MG Reviews

With new rivals nipping at its heels, does Australia's most affordable electric car have what it takes to be not just a cheap EV, but a good car?

Can MG be more than just cheap and cheerful? The top-spec ZST Essence dares to find out.

At a comparative price to a Toyota 'self-charging' hybrid, re-booted MG makes the case for plug-in technology.

You will have seen the MG3 on the street, in traffic, on the highway - but it's the first time we've been able to do a review of one. Turns out there's a fair bit to like about the Chinese-made cut-price hatchback - and a few things that could be improved, too.

Is stretching past $33,000 for a loaded MG ZS worth it? Questions remain after a week in the ZST Essence, which rubs shoulders with some impressive small SUV rivals. The 'T' at the name means this is the facelifted version of a 2017 model, and cracks are starting to show in specification, handling and presentation. Still, the MG includes plenty of active safety, a huge sunroof and lots of space.

The MG HS Essence thinks it can take on the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 as the perfect car for your family. Well, we found out if it's worthy.

The MG HS Excite looks great under the big city lights but is it actually a good urban car?

The Core is the entry point to MG’s mid-size HS SUV range. It wears a keen drive-away entry price of $29,990.Available only as a front-drive automatic, the Core is powered by a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing 119kW/250Nm, mated to a seven-speed dual clutch automatic.The Core has an official/combined fuel consumption number of 7.3L/100km against which we scored 9.5L/100km in a weekly test. All HS engine options require mid-grade 95RON unleaded fuel.Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, a 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a semi-digital dash cluster, halogen headlights with LED DRLs, cloth seats and plastic wheel trim, push-start ignition (but no keyless entry), and the brand’s full ‘MG Pilot’ active-safety suite.This suite includes auto emergency braking, which works up to 150km/h and detects pedestrians at up to 64km/h, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, auto high beams, traffic-sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control with traffic-jam assist.Although it has a high seating position, the HS Core has ample room and storage in the front seat, and above-par room in the back seat. Its boot comes in at 451-litres (VDA), which is around the middle to lower end of the mid-size SUV segment. Under the floor there is a space-saver spare in the Core.The Core is covered by a seven-year and unlimited-kilometre warranty, although capped-price servicing had not been locked in at the time of writing.

We're spoiled for choice in Australia, but are the latest slew of China-sourced upstarts too good to be true? We take a look at the MG HS range to find out.

The Essence is the top grade of the MG HS mid-size SUV range, and the only one available as either a front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, or interesting plug-in hybrid.The front-wheel-drive variant wears a drive-away price tag of $38,990, the all-wheel drive costs $42,990, while the halo PHEV wears a price of $46,990.The most basic front-wheel drive model is motivated by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine good for 119kW/250Nm paired to a dual-clutch automatic. The all-wheel drive is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol turbo able to make use of 168kW/360Nm mated to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic. Finally, the top-spec PHEV drives the front wheels via a combination of the standard 1.5-litre engine and a 90kW/230Nm electric motor, both are linked by a 10-speed traditional torque-converter automatic.All HS grades require mid-grade 95RON unleaded fuel, with the front-wheel drive having an official/combined consumption number of 7.3L/100km, the all-wheel drive at 9.5L/100km, and the PHEV at just 1.7L/100km.Standard equipment on the Essence includes 18-inch alloy wheels, a 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a semi-digital dash cluster, built-in sat-nav, LED headlights and DRLs with animated LED indicators, interior ambient lighting, alloy pedals, push-start ignition with keyless entry, an electric tailgate, power adjustable and heated front seats in a sportier synthetic leather design, a puddle light for the driver’s door, and a panoramic sunroof. The PHEV adds a fully digital dash cluster and is available in the signature ‘Clipper Blue’ paint.Like all HS grades, the Essence comes fitted with the full ‘MG Pilot’ safety suite consisting of freeway-speed auto emergency braking, which works up to 150km/h and detects pedestrians at up to 64km/h, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, auto high beams, traffic-sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control with traffic-jam assist.Room is ample for adults in the front and rear rows, despite a high seating position, and storage options are good, too. The Essence scores dual adjustable air vents for the rear row with dual USB outlets.The boot comes in at 451-litres (VDA), which is at the lower end of the mid-size SUV segment. Fully petrol models score a space-saver spare under the floor, while the plug-in hybrid makes do with a repair kit and an underfloor cutaway for the included wall-socket charger.The PHEV’s electric motor is backed by a 16.6kWH lithium-ion battery pack good for an EV-only range of just over 50km, which can be charged at a maximum rate of 7.2kW via a European-standard Type 2 AC charging port.The 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre turbo options are covered by a seven-year and unlimited-kilometre warranty, while the PHEV is covered by just five years and unlimited kilometres, with a separate eight-year and 160,000km warranty for the lithium battery. Capped-price servicing had not yet been locked in at the time of writing.