MG Motor UK HS Hatchback

1.5 T-GDI SE 5dr [2023]

MG has experienced a lot, from its heyday of building sports cars in the 20th century to its near-fatal demise with the ever-troubled MG Rover group in the early-to-mid 2000s.

Following its Chinese-backed rescue, MG rose from the ashes, admittedly producing a few forgettable cars – but at least it was back in the game.

And, since finding its feet, it has been on a roll.

The surprisingly brilliantMG 4 EV raised many eyebrows. It was one of the first electric cars that didn’t make you think you were handing over stupid money for a family car just because it didn't have a combustion engine.

The HS is MG’s largest SUV, first launched in 2018, soon followed by a plug-in hybrid version.

It had a makeover only last year, but, unusually, an all-new one took its place less than 18 months later. Unveiled at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed, it promises to continue growing MG’s burgeoning reputation.

Despite cheap price tags, MG has won plenty of acclaim for offering excellent value for money, fitting its cars with lots of frills at an almost no-frills price.

The new HS should be well placed to undercut its competitors without skimping on equipment levels.

So, how well does it do?

We’ve got our hands on a couple.