MG | On the road

MG HS Trophy

By Bill McCarthy

The growth of MG since its revival under Chinese ownership is nothing short of remarkable, to the point that its been the fastest or one of the fastest growing brands in the UK in recent years. Owned by the giant SAIC, the brand now offers a range of good-quality cars with hugely tempting price tags.

From the latest, simply brilliant MG3 hybrid, up to the range-topping HS, there’s something on offer for most requirements. They are a growing and noticeable presence on the road with tempting deals available.

MG standout value

With a starting price under £25,000 and backed by MG’s impressive seven-year, 80,000-mile warranty, the revamped HS is a standout vehicle with an almost budget price in the competitive SUV market. It is available in petrol, like this model, or PHEV versions. There are two specifications—SE or Trophy—both offering an excellent array of standard kit.

The SE comes with adaptive cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry and start, 19-inch alloy wheels, parking sensors, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

For those of us who love the bells and whistles, the tested Trophy trim adds a premium eight-speaker sound system, wireless charging, selectable drive modes, dual-zone climate control, a hands-free power tailgate, and rear privacy glass.

Design and road presence

The latest model is bigger and much better looking than its predecessor. It features a longer wheelbase, which delivers even better cabin space. It looks the part: more handsome, with sleek glass panels, a prominent new grille, and a slim headlight array that gives it real road presence.

Performance and power

It combines striking design with its latest petrol powertrains, offering a blend of performance and efficiency, depending on your driving manners. This model featured a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine producing 169PS and 275Nm of torque, propelling the car from 0-62mph in 9.4 seconds. It was paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission.

It’s economical. I managed nearly 42mpg, comfortably beating the official 38-odd mpg. However, the turbo unit can be raucous when pushed hard, and the auto gear change can be a bit jerky, particularly when pulling away.

Ease off with the right foot, and it’s an altogether more refined experience. It’s not one for the boy racers, but a practical family-orientated SUV that’s most at home motorway cruising. The ride is stable and only gets upset on poor road surfaces, otherwise occupants can enjoy a comfortable journey.

Premium interior feel

Inside, the HS is the best yet, offering a premium feel with high-quality fixtures and fittings and leather upholstery—a real bargain for such a big, well-equipped vehicle.

Earlier MGs had a more fragile, coarse finish, but this is on another level, feeling solid with soft-touch finishes, though some hard plastics remain.

It boasts smart, dual 12.3-inch high-definition displays in a single array for infotainment and driver information. One irritation is the constant barrage of warning clicks and chimes. Many can be turned down in volume or switched off entirely through the infotainment system’s settings menus, but some critical safety warnings, thankfully, cannot be fully disabled.

Practicality and safety

Boot space has increased to 507 litres, with a maximum of 1,484 litres available with the seats folded. This model featured a powered tailgate; the seats fold with one touch, but removing the parcel shelf proved frustrating and difficult to get back in place.

Standard safety technologies include a full airbag complement and the MG Pilot suite with Active Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, and Blind Spot Detection. The entry-level SE model starts at £24,995 and comes well-equipped with LED headlights, parking sensors, keyless entry, and dual-zone climate control.

Verdict

With a starting price of under £25k, the HS is hard to fault. There are niggles, and the engine can be a bit raucous under hard acceleration, but it is well-equipped and backed by that lengthy warranty. And it really looks good.

Factfile

Price: £27,495
Mechanical: Combined 169PS 1,498cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via seven speed DCT auto transmission
Max speed: 118mph
0-62mph: 9.4 seconds
Combined mpg: 38.2 WLTP
CO2 emissions: 173g/km
BiK rating: 37%
Insurance group: 25
Warranty: 7yrs/80,000 miles

MG3 Hybrid+

By Bill McCarthy

The first time I drove an MG3, it was a bit underwhelming, despite the rock bottom price. Now Chinese owned, the name MG has a proud heritage as a sporty and desirable vehicle.
The firm now produces value for money cars, which are practical and well equipped and with some industry leading offers.
The new hybrid model is an altogether different proposition from the original and, says the company, represents a landmark in MG’s powertrain development, as the first pure hybrid model to be launched. There are two models, and both are packed with kit you would expect on more expensive rivals.
It delivers an advanced hybrid system that includes a separate generator, allowing for multiple hybrid modes.
Starting at £18,495 OTR, it is available in SE or Trophy specifications and both come with the seven-year/80,000 mile warranty.
Prices are still low and you get plenty from this impressive supermini. It also looks good, with a full frame grille, sporting the larger, iconic MG badge and other neat style touches in the rear such as high-mounted tail lamps.
To be fair, it blew me away, a supermini almost defying the description, with a large interior and excellent boot space.

It delivers a unique hybrid system that includes a separate generator, allowing for multiple hybrid modes which include:

EV – Running on electric-only power for as long as charge allows

Series – Engine runs through to the generator, which powers the electric motor for drive

Series and Charge – Series driving, plus topping-up the battery when under low-load

Drive and Charge – Engine drives the wheels, while also charging the battery through the generator

Parallel – Both engine and electric motor power the wheels

The hybrid 1.5 internal combustion engine and 100kW electric motor deliver an excellent drive and can pretty astonishing economy figures of nearly 70mpg reported by colleagues. I managed ‘only’ 63mpg, nearer the official figure and this was with predominantly motorway driving. Impressive or what? It is bigger than before with good interior space and an excellent stowage area.
It now features a twin-screen cockpit with a seven-inch digital instrument screen and a 10.25-inch central infotainment system which also controls navigation and connectivity via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
Other high end equipment includes air conditioning, six-speaker audio system with Bluetooth connection, four USB ports, and rear parking sensors and camera, while this range topper add leather-style upholstery, keyless entry, heated front seats and steering wheel, and 360-degree camera. The spacious cabin offers excellent headroom, while legroom is reasonably good as well.
You will not find high quality soft touch finish, but the plastic finish is hard wearing and easy to keep clean, particularly with young children in the car. Boot space, like most hatchbacks, space can be increased by folding the rear seats.
Despite the huge economy, it still delivers a sporty performance with good handling which came into play on twisty Devon roads.
There are three driving modes: Eco, Standard and Sport, with the latter powering the car to 60mph in just eight seconds. The chassis and suspension has also been specifically tuned for UK roads according to MG.
However, hit a pothole or uneven surface where the car is unsettled by imperfections and can be uncomfortable until you are on a better surface.

A bigger, better, high quality little car, but still a real snip of a price.
The new car is packed with safety kit including rear view camera and MG Pilot technology, which includes a full set of airbags, lane dpearture warning, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and traffic jam assist.

A brilliant little performer that wears the MG badge proudly.

Factfile

MG3 3 Hybrid+ Trophy

Price: £20,495

Mechanical: 143PS, 1,498cc, 4cyl petrol engine and 100kW electric motor combined, driving front wheels wheels via auto gearbox

Max speed: 128mph

0-60mph: 8 seconds

Combined mpg: 64

Insurance group: 24

CO2 emissions: 100g/km (provisional)

Warranty: 7yrs/80,000 miles

Welcome to this site

On the road

Category Archives: MG

Why the MG HS stands out among modern SUVs