MG has returned to the South African new-vehicle market! Our regular contributor, Calvin Fisher, recently travelled to China to spend some quality time at the helm of the MG HS – the Chinese brand’s family car that will take on segment mainstays and -newcomers alike.
We arrived in Zhengzhou not by ‘plane, but by high-speed train. The city, where we would sample the new hardware MG will release in Mzansi in early 2025, is a metropolis in every way, except vertically. Military bases in the area mean no building reaches beyond 280 metres.
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It’s here where Apple builds its iPhones and more relevantly, where Chinese State-owned SAIC produces its MG-branded passenger cars. That’s the real reason I’ve arrived in the People’s Republic, to peek behind the red curtain at MG’s manufacturing plant and design studio and to ultimately test its wares at the proving grounds SAIC shares with VW. It’s here that I finally go hands-on with the 2nd-gen MG HS.
What is it? In short, it’s yet another Chinese SUV making its way to our shores, but this one comes with a more substantial backstory.
It’s an MG.
That very British marque, Morris Garages has been injected with a new lease on life (and cash). And, as I’ve already mentioned, this HS is the model’s 2nd iteration.
To put it another way, the MG HS has already enjoyed significant success in other markets, but we’ll get the new version that benefits from a bullish upgrade in aesthetics and practicality.
It’s a medium SUV (a compact family car will also ship in the form of the MG ZS) and now features more cabin space than its predecessor, achieves maximum safety standards and absolutely brims with mod-cons, comforts and technology.
Objectively, it’s impressive – but ultimately cars are still best appreciated subjectively when seen in the metal and experienced from the driver’s perforated leatherette-trimmed seat. I’ll start by eyeballing it.
Exterior Styling
The MG HS is easy on the eyes, but it will probably blend in with the rest of the non-descript parking lot fare: amorphous crossovers that seem to share a similar metallic palette. The stylists have opted for a “hammer-head shark” appearance at the front with slim LED clusters joined by a narrow bonnet line.
The front-end execution reminds me of Clint Eastwood staring into the sun from behind the brim of his cowboy hat in a classic Western’, but without the corresponding level of machismo. No, the MG HS is a people-mover and it knows it – despite the design team likening the headlamps to London’s famous Shard Building. Do you see it? I don’t either, but like Clint, I may have been squinting too hard.
I do, however, enjoy the 19-inch machined alloys tucked into each arch. Overall, the design is inoffensive, functional and simply par for the course in the segment it is due to compete in. Good job. No notes.
Upmarket interior
As soon as I drop into the cabin of the Luxury variant, it’s immediately apparent that the folks at MG have aimed high. The base Comfort variant has a raft of safety equipment and acronyms, plus a hearty spec level, but it’s been further enhanced here with an electric panoramic sunroof and rear privacy glass.
Perhaps more relevantly, it also includes an 8-speaker audio system for servicing all 5 of its occupants. There are also front parking sensors, electric seat adjustment with heating, dual-zone climate control plus a wireless charger.
I mentioned the safety acronyms, but won’t dare list them all because that would deplete your phone data, so here are a few highlights: electronic stability- and cornering control, dynamic and hazard control, hill-start assist, tyre pressure-, and even brake disc monitoring.
Only then do we get to the reams of driver aids including – but not limited to – collision warnings, lane assist, rear cross-traffic alert and -braking, driver monitoring, and intelligent (adaptive) cruise control.
Naturally, you’ll be able to adjust these settings in addition to your media modes and smartphone apps (Apple Carplay/Android Auto) via the large 12.3-inch touchscreen that dominates the dashboard.
Add to this the MG HS’ full complement of 7 airbags and you can see how it achieves its 5 stars for safety, and why the brand is being taken so seriously despite a market burgeoning with Chinese metal.
There’s also a virtual cockpit in this tech-forward, gadget-strewn cabin, as well as an electronic parking brake, rain-sensing and a 360-degree surround view camera.
What is the MG HS like to drive?
Both Comfort and Luxury derivatives share the same 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol engine paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The latter is a new wet-clutch system designed for smoother ‘shifts, has to contend with the motor’s 125 kW and 275 Nm peak outputs, and directs drive exclusively to the MG HS’ front wheels. Fuel consumption is rated at 6.9 L/100km, which is the norm in this segment.
All that was left at this point was to drive the thing, but luckily that was next. SAIC’s proving ground didn’t disappoint; it featured high-speed corners that tighten on themselves while undulating and articulating surfaces are designed to unsettle and wobble the bits for a thorough test.
Yet the MG HS remained composed throughout the experience, rewarding with a steering-wheel feel full of detail allowing you to navigate confidently. The ride quality impressed me, it weighted up satisfyingly in the lengthier bends and did a good job of soaking up the bumps when things went pear-shaped.
The widely variable conditions of South African roads won’t bother the MG HS. Acceleration felt brisk with responsive mid-gear acceleration and, overall, I give it a satisfactory report card. It’s great to drive.
Summary
While the MG HS represents yet another Chinese SUV set to make landfall in early 2025, it is bound to make quite a good impression. The MG badge still holds value, and SAIC has respected this fact by producing vehicles that don’t feel like exploitative cash grabs.
Instead, they feel well-built, nurtured and honed for a public that knows what they want in this segment. It looks great, albeit indistinct and is quite unlike the MGs you may remember: It conducts itself like the European cars that must certainly have been its inspiration at some point, but will now be its competition.
With a competitive pricing structure (see below), the MG HS appears to be a strong buying proposition for prospective family car buyers looking for a good balance between value, performance and practicality.
Watch this space, MG is back with a bang!
How much does the MG HS cost in South Africa?
MG HS 1.5T Comfort AT – R499 900
MG HS 1.5T Luxury AT – R534 900
MG HS 2.0T Comfort AT – R629 900
MG HS 2.0T Luxury AT – R665 900
The MG HS is sold with a 5-year / 200 000 km vehicle warranty and a 7-year / unlimited km engine warranty as well as a 5-year / 90 000 km service plan.
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