What's the difference?
The meteoric rise of the Chinese-owned MG brand continues with the HS, a family-focused SUV stepping into the most hotly contested segment in Australia.
When the first generation HS arrived in December 2019, it should have been MG’s big sales driver, yet it sat in the shadows of the cut-price MG3 hatch and ZS small SUV as they lifted the storied MG badge into Australia’s overall top-10 sellers.
The HS has so far been MG’s missing link and that’s down to the segment being full of such strong name plates such as the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4. The mid-size SUV has also been the focus of other strong value rivals that were better, namely the GWM Haval H6.
There has never been a better time to be shopping for an electric SUV in Australia, with the avalanche of Chinese brands constantly smashing through the price floor as they bid for the title of Australia’s cheapest.
MG led the charge with its S5, which is $40,490, drive-away. Then Leapmotor upped (or downed?) the ante with its B10 with a $38,990, drive-away, price tag. And now BYD has knocked them both out with its Atto 2, officially Australia’s cheapest electric SUV (at least for now), with a MSRP of $31,990, which, in NSW, translates to a drive-away cost of less than $35K.
Cheap is one thing. But cheerful? Let’s find out, shall we?
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.
The BYD Atto 2 isn't just the cheapest electric SUV in Australia, it's also one that doesn't feel all that cheap, which is a hell of a magic trick. If it's easy, comfortable city motoring you're after, the Atto 2 delivers in spades. But if your blood type is high octane, there are better driving EVs out there.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.
Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.