Honda Civic vs MG HS

What's the difference?

Talk about your new-car unsung heroes – I can't believe Honda's not selling more of these. So, if you can get over the price, and you worry it might be too small for you, I encourage you to check the Civic out. The back seat and boot are both bigger than you might expect, and the drive experience leaves most SUVs in the rear view mirror.

There are a few niggles with the latest MG HS, for example the annoying driver-attention monitoring and expensive maintenance costs. We’ve not had a full sample of its open-road performance yet either, which may prove more telling.

Yet the HS is shaping up to be one of the most successful product updates of recent years, second only to, I don’t know, the MG3? The family SUV is also backed by a 10-year warranty and, despite the drastic improvements, doesn’t cost a whole lot more than before.

The entry-level Vibe is our pick, there's no need to spend more. It features all manner of safety equipment and a quiet drive but with cloth upholstery that doesn't get all sticky and sweaty in the Australian climate.

The end of 2024 is the tipping point where MG goes from cheap and cheerful to a real headache for established players. Perhaps not for the strongest in the segment like the RAV4 and Nissan X-Trail, but the HS is now an easy car to recommend for a family looking for a spacious SUV that drives their dollar further. The hybrid will boost appeal further when it arrives next year.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

Beauty. Eye. Beholder. All that. But I reckon this Civic looks fantastic. Low-slung and sporty. The perfect antidote to all those bland, beige SUVs currently doing the rounds.

New as part of the most recent refresh is the front-end treatment, a new front bumper, more body-coloured flourishes and new designs for the 18-inch alloys. 

I think it looks sleek, premium and purposeful, and not at all boring.

Inside, though, it’s a little less adventurous, though I do adore some of the little design touches, like the perforated metal effect that spans the dash.

The central screen is pretty small by modern standards, and you don't want to push too hard on some of the touch points, like the gloss-black highlights on the doors, which feel flimsy, flexible and pretty cheap.

Now, the screen. Does UX design count in the overall design section? Let's say that it does. I haven’t really experienced less intuitive and user friendly cabin tech lately.

For example, I couldn't figure out (though I must admit I didn't resort to owner's manual) how to get Apple CarPlay to load automatically, if you can.

Instead I had to select my phone, cycle through several screens of approval, and then select my phone again, every single time I got in the car. I had a similar issue using Google maps, which simply wouldn't connect at all for me.

Good tech is easy and intuitive. This wasn't.

Though the previous HS had shapely bodywork, the wheels sat too far in-board and the rear end looked awkward. It’s not the same story with the new model which is designed as a family SUV first, rather than a converted hatchback platform.

Part of the improved looks are better proportions. The new HS is 81mm longer, 14mm wider and rides on a 45mm longer wheelbase yet sits 21mm lower for a sleeker appearance.

The front end takes cues from the new MG3 and ZS design language with a broad grille and thin LED headlights. At the back, MG’s design team references the UK’s capital with ‘Shard’ lighting signatures that also appear in the alloy wheels.

It is still fairly anonymous, though perhaps that comes from a lack of familiarity with the brand. The painted wheel arch cladding and metallic-only paint give it a premium boost.

The biggest improvement is inside, where the HS takes plenty of inspiration from the excellent MG4 electric car with the hexagonal steering wheel (though here with perforated leather finishing), high-set controls and confident lines. It’s a welcome, modern change after the old car’s bloated cabin design.

There are soft-touch rubbery materials in all sorts of prominent places, including on the dash top, front and rear door cards as well as where the driver’s knees rest on the doors and transmission tunnel.

The Honda Civic measures 4569mm in length, 1802mm in width and 1415mm in height, and as you've no doubt already noticed, it's not an SUV, rather a liftback-style sedan.

But if you feel like you need an SUV to move a family, I beg to differ. While the middle seat in the second row is too tight for adults (owing largely to the intrusive raised tunnel that runs through the middle of the cabin), the two window seats can absolutely fit adult humans. I'm 175cm, and had absolutely no issue sitting behind my own driving position.

But the biggest surprise is the boot, which opens to reveal a flat and wide storage space that can swallow 409 litres (VDA) of luggage. In real terms, that's more than enough for our pram and the assorted knick-knacks that go with it on a baby day out.

Unfortunately, though, there’s no spare. Instead you’ll find yourself wrestling with a hateful repair kit should you get a puncture, and you don't want to wait for roadside assist.

There's also twin USB ports in the back, as well as air vents, along with twin cupholders in the pulldown divider.

There is nothing especially ground-breaking about the MG HS’s front cabin. The cupholders are medium-sized and the door bins have enough storage for a one-litre bottle, so this is no Skoda Karoq when it comes to clever cabin solutions.

Telling a tale of the HS’s Roewe RX5 base car’s earlier 2022 launch (and the staggering development speed of personal technology) the lack of USB-C charging ports is now frustrating with all USB ports regular old-school items. Apple CarPlay or Android Auto phone mirroring requires a cabled connection.

The centre multimedia screen is high resolution with day selectable light and dark modes. It was a little laggy to use MG’s software, however, especially when swiping across menu screens. 

There are four hard shortcut buttons beneath it that can jump to the home screen, activate the HS’s front and rear demister and turn the ventilation on and off.

To adjust the temperature you need to go into the touchscreen, though there is a persistent shortcut on the main menu.

A 12.3-inch digital cluster has several selectable info displays and can show navigation mapping and directions in Excite and Essence trims. 

The seats are comfortable and supportive and it's easy to find a good driving position thanks to power-adjust driver's seat and tilting/telescoping wheel adjustment. The front passenger does not get height adjust, though, and is set too high.

Where the extra size pays dividends is in the back seat which has ample room for passengers beyond 185cm, especially when it comes to leg space. The fold-out armrest is sturdy, too, with twin cupholders. Rear air vents are fitted to only the top-spec Essence.

For baby capsules or child seats the HS has ISOFIX anchors fitted to all three rear seats matched with a trio of top tether points.

The MG HS’s boot is about average for the class measuring 507 litres. It grows to 1484L with the 60:40 backrest folded. For reference, class leaders include the Toyota RAV4 (580L), Nissan X-Trail (585L) and Volkswagen Tiguan (up to 615L with rear seats slid forward). 

There are few amenities, with no 12-volt socket, only one (dim) boot light and no shopping bag hooks. The carpet isn’t bargain basement and the luggage cover is sturdy with additional separated storage compartments below the floor and netted cubbies off to the side. 

MG has also been smart in packaging a space saver spare tyre beneath the boot floor (and a cumbersome Styrofoam piece).

Shock horror, the new HS is 10 per cent more expensive than before… but that still makes it $33,990, drive-away, for the basic Vibe — easily undercutting established rivals from Honda, Mazda, Toyota and others. 

You get a lot for that extra $4000, too, right down to basic presentation. There’s no fridge-like solid white paint with all six hues either metallic or pearlescent for no extra cost. MG even offers the upper trims with the option of an eye-catching tan upholstery colour. 

The three-strong trim line-up starts with the Vibe: dusk-sensing LED headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, auto wipers, tyre pressure monitoring, a six-speaker sound system, nice cloth upholstery and six-way power adjust driver’s seat are standard.

The Excite sprinkles in 19-inch alloy wheels, perforated synthetic leather upholstery, navigation, fog lights and MG’s 'iSmart' connectivity system for a smart $36,990, drive-away.

The range-topping Essence gains 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 for $40,990, on-the road. 

The short of it is that, although MG’s prices are up, even the basic Vibe is a more enticing proposition on price than the new Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Urban ($39,990, drive-away) and established Mazda CX-5 Maxx (currently on offer for $37,990, drive-away).

It also is much closer to the popular GWM Haval H6 ($31,990-$37,990, drive-away) — if only MG had brought ventilated seats to the flagship Essence then this mid-sizer would be (almost) sold on paper alone.

The Civic range is an all-hybrid affair, which in this case is what Honda calls its 'two-motor hybrid', which pairs a 2.0-litre petrol engine with two electric motors, one being an electric generator, and the other being the actual propulsion motor which sends power to the wheels. Expect a total 135kW and 315Nm, which is sent to the front wheels via a CVT auto.

The new HS petrol has a 1.5-litre, turbo-petrol, four-cylinder engine that develops 125kW at 5000rpm and 275Nm from 3000-4000rpm, with those outputs up 6.0kW and 25Nm on the old car.

MG claims new engine features, including the variable geometry turbocharger, centre-mount variable valve timing and a lighter dual-mass flywheel, add up to a 30 per cent improvement in engine response.

More importantly, the insulation is excellent. You barely hear any unpleasant engine noises out on the road and although the four cylinder’s tone isn’t sexy at full-throttle, it is warm and pleasant enough.

The HS petrol is front-wheel drive only which may rule it out for some buyers, but there is a saving grace. The new seven-speed type dual-clutch transmission behaved itself impeccably on a brief first encounter taking in awkward hill starts and reverse manoeuvres. It’s a huge improvement over prior efforts and more refined than even a Hyundai or Kia dual-clutch.

MG claims a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 9.6 seconds, which is about right for entry-level versions of the HS’s typical rivals.

MG no longer offers a more powerful 2.0-litre turbo but a plug-in hybrid with a punchy 223kW and an all-new full-hybrid option will join the line-up in the first quarter of 2025, details of which are yet to be confirmed.

Honda says you can expect 4.2L/100km on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle, but we found the fuel use was a still impressive 5.5L or so, admittedly mostly in the city.

The 40-litre tank drinks 91 RON 'standard' fuel, meaning its cheapish to fill up, and — using Honda’s numbers at least — should deliver a 950km driving range.

Yesterday, 91 RON was about $1.80 per litre meaning you can theoretically get from Melbourne to Sydney for around $75.

In the ADR combined (urban-extra urban) fuel efficiency cycle, the MG HS petrol is rated at 6.9L/100km, emitting 156 grams of CO2 per kilometre in the process. A 55-litre fuel tank gives the HS a theoretical driving range of around 800km.

We weren’t able to get a true read on the fuel consumption but the trip computer showed 8.1L/100km after an hour-long run. It lacks an idle start-stop system and requires 95 RON premium unleaded petrol.

First things first – I really, really like the way this Honda drives. There's a finesse, a confidence, in the drive experience that's sometimes missing from the new brands when they first arrive in Australia.

In short, it feels like it was engineered by people who really know what they're doing. That's the easiest way to describe it.

If you're used to driving older-fashioned hybrid systems you might be used to a bit of shuddering harshness when the engine kicks in, but that's simply not the case here.

Instead, the transition is seamless, with the Honda Civic making the choice for you and largely leaving you out of the process entirely.

Where the powertrain does let itself be more known is under heavier acceleration, with engine thrum seriously invading the cabin, without much in the way of flat-footed performance to accompany it.

But the magic of the Civic drive experience is in its balance. It's not a performance car, but there's real driver engagement to be found in the way it rides and handles. Equally, though, it's never uncomfortable, striking the balance between road-holding confidence and comfort really well.

Happy in the city, happy on a twisting road - this is not one of those smaller cars that leaves the drive experience as a secondary factor. It feels like it really has the driver at heart.

MG’s launch drive program was too brief to really get under the skin of the HS, which is a shame because the initial signs are extremely positive.

Compared to the old ZS, in which a gumnut hitting the roof was loud enough to distract you from your thoughts, the new car is packed with sound deadening for a vastly more premium experience.

The electronic power steering system has a natural ratio (2.6 turns lock-to-lock) and weighting in 'Comfort' and 'Sport' modes, which cannot be said for rivals such as the Chery Tiggo 7 and Haval H6.

This new HS rides nicely, too, with enough compliance from the suspension without sacrificing body control — at least around town. It has struts up from with a multi-link rear end which is not a given, even in this segment.

There were a few sharp-edged bumps that sent a shock through the body but that is to be expected on Sydney's awful roads. The new HS rides about as well as a Mazda CX-5 and believe us, that is a dramatic improvement.

Visibility out the front and sides are good as is the comfortable driving position, however I wasn’t able to move the driver’s side mirror far enough out for my liking. That’s a small blip in an otherwise strong first showing.

The MG HS has not yet been evaluated by an independent safety testing body such as ANCAP or Euro NCAP.

MG has fitted the new HS with seven airbags, including driver and passenger, front side, side curtain and a centre airbag.

The HS has a long list of active safety and driver assistance features, such as front and rear auto emergency braking with junction detection, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control with stop and go and driver-attention monitoring.

I can’t say all the aids are perfect but the adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist systems were less intrusive than those in Chery and Haval products.

The regularly-beeping driver-attention monitoring remains a constant frustration as it does across almost every brand at the moment.

The Honda is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, and servicing is every 12 months or 10,000km.

There is a capped-price servicing program, called 'Low Price Servicing', which means your first five services are $199, but don't cover things like brake pads and tyres.

MG has recently moved to a 10-year/250,000km new car warranty in Australia which covers the HS and is the longest non-conditional offer in the market.

GWM/Haval, Kia and SsangYong remain at seven years while Mitsubishi requires you to service the car at a main dealer for its 10-year guarantee.

This long warranty period should help allay concerns for new MG buyers that the brand stands behind its products.

Less impressive is the cost of maintenance, which adds up to $2354 over five years/75,000km with a particularly steep $936 service at the four-year mark. There’s a big $1647 service at 120,000km, too.