If you’re shopping for a new family SUV, the MG HS should be on your list.
WATCH: Paul’s video review of the 2025 MG HS Essence
And if you’re working with a really tight budget, the entry-level Vibe tested here could be the pick of the pack.
With approachable pricing, a decent amount of standard tech and equipment, and a smart cabin design with loads of space, the second-generation HS Vibe is a very attractive proposition.
There are some things that you need to know about though, which will be covered in this review. So read on, and have your say in the comments.
How much does the MG HS cost?
The MG HS Vibe is the entry point to the new-gen HS lineup, and it has a very attractive starting price.
Here is a rundown of the current HS range, but keep in mind that the brand will be adding new hybrid versions of the HS in the coming months – so stay tuned for reviews of them soon.
| Model | Drive-away pricing |
|---|---|
| 2025 MG HS Vibe | $34,888 |
| 2025 MG HS Excite | $37,990 |
| 2025 MG HS Essence | $40,990 |
See below for a full rundown of the specs and standard equipment to see if you think you should shop up the range to get a few more goodies.
Honestly though, for many customers, the base model could be the sweet spot.
To see how the MG HS lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What is the MG HS like on the inside?
I swear, if you transported someone from a decade ago and said “this is what new car interiors will be like in $34K mid-size SUVs in 2025”, they wouldn’t believe you.
This MG is on trend with the big dual-screen layout, comprising a pair of 12.3-inch displays – one for the driver’s instrumentation and info cluster, and the other for infotainment and media controls.
The controls on screen take some learning, but you can set it up so you have some quicker shortcuts for important things. For example, you can make it so that the star buttons on the steering wheel can be configured to adjust safety systems, or at least take you to the home screen for the menus for those systems.
I had that exact setup in this test vehicle, whereby I would hit the star button and disable the driver monitoring camera and speed sign recognition system because they’re a bit tedious. Not as bad as some others, but still not the best in the biz.
Frustratingly, they can’t be added to the favourites “drop down” menu at the top of the screen, which does have a simple swipe-and-tap function for the emergency lane keeping, if you don’t like it (again, not the worst, but not the best).
Otherwise there are many menus to learn and find your way through, but if you’re less of a fiddler you’ll be right just jump in, have your phone connect via CarPlay or Android Auto, and motor along without much need to interact with the screen… unless you want to adjust the temperature or fan speed, or other elements of the climate system.
This base model misses out on stuff like leather trim, but it does have really nice cloth material finishes on the seats, which reminds me of the Skoda Kamiq. That’s not faint praise.
There is a nice mix of colours and textures on the seat finishes, with copper stitching that ties together nicely with the same coloured finishes on the dashboard and doors (front and rear).
The seats are comfortable, with power adjustment for the driver but no memory settings, while the passenger seat is manually adjustable. Both offer good support and there were zero complaints from my passengers over this testing week.
When it comes to the storage up front, there is plenty on offer including cupholders, a decent little phone holster underneath the centre armrest (sadly without wireless phone charging!) and there are bottle holders in the doors and a reasonably large glove box, but you don’t get an overhead sunglasses holder.
You do get illuminated vanity mirrors and decent LED lighting inside this vehicle, but you don’t get an auto dimming rear-vision mirror, which is a bit of a shame.
General impressions of the experience up front are very good, and it’s a comfortable and practical space.
Back-seat space behind my driving position? Just as good.
I had inches of legroom and heaps of foot wiggle room with the driver’s seat set for my 182cm/6’0” frame. It offers a very roomy second-row experience.
You can fit three adults across the back if you need to, otherwise there are ISOFIX points in the window seats and three top-tether points for child restraints.
There is also a flip-down armrest with cupholders in between the seats, which is excellent for an entry-level car, plus map pockets on the seatbacks and bottle holders in the doors. Weirdly, the car has two directional air vents, but you can’t adjust the vertical positioning independently of one another – so, if you have a shorty and a tally in the back, there might be disagreements.
A nice touch is that the material finishes on the back doors includes soft elbow pads and soft padded sections on the top – which is unusual for a cheap SUV.
The boot space is mostly good, with 507 litres of cargo capacity claimed to be on offer, and that extends to 1484L with the rear seatbacks folded down.
The boot area has sections on the sides with netting to keep things in place, and you get a retractable parcel cover (which many other base models miss out on), but there are no shopping bag hooks.
Underneath the boot floor you will find an emergency triangle and some additional storage spots, and below the polystyrene section there is also a space-saver spare wheel, which is a nice little bonus to have.
To see how the MG HS lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What’s under the bonnet?
The new-generation HS lineup comes with a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine across the range – at least until the plug-in hybrid version arrives later in 2025.
At this point, though, the range is powered by a decent little petrol engine driving the front wheels. So, if you need or want all-wheel drive, you’ll have to shop elsewhere.
| Specifications | MG HS Vibe |
|---|---|
| Engine | 1.5L 4cyl turbo-petrol |
| Power | 125kW |
| Torque | 275Nm |
| Transmission | 7-spd dual-clutch automatic |
| Drive type | Front-wheel drive |
| Weight | 1554kg |
| Fuel economy (claimed) | 6.9L/100km |
| Fuel economy (as tested) | 7.8L/100km |
| Fuel tank capacity | 55L |
| Fuel requirement | 95RON premium unleaded |
| CO2 emissions | 156g/km |
| Emissions standard | Euro5 |
| Braked tow capacity | 1500kg |
To see how the MG HS lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How does the MG HS drive?
Better than you’d probably expect.
There are some considerations, as with most modern models, when it comes to the safety technology. It has speed sign recognition and overspeed warnings that will beep at you, and there’s a driver monitoring camera system that also bings and bongs and can be frustrating, too.
You can disable those, and the emergency lane keeping tech, by using the touchscreen each time you get back into the car, but it can be tedious to do that repeatedly… and this vehicle is not alone in that regard.
Otherwise, it’s a largely agreeable drive experience in the MG HS, and in some ways it is considerably more impressive than many of its rivals.
For instance, the ride comfort is among the best in the class, in my opinion. For parents looking for an SUV like this, who prioritise a cushy ride with controlled suspension, this one is a box-ticker.
Yet it also handles itself reasonably well in corners and demanding scenarios, with more mature road holding than plenty of the other SUVs in the class.
The steering is adequate and accurate enough, though not as engaging as in some other models in the market. It is easy enough to pilot into a parking space, and even though this one misses out on the surround-view camera you get if you spend a little more, it has decent visibility around the cabin, and the camera is okay, too.
The engine offers reasonable response on the move, and gets along with urgency when you plant your foot while rolling.
From a standstill it’s a little less responsive, with some lag to contend with from the engine but also the dual-clutch automatic gearbox, which is nevertheless more manageable than some other DCTs in terms of its behaviour.
I’ve sampled others from established brands, and this one is certainly more stable feeling if you’re subtle with your throttle inputs.
The brakes also take some familiarising, with a soft initial pedal feel making it slightly harder to predict the responsiveness of the anchors in some situations.
The refinement is decent as well, with a relatively quiet cabin experience on the open road and over coarse surfaces.
To see how the MG HS lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What do you get?
This is the entry-level version, but it comes with some standard kit that other mid-size SUVs don’t even offer in higher-spec, more expensive variants.
2025 MG HS Vibe highlights:
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Automatic LED headlights
- LED daytime running lights
- LED tail-lights
- Rear fog lights
- Silver roof rails
- Glass printed antenna
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Electronically adjustable heated side mirrors
- Polyurethane steering wheel
- Leather gear selector
- Cloth upholstery
- 6-way power driver’s seat
- 4-way manual passenger seat
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display
- Rear air-conditioning
- 6-speaker sound system
- DAB+ digital radio
- Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- 4 USB ports (2 front, 2 rear)
- Type A to Type C USB adaptor
- Keyless entry with push-button start
To see how the MG HS lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
Is the MG HS safe?
Since our initial coverage of the MG HS, the model range has been awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating.
| Category | MG HS |
|---|---|
| Adult occupant protection | 90 per cent |
| Child occupant protection | 87 per cent |
| Vulnerable road user protection | 83 per cent |
| Safety assist | 74 per cent |
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Adaptive cruise control
- Intelligent cruise assist
- Traffic jam assist
- Active Emergency Braking (AEB)
- Car
- Pedestrian
- Cyclist
- Backover (rear AEB)
- Junction
- Head-on
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Driver attention monitoring camera system
- Lane change assist
- Lane keep assist
- Lane departure warning system
- Front and rear collision warning
- Front and rear cross-traffic alert
- Rear parking sensors
- Reversing camera
- Tyre pressure monitoring
Excite adds:
- Front parking sensors
- Surround-view camera with transparent chassis
It’s clear that the Vibe still comes loaded with gear, and the camera system is fine, but the step up to the Excite might be a strong attraction for a little more money, especially if you’re a nervous parker!
There are seven airbags fitted, offering dual front, front centre, front side and full-length curtain coverage.
To see how the MG HS lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How much does the MG HS cost to run?
I would understand if a warranty like this one makes you buy this car.
The brand has a 10-year, 250,000km warranty for private buyers, and it isn’t conditional upon servicing within the dealer network, either. Plus there’s the same cover for roadside assistance as well.
If you’re a commercial user or business buyer, the warranty coverage is reduced to seven years or 160,000km, whichever comes first.
Servicing intervals are every 12 months and 15,000km, and over the brand’s 10-year capped-price servicing period, it averages out at $574 per visit. Pricier than it should be, perhaps? And certainly more expensive than some rivals, maybe as a way to subsidise that exceptional warranty plan…
| Servicing and Warranty | MG HS Vibe |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 10 years or 250,000 kilometres |
| Roadside assistance | 10 years (service activated) |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000 kilometres |
| Capped-price servicing | 10 years |
| Total capped-price service cost | $2354 (five years) / $5741 (10 years) |
To see how the MG HS lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
CarExpert’s Take on the MG HS
I could see this being high on the shopping list for buyers who aren’t into the idea of paying $45K to $50K for a mid-size SUV from one of the other brands.
For the money, it’s a honey. I am impressed by a lot of things about the entry-level HS Vibe and, while it’s not perfect at everything, it’s a top-value offer for those watching their dollars and cents.
Interested in buying an MG HS? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
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