Steve Rogers drives the new MG HS
How does a car that looks this good have you tearing your hair
out within a few minutes of taking to the road?
An intriguing opening to a road test if ever there was one, so
what is the problem?
Basically you are bombarded with bongs, some useful, like the
overspeed warning, but I don’t need a bong and message to ‘focus on my driving’
when I am, or take a break when I have only just started.
Have we come too far with technology? Maybe. The HS has a
camera in the front A pillar to keep an eye on the driver. It is a safety
feature but is way too sensitive and damned annoying. Check the mirrors or look
to the centre console to change the heating or radio station at your peril. The
warning bongs can be turned off by scrolling to the MG Pilot menu but this has
to be done for every journey. If I owned the HS I would cover the camera with
tape.
Back to the nitty gritty and the new HS. It deserves a wow
because the transformation over the old model is massive. It is new from the
ground up, a slightly bigger body with a longer wheelbase giving more cabin
space, new engine, with a plug-in hybrid option, and a stylish, plush interior.
Yet this family sized SUV is still one of the bargains of the
century with a starting price of £24,995, undercutting rivals like Kia
Sportage, Nissan Qashqai, Ford Kugga and a lot more.
The original HS did well for MG but if that blended anonymously
into a very big pack then the new model stands out with striking design
following the trend for waver thin LED headlights and full width rear light
bar.
Inside has been completely revamped and looks nothing like a
bargain car. Fittings are decent quality and the whole thing has a feeling of
opulence. MG has played copycat with the dashboard creating the now popular
widescreen TV layout by merging two 12.3in screens. It looks spectacular.
Lengthening the wheelbase has created more space and that is no
more evident than in the back where there is legroom galore along a flat floor,
and the boot has gained some extra litres of storage. It is nowhere near class
leading and could be improved if the rear seat was on runners like some rivals.
Once seated passengers can expect a comfortable ride, the HS is
fairly softly sprung and does a good job of smothering the jolts from potholes
and the like.
The cutting edge dashboard layout I was lauding earlier does
have the odd foible. The infotainment is not as quick as some so you do find
yourself dabbing for a response from the menus of which there are quite a
number. The central screen layout is good with four functions displayed
including navigation, radio and heating. There are quick keys for fast
demisting, heating the rear window and returning to the main screen but what
about these for a couple of oddments?
It took days to find the volume control for the radio which is
in a swipe down menu, and the same applies for opening and closing the powered
tailgate from inside the car. A common or garden switch would be more sensible
as the ignition has to be on for it to work.
For a big car the 1.5 litre turbocharged engine is quite punchy
but with only average economy. Over the week the HS managed 40.4mpg, higher
than the official figure, although it did tip 50mpg on a couple of longer
journeys.
The star of the range is undoubtedly the Trophy plug-in hybrid
with its class leading range of 75 miles which for people who don’t do big
miles is the equivalent of an electric car. But if you want to save nine grand
then the petrol manual SE is tremendous value, very well equipped both for spec
and safety but my choice would be the seven speed automatic Trophy which packs
all you need and more.
* Last week I promised a decision on my car of the year. It was
a close call between the MG3 and Renault Clio and the crown goes to the MG. The
improvement over the previous model is massive and for style, economy and cost
the package is unbeatable. A good year for MG then…
Fast facts
HS Trophy 7sp automatic
£28,995 (starts £24,995)
1.5 T-GDI; 166bhp
0-62mph 9.6secs; 121 mph
38.7mpg combined
173g/km. 1st VED £1,095
Boot: 507-1484 litres
Insurance group 27
