2026 MG HS Hybrid+ Essence review

It seems like every week there’s a new Chinese auto brand entering the Australian market, but what about one of the OGs – MG?

As one of the first Chinese manufacturers to have a proper go in Australia, MG has had solid footing in our market for some time, and boasts one of the most comprehensive model lineups out there.

City hatchbacks, crossovers and SUVs, and now even dual-cab utes and high-end luxury EVs – MG has it all. It also has a wide range of petrol, hybrid, plug-in ‘Super Hybrid’, and battery-electric powertrain options.

The 2026 MG HS Hybrid+ Essence on test here is one of the Chinese brand’s newer and most refined entrants. Now in its second generation, the HS has both hybrid and plug-in hybrid options to take on the biggest market segment in Australia.

As with its predecessor, the HS Hybrid+ goes hard on value, offering flagship levels of kit and tech for similar pricing to entry-level versions of key rivals from Japanese, Korean and European brands.

And compared to Chinese compatriots from brands like GWM and Chery, the MG has a distinctly Euro flavour courtesy of its strong focus on the British and European markets.

But with only a 1.8 per cent share of the mid-size SUV segment so far in 2026, does the MG HS deserve to be a relative small player compared to Australia’s favourite family SUVs? Or is it a diamond in the rough for the “if you know, you know” crowd?

How much does the MG HS cost?

Officially, the MG HS Hybrid+ range kicks off from $40,990 plus on-road costs, which is a fair bit more than the equivalent HS 1.5 Turbo Excite (from $36,990 drive-away) – on test here we have the flagship Essence, priced from $44,990.

*Offer ends June 30, 2026

At the time of writing, MG Motor Australia is advertising a litany of drive-away (D/A) offers across the bulk of its range, with buyers of HS Hybrid+ variants scoring a few thousands in savings.

For reference, the most affordable Toyota RAV4 Hybrid kicks off from $45,990 plus on-road costs, which will likely work out to over $50,000 drive-away depending on your state or territory of residence.

The cheapest Kia Sportage Hybrid is currently on offer from $44,490 D/A, while the related Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is available from $44,990 D/A. Fellow Chinese brand GWM will sell you an H6 HEV from $36,990 D/A.

You’ve also got some plug-in hybrid (PHEV) rivals from new Chinese brands, like the Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid (from $34,990 D/A) and Jaecoo J7 SHS (from $40,990 D/A).

To see how the MG HS lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

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What is the MG HS like on the inside?

The latest HS is a far cry from the first iteration when it comes to interior presentation.

Clean lines, premium-looking trims and crisp displays headline the MG’s cabin, all coming together nicely to form a cabin that feels more upmarket than the price tag might suggest.

Sitting prominently across the dashboard are twin 12-inch displays for the driver’s instrument cluster and infotainment touchscreen. While free-standing, they aren’t iPad-like in execution, instead presented more like cockpit displays.

The interface and design is very simple, which is a nice departure from other Chinese brands and their convoluted software and menu structures, but in some areas it almost feels too simple.

My main gripe is the lack of imagination for the driver’s cluster, which seems to have a lot of dead space, even if it has several views and layouts – like, why can’t we have the option of proper digital dials with a map view in between?

The touchscreen, meanwhile, has a pretty easy and user-friendly tiled main menu with logical shortcuts and gestures, and the inclusion of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as DAB+ digital radio are also welcome.

But my iPhone 17 Pro Max had a couple of small tech niggles when using CarPlay, including unresponsive voice command inputs and slow loading times, it was a little frustrating that it bugged out on occasion.

It also features embedded satellite navigation beyond the aforementioned features, and is the control centre for a number of vehicle functions including climate control – which is another strike on the report card.

MG is back at the drawing board in bringing back physical controls to its interiors (look at the MG 4, for example), as the finicky nature of touchscreen-based controls just isn’t user-friendly. It’s also annoying that you have to click out of whatever you have on screen (eg: Apple CarPlay to adjust anything) rather than using a dial or buttons.

Being a family-oriented SUV, storage and amenities are also important, and the HS has a decent repertoire in this regard.

There are toothed cupholders ahead of the e-shifter and a grippy rubberised phone slot housing a wireless charger, which are handy. But if you use the USB ports for your phone you’ll have wires running along the centre console, because there’s nowhere to put your phone ahead of the cupholders.

Another cubby resides under the front-centre armrest, and there are bottle holders in the doors – though they aren’t a patch on the cavernous door bins in the Volkswagen Tiguan, for example.

As I noted earlier, the general perception of quality is pretty good, especially given the price. The sporty steering wheel design with perforated leather is a lovely thing to hold, and the padded sections along the sides of the centre console with contrast stitching are another upmarket touch.

Contrast stitching and perforated leatherette upholstery continue throughout the cabin, on the seats and on the door grab handle trims, which is why it’s puzzling that MG went for moulded stitch-look stuff on the door tops – which looks like it came out of a Toyota HiLux.

The gloss-black finish of all the buttons on the steering wheel as well as the centre console trim is also a magnet for fingerprints and marks. Our tester already had hairline scratches all over the transmission selector surrounds.

Fewer criticisms can be levelled at the rear of the MG HS, given the ample space for adult passengers and good access via the wide-opening rear doors.

Two adults will be more than happy in the outboard seats, and a third can fit in the middle at a pinch, thanks to the flat seat base and floor. You also get a fold-down armrest with cupholders for added convenience, as well as bottle holders in the doors.

Rear air vents and dual USB-C ports also feature, though it’s a shame there’s no third zone of climate control, even in this top-spec model.

For the kiddies, there are ISOFIX anchor points on the outboard seats and top-tether points across the backs of all three.

MG quotes 507 litres of cargo capacity with the second row in use, expanding to a healthy 1484L with the rear seatbacks folded – and they do so almost completely flat.

Under the boot floor there is a space-saver spare wheel, which may not be the preference for some, but props to MG for not just throwing a can of goo in there, as with an increasing number of new models, particularly EVs.

To see how the MG HS lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

Hybrid+ versions of the MG HS are powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to an electric motor and a small battery pack – healthy system outputs of 165kW/340Nm are sent exclusively to the front wheels.

While the ‘Hybrid Transmission’ doesn’t come with much of a description, it’s understood to be a version of the three-speed gearbox used in the smaller MG 3 and MG ZS Hybrid+ models.

Further details are few and far between in official documents, but the HS transmission intelligently shifts between power sources to prioritise either EV or ICE power for maximum efficiency, or combines them to optimise performance.

To see how the MG HS lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How does the MG HS drive?

We’ve praised petrol-powered and Super Hybrid versions of the HS for their refinement on the road, and the Hybrid+ variant is worthy of similar praise.

With healthy outputs and a generally well-calibrated drivetrain, the HS Hybrid+ is a smooth and effortless SUV for everyday duties, while also doing a decent job of reducing fuel use without much effort.

The electric motor offers 340Nm from rest, meaning there’s heaps of low-down torque to get off the line at a decent clip – it’s not like the HS Hybrid+ is particularly heavy relative to its rivals at 1.6 tonnes – though if you stomp on it too hard you might light up the front tyres…

Remembering that this is an efficiency-focused family car only offered in front-wheel drive, the Hybrid+ is best driven with a measured and relatively relaxed right foot, though when rolling you can get it moving quickly if you need to.

While the Hybrid Transmission is claimed to have three speeds, the HS drives more like it has a CVT rather than a planetary gearset, with the e-motors and engine revs flaring and dropping with pedal inputs rather than matching the ratio shifting of a conventional automatic.

Whether you’re pottering around or accelerating a little harder, the HS Hybrid+ isn’t raucous or unrefined like some hybrids with anaemic petrol engines, and rarely shunts or hesitates in a violent or unpleasant manner when you call upon both power sources while coasting in EV mode.

That leads us nicely into the topic of efficiency, likely one of the primary reasons you’d be looking at the Hybrid+ in the first place.

We managed mid to high 5.0L/100km figures with daily commuting in peak-hour traffic, with a mix of heavy traffic and city driving thrown in with some running around over the weekend in a similar blend of conditions.

That’s not bad given the strong performance on offer, and the mix of driving that it was subjected to. It may not be as outright efficient as rival hybrids from Toyota and Kia, but given it’s cheaper to buy to begin with, you already have a headstart – even if it demands premium 95 RON unleaded fuel.

It also rides quite nicely, even if it has a slightly firm edge, which plays into that Euro flavour. The HS Hybrid+ doesn’t feel as heavy on its feet as the PHEV version with its 10-times-larger battery, and as such it does a better job of softening the blow from the sort of sharp hits you’ll encounter in and around the city.

The steering and handling is also well balanced, but doesn’t really err on the sporty side.

Light in weighting and not super-communicative, the steering is relatively quick and accurate but hardly feelsome or sporty in character.

The front-end isn’t very pointy, but responds pretty accurately to inputs and offers the cruisy sort of feel you might get in a larger SUV.

Insulation from road and wind noise is again decent without being standout, with acceptable levels of ambient noise being let into the cabin on the move – keep in mind the HS rides on larger 19-inch alloys shod in 225/55 rubber.

Again, given the price point, I’d be picking the MG over Chinese rivals like the GWM Haval H6 and Chery Tiggo 7 in terms of general driving refinement and the overall cohesion of its driving controls – it feels almost European.

As for driver assist tech, the MG Pilot suite of active safety and assistance systems is another one of the better examples of calibration and integration, particularly for a Chinese brand.

Apart from an incessant (but not super-loud) speed sign alert, there’s little in the way of distracting beeps and bongs, nor heavy-handed steering intervention.

The Intelligent Cruise Assist feature combines adaptive cruise and lane-centring for semi-autonomous highway capability, and proved to be pretty reliable save for the odd mis-read of not-so-perfect lane markings on the M3 Eastern Freeway in Melbourne, which is currently under construction.

Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic assist work as you’d expect, and there’s also front cross-traffic alert for when you’re pulling out of blind T-intersections. The Essence’s standard surround-view parking camera is also pretty good, offering a handy 3D projection of the vehicle within the surround camera feeds.

To see how the MG HS lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

The HS Hybrid+ is available in two trim levels in Australia – Excite and Essence.

2026 MG HS Hybrid+ Excite equipment highlights:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• 215/60 R18 tyres
• Space-saver spare
• Electric parking brake
• Rear privacy glass
• Heated, power-adjustable exterior mirrors
• Automatic LED headlights
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Proximity entry with push-button start
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
• Satellite navigation
• DAB+ digital radio
• 6-speaker sound system
• 2 x front USB outlets
• 2 x rear USB outlets
• PU steering wheel
• Leather-wrapped shifter
• Fabric upholstery
• 6-way power driver’s seat
• Air-conditioning with rear air vents
• Power windows with one-touch up/down
• iSmart connected services – 12mth subscription

HS Hybrid+ Essence adds:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• 225/55 R19 tyres
• Panoramic sunroof
• Hands-free power tailgate
• Front fog lights
• Heated, power-folding exterior mirrors with memory
• Wireless phone charger
• 8-speaker sound system
• 4-way power driver’s seat lumbar
• Driver’s seat memory
• 4-way power passenger seat
• Heated front seats
• Dual-zone climate control
• PVC upholstery
• Sunglasses holder

To see how the MG HS lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Is the MG HS safe?

The MG HS range wears a five-star ANCAP safety rating – including Hybrid+ (HEV) and Super Hybrid (PHEV) variants – based on tests conducted in 2024 by sister organisation Euro NCAP.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• 7 airbags incl. front-centre
• Adaptive cruise control
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Lane-keep assist
• Emergency lane-keep assist
• Intelligent Cruise Assist
• Intelligent speed limit assist
• Front cross-traffic alert
• Rear cross-traffic assist
• Safe exit warning
• Rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Tyre pressure monitoring

Essence adds:

• Front parking sensors
• Surround-view cameras

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?

The MG HS Hybrid+ is backed by a 10-year, 250,000km warranty if you service within MG’s dealership network. Otherwise, it’s a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Given the length of the HS’ ‘Precise Price Service’ schedule, see the below table for advertised prices at a Melbourne MG dealer at the time of writing for the vehicle tested – oddly, MG Australia no longer has a calculator on its website.

It’s worth noting that at the time of writing the HS Hybrid+ is being offered with five years of free servicing, which equates to savings of around $2166 based on the below prices.

To see how the MG HS lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the MG HS

Sharp pricing and general all-round competence make the MG HS Hybrid+ a solid alternative to Australia’s most popular mid-size SUVs – particularly other hybrid ones.

Considering the cheapest RAV4 Hybrid is closer to $50,000 on the road and a hybrid Sportage or Tucson is mid-$40,000 in their cheapest forms, the HS maintains a strong price and spec advantage without much compromise.

It also offers driving manners and handling dynamics comparable to its segment stalwarts, good fuel-efficiency relative to both its popular rivals and its non-hybrid siblings, and is also both handsome and practical. A lengthy (conditional) warranty and other aftersales provisions should also provide peace of mind for longer-term ownership.

While the Essence adds a lot of desirable equipment items, the $5000 saving currently advertised for the base model riding on smaller wheels (likely delivering an even more comfortable ride) and cloth seat trim seems quite tempting for the same price as a base run-out Mazda CX-5, as is the five-year free servicing offer.

It’s a shame the HS isn’t getting more love from the buying public, because it deserves to be as popular as the GWM Haval H6 – which is currently outselling it by more than three to one.

Looking to take a chance on a Chinese alternative to a Toyota, Mazda or Kia mid-size SUV? This is easily among the best of the bunch.

CarExpert can save you thousands on a new MG HS. Click here to get a great deal.

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MORE: Explore the MG HS showroom