them rather sportier. But exactly what does the MG brand stand for more than a century later? Well, I’m running its flagship family SUV to find out if it’s full of Meaty Goodness, or just Mundane and Generic.

Coincidentally, my previous car was a Mini Countryman; decades ago, cars with the Mini and MG names could be seen side-by-side in showrooms. Now, though, Mini belongs to BMW, and MG is part of the Chinese SAIC concern. And while Mini is pitched as a premium brand, MG lives firmly in the realm of value-for-money motoring. That’s bound to be one reason why you see so many of them on the UK’s roads. In fact, the MG HS has regularly appeared among the UK’s monthly top 10 sellers.

It’s a rival to the Ford Kuga, Kia Sportage, Nissan Qashqai and many more. That said, the HS is a shade bigger than those cars, making it quite an imposing machine for the impressively low start price of £24,995. Really, it’s a family SUV for the price of a small SUV.

Yet, despite the modest price tag, the HS is Most Generous on standard kit. Even entry-level SE trim gives you today’s must-have features, and more besides. The first big tick is infotainment; a 12.3in touchscreen presents buyers with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, plus built-in sat-nav and a rear-view camera. There are two pairs of USB sockets for charging mobile devices on the go. And you also get rain-sensing wipers, automatic LED headlights and keyless entry and start, while every HS rolls on smart looking 19in alloy wheels.

In addition, there are more gadgets than you might expect, including a configurable 12.3in digital instrument panel with various display modes. Then there’s MG Pilot – a suite of driver assistance features. These include lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot detection with lane-change assist, speed limit assist and (if you select the optional automatic gearbox) adaptive cruise control. There’s even a warning if you open a door into the path of passing traffic. 

My car’s range-topping Trophy trim adds even more marvellous goodies. After I've shaved valuable seconds off loading the shopping into the boot thanks to the powered tailgate, I get to perch on leather-style upholstery (yes, it’s synthetic leather, but it looks and feels convincing enough), on a seat that’s heated and electrically adjustable, with a memory function and lumbar support adjustment.

The passenger seat is electric, too, and rather than the standard black, my upholstery is a fetching shade of tan (the sole option fitted to my car, at an extra £500). Trophy trim also brings an upgraded stereo with eight speakers (two up on entry-level SE spec), and the infotainment is boosted with live traffic notification and a wireless charging pad for my phone.

You can pay a bit more for an HS with plug-in hybrid power (and even then it’s one of the cheapest cars you can buy with that company car tax-friendly means of propulsion), but I’ve opted for a good old-fashioned petrol engine to keep the price down.

Here, old-fashioned isn't just a turn of phrase; while the HS's 1.5-litre petrol engine is turbocharged as is today's vogue, it doesn’t offer any form of mild hybrid assistance, unlike most rivals. As such, official fuel economy is a relatively modest 37.2mpg with my car’s seven-speed automatic gearbox. Most mild hybrid rivals promise figures on the other side of the 40mpg barrier. My regular commute is a 230-mile round trip, so I hope my HS isn’t too gluttonous on petrol.

Thus powered and equipped, my HS weighs in at £29,495, still far from a gargantuan quantity of cash for this much car – the time it takes me to wash it from one end to the other reminds me just how much metal you get for your money. What remains to be seen is whether it’s a Magnificent Gift, or if choosing an MG HS turns out to be a Major Gaffe.

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