Should you buy one?

The new MG HS is a significant improvement over the previous car, and well worth considering if you’re looking for a well-priced family car. What’s even better is that you don’t need to make excuses for it. We used to explain away the old HS’s slightly rough edges with it’s attractive price, but this new model is a much better quality product for not much more money than before. 

While it’s still not as well-rounded as the best family SUVs, it’s an absolute steal considering most of its rivals are at least £5,000 more expensive. With generous equipment, decent road manners and a pleasant interior – and crucially a decent amount of space – the HS delivers where it matters. 

What’s new?

Quite a lot. The previous generation MG HS was a decidedly average product that sold on its attractive price tag, but it was still well off the pace of the best family SUVs. However, MG has continued to grow and improve at an alarming rate with a wave of impressive new products launching in recent years – including the electric MG4 EV, awarded Parkers Car of the Year in 2024, and MG3 Hybrid hatchback, which still offer the firm’s well-regarded value for money. 

This new HS is slightly bigger than its predecessor, yet looks sleeker than the old model thanks to its swoopier rear end, larger alloy wheels and a lower roof line, while the interior is dominated by on-trend merged twin digital screens. It also features new engines and updated hybrid powertrains (with more options on the way).

Key to the mechanical changes is a new plug-in hybrid system that promises an exceptional 75-miles of electric range – more than double the range of its predecessor. It promises some very low running costs and lots of appeal to company car drivers because of its low benefit-in-kind. 

All these improvements, along with much improved build quality, aim to help the HS continue to compete in the most popular and hotly-contested new car segment, family SUVs. Three of its core rivals – the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson – are all among the UK’s 10 most popular cars, with each offering a great mix of space, ease of use and hybrid engines. 

Despite the HS feeling like a more expensive product, prices remain attractively low, with the HS available from £24,995 and £31,495 for the plug-in hybrid. If you compare that to the popular Kia Sportage, the cheapest version costs £29,390, but the plug-in hybrid is significantly more expensive at £40,575. MG finance is often attractive too, as is its seven-year, 80,000-mile warranty. 

Standard equipment on the new MG HS is highly impressive too, with even entry-level SE cars coming with 19-inch alloy wheels, a reversing camera, 12.3-inch touchscreen and digital instrument cluster of the same size. Upgrading to the Trophy trim brings front parking sensors, electric folding mirrors, leather-style upholstery and heated front seats. It goes without saying but you get a lot of car for your money. 

So far we’ve been behind the wheel of the regular petrol and plug-in hybrid versions in the UK, with a hybrid model to follow in 2025. You can read more about how we test cars at Parkers to know you’re getting fully-informed reviews to help you decide on the right car for you. 

But is the new MG HS still a slightly compromised product forgiven by its low price, or now a genuine rival for the likes of the Nissan Qashqai? Click through the next few pages to read everything you need to know about the new HS, including its practicality, how much it costs to run, what it’s like inside and whether we recommend buying one.