2026 MG HS Excite review

What should you do if you want a mid-size SUV that won’t break the bank? There are many options, actually, but chances are you’ll consider the MG HS.

Yes, MG’s mid-size SUV challenger is still alive and well. Though the model range was recently expanded to include both plugless and plug-in hybrid variants, there are still three budget-minded petrol-only grades for buyers to consider.

But what was once one of MG’s strongest sellers has slipped since the second-generation HS arrived locally in 2024. The HS has always been less popular than Australia’s SUV favourites, including the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5, but sales of newer rivals like the GWM Haval H6 have skyrocketed in recent times.

Not much has changed for this iteration of HS since it was released, but while its sharp launch pricing has been retained, it’s still up to $7000 more expensive than the model that preceded it. Even this mid-spec 2026 MG HS Excite is $5000 pricier than its now-defunct equivalent.

With that in mind, is there something fundamentally wrong with the HS, or are its rivals just that much better?

How much does the MG HS cost?

The petrol Excite is the second-cheapest MG HS variant currently on sale, priced at $36,990 drive-away.

The petrol HS Excite’s most direct rival is the GWM Haval H6 Lux, priced at $35,990 drive-away, though upgrading to the better-equipped Ultra only raises the price to $38,990 drive-away.

You might also consider the non-hybrid Chery Tiggo 7 for as much as $33,990 drive-away, which is ever so slightly smaller than the HS. The larger Tiggo 8, meanwhile, starts at $41,990 drive-away for non-hybrid variants.

As a benchmark, the outgoing Toyota RAV4 range starts at $42,260 before on-roads for the base front-wheel drive GX.

To see how the MG HS stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

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What is the MG HS like on the inside?

The HS’s cabin is tidy, with the mostly minimalist, screen-oriented layout that we’ve come to expect from MG.

It’s headlined by a large dual-screen display that houses two 12.3-inch units for the central infotainment system and driver’s instrument cluster. It’s fundamentally similar to what you’d find in a Hyundai or Kia, only without the sleek graphics.

Its text and icons are still clear and legible, and there are a handful of informative menus to flick through using the steering wheel buttons. Those buttons could do with being a bit clearer themselves, and the use of delicate piano-black plastic in such a high-touch area is questionable.

The infotainment system, meanwhile, offers an array of large app shortcuts that are easy to figure out on the move. It’s still annoying that the climate system has no physical controls beyond the three glossy buttons below the screen, since you have to open a dedicated menu every time you want to make a basic change.

We find it even more cumbersome if you’re using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, as you have to exit your smartphone’s interface to access basic functions like fan speed or temperature. Other MG models have more intuitive shortcuts, so it’s a shame the HS has these limitations.

It’s also worth noting that CarPlay is wired-only via USB-A. This might be a sticking point in a market where wireless connectivity is commonplace, even though MG’s own software addresses some shortcomings with features such as integrated satellite navigation, which can be displayed on the instrument cluster.

As for cabin materials, the HS Excite is fairly well-appointed. The steering wheel, for instance, is upholstered in a premium, perforated leather-like material, though MG’s brochure suggests it’s actually polyurethane. Whatever the case, it’s nice to hold.

The seats are upholstered in a similar leather-like PVC, which also feels decent in quality. Power seat adjustment is standard across the HS range, and the seats are comfortable enough, though they lack the heating function of the top-spec Essence.

Unfortunately there’s more piano-black surrounding the leather gear selector – quite a lot of it at that. This area will scratch in no time, and it’s a shame that a handful of key controls, like the parking brake and Park button, are also glossy.

But there’s a reasonable amount of storage up front, including a pair of cupholders, bottle holders in the doors, a standard passenger-side glovebox, and a storage box under the padded central armrest.

Being the Excite, our HS tester misses out on niceties like a sunglasses holder above the rear-view mirror, and a panoramic sunroof. This isn’t the end of the world, but some may find the lack of a wireless phone charger an issue.

Phone charging is therefore handled via either the 12V outlet or the right-hand USB-A port up front, while the left-hand port is reserved for the aforementioned wired smartphone mirroring.

The lack of a wireless charger at least gives you a simple rubber pad under the central armrest on which to store your phone.

The second row is easy to access thanks to the large door openings, and you’ll find there’s plenty of room all around. Legroom is particularly impressive, with ample space behind both front seats regardless of the front seating position, and there’s only a tiny driveline hump in the middle.

MG has done a very good job of catering to families back here, with rear-seat occupants treated to dual air vents and a pair of USB-A ports on the back of the centre console. It’s not extravagant by any means, but there’s plenty to keep everyone happy.

There are also two ISOFIX anchors and three top-tether points for child seats, and the central folding armrest flips up to reveal two cupholders surrounded by a bezel finished in yet more piano black.

Other design elements from the front are also echoed in the rear, like the three-dimensional patterns on the inside of the door cards and metallic elements like the door handles and speakers.

A power tailgate is reserved only for the flagship HS Essence, though the manual alternative here is still easy enough to open. The boot’s 507 litres of seats-up capacity is down on rivals like the Haval H6 (560L) and RAV4 (580L) on paper, but it’s an appropriately spacious area in the metal.

Barebones as it is, the load floor is large and sits at a nice height for loading. There are also nets on either side to secure loose items, along with a small amount of extra storage space under the floor.

All variants also get a space-saver spare wheel as standard.

To see how the MG HS stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

Powering all non-hybrid MG HS variants is a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 125kW of power and 275Nm of torque. Drive is sent to the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Our week with the HS primarily involved highway commuting, offset by a long country drive. The result was a recorded fuel consumption figure that was lower than MG’s claim.

To see how the MG HS stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

How does the MG HS drive?

The HS generally drives well, but a few things quickly wear off the surface polish.

Our main complaint is with its safety gear. It’s all far too sensitive, with the driver attention monitor happily pinging you for spending a fraction too long looking out the side window or down at either of the two screens.

Given the lack of interior buttons forces you to pay closer attention to the screens, this is annoying. It’ll be especially irksome to drivers coming from older cars, or even from new cars with better safety system calibration – it’s just not good enough.

‘Passive’ lane-keep assist and the car’s speed limit warning are also particularly vocal, sometimes melding into a cacophony of beeps and bongs that makes it difficult to pinpoint what the car is actually warning you about.

Fortunately, these systems generally stop short of interacting with the physical driving controls, instead relying on audible and on-screen warnings. You can easily disable them via the infotainment screen, but they’re buried within several menus and need to be turned off every time you start the car.

Slightly less consequential is the ride quality, which is a little bouncy and could be more settled. You won’t notice too many issues from the driver’s seat, but my passengers in the back (who rarely ever get car sick) said they felt a bit nauseous after a drive through the country.

This was surprising, given the drive wasn’t particularly strenuous and nobody in the front seat felt unwell, though it may have been exacerbated by the slight plastic/glue smell inside the HS.

The HS handles okay but not exceptionally, and there is a bit of body roll. Its steering feel is appropriate for a family SUV, and it’s easy enough to drive day-to-day, feeling just as comfortable around town as it does on the freeway. But on twistier roads it could be a touch sharper.

A positive is that cabin refinement is very good. There’s next to no road or wind noise at 80km/h, and even at 100km/h or more it’s still nicely subdued – impressive for an SUV at this price point.

The most audible sound inside the cabin is, in fact, the engine. Lay into the throttle and you’ll find the 1.5-litre powerplant opens up nicely without sounding too shouty; it doesn’t rival a Ferrari for exhaust note, but it won’t give you a headache either.

Performance is also decent for such a small-displacement engine. The HS pulls nicely, and you’d be hard-pressed to notice any significant turbo lag, which makes it fairly predictable.

This is backed up by a competent dual-clutch automatic transmission, which actually has a European quality. It’s a wet-clutch setup, so its shifts are smoother than those of dual-clutch autos you may have heard about before.

It’ll still exhibit slight stumbles at low speed, but nothing too obnoxious. There are no paddle shifters, but you can flick to Sport mode on the gear selector and shift manually that way – not a necessity, but certainly nice to have.

Some of its safety systems may be underdone, but the HS packs enough driver assistance gear to get you by. This includes blind-spot monitoring that works well enough, while the standard cruise control function is generally reliable.

The HS Excite also gets a surround-view camera as standard, but misses out on front parking sensors. That’ll be annoying if you regularly park in tight spaces, but the car’s cameras are good enough to help you manoeuvre safely. Visibility out of the cabin is also good if you want to do it the old-fashioned way.

So the fundamentals are solid, but the HS could do with some technological finessing.

To see how the MG HS stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

What do you get?

Three grades are available for the petrol MG HS.

2026 MG HS Vibe equipment highlights:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Space-saver spare wheel
• Auto LED headlights
• LED tail-lights
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Power-adjustable, heated side mirrors
• Cloth seat upholstery
• 6-way power driver’s seat
• Polyurethane steering wheel
• Leather-wrapped gear selector
• 12.3-inch digital instrument display
• 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• DAB+ digital radio
• Bluetooth
• 2 x front USB-A ports
• 2 x rear USB-A ports
• 6-speaker sound system
• Climate control
• Keyless entry

HS Excite adds:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Front fog lights
• PVC upholstery
• Satellite navigation
• Navigation on instrument display
• 12-month complimentary iSmart access

HS Essence adds:

• Panoramic sunroof
• Power-folding side mirrors with position memory
• Driver’s seat position memory
• Driver’s seat power lumbar support
• 4-way power passenger seat
• Heated front seats
• Wireless phone charger
• 8-speaker sound system
• Dual-zone climate control

To see how the MG HS stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

Is the MG HS safe?

The new MG HS has a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing carried out by sister organisation Euro NCAP in 2024.

Standard safety equipment highlights:

• 7 airbags, incl:
  • Driver
  • Passenger
  • Side
  • Curtain
  • Far side
  • Front centre
• Adaptive cruise control
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Driver attention monitoring
• Front and rear collision warning
• Front and rear cross-traffic alert
• Intelligent cruise assist
• Lane change assist
• Lane keep assist
• Lane departure warning system
• Rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Traffic jam assist
• Tyre pressure monitoring

The MG HS Excite adds a surround-view camera, while the Essence adds front parking sensors.

To see how the MG HS stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

How much does the MG HS cost to run?

MG Australia backs its passenger vehicle range with a standard seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which can be extended to 10 years or 200,000km if serviced on time at an MG dealer.

Servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. MG details capped-price servicing for the first 10 visits, as follows:

For comparison, the equivalent non-hybrid GWM Haval H6 costs $2025 to service over five years, roughly $300 less than the HS over the same period.

Chery’s capped-price servicing for the non-hybrid Tiggo 7 is cheaper still, totalling $1445 over five years. Over the brand’s full seven-year capped-price program, the Tiggo 7 is also much cheaper than the HS at $2151.93.

Maintenance costs for the outgoing RAV4, meanwhile, undercuts them all; it costs only $1350 to service over five years.

To see how the MG HS stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the MG HS Excite

For SUV buyers on a budget, the non-hybrid MG HS ticks enough boxes to be worth considering, but it’s far from perfect.

Those safety gremlins are the main thing holding it back, and they’re stark reminders of how far many Chinese cars have come. Even MG’s own newer models have far fewer issues, which may well turn potential HS buyers toward other brands instead.

That’s a shame, because aside from that and the apparent hatred for interior buttons, the HS isn’t a bad car. Its powertrain is solid, its road manners are par for the course, and it’s impossible to argue it isn’t strong value.

However, if you can’t spring for any of the pricier Japanese or Korean alternatives, something like the GWM Haval H6 might still be a better buy. It’s a slightly newer SUV that is generally more polished, and the marginally more expensive Ultra may well be worth the price premium in the long run.

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