Meet the MG QS, the latest SUV from the Chinese giant, and one that the brand promises is a “true” seven-seater – not a five-seater with two dinky little seats in the boot, but a full-size SUV that can carry seven adult-sized humans.
And that promise puts it on a collision course with family favourites like the Toyota Kluger or the Kia Sorento.
So, how does this big MG measure up?
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Read on.
Price and features – Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with?
8 / 10
You get introductory national drive-away pricing for the two-grade MG QS range, with the Excite yours for $46,990, and the Essence we’re testing sets you back $50,990 on the road.
In typical MG fashion, neither model is wanting for much in the spec department, but our Essence gets the lot and the kitchen sink.
Outside, there are 21-inch alloys, LED lighting with fog lights, a powered tailgate and a powered sunroof. Inside, there are leather seats which are heated and ventilated up front, tri-zone climate control and ambient interior lighting.
Tech is handled by twin 12.3-inch screens with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s wireless charging, too, and a 12-speaker Bose stereo.
The top-spec model also gets all-wheel drive, adaptive suspension and six drive modes — Normal, Snow, Off-Road, Sport, Custom and Eco.
There are five exterior colours available on the QS, including Oxford White, Black Pearl, Camden Grey, Regency Green and Cashmere Silver.
Design – Is there anything interesting about its design?
7 / 10
You’re not going to miss the MG on the road, are you? For one, it looks pretty big, and pretty athletic, plus it’s got that bold front-end and grille design that, if I’m honest, I can’t tell if I like, or if it’s over the top.
Elsewhere, though, it’s more traditional SUV styling, though there is some nice and gentle detailing in the body that makes it look less big, broad, and boring, and the slightly nose-forward design gives the QS something of an athletic stance.
Inside, it’s really quite nice. The twin screens look fantastic – and the subtle curve linking the two looks properly elegant – and there’s some lovely detailing in the through the dash panels, too, which also helps to break up the fact that there is simply a lot of dash here.
As always, I love the row of switches below the screen that act as shortcuts to the functions you need, when you need them, without having to rely on the screen all the time.
But I'd encourage you to have a good squeeze of all the materials used. Some look like stitched leather, but are actually harder plastics in disguise.
Practicality – How practical is its space and tech inside?
8 / 10
The MG QS is a smidge under five-metres long, just over 1.9m wide and just under 1.8.m high, which puts it right in the seven-seat SUV ballpark.
That pays dividends in the backseat. I’m 175cm tall, and I had heaps of room to spread out, and I don’t only have my own air vents, but I have my own temperature controls, too.
It’s a big and airy space, and I’d have no problem spending some serious time here on a longer road trip.
But the big question is, what do those dimensions mean for third-row riders, and does it live up to its promise of being a true seven-seater?
Well, yes and no. The fact that the middle row is on rails helps massively, because you can slide it forwards to maximise leg room for backseat riders, and the one-touch entry (which folds the middle row up and forwards) makes actually climbing back there pretty simple, too.
But... it's still a space in which I wouldn't want to spend too much time. Its big enough for shorter trips, but it's still best for the smaller kids in the family.
Now, as is often the case with three-row cars, how much boot space you get very much depends on how many people you have onboard. With all three rows in place, you get a miserly 203L, fold the third row and you get 517L, drop both rows and you get 1052L.
Under the bonnet – What are the key stats for its engine and transmission?
6 / 10
Under this hood is a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine, which produces 153kW and 360Nm. In this all-wheel-drive Essence, that power is channelled through a nine-speed automatic and sent to all four wheels.
I don’t have a zero to 100km/h time for this two-tonne-plus beast, but suffice it to say it won’t knock your hat off. I’m guesstimating just under 10 seconds.
Efficiency – What is its fuel consumption? What is its driving range?
7 / 10
Now MG reckons you will see 8.8L/100km on the combined cycle, which would give you a theoretical driving range of around 738km from its 65-litre fuel tank. For the record, we saw more like 11 litres.
That tank, by the way, demands 95RON fuel, so you won’t be troubling the cheapest pump at your local service station.
Driving – What's it like to drive?
6 / 10
It all comes down to what you're looking for in your large SUV. Is it a vehicle that – against all odds – manages to somehow stir your emotions from behind the wheel, whether you're flying solo or you're riding with seven on board? Well, the MG QS won't do that.
But if you're looking for something big, comfortable, nicely trimmed and with just about every feature you can think of, then the MG QS ticks those boxes and then some.
But let's start with the not so good. The steering in the MG QS is super, super light, leaving it feeling largely disconnected from what's happening beneath the tyres, and giving the drive experience a weird and artificial vibe.
Now, it must be said that some drivers like that. A big car with light steering makes manoeuvrability easy in car parks and the like. But I don't. It makes me feel uninvolved in the drive experience.
The QS is equipped with Sport mode that does add heft to the steering, but which also appears to make the gearbox way to eager to shift down and hold a lower gear, adding a harshness to the drive.
It's also not a big engine, and this is a big car, and so there's a bit of delay when you first plant your foot as the engine figures out its next move, and you're always aware of the engine working fairly hard to get the QS moving along – though MG has done a good job of deadening much of that sound before it enters the cabin.
But if that's the not-so-good, there are still plenty of ticks in the MG's plus column. It's a largely smooth-riding, sweet-shifting proposition, the QS, and the space in all three rows is impressive, especially when the sliding second row is utilised to maximise the space where you need it.
Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What is its safety rating?
8 / 10
The MG QS hasn’t yet been crash-tested by ANCAP, but all the expected safety kit is on board, including seven airbags, AEB, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist and lane departure warning.
But be warned, it can bing and bong and random intervals. If it thinks you’re speeding, or that you’re not paying attention, and it is very, very annoying. Learn how to switch off the speed limit recognition and driver attention alert, and fast.
Ownership – What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs?
6 / 10
It’s a tale of goods and bads in the QS ownership world. The good is a near market-leading 10-year/250,000km warranty (so long as you regularly visit an authorised service centre), and solid service intervals of 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.
The bad is eye-watering service costs – including a whopping $2920 dollar service at the six-year/90,000km mark.
All up, seven years/105,00km of servicing will cost you $6336 in the 2WD, or $6962 in our AWD – the latter averaging out at close to $1000 per year.
Verdict
What it lacks in driving panache it does make up for in terms of space and equipments, and there really is room for seven decent-sized humans on board. Combine that with a decade of warranty coverage, and the MG QS will no doubt be appearing on family shortlists.
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