Likes
- A long list of standard equipment
- Spacious and plush interior
- Surprisingly comfortable and sorted drive experience
Used MG HS review
2019 - 2022
Dislikes
- Some reliability concerns
- Will struggle to shake the ‘cheap Chinese car’ tag
- Newer, high-spec models aren’t exactly a ‘bargain’
- Some owners have complained about the wait times for spare parts
Stuff you should know
MG was once upon a time an English marque manufacturing iconic sports and road cars, however after decades of financial instability, in the mid 2000s, Chinese company Nanjing acquired the brand which, in one way or another, has gone on to become China’s giant auto maker SAIC Motor Corp.
The HS, introduced in Australia in 2019, is MG’s mid-size and flagship SUV and depending on the year, is available here in Australia across five trim specs (Vibe, Core, Excite, Essence and Essence Anfield Edition), initially all using the same 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, powering the front wheels.
In 2021 a pair of on-demand all-wheel-drive versions arrived, based on the higher spec variants with both featuring a more powerful 2.0-litre engine mated to a six-speed dual-clutch.
Also in 2021 a 1.5-litre front-wheel drive Plug-in Hybrid model joined the range, initially based on the top-spec Essence, however a more affordable Excite variant arrived in 2022.
What goes wrong
Exterior:
More of an annoyance than a major issue, the Automatic Wipers/Rain Detection tends to be inaccurate and excessive. For example a light sprinkling can activate the wipers vigorously.
There are a few sporadic reports of sunroofs leaking with water dripping down the sun visors.
Mainly on 2022 models, and in very hot weather, some body control modules can play up, resulting in windows not going up or down and mirrors not folding.
There are just random reports of some quality issues, panels not lining up perfectly, the occasional plastic clip breaking easily, stuff like that.
Also, some owners have reported that the car sometimes doesn’t recognise the key fob which might just be a low battery, even though these are still relatively new. Other times it might be interference in the signal.
Interior:
It seems as though the HS is known for a multitude of different electrical gremlins for example, some owners have stated that on occasion the car won’t start first go and needs a second chance.
Owners have reported false error warnings associated with the transmission but turning the car off and on again generally gets rid of warning.
Another first world issue but plenty of owners have complained about excessive Bonging and Dinging and pointless error messages on the instrument cluster.
Again some build quality issues, some owner’s have tried to connect their phone to the car via a USB port and when they have plugged the cord in, the port itself has fallen straight through the interior trim
Even if the USB port doesn’t enter into the abyss, some owner’s have also complained about the car not detecting their phone when trying to use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay once they’ve plugged it in.
Plus once the phone has connected, if it connects or not, the infotainment and screen controls can be very delayed and just frustrating, or worst case scenario, the screen can just turn off until the car is restarted.
Mechanically:
The 1.5-litre engine is from the General Motors SGE family and you’ll find powering a host of different GM derived Opel, Buick and Chev small cars.
In terms of reliability, overall, early on and when under warranty, these are fairly reliable engines. Oil consumption is a common issue right from the start and they can have some issues with localised hot spots causing cylinder head cracks and overheating, plus there are reports of turbo complications too.
The 2.0-litre is a similar story, another GM product that is in a variety of cars globally.
Again, early on, these are generally all good but above 150,000km there’s plenty of reports about piston failure, timing chain issues and turbo complication across all variants.
The hybrid
Exterior:
More of an annoyance than a major issue, the Automatic Wipers/Rain Detection tends to be inaccurate and excessive. For example a light sprinkling can activate the wipers vigorously.
There are a few sporadic reports of sunroofs leaking with water dripping down the sun visors.
Mainly on 2022 models, and in very hot weather, some body control modules can play up, resulting in windows not going up or down and mirrors not folding.
There are just random reports of some quality issues, panels not lining up perfectly, the occasional plastic clip breaking easily, stuff like that.
Also, some owners have reported that the car sometimes doesn’t recognise the key fob which might just be a low battery, even though these are still relatively new. Other times it might be interference in the signal.
Interior:
It seems as though the HS is known for a multitude of different electrical gremlins for example, some owners have stated that on occasion the car won’t start first go and needs a second chance.
Owners have reported false error warnings associated with the transmission but turning the car off and on again generally gets rid of warning.
Another first world issue but plenty of owners have complained about excessive Bonging and Dinging and pointless error messages on the instrument cluster.
Again some build quality issues, some owner’s have tried to connect their phone to the car via a USB port and when they have plugged the cord in, the port itself has fallen straight through the interior trim
Even if the USB port doesn’t enter into the abyss, some owner’s have also complained about the car not detecting their phone when trying to use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay once they’ve plugged it in.
Plus once the phone has connected, if it connects or not, the infotainment and screen controls can be very delayed and just frustrating, or worst case scenario, the screen can just turn off until the car is restarted.
Mechanically:
The 1.5-litre engine is from the General Motors SGE family and you’ll find powering a host of different GM derived Opel, Buick and Chev small cars.
In terms of reliability, overall, early on and when under warranty, these are fairly reliable engines. Oil consumption is a common issue right from the start and they can have some issues with localised hot spots causing cylinder head cracks and overheating, plus there are reports of turbo complications too.
The 2.0-litre is a similar story, another GM product that is in a variety of cars globally.
Again, early on, these are generally all good but above 150,000km there’s plenty of reports about piston failure, timing chain issues and turbo complication across all variants.
The hybrid uses a version of the 1.5-litre engine and maybe with the help of an electric motor its engine might possibly last a bit longer. Only time will tell.
Historically, these GM engines are in low cost cars that are unfortunately often not cared for very well.
The first few years out of warranty are probably going to be ok but the MGs (and the engines in them) are likely to follow in the foot steps of their predecessors. Meaning that, very few of them are around with over 200,000km on them and when something serious goes wrong with them, after they are 10 years old, its likely that the cost of the repair will be more than the cars value.
Transmission-wise, there are plenty of complaints regarding poor, slow and harsh shifting and selecting any gear at all. Some of these complaints have been resolved with software updates and any mechanical problems should all covered by warranty, but in years to come it too could be the expensive repair that’s worth more than the vehicle is worth.
Exterior:
More of an annoyance than a major issue, the Automatic Wipers/Rain Detection tends to be inaccurate and excessive. For example a light sprinkling can activate the wipers vigorously.
There are a few sporadic reports of sunroofs leaking with water dripping down the sun visors.
Mainly on 2022 models, and in very hot weather, some body control modules can play up, resulting in windows not going up or down and mirrors not folding.
There are just random reports of some quality issues, panels not lining up perfectly, the occasional plastic clip breaking easily, stuff like that.
Also, some owners have reported that the car sometimes doesn’t recognise the key fob which might just be a low battery, even though these are still relatively new. Other times it might be interference in the signal.
Interior:
It seems as though the HS is known for a multitude of different electrical gremlins for example, some owners have stated that on occasion the car won’t start first go and needs a second chance.
Owners have reported false error warnings associated with the transmission but turning the car off and on again generally gets rid of warning.
Another first world issue but plenty of owners have complained about excessive Bonging and Dinging and pointless error messages on the instrument cluster.
Again some build quality issues, some owner’s have tried to connect their phone to the car via a USB port and when they have plugged the cord in, the port itself has fallen straight through the interior trim
Even if the USB port doesn’t enter into the abyss, some owner’s have also complained about the car not detecting their phone when trying to use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay once they’ve plugged it in.
Plus once the phone has connected, if it connects or not, the infotainment and screen controls can be very delayed and just frustrating, or worst case scenario, the screen can just turn off until the car is restarted.
Mechanically:
The 1.5-litre engine is from the General Motors SGE family and you’ll find powering a host of different GM derived Opel, Buick and Chev small cars.
In terms of reliability, overall, early on and when under warranty, these are fairly reliable engines. Oil consumption is a common issue right from the start and they can have some issues with localised hot spots causing cylinder head cracks and overheating, plus there are reports of turbo complications too.
The 2.0-litre is a similar story, another GM product that is in a variety of cars globally.
Again, early on, these are generally all good but above 150,000km there’s plenty of reports about piston failure, timing chain issues and turbo complication across all variants.
The hybrid uses a version of the 1.5-litre engine and maybe with the help of an electric motor its engine might possibly last a bit longer. Only time will tell.
Historically, these GM engines are in low cost cars that are unfortunately often not cared for very well.
The first few years out of warranty are probably going to be ok but the MGs (and the engines in them) are likely to follow in the foot steps of their predecessors. Meaning that, very few of them are around with over 200,000km on them and when something serious goes wrong with them, after they are 10 years old, its likely that the cost of the repair will be more than the cars value.
Transmission-wise, there are plenty of complaints regarding poor, slow and harsh shifting and selecting any gear at all. Some of these complaints have been resolved with software updates and any mechanical problems should all covered by warranty, but in years to come it too could be the expensive repair that’s worth more than the vehicle is worth.
Should you buy it?
The MG HS offers a great amount of equipment and features, especially in terms of safety for the price, and while it’s certainly not a class leader in any particular field, it’s also nowhere near as bad as some on the internet will lead you to believe.
However, the concern comes down to long term reliability and overall longevity which is something only time will tell.
Overall, if you plan on only owning a HS for say the next 4 or 5 years, sure why not, buy one. You’d like to think that any issues the HS may have will be covered under warranty and overall, for the majority of buyers out there, it’s a decent enough car, it’s not special but it’s fine.
But if you’re planning on keeping this car purchase for more than 4 or 5 years, we’d be very cautious, in fact we’d probably steer towards something else, like an older Toyota or Honda or Mazda or Hyundai or Kia.
Obviously we can’t predict the future with the MG HS or any MG model but we have a sneaking suspicion, as Japan and South Korea have proven previously, MG’s and Chinese cars in general are only going to get better with each new model. However, only time will tell.
The MG HS offers a great amount of equipment and features, especially in terms of safety for the price, and while it’s certainly not a class leader in any particular field, it’s also nowhere near as bad as some on the internet will lead you to believe.
However, the concern comes down to long term reliability and overall longevity which is something only time will tell.
Overall, if you plan on only owning a HS for say the next 4 or 5 years, sure why not, buy one. You’d like to think that any issues the HS may have will be covered under warranty and overall, for the majority of buyers out there, it’s a decent enough car, it’s not special but it’s fine.
But if you’re planning on keeping this car purchase for more than 4 or 5 years, we’d be very cautious, in fact we’d probably steer towards something else, like an older Toyota or Honda or Mazda or Hyundai or Kia.
Obviously we can’t predict the future with the MG HS or any MG model but we have a sneaking suspicion, as Japan and South Korea have proven previously, MG’s and Chinese cars in general are only going to get better with each new model. However, only time will tell.
Should you buy it?
The MG HS offers a great amount of equipment and features, especially in terms of safety for the price, and while it’s certainly not a class leader in any particular field, it’s also nowhere near as bad as some on the internet will lead you to believe.
However, the concern comes down to long term reliability and overall longevity which is something only time will tell.
Overall, if you plan on only owning a HS for say the next 4 or 5 years, sure why not, buy one. You’d like to think that any issues the HS may have will be covered under warranty and overall, for the majority of buyers out there, it’s a decent enough car, it’s not special but it’s fine.
But if you’re planning on keeping this car purchase for more than 4 or 5 years, we’d be very cautious, in fact we’d probably steer towards something else, like an older Toyota or Honda or Mazda or Hyundai or Kia.
Obviously we can’t predict the future with the MG HS or any MG model but we have a sneaking suspicion, as Japan and South Korea have proven previously, MG’s and Chinese cars in general are only going to get better with each new model. However, only time will tell.
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Models, pricing & features
Tech specs
Body Style:
5-door SUV
Engines:
1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol (Core, Vibe, Excite, Essence, Essence Anfield)
2.0 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol (Excite X AWD, Essence X AWD)
1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol with electric motor (Plus EV Excite, Plus EV, Plus EV Essence)
Power:
119kW – 1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol
168kW – 2.0 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol
209kW – 1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol with electric motor (Plus EV Excite, Plus EV, Plus EV Essence)
Torque:
250Nm – 1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol
360Nm – 2.0 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol
250Nm – 1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol with electric motor (Plus EV Excite, Plus EV, Plus EV Essence)
Transmission & drivetrains:
7-speed dual clutch automatic, front-wheel drive (Core, Vibe, Excite, Essence, Essence Anfield)
6-speed dual clutch automatic, all-wheel drive (Excite X AWD, Essence X AWD)
10-speed automatic, front-wheel drive (Plus EV Excite, Plus EV, Plus EV Essence)
Fuel Consumption:
1.7-9.7L/100km
Length:
4574mm
Width:
1876mm
Height:
1685mm
Kerb Weight:
1480 – 1775kg
Body Style:
5-door SUV
Engines:
1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol (Core, Vibe, Excite, Essence, Essence Anfield)
2.0 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol (Excite X AWD, Essence X AWD)
1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol with electric motor (Plus EV Excite, Plus EV, Plus EV Essence)
Power:
119kW – 1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol
168kW – 2.0 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol
209kW – 1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol with electric motor (Plus EV Excite, Plus EV, Plus EV Essence)
Torque:
250Nm – 1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol
360Nm – 2.0 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol
250Nm – 1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol with electric motor (Plus EV Excite, Plus EV, Plus EV Essence)
Transmission & drivetrains:
7-speed dual clutch automatic, front-wheel drive (Core, Vibe, Excite, Essence, Essence Anfield)
6-speed dual clutch automatic, all-wheel drive (Excite X AWD, Essence X AWD)
10-speed automatic, front-wheel drive (Plus EV Excite, Plus EV, Plus EV Essence)
Fuel Consumption:
1.7-9.7L/100km
Length:
4574mm
Width:
1876mm
Height:
1685mm
Kerb Weight:
1480 – 1775kg
Body Style:
5-door SUV
Engines:
1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol (Core, Vibe, Excite, Essence, Essence Anfield)
2.0 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol (Excite X AWD, Essence X AWD)
1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol with electric motor (Plus EV Excite, Plus EV, Plus EV Essence)
Power:
119kW – 1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol
168kW – 2.0 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol
209kW – 1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol with electric motor (Plus EV Excite, Plus EV, Plus EV Essence)
Torque:
250Nm – 1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol
360Nm – 2.0 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol
250Nm – 1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol with electric motor (Plus EV Excite, Plus EV, Plus EV Essence)
Transmission & drivetrains:
7-speed dual clutch automatic, front-wheel drive (Core, Vibe, Excite, Essence, Essence Anfield)
6-speed dual clutch automatic, all-wheel drive (Excite X AWD, Essence X AWD)
10-speed automatic, front-wheel drive (Plus EV Excite, Plus EV, Plus EV Essence)
Fuel Consumption:
1.7-9.7L/100km
Length:
4574mm
Width:
1876mm
Height:
1685mm
Kerb Weight:
1480 – 1775kg
Warranty & servicing
Warranty:
7 years/unlimited kms
Servicing:
12-months/10,000kms
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Disclaimer
Please note that pricing information is subject to fluctuations in the automotive market.
Information correct as of March 09, 2023.
The advice provided on this website is general advice only. It has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this advice, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice, having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs.
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