2022 MG HS vs 2023 Mazda CX-5

What's the difference?

Like your favourite TV show from the ‘90s, MG’s high-definition re-boot in the last few years has proven to be full of surprises.

Not only has it earned itself a spot in the top 10 automakers in Australia (the first Chinese-backed brand to ever do so) but the automaker has also proven it has more than one trick up its sleeve.

It found astounding success with its budget MG3 hatch and ZS SUV, and has played an important role in bringing the cost of electrification down in Australia.

The latest offering, and the car we’re looking at for this review, is the now even cheaper plug-in hybrid HS mid-size SUV.

Question is, at a price which can compete with 'self-charging' hybrid tech, should you choose an option you can plug-in? Stay with us to find out.

Australia loves Mazda.

We have all sorts of Mazdas. Big ones, small ones, relatively affordable ones, expensive ones, but one which stands above the rest is the CX-5.

That's because this mid-sizer does a lot of the heavy lifting for the Japanese brand, keeping it in the fight against titans like Toyota in the sales charts.

If you're ready to feel old, this second-generation version of the CX-5 with its eye-catching design is now a whopping seven years old, although it has been tweaked recently in 2022 to bring a few updates, as well as the addition of the variant we're looking at here, the Touring Active.

So, the question we're wrestling with is whether this car's continued massive popularity is still warranted.

Is this still one of the best mid-size SUVs you can buy for your family, or should you be considering more recently arrived alternatives?