The MG HS—The crossover SUV that doesn’t just tick all the boxes, it aces them

A little over a year after its grand Philippine debut, the MG HS is still proving to be the consummate compact crossover. And this despite a seemingly relentless onslaught of new models—and even new brands—on the market.

It’s a challenging yet reasonably doable feat, after all, especially if you have all the ingredients to be able to whip up an enduring and compelling proposition in styling, value, and performance. In the fast-paced world of new car models, the HS is the Roger Federer or Fernando Alonso of crossovers—an evergreen example of well-rounded perfection.       

Head-turning sporty SUV styling

It’s impressive that a model that’s been around for over a year can be as eye-catching now as the day it was first unveiled. But that’s exactly how a timeless design works. The flagship MG’s various individual design aspects may be familiar to some, but put together, it all resolves into a cohesive overall look that’s delightfully sporty and decidedly upscale.

It all starts with an assertive front end with a big and distinctive Stardust grille, expressive headlamps, and bold bumper/foglight execution that channel a lot of Jaguar or Maserati in it. Follow this up with side and rear sheet metal that seems stretched like a muscle shirt over toned biceps and you’ve got a very buff rear quarter angle that’s reminiscent of a Porsche Cayenne or Macan SUV. The smart-looking LED taillamps, big 18-inch alloy wheels with fat 235/50R18 rubber, sharply angled backlight, silver under-bumper accent, and dual tailpipes complete the racy look.

A truly premium interior

Forgive me for my repeated references to Porsche SUVs, but I did spend a fair amount of time in these—driving close to 200 kilometers across wine country in France in a Cayenne and even farther through mountain roads and oceanside stretches in Spain in a Macan—in the years just before the pandemic. Those were memorable experiences that left an indelible imprint of the sights, smells, and feel of those two superb luxury SUVs on my senses.

Which is why I hope you bear with me when I say that the design, execution, and overall ergonomics of the MG HS interior are very much in keeping with the finest from Stuttgart. The Recaro-like buckets seats, flat-bottom leather steering wheel, intuitive controls and switchgear, large 12.3-inch fully digital LCD gauges, tasteful aluminum trim, expansive 10-inch infotainment touchscreen, and red stitching on the seats, steering wheel, dashboard, and doors all look like they came from a German sports car. MG was generous with the use of soft-touch materials in the HS cabin; there are very little hard plastics among the high-touch areas.

Thankfully, build quality lives up to the aesthetics, as does the overall cabin space. There’s true European-sized headroom, legroom, and shoulder room, even in the backseat, which has its own foldable armrest with cupholders. Four or even five six-footers will fit inside the HS with no fuss. A huge Stargazer panoramic sunroof makes the interior feel even airier and more inviting.

Upscale aesthetics and materials aside, MG hasn’t missed that Filipinos always seek out their tech toys. The HS scores high in that area, with its dual-zone climate control system with rear AC vents, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, ambient lighting, a power tailgate, and a cabin filtration system. It also scores high in safety with its Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Blind Spot Information System, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Lane Change Assist, on top of the usual airbags, ABS with EBD, Electronic Stability Control, and parking sensors/camera.

Not just all bark—this beast can bite

All those sporting cues inside and out will be pointless if the MG HS is a wimp on the road. Far from it—the crossover from the iconic British sporting brand packs a mean punch under the hood in the form of a turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder direct-injected petrol engine that puts out 169 horsepower and 250 Nm of torque—not asphalt-shredding but muscular enough to deliver a scintillating drive to even the most spirited drivers, even with four passengers and their stuff on board. But that’s not all—if you want even more performance and responsiveness, just hit the big red button on the steering wheel that says “SUPER SPORT,” and enjoy sharpened throttle, transmission, and steering response. How cool is that?     

On the road, the HS feels quick and agile. Like most new cars now, it has a dual-clutch transmission, which isn’t as smooth as an old-school torque-converter automatic, but is vastly more fuel-efficient and has much better performance potential (from faster shifts and less mechanical slippage). Living up to the car’s overall sporting aspirations are the paddle shifters, which let you play with the DCT’s 7 speeds—great fun on a winding road.

Surprisingly, despite the sporty looks and turbocharged engine, the suspension of the HS is definitely tuned for comfort, which I (and I’m sure most HS owners) appreciate. A firmly sprung suspension is fun on the track or on a mountain road (when you’re by yourself or perhaps with one brave passenger). But we spend the majority of our time on the road driving to and from work or taking family or friends to a weekend getaway—not setting fastest time at Clark International Speedway or getting your passengers nauseous driving up to Tagaytay. That’s when you’ll be highly grateful for a comfort-oriented suspension. In this MG’s case, it’ll soak up bumps and potholes remarkably well, and the abundance of noise filtering keeps the cabin nice and quiet.

Impressively, the suspension softness does not come at the expense of a wallowy ride. There is some degree of body roll, but not to the point that the car feels like it has sacrificed precision for sheer softness. For someone who’s often in gridlock and only has a few occasions to “let it loose,” the MG HS has absolutely nailed the performance/comfort equation.

With an eminently reasonable starting price of P1,258,888 for the already-heavily loaded HS Alpha and topping put at a delightfully value-packed P1,308,888 for the full-featured range-topping HS Trophy, the MG HS is such a superbly designed all-rounder, it’s a perfect choice for a one-car family. Heck, even if you have three of four other cars in your garage, you’ll probably be grabbing the keys of the MG more often than the others. Yes, it’s that good.