By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

MG was the first budget brand to embrace full electric powertrain technology. In 2020, it was also the first budget brand to offer plug-in hybrid tech - you could have it on the company's mid-range HS SUV, which we reckon is a very under-rated family crossover. It's quick and can be driven in full electrified form for up to 32 miles. Here, we look at the 2020-2024-era versions of this model.

Models

5dr SUV (1.5 PHEV) [Excite, Exclusive, SE, Trophy]

History

The Chinese are coming - with a little help from British brand heritage. MG is one of Britain's fastest growing car brands and its progress has been helped by an early adoption of electrified technology, first with the full-EV version of the compact ZS crossover and now with this plug-in variant of the larger HS model. This is significant for the mid-sized SUV market, which has seen a glut of Plug-in Hybrids launched in recent times, all at rather over-ambitious prices. This Plug-in HS isn't inexpensive either, but its £30,000 price tag makes it by far the most affordable car of its kind in its segment. This Plug-in version of the HS sold until a new generation model was launched in mid-2024. It's the 2020 to mid-2024-era HS Plug-in models we look at here.

What You Get

Visually, there's little to differentiate the Plug-in version of this HS from the conventionally-engined version - unless you spot different badging and the extra charging flap. At first glance, you wouldn't pigeonhole this as a model from a budget brand. In fact, there are elements of Mercedes GLC in its curved sculpted looks. At the front, the latest iteration of MG's stellar field grille frames the largest MG logo yet. At the rear, twin tailpipes and an aluminium lower bumper add a sporty finish. In 2023, the look was lightly updated with revised bi-function LED headlights, a bolder grille design and a re-styled front bumper Inside, if you class match the interior against, say, a Qashqai or an Ateca, you'll agree with MG that space is class-leading. Headroom's good too - even with the panoramic sunroof fitted. Up front, there's a much higher quality dash than you might be expecting. The seats could be a little more supportive and the indicator stalks feel a bit plasticky, but that's about it on the debit side. There aren't many buttons, most features re-located to a large 10.1-inch centre-dash infotainment touchscreen compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In the rear, there's room for a couple of adults to sit comfortably. Out back, MG has managed to package in the hybrid mechanicals without a significant effect on luggage room and as a result, there's a decently-sized 448-litre boot - that capacity measured up to the window line. That's 15-litres less than the ordinary HS model.

What You Pay

Prices for the HS Plug-in start from around £15,000 (around £17,100 retail), which gets you an early '19-plate base 'Excite'-trimmed model. Allow £1,000 more for plusher 'Exclusive' trim. Try and stretch to the lightly updated 2023-era version of this HS Plug-in model. In this guise, the PHEV version prices from around £19,300 (around £21,500) in 'SE'-spec on an early '23-plate. Allow a premium of around £1,700 for top 'Trophy' trim. All quoted values are sourced through industry experts cap hpi. Click here for a free valuation.

What to Look For

Check that the PHEV system charges properly. Otherwise, there aren't many major issues here, other than a few electrical and software issues; go thoroughly over all the powered and infotainment functions of the car you're looking at. Even if there were, all cars will obviously be covered by MG's warranty, a fully-transferrable 7 year/80,000 mile package. We've heard of issues with the automatic wipers being inaccurate. And a few reports of sunroofs leaking with water dripping down onto the sun visors. There are a few occasional quality issues that come up: things like plastic clips braking and panels not lining up perfectly. And some owners have reported that the car occasionally doesn't recognise the key fob. Otherwise, it's just the usual things; look out for stone chips and alloy wheel scratches. And insist on a fully stamped-up service history.

Replacement Parts

MG parts prices are pretty affordable but you'll probably need to source them through an MG dealer. This being an EV, you'll save on a lot of the usual service items - you obviously won't need things like an oil filter and so on. And the brake pads will last a lot longer - possibly the life of the car.

On the Road

Like the ordinary HS, this Plug-in version uses a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, but in this case, the powerplant in question is a fair bit more sophisticated. It's mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox and works with a 90KW electric motor hitched to a four-speed drive unit and powered by a 16.6kWh battery pack. Together, the motor and the engine combine to provide 10 electronically controlled gear ratios that seek to always provide the optimal gear combination. When the battery pack is fully charged, a WLTP-rated pure electric range of 32 miles is apparently possible, which in urban conditions MG says can be stretched as far as 43 miles. The Plug-in hybrid powertrain has a maximum output of 258PS and 370Nm of torque - sufficient to get the car to 60mph in 6.9 seconds on the way to a top speed of 118mph. Because this is a front driven-only model, you shouldn't expect to be able to engage in any serious off road shenanigans - the relatively restricted ground clearance doesn't allow for that anyway. And, given the extra weight of all that electrical hardware, you shouldn't expect ride and handling to be cutting-edge, though typical family buyers will probably be quite satisfied. Braked towing capacity is 1,500kg - 250kg less than the conventionally-engined model.

Overall

We've complained for some time that pricing for mid-sized Plug-in hybrid SUVs is far too expensive. So the arrival of this HS Plug-in model in 2020 was welcome. With other PHEVs in this class from this period, you often feel that the manufacturers' hearts aren't really in it. That those variants were only really in the range to drive down the line-up's combined CO2 reading - and that the makers in question didn't really care too much about how many they'd actually sell. In contrast, MG went about shifting this electrified HS in decent global volumes and always priced the car to do just that. Plug-in hybrid tech may not have a very long shelf life - some European countries reckon it might be banned by 2035 - but right here, right now, it's a great option for many family buyers. And if you agree, then if you're looking at a mid-sized PHEV crossover from the 2020-2023 period, you need to consider this car.