MG HS - Boot space, comfort & practicality

To make the HS more practical than its predecessor, the wheelbase is 45mm longer, and the car is 14mm wider. Even with six-foot-tall adults up front, there’s plenty of legroom in the seat behind for anyone similarly tall to sit comfortably, with headroom to spare, and space under the front seats to tuck their feet under the seat in front. 

Alternatively, if you’ve got young children, the wide rear door opening will help when installing a child seat, and there are easily accessible ISOFIX points for the outer positions. Another small detail we appreciate is that there are more storage cubbies in the latest HS, including large door bins and a cavernous glove box.

Dimensions and size

At 4,655mm long (4,670mm for the PHEV), 1,890mm wide and 1,664mm tall, the MG HS is a little larger than key rivals such as the Kia Sportage, which was already one of the largest mid-size SUVs at 4,515mm long, 1,865mm wide, and 1,650mm high. Even though the MG is one of the larger models in its class, you shouldn’t have trouble finding a suitable parking spot.

How practical is the MG HS?

20

Seats & space in the front

There’s plenty of space inside the MG HS and there should be enough headroom even for tall drivers and passengers. There are some useful cubby spaces to store water bottles and, on higher-spec models, there’s a wireless smartphone charger to charge your phone on while driving.

Seats & space in the back

Just like in the front, there’s plenty of headroom for passengers in the back of the MG HS. There’s also enough legroom to get comfortable, and you can fit three adults across the back bench. Although the middle-seat passenger might feel a little squished, it would be fine for a short trip.

Boot space 

Boot space has increased from 463 litres in the previous model to a much more competitive 507 litres – it’s ever so slightly more than you get in a Nissan Qashqai, though it’s still a long way off the up to 587 litres the Kia Sportage boasts. 

At least there’s no load lip to contend with when in the HS and, unlike its rivals, boot space is unchanged for the hybrid versions. The rear seats fold down quite flat without a large step, so you should be able to slide larger and longer items into the load bay without much trouble.

Towing

Unfortunately, the MG HS hasn’t been rated for towing - at least not yet. The previous model was rated to tow a braked trailer weight of 1,750kg, or 1,500kg in its hybrid form. We expect this latest version to match that, putting it on par with the Sportage.

If you need a mid-size SUV that can tow a lot, consider the Ford Kuga. In four-wheel drive hybrid and plug-in hybrid forms, it has a maximum towing rating of 2,100kg.