MG Pushes PHEV Powertrains With Refreshed Compact SUV

MG unveils its updated compact plug-in hybrid SUV housed in a modestly larger body for more inside cabin space.

The "British" brand owned by Chinese automaker SAIC debuted the HS, also offering pure-gasoline alternatives, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The PHEV powertrain uses a 140-hp 1.5L gasoline engine coupled with a 206-hp electric motor, enough power to achieve a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) sprint time of 6.8 seconds.

Energy comes from a 24.7-kWh battery pack and a 67-kW generator claiming an all-electric drive range of up to 75 miles (121 km). This not only offers useful fuel savings; commercial users in the U.K., for example, benefit from a 5% Benefit-in-Kind to save them tax charges on income.

The new MG HS is also offered with a new-generation 1.5L gasoline engine delivering 167 hp and 203 lb.-ft. (275 Nm) of torque and claiming the 62-mph sprint from standstill in 9.4 seconds. It’s equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission as standard or a 7-speed DCT automatic as an option.

Extra interior space compared to the outgoing model comes thanks to the MG HS being wider at 6.2 ft. (1.9 m) and longer at 15.3 ft. (4.7 m) with wheelbase lengthened to 9.1 ft. (2.8 m).

David Allison, head of product and planning at MG Motor U.K., says: “The outgoing HS SUV has been immensely popular. However, the new SE and Trophy models raise the bar with even more equipment and functionality, a distinctive MG appearance that sets the HS apart from other SUVs and a choice of advanced petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains.”