2026 MG HS Excite review

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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.

Well, MG’s mid-size SUV challenger is still alive and well with his life as it has been said by . Though it recently expanded the model range with 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.

Although HS’s sharp launch pricing is still kept intact, not much has changed since its release for this iteration of the film (the model that preceded) was up to $7000 more expensive than what had been released before. It is even $5000 pricier than its now-defunct equivalent of mid-spec 2026 MG HS Excite, which has been released in the same year as this mid term.

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.

| Model | Pricing |
| — | — |
| 2026 MG HS Vibe | $33,990 drive-away |
| 2026 MG HS Excite | $36,990 drive-away |
| 2026 MG HS Essence | $40,990 drive-away |
| 2026 MG HS Hybrid+ Excite | $40,990 before on-roads |
| 2026 MG HS Hybrid+ Essence | $44,990 before on-roads |
| 2026 MG HS Super Hybrid Excite | $48,990 before on-roads |
| 2026 MG HS Super Hybrid Essence | $52,990 before on-roads |

HS Excite’s most direct rival is the GWM Haval H6 Lux, $35,990 drive-away (although upgrading to the better-equipped Ultra only raises the price for $38,990 Drive-Anavigation).

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
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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 a big dual-screen display with two 12 in it, which is headlined by. paraphrasing 3 inch units of central infotainment system and driver’s instrument cluster. In a Hyundai or Kia, it’s fundamentally the same thing as what you see in if there is no sleek graphics.

Despite its text and icons, it remains clear and legible; there are several good-read menus to flick through the steering wheel buttons. Some of those buttons would be more clear than they are 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 identify on the move. The climate system doesn’t have any physical controls beyond the three glossy buttons below the screen, and it’s still annoying that every time you want to make a basic change in your menu is open – or has been opened.

Whether you’re using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, we feel it even more cumbersome as you have to leave your smartphone’s interface to access basic functions such as fan speed or temperature. So it’s a shame the HS has such limitations that other MG models have more intuitive shortcuts.

A note is, too, that CarPlay is wired-only via USB–A. A point that may be a sticking point in if the market is still relatively wireless, although it does not have some shortcomings with its own software like integrated satellite navigation which can be displayed on the instrument cluster.

For cabin materials, the HS Excite is fairly well-appointed. In some cases, the steering wheel is made of leather-like material that has a premium (or perforated), while MG’s brochure says it’t actually polyurethane in its own booklet. It’s nice to hold a whatever the case is.

This leather-like PVC is also a good quality, and the seats areupholstered in’stuffy’ style of an upholstery called “PVC” that feels decent. All of the HS range is equipped with power seat adjustments and comfortable seats, although they do not have heating function for top-spec Essence.

The leather gear selector is sadly piano-black, and there’s much more of it at that point than the – but I think so many. A few key controls, such as the parking brake and Park button, are also glossy with a bit of gloss in no time — this area will scratch.

There’s a fair amount of storage up front, such as – for instance – ‘two cupholders, bottle holders in the doors, standard passenger-side glovebox and if it is under the padded central armrest.

HS tester We are the Excite, and our test misses out on niceties like an eye-catching sunglasses holder above the rear-view mirror; a panoramic sunroof. While it’s not a world end for s, some may think the lack of i.e. wireless phone charger is an issue to many people who don’t have if they are going to be charged with their phones.

The 12V outlet or the right-hand USB-A port up front are used for phone charging, and the left hand port is reserved to use with the aforementioned wired smartphone mirroring.

A wireless charger at least doesn’t give you a simple rubber pad under the center armrest where your phone is stored.

The large door openings make access to the second row easy, and you’ll get a lot of room all around. Especially impressive, Legroom has plenty of space behind both front seats regardless of the position in front and there’s just one small driveline noise in the middle.

The MG has done very well for families back here, with rear-seatoccupants being treated to dual air vents and two USB-A ports on the back of the centre console. I don’t think it’s a lot of money to make everyone happy, there is no way to over-pay for .

A further two ISOFIX anchors and three top-tether points for child seats are also present, while the central folding armrest flips up to reveal two cupholders with a bezel completed in still more piano black (but not yet less piano).

Other front-end design elements are also echoed in the rear (such as three dimensions patterns on the inside of door cards and metallic components such as the door handles and speakers).

A power tailgate is reserved for only the flagship HS Essence, although the manual alternative here remains easy enough to open an opening of this key. It has a 507 litres of seats-up capacity that is lower than the Haval H6 (560L) and RAV4 (580L), but it’s an appropriately large space in the metal.

Barebones, as it is, the load floor is large and sits at a nice height for loading. On either side there are nets for storing away objects and a small storage space under the floor, as well as some extra storage.

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

| | MG HS Excite |
| — | — |
| Length | 4655mm |
| Width | 1890mm |
| Height | 1655mm |
| Wheelbase | 2765mm |
| Boot capacity (VDA) | 507L (rear seats up) 1484L (rear seats folded) |

To see how the MG HS stacks up against the competition, use our
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What’s under the bonnet?

All non-hybrid MG HS variants are 1-1, which is the power of . The four cylinder petrol engine, which is powered by 5-litre turbocharged 4–cylinder engines with 125kW and 275Nm of torque, produced in this way. This transmission is a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that sends drive to the front wheels.

| Specifications | MG HS Excite |
| — | — |
| Engine | 1.5L 4cyl turbo-petrol |
| Power | 125kW |
| Torque | 275Nm |
| Transmission | 7-speed dual-clutch automatic |
| Driven wheels | Front-wheel drive |
| Kerb weight | 1590kg |
| Fuel economy (claimed) | 6.9L/100km |
| Fuel economy (as tested) | 6.6L/100km |
| Fuel tank capacity | 55L |
| Fuel requirement | 95-octane premium unleaded |
| CO2 emissions | 156g/km |
| Emissions standard | Euro 5 |
| Braked tow capacity | 1500kg |

HS We had a week of driving for the entire country, but our weekend was mostly highway-commuting. That meant that it produced a lower fuel consumption figure than MG’s claim.

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How does the MG HS drive?

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

Our biggest complaint is its safety equipment. This is all 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.

It’s annoying because the lack of interior buttons makes you pay more attention to the screens. Especially when it comes to driving older cars, or even new cars with better safety system calibration–it’s just not good enough.

It is also particularly vocal, sometimes combining into a cacophony of beeps and bongs that makes it hard to know what the car is actually warning you about when using ‘Passive’ lane-keep assist or the vehicle’s speed limit warning.

In a case of , these systems generally fail to interact with the physical driving controls; instead they use audible and on-screen warnings. Using the infotainment screen, you can disable them easily; they’re hidden in many menus and have to be disabled each time your drive starts.

The quality of the ride is a little bouncy and may be more settled, but it’s slightly less consequential than . It’s not too many problems from the driver’S seat but my passengers in the back (who rarely gets a car sick) said they were ‘nauseous’ after driving through the country.

This was a shock, as the drive wasn’t particularly hard and nobody in the front seat felt unwell (although it may have been caused by that slight plastic/glue smell inside the HS).

The HS handles well and doesn’t do so exceptionally, but does have some body roll in it. This is a good steering feel for if it’s suited for the family SUV, and easy enough to drive day-to-day, just as comfortable around town as on the freeway. But on twistier roads it could be a touch sharper.

The best is cabin refinement, a positive. There’s no road or wind noise at 80km/h, and even 100km / H or more it’t still nice under the belt – impressive for an SUV at this price point.

In fact, the engine is actually the most audible sound inside the cabin. If you put in the throttle and look at 1 , you’ll get it. The 5-litre powerplant is nice, but doesn’t scream too loud; it does not compete with a Ferrari for exhaust note (but won’t give you headache either way).

The performance is also good for such a small-displacement engine, as does the term “performance”. This is a good pull on the HS, and you’d be hard-pressed to notice any significant turbo lag which makes it pretty predictable.

This is supported by a good dual-clutch automatic transmission, which actually has European quality (e.g. So its shifts are smoother than those of dual-clutch auto’, which you may have heard about before it was a wetting–cluitch configuration; so that’s the kind of thing I think is more common.

At low speed, it’ll still have slight slacks, but nothing too offensive. While there are no paddle shifters, you may switch on the gear selector to Sport mode and re-shift manually that way – not necessary but certainly nice to have.

Several safety systems may be under-done, but the HS has enough driver assistance gear to get you by. It is a good enough blind-spot monitoring, and the standard cruise control function is generally reliable.

It also has a surround-view camera as standard, but misses out on front parking sensors while the HS Excite is equipped with’relatively high quality cameras’. If you park in tight spaces, that’s a bit of annoyance to me but the camera cameras on the car are good enough to help you manoeuvre safely. It’s also good if you want to do it the old-fashioned way, so that visibility out of the cabin is too.

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.

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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?

A five-star ANCAP safety rating for this new M HS is given on testing by sister organisation Euro NCAP in 2024, which has been tested.

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 maintains its passenger car range with an average seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty which can be extended to 10 years or 200,000km if serviced on time at an GM dealer.

| Servicing and Warranty | MG HS |
| — | — |
| Warranty | 10 years, 250,000km (service-activated) |
| Roadside assistance | 10 years (service-activated) |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km |
| Capped-price servicing | 7 years |
| Average annual service cost | $460.6 |
| Total capped-price service cost | $3224 |

It is whichever comes first, Servicing must be done every 12 months or 15,000km (or more). It follows MG details limited-price servicing for the first 10 visits.

| Service | Price |
| — | — |
| 12 months, 15,000km | $274 |
| 24 months, 30,000km | $526 |
| 36 months, 45,000km | $344 |
| 48 months, 60,000km | $936 |
| 60 months, 75,000km | $274 |
| 72 months, 90,000km | $596 |
| 84 months, 105,000km | $274 |

For example, a similar non-hybrid GWM Haval H6 is $2025 to service over five years (about $300 less than the HS during that time frame).

The cost of Chery’s capped-price service for the non-hybrid Tiggo 7 is still lower, with $1445 over five years. The Tiggo 7 also costs significantly more than the HS, at $2151 over the brand’s full seven-year capped-price program. Paraphrasing 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

childcareman.xyz’s Take on the MG HS Excite

MG HS ticks enough boxes to be worth considering for SUV buyers on an affordable budget, but it’s far from perfect.

But it’s mostly holding the back of those safety gremlins, and they’re very hard to forget how many Chinese cars have been in their lifetime. But even MG’s own newer models suffer from far less issues, which could well turn potential HS buyers towards other brands instead of the more traditional ones that they may have.

A shame, aside from that and the apparent hatred for interior buttons, is it not a bad car to have an HS. That is its strengthtrain, it’s road-wise a solid powertrain that matches the course and can’t be considered as being strong value.

Yet if you’re not looking to buy one of the higher-budget Japanese or Korean alternatives, something such as the GWM Haval H6 may still be worth buying. This is a slightly newer, more polished SUV and the less expensive Ultra may be worth the long-term price hike.

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