MG HS Essence 2025 review: snapshot

Sitting at the top of the MG HS tree is the Essence which bears a $4000 premium over its mid-spec Excite sibling.

For that, there are a few tasty spec morsels such as a panoramic sunroof, rear privacy class, a power tailgate, front parking sensors, wireless phone charging, eight-speaker audio, 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat with memory, seat heating dual-zone climate control, rear air vents and wireless phone charging.

Those join the Excite's 19-inch alloy wheels, a 360-degree camera system, navigation with digital cluster integration, fog lights and MG's 'iSmart' connectivity.

It also retains the new, refined 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder developing 125kW and 275Nm. The surprise highlight is the slick seven-speed dual-clutch transmission which drives the front wheels and performs better than Hyundai and Kia's systems.

The drive is smooth and quiet with compliant, hushed suspension and decent body control. The well-weighted steering and good visibility make the HS Essence a perfectly able companion in the suburbs.

However, moving into $40,000 territory, there's room for a more powerful engine with the option of all-wheel drive — something the HS will lack until hybrid versions arrive in early 2025.  

The improvements continue inside with influence from MG's latest products, including the excellent MG4 electric hatch.

As a point of difference, the top-spec Essence can be optioned with a brighter tan synthetic leather, rather than standard black in certain paint colours.

The HS has twin 12.3-inch screens that are high resolution but the centre multimedia screen can be a little tardy to respond to touch commands. This mid-sizer also lacks USB-C charge ports though the Essence's wireless charging is a welcome addition.

Being 45mm longer in the wheelbase and 14mm wider in body, the HS also has ample room in the second row for those over 180cm. Three ISOFIX ports and three top tether anchors are included as are soft-touch door tops.

The flat load bay provides 507L of storage space with a temporary spare tyre beneath the boot floor.

While the HS is covered by MG's 10-year/250,000km warranty, it is a little hamstrung by expensive servicing, costing $2534 over five years.

The Essence has a bulging list of safety features — though the driver-attention monitoring proved annoying — such as seven airbags, front and rear auto emergency braking with junction detection, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control with stop and go.

Independent safety testing bodies, such as ANCAP and Euro NCAP, are yet to evaluate the HS's safety performance.

It's worth pointing out that even the dearest HS remains more than $10,000 cheaper than flagship versions of rivals such as the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5 and Nissan X-Trail. 

Considering the stellar value and complete feeling of the base model Vibe, it's hard to recommend spending a whole lot more on the Essence. With ventilated seats it would certainly be an easier sell.