Part Two of our road trip is here – hurrah! As many of you know, we love a good road trip here at Planetauto – and when we get to go on in an MG, well then…it’s double the fun 😊
After we had seen the Seal U and the Yangwang U8 and U9 in Birmingham, it was time to head home, with a stop for some dinner along the way.
Now as we were in an MG, heading North on the M6, there was bound to be some randomness, some roadworks, and maybe even a diversion!
The first leg of our journey had already impressed us with its easy handling and refined drive, but now it was time to put the HS through its paces on the long motorway stretches and winding roads back home.
The new MG HS is one of those vehicles that surprises you the more you drive it. Sure, it’s well-priced, but it’s also packed with premium features that you don’t typically expect at this price point. And for a petrol SUV, it offers impressive refinement, fuel economy, and comfort, making it the perfect companion for our road trip back to the Lake District.
Leaving the BYD Stratstone dealership in Birmingham, we were immediately reminded of how refined and smooth the MG HS petrol is. The drive from Birmingham took us through a mix of urban sprawl, dual carriageways, and scenic motorways, giving us the perfect opportunity to experience the HS’s versatility. The adaptive cruise control - which comes as part of MG Pilot - was a blessing as we hit the M6—cruising along smoothly and taking the strain out of those long stretches. And as we wove through traffic, the Blind Spot Detection system gave us that extra sense of security, warning us of any vehicles sneaking up in our blind spots.
The first thing you notice about the MG HS as you get moving is how much road presence it has. MG has really done a great job of subtly enhancing the SUV's design language, giving it a more refined, confident stance without being over the top. The front grille, now featuring a more intricate mesh pattern, looks premium, with the LED headlights reshaped for a sharper, more modern appearance. This design touch gives the HS an assertive look that stands out on the road.
And while we were zipping up the motorway, the 19-inch alloy wheels (standard across the range) added to the SUV’s robust yet sporty feel. The car’s muscular body and smooth roofline make it look sleek yet tough, and you really get the sense that MG has designed this SUV to be as much about style as it is about function.
From the rear, the HS looks just as impressive with its redesigned taillights, which now feature a more sophisticated LED pattern. Combined with the dual exhaust tips and new bumper design, it adds a sense of dynamism to the SUV. As we followed the scenic routes into the Lake District, the HS continued to draw second glances from passing motorists—a clear sign that MG has nailed the design here.
Let’s talk about what really matters for long trips—comfort. And the MG HS delivers in spades. The cabin of the HS Petrol has been refined and feels genuinely upscale. It’s a place you could happily spend hours in. The seats, wrapped in high-quality materials, offer excellent support and are supremely comfortable for both driver and passengers. Our model came with leather-style upholstery, which not only looks the part but feels soft to the touch. The driver’s seat in our Trophy trim came with a 6-way power adjustment along with lumbar support and memory function, which made getting the perfect driving position an easy task.
The dashboard layout is sleek and driver-focused. The new 12.3-inch virtual driver information display is sharp and easy to read, giving us all the essential driving data at a glance. It’s also fully integrated with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, making it super simple to connect our phones for navigation, music, and more. And the 8-speaker sound system in the higher trims gave us a rich audio experience, turning our road trip playlist into a concert on wheels.
When it comes to the drive itself, the MG HS Petrol continues to impress. Whether you're on fast-moving motorways or weaving through tight country lanes, this SUV handles it all with grace. The 1.5-litre turbocharged engine provides enough punch to make overtaking and merging a breeze, especially when combined with the DCT gearbox, which shifts seamlessly between gears. While it's not trying to be a performance SUV, the MG HS delivers smooth power and feels refined at higher speeds.
As we settled into the rhythm of our drive, one thing became clear—this is an SUV designed for comfort. The suspension has been tuned to offer a balance between comfort and control, and even on the rougher patches of the M6 or when we hit some potholes on the smaller roads leading into Cumbria, the HS handled them with ease. It soaked up the bumps while still providing precise steering, giving us confidence no matter the road surface.
The real highlight for us was just how quiet and refined the cabin remained, even at motorway speeds. Road noise was kept to a minimum, and the petrol engine hummed along in the background without ever feeling intrusive. This made for a calm, serene drive—exactly what you want on a long road trip after a busy day.
Fuel efficiency is often top of mind, especially on long road trips, and the MG HS Petrol performs well in this regard. Official figures suggest a fuel consumption of 37.2 mpg for the manual version and 36.2 mpg for the automatic. However, during our drive, we managed to push the economy up into the mid-fifties at one point, which was a pleasant surprise given the HS's size and power.
With a 507-litre boot capacity (expandable to 1,484 litres), the MG HS is more than capable of handling the luggage load for a weekend getaway or an extended road trip. The low loading lip and wide opening make it easy to load and unload bags, and the space in the back is generous enough for any spontaneous shopping trips—or even sports gear if you're heading into the great outdoors like we were.
MG has made sure that the HS Petrol is packed with safety features. On the motorway, we benefited from MG Pilot, the brand's suite of driver assistance technologies. Adaptive Cruise Control helped keep us at a safe distance from the cars ahead, while Lane Keeping Assist made sure we stayed on track, even during moments of distraction.
For city driving or parking in tighter spaces, the Front Parking Sensor (available on the Trophy Trim) made things a lot easier. When we were backing out of spaces, the Rear Cross Traffic Alert proved to be invaluable, alerting us to any cars or pedestrians we might have missed.
These features all contribute to making the MG HS a safe and enjoyable car to drive, whether you’re in busy urban areas or out on the open road. It’s these little touches that elevate the HS to a more premium level, despite its affordable price tag.
As we finally pulled into the Lake District, the MG HS Petrol had proven itself to be a capable, comfortable, and well-rounded companion for the journey. The refined cabin, impressive fuel economy, and advanced driver assistance systems make it morethan just a great value proposition—it’s genuinely a pleasure to drive.
If you’re after a car that can handle everything from city commutes to long road trips with ease, then the MG HS should definitely be on your shortlist.
Thank you all, and enjoy!
Annabelle 😊