The MG HS is a five-seater, five-door, compact crossover. In the local market, it comes in two different variants. These are the top-spec HS Trophy which is priced at Php 1,258,888 and the HS Alpha which retails at Php 1,308,888.
Under the hood, the HS uses a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 gasoline engine. It is then paired with a seven-speed wet-type dual clutch gearbox. The said engine is good for 167 horsepower and 250 Nm of torque.
Size-wise, the 2023 MG HS is 4,574mm long, 1,876mm wide, and 1,664mm in height.
It then competes against the likes of the Ford Territory, Chevrolet Trailblazer, and Geely Azkarra.
Launch
The all-new 2023 MG HS was introduced to the Philippine market on March 2022. The first production version however, was launched way back in 2018 at the Beijing Auto Show. The global version then followed in Thailand on 2019.
Currently, the MG HS is already being sold in the ASEAN region, in Australia, some parts of Europe, Mexico, Pakistan, and in its home country of China.
Exterior
In terms of styling, the MG HS follows the design language of the smaller MG ZS. It looks like your prototypical crossover, but it has its own charms. We’re talking about its appealing silhouette, its intricate-looking Stardust chrome grille, and its sharp-looking LED headlamps.
The new HS also gets front fog lamps, a panoramic sunroof, matte silver rear and front skid plates, roof rails, among others.
Interior
Inside, the MG HS can comfortably seat up to five occupants. For interior features, it then gets a dual-zone automatic air-conditioning system, a push-to-start button, a tilt and telescopic steering column, a multi-function steering wheel, leather seats, power folding side mirrors, as well as a power tailgate.
Tech and Safety
Both trims of the all-new HS are kitted out with a 10-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This headunit is then linked to a six-piece speaker system. The driver of the top-spec Trophy is also provided with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster.
For safety, the HS comes standard with six airbags, anti-lock braking with electronic brake-force distribution, hill-hold control, hill descent control, tire pressure monitoring, a reverse camera, rear parking sensors, cruise control, and electronic stability control.
For the Trophy variant, safety is furthe enhanced with the presence of blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, lane change assist, and rear driver alert.
Chassis
The MG HS uses a front engine, front-wheel-drive layout. It is related to the MG RX5 and the GS. The latter was the brand’s first-ever SUV to be produced in China.
When it comes to suspensions, the HS uses a MacPherson strut for the front, and a multi-link type for the rear. Braking is then handled by disc brakes for all four wheels. Both trims also come with an electronic parking brake with auto hold.
Engine
Both trims of the Philippine-spec MG HS use a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 gasoline engine. At maximum, this four-banger can make 167 horsepower and 250 Nm of torque. Power is then sent to its front wheels via a seven-speed wet-type dual clutch gearbox. The Trophy trim comes with paddle shifters to control its manual mode.