2026 MG HS Hybrid+ review

Our verdict

The HS Hybrid+ is for families who want hybrid economy without paying Toyota money, and its powertrain is the best thing MG has put in a car. Both grades undercut the obvious rivals by thousands. The catch is a touchscreen that runs too much of the car and doesn’t always run it reliably.

What does the MG HS Hybrid+ cost in Australia?

The HS Hybrid+ comes in two grades: Excite at $39,990 driveaway and Essence at $44,990 driveaway.

Until 31 October, MG is offering $3000 cashback on both grades, which brings the Excite down to $36,990 driveaway and the Essence to $41,990.

The Hybrid+ sits between the petrol HS and the Super Hybrid plug-in. Both grades share the same powertrain, 19-inch alloys, LED lighting, keyless entry and start, twin 12.3-inch screens, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, adaptive cruise and the full safety suite.

The Excite runs cloth seats, single-zone climate, six speakers and a reversing camera. For $5000 more, the Essence adds synthetic leather, heated and powered front seats with driver memory, dual-zone climate, a panoramic sunroof, a power tailgate, wireless charging, eight speakers, front sensors, fog lights, a 360-degree camera and rear cross-traffic alert with braking.

Put the Excite next to a base RAV4 Hybrid and the gap is well over $10,000 once on-roads are added. Even the fully loaded Essence costs less than the cheapest RAV4.

View MG HS driveaway pricing and specifications →

What does the MG HS Hybrid+ look like?

This second-generation HS looks far more expensive than its price suggests. It’s long and wide for the class at 4670mm by 1890mm, with slim LED headlights, a large mesh grille and a full-width light bar across the tail.

Both grades wear 19-inch alloys, so the Excite doesn’t look like the budget option from the kerb. Fog lights are about the only visual giveaway on the Essence.

Where the latest RAV4 goes for chunky, tough-truck styling, the HS is softer and sleeker. It doesn’t pretend to be an off-roader, and it looks better for it.

What is the MG HS Hybrid+ like inside?

Climb in and the old HS is a distant memory. Soft-touch materials cover most of the dash and doors, the switchgear feels solid, and nothing creaked or rattled in either grade.

The Essence’s synthetic leather looks a class above its price, while the Excite’s cloth is hard-wearing and arguably more comfortable on a 40-degree day. Both share the same layout, built around twin 12.3-inch displays in one long panel.

And that’s where the trouble starts. MG, if you’re going to make the screen so central to the experience, you have got to nail it. And you haven’t.

I had repeated phone connection issues, and wireless CarPlay constantly disconnected, at times locking up the screen entirely. When the connection did hold, simple jobs like adjusting the climate or switching drive modes meant digging through menus.

There’s a row of physical buttons below the screen for the demisters, hazards and air-con, and a programmable star button on the steering wheel can jump to the climate page. But fan speed and temperature still sit behind a tap or two, and CarPlay takes over the whole display, shortcuts included.

Most of this could be fixed with a software update. Until it is, the screen is the weakest part of the car.

How practical is the MG HS Hybrid+?

The HS is one of the roomier mid-size SUVs on sale. A 2765mm wheelbase means six-footers can sit behind six-footers with knee room to spare, and the near-flat floor makes the middle seat usable on longer trips.

Both grades get rear air vents, two rear USB-C ports, two ISOFIX points and three top tethers. The Essence adds a fold-down armrest with cupholders, though its panoramic roof trims headroom a little for taller passengers.

Boot space is 507 litres, growing to 1484 litres with the 60:40 rear seats folded. That’s mid-pack for the class and the seats don’t slide, but there’s a space-saver spare under the floor, which plenty of rivals can’t say.

Up front, the door pockets and glovebox are generous, but the centre console bin is small for a car this size. The Essence’s kick-to-open power tailgate is a genuine help when your hands are full of shopping or kids.

What is the MG HS Hybrid+ like to drive?

If there was an award for most improved car, the HS would be in the running. Compared with the old HS, this feels like a completely different vehicle.

Driving it is a non-event, and I mean that as a compliment. The 1.5-litre turbo engine and 146kW electric motor combine for 165kW and 340Nm, and the handover between them is close to seamless.

Around town the electric motor does most of the work, so it moves off quietly and with real urgency. There’s more shove here than the outputs suggest, and it never feels short of breath when you need to merge or overtake.

Cabin noise is impressively low. You’ll hear the engine thrum under hard acceleration, but at a highway cruise it’s quieter than plenty of more expensive SUVs.

The ride sits on the firm side of comfortable. Bigger bumps and undulations are handled with good control, though sharp edges and broken patches can send a jolt through the 19-inch wheels.

Steering is light and accurate, ideal for car parks rather than back roads. Push hard into a corner and there’s noticeable body roll, but it’s predictable, and nobody buys a family hybrid for that anyway.

Be too eager with the throttle from a standstill in the wet and the front tyres will scrabble for grip. A smoother right foot solves it.

Regenerative braking has two levels and the pedal blends well, so it’s easy to drive smoothly. There are three drive modes, but because you have to go into the screen to change them, most owners will leave it in Normal and never think about it again.

How efficient is the MG HS Hybrid+?

MG claims 5.2L/100km combined and 4.2L/100km around town, and those numbers are realistic. Expect mid-fives in mixed driving, with the best results in suburban stop-start traffic where the motor carries most of the load.

It needs 95 RON premium unleaded, which takes a slice out of the savings. Still, with a 55-litre tank, it’ll go a long way between fills.

There’s no plug and no EV mode to manage. You fill it up and drive it like any other car, which is exactly what most buyers want.

The full warranty only applies if you service with an MG dealer, of which there are more than 100 nationally; go elsewhere and it drops to seven years with unlimited kilometres. Servicing is capped-price for seven years and roadside assist runs for the life of the warranty, though five years of servicing costs a few hundred dollars more than a RAV4.

Is the MG HS Hybrid+ safe?

The HS carries a five-star ANCAP rating from 2024, and it covers the Hybrid+ after ANCAP ran extra frontal offset and pole tests to check the battery and high-voltage system. It scored 90% for adult occupant protection, 87% for child occupant protection, 83% for vulnerable road users and 74% for safety assist.

Both grades get seven airbags, including a front-centre airbag, plus AEB with junction and pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise with stop-and-go, lane centring, blind-spot monitoring and a driver monitoring camera. The Essence adds the 360-degree camera and rear cross-traffic alert with braking, both genuinely useful given how hard it is to judge the corners of that sloping bonnet.

The problem is calibration. The lane-keeping steers with a heavy hand, the speed and driver monitoring chimes are relentless, and switching them off only lasts until the next restart.

What are the main competitors to the MG HS Hybrid+?

The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid starts at $45,990 before on-roads for the GX 2WD, and it remains the default choice for good reason, with a proven hybrid system and strong resale. But it makes less power, and the HS Excite undercuts it by well over $10,000 on the road while matching or beating it on equipment.

The GWM Haval H6 Hybrid is the closest match on price and concept, starting at $39,490 before on-roads in Lux form with a punchier 179kW hybrid and a similar two-speed set-up. It’s well equipped, but the HS has the nicer cabin and the longer warranty when serviced with MG.

The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid starts at $42,850 before on-roads and is the more resolved all-rounder, with an interface that keeps proper physical controls. It’s the one to drive if the MG’s screen worries you, but you’ll pay noticeably more for it.

The RAV4 is still the benchmark, but if value is the priority, I’d recommend the HS Excite.

Should I buy the MG HS Hybrid+?

Yes, with one condition. The HS Hybrid+ is one of the most convincing cars MG has built, with a powertrain that’s smooth, quick and frugal, a cabin that feels more expensive than it is, and pricing that makes the established names look greedy.

The condition is software. If you live on Apple CarPlay and fiddle with the climate settings every five minutes, test it properly before signing anything, because that’s where this car let me down.

Of the two grades, the Excite is the one to buy. Same powertrain, same space, same wheels, and $39,990 driveaway for a 165kW hybrid family SUV with a warranty this long is outstanding.

The Essence’s extras are lovely, particularly the 360-degree camera and heated seats, but they’re comforts rather than essentials. MG has fixed almost everything that held the old HS back. Fix the screen, and this becomes one of the easiest family SUVs in Australia to recommend.