MG gets even more plugged in
Tuesday, 2 March 2021
Not content with selling the cheapest new EV in New Zealand, MG Motor is now taking on the country’s best-selling plug-in hybrid, the Mitsubishi Outlander, by unleashing a PHEV version of the rather good HS SUV.
The HS is MG Motor’s first PHEV and follows on from the release of the all-electric MG ZS EV small SUV last year.
Available as a single high-spec ‘Essence’ model, the HS PHEV will land here at $52,990, or roughly the same as an entry-spec Outlander PHEV XLS despite being packing standard equipment better than that of the range-topping $58,990 VRX, although it isn’t AWD like the Mitsubishi.
The HS PHEV packs a pure electric driving range of around 52km from its 16.6 kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack, and MG claims it will sip fuel at the rate of just 1.7L/100km on the combined cycle, thanks to its combination of a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine and a 90kW electric motor.
**READ MORE:
* MG's sharp priced EV gets even sharper
* First Drive Review: Ford Escape
* MG plug-in hybrid headed to NZ
**
With a total combined system output of 209kW of power and 480Nm of torque (119kW/250Nm from the petrol engine and 90kW/230Nm from the electric motor), the HS PHEV should be a decently brisk thing as well, and MG claim a 0 to 100kmh sprint of 6.9 seconds.
The HS PHEV also packs a 10-speed transmission of sorts, achieved by combining a six-speed automatic transferring power from the petrol engine and a four-speed electric drive control unit.
The HS PHEV comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, LED daytime running lights and headlights, LED tail-lights with sequential indicators, an electric tailgate, a panoramic sunroof, heated front seats, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry, LED interior ambient lighting, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.1-inch central touchscreen features navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Also standard is the MG Pilot safety suite that includes autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control and traffic jam assist, rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning, auto high beam and an intelligent speed assistance system.
“The new MG HS plug-in hybrid brilliantly showcases the intelligence and innovation we have available within our brand,” said Peter Ciao, CEO, MG Motor New Zealand. “It offers our customers the opportunity to experience new energy innovation, while remaining in the comfort of a true SUV that is equal parts stylish, sporty and spacious.”
“The MG HS Plug-In Hybrid is our first plug-in hybrid, our second new energy vehicle, and one that we’re delighted to bring to our New Zealand customers as part of our commitment to making new energy vehicles mainstream in New Zealand.”
The MG HS PHEV will be available in dealerships in April this year and comes with a 5-year/unlimited kilometre vehicle warranty, with an 8-year/160,000km battery warranty.
Along with the launch of the plug-in hybrid, MG Motor also unveiled two further additions to the HS line up – the Excite X and Essence X AWD models.
Previously the HS has only been available in FWD guise, powered by MG’s 119kW/250Nm 1.5-litre petrol turbo four-cylinder engine, but the addition of the two AWD models also brings a new 168kW/360Nm 2.0-litre petrol turbo four-cylinder unit that will exclusively power the AWD vehicles.
Only available on the mid-spec Excite and high-spec Essence models the AWD versions are virtually identically-equipped to their FWD counterparts, except that they swap out the FWD’s seven-speed dual clutch transmission for a six-speed version.
Available at MG dealers in April, the HS Excite X will be priced at $39,990, while the Essence X will cost $45,990. The HS range starts with the FWD Vibe at $32,990.