MG HS 1.5T Luxury (2025) Review
MG's return to South Africa brings with it two crossover SUV offerings and a halo sports car. The HS is the largest of the two crossover SUVs and looks to be a contender in the highly competitive midsize segment. We spend a week with the Luxury trim, walking away suitably impressed by the drive, features, and value.
Fast Facts: MG HS (2025)
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Comprehensive Safety Features
Refined Drivetrain
Spacious Interior
Reputable OE Tyres
Competitive Pricing
Long Warranty & Service Plan
Cons:
Generic Styling
Wired Connectivity: Android Auto and Apple CarPlay require a wired connection
Brake Pedal Feel: Initial dead-spot in brake pedal travel requires adjustment.
Limited Driver Display Customisation
In this article:
The MG brand means different things to different people. Some know it well, owning some more charismatic sports cars back in the day, and others from their recent foray into the passenger car market. For some, it will be your first time hearing of them. Either way, it's best to forget everything you know about the brand because the latest generation of MG products is nothing like you've seen before. For the last 20 years, the MG brand has been owned by the Chinese; initially Nanjing Automobile Group and two years later by SAIC, a brand that holds joint ventures with both Volkswagen and General Motors to produce vehicles for the Chinese market under license.
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While it may not be the traditional MG of old, the new, reanimated MG is worth paying attention to. With several decades of production experience, SAIC has crafted a relatively comprehensive and compelling package in the MG HS, currently their largest SUV on offer in the local market.
Styling
The MG HS doesn't quite rewrite the book on style, employing a somewhat familiar silhouette of a modern mid-size SUV. At first glance you could mistake it for one of its Chinese counterparts, perhaps even something Japanese. But this doesn't stop it from being an attractive vehicle with an identity of its own. The front end, with its large, facetted shadow chrome and black grille, is inspired by the aquatic world. The "hunting-eye" LED headlights narrow towards the centre and are joined by a gloss black trim. The front bumper is sculpted to remind us of some contemporary AMG models, and that's a good thing.
Another pleasing revelation is that the rolling stock is 19 inches in diameter and shod with 224/55 R19 Bridgestone tyres. When a manufacturer opts to fit a reputable, mainstream brand as OE (Original Equipment) fitment, you know that they have prioritised safety and performance over the bottom line.
At the rear, a steeply raked rear glass gives the impression of a fastback, resting between a cheeky roof spoiler and full-width taillight element, bookmarked by LED taillights that carry, what MG calls, a shard-inspired design. While these are attractive, the subtle upturn in the rear quarters is truly appealing.
MG Motor officially launched in SA
Space & Interior
The interior of the MG HS is an elegant and well-appointed affair, consisting of a wash of soft-touch materials. The overall design is a conservative one that neither disappoints nor excites. The multi-tier dashboard consists of a wide horizontal element that helps build the impression of width, styled to blend into the air vents on either side. This forms the backdrop to the floating, wide-screen display, consisting of two 12.3-inch screens. While simulated leather upholstery is standard across both Comfort and Luxury trims, the latter gets an electric panoramic sunroof and electric front seats, as well as dual zone climate control and wireless charging. The raised, red stitching adds a sporty flair, helping sell the indulgent affair.
The HS feels like a sizeable vehicle, with interior space that is more generous than the exterior dimensions one would have one believe. It also offers a generous 507-litre boot, with 1 484-litres on offer when the 60/40 rear seats are pushed forward.
MG HS (2025) First Drive Review
Comfort & Convenience
The screens mentioned above host the MG HS driver display and connectivity abilities. The native operating system is less is intuitive and straightforward enough after a few minutes of use. Androif Auto and Apple CarPlay are wired connections, quickly rectified with a 3rd-party Bluetooth dongle to provide a wireless option. The driver information display may not have the customizable functionality that one sometimes finds in other offerings, but the information is clear and legible, providing you with the necessary information and little of the fluff. Again, the wireless charging, several type-A USB ports, dual-zone climate control, and 8-speaker audio system are specific to the Luxury trim.
Further convenience features include front parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, an electric tailgate, and keyless entry. These complement the adaptive cruise control and automatic activation of the wipers and lights, with high beam assist as standard.
MG headed back to SA!
Performance
The MG HS is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 125kW and 275Nm of torque. While this won't set your world ablaze or win the next TLGP (Traffic Light Grand Prix), it's more than adequate for the daily commute, holiday road trip, or highway jaunt. While we often struggle with the throttle calibration and gearbox programming, I was thrilled to discover that the MG HS presented none of these issues. The 7-speed dual-clutch transmission shifted smoothly, and the throttle responded well when asked. MG still calls upon the English chassis and drivetrain engineers to help fine-tune and calibrate the response from both, resulting in an SUV that drives remarkably well, offering a familiar feel.
The brake pedal feel takes a little getting used to, though, with the first 10-15% of travel offering up a dead-spot, followed by a fairly sudden uptake in the braking force. As I did, those accustomed to a more progressive feel will have to adjust.
Fuel Economy
Another area that has been contentious for many Chinese products launched locally is the suboptimal fuel consumption. We've seen many claims for agreeable fuel consumption figures and then have failed considerably to achieve them. MG quotes a combined fuel consumption figure of 6.9 l/100km for the HS Luxury, and we were able to return figures of around 7.8 L/100km, with a cycle weighted towards the urban commute. These are quite acceptable for a vehicle of this size, and with some extended highway driving at a steady pace, one should see the manufacturer's claims realised.
The HS is fitted with a 55-litre fuel tank, offering a range of 797 km if you achieve the manufacturer's fuel consumption claims. A full tank costs R1202.85.
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Safety
The MG HS carries an impressive spread of safety systems to augment and complement its High-Strength Steel construction. 82% of the structure comprises HSS, allowing it to score a 5-star Euro NCAP crash test rating. In addition to this, you also get the MG Pilot System on all models. This suite comprises of the following safety systems:
- Front Collision Warning
- Autonomous Emergency Brake
- Rear Collision Warning
- Lane Departure Warning
- Lane Departure Prevention
- Emergency Lane Keep Assist
- Blind Spot Detection
- Lane Change Assist
- Door Opening Warning
- Rear Cross Traffic Braking
- Driver Monitoring System
- Intelligent Cruise Assist
Seven airbags, ISOFIX child seat mounts in the outer rears, and child locks on the rear doors help keep occupants safe.
Price
Only the two MG HS trims are currently on offer, but we can expect a few new models and perhaps a Hybrid or Plug-in Hybrid variant soon. The Comfort version sneaks in just under the half-a-million Rand mark, making it competitively priced when one considers the competition.
All models are sold with a 7-year/200 000 km warranty, and a 5-year/90 000 km service plan.
| Model | Price (incl. VAT) |
| MG HS 1.5T Comfort | R499 900 |
| MG HS 1.5T Luxury | R534 900 |
Competitors
This market segment is possibly one of the most hotly contested in the local market, and shopping with R550 000 in your pocket will offer you a world of options. The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro 1.6TGDI, Haval H6 2.0T, Proton X70 1.5T, or even the Mahindra Scorpio-N 2.2D. If you're looking for something from a more traditional brand, the Hyundai Tucson and Mazda CX-5 also have options in and around that price range.
Verdict
The MG HS doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, and for that, we can appreciate it. It doesn't rely on gimmicks and gadgets to help sell it; it simply does what it says on the tin. While it isn't without a few idiosyncrasies, the package is more than agreeable and manages to slot itself into one's lifestyle with consummate ease. Some of the stereotypical Chinese bugbears are ironed out for the most part, leaving you with a genuine contender that is worth considering if you're prepared to take a chance on a relative 'newcomer'.
MG appears to be pushing hard into the local market, with the aim of expanding its dealership footprint and ensuring that service items and parts are readily available. With many different models to choose from in this price bracket, you may give the MG HS a wide berth, but I'd implore you to genuinely consider it.
