MG is a brand keeping abreast of automaker technology. The company shook the market with its release of the pure electric ZS T and its formidable price point, following it up with the PHEV HS.
 

The HS is the largest of the MG SUVs and with the inclusion of a plug-in hybrid powertrain, it has become MG’s biggest talking point.
Cleverly on the part of MG, the brand established itself with a good spectrum of models before announcing the presence of its flagship, or – if the PHEV wasn’t intended to be a flagship – it is now.
The timing of this vehicle’s launch could not have been better with the Government’s clean car scheme, the public’s acceptance and desire for electric hybrid vehicles along with MG’s vehicle design and delivery program, which has thus far resulted in the HS PHEV.
I’ll be the first to admit, I was a little surprised at the PHEV-ing of the HS. As a medium-sized SUV, it certainly has the kit on board and had it been launched last year when mid-sized SUVs were the fashionable option, it would likely have done very well indeed.
This year, it is the small SUVs time to shine and accordingly, the MG ZS is the flavour of 2021, but the HS PHEV is going to enjoy a ‘launch honeymoon’ where buyer interest is sparked by not what is fashionable or trendy, but what is currently available for a reasonable price.
And buyers of the MG HS are not going to be disappointed.
Indeed, the first petrol only HS model had a few ‘teething troubles’ which have been addressed to coincide with the arrival of two upgraded AWD models – Excite X and Essence X.
Now we have the PHEV version, taking the all-new HS range to seven models with the PHEV HS Essence positioned as the halo vehicle for the line-up.
Recognised as a low emissions vehicle by virtue of its 39gm/km CO2 output, the PHEV HS arrives with the brand’s conventional 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine linked to a 16.6 kWH, liquid-cooled, Lithium-Ion battery, which can take the SUV around 52km on electric power alone.
Recharging is simple on a three-pin home plug for home charging which takes between five and seven hours from ‘empty’.
The batteries are produced for the MG by its parent brand SAIC, which owns its EV supply chain – one of the few automotive brands in the world to have this advantage when it comes to developing affordable and well-equipped vehicles with electric energy systems.
Well-equipped?
MG’s HS PHEV includes the MG Pilot safety suite, which is almost enough to earn it the title of being well-equipped by itself, but wait, there’s more and its not Ginsu knives.
The most impressive feature for many is likely to be the Stargazer roof, recognised as being one of the most significant pieces of glass of any SUV.
While not quite as striking, the tablet-style, 10.1-inch colour touchscreen provides satellite navigation, a 360-degree camera view, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
Surprise and delight features are a major part of the HS PHEV feature package, but it is the performance of the engine/battery combination which is the most impressive.
It is a seamless transition between power sources under normal driving conditions where the handling – body roll, steering precision, and overall comfort – of the PHEV is a marked improvement over the previous petrol-only version.  
MG’s catchphrase is Value since 1924, a hark back to the brand’s heritage. The HS PHEV – very much like the ZS EV purely electric product before it – demonstrates that the brand can certainly talk the talk and walk the walk. What’s more, the product is getting better all the time.