Spied: 2020 MG HS spied, Proton X70 rival coming soon?

MG exited Malaysia a couple of years ago and talks of the iconic British marque returning to Malaysia isn’t new, as MG’s parent company, SAIC Motor Corp Ltd, has been in talks with various parties to re-introduce the brand here over the past couple of years. Needless to say, none of those talks came to fruition.

But the recent sighting of a 2020 MG HS at a Road Transport Department (JPJ) branch pretty cements the notion that MG will be reintroduced in Malaysia.

According to our friends over at Funtasticko, SAIC Motor Corp Ltd signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Berjaya Corporation Bhd, creating MG Berjaya Sdn Bhd in the process.

When the MG HS is introduced in Malaysia, it will go head-to-head against established segment rivals such as the Proton X70, Honda CR-V, and Mazda CX-5.

Power is derived from a 1.5-litre turbocharged direct-injection four-cylinder petrol engine that does 162 PS at 5,600 rpm and 250 Nm from 1,700 rpm to 4,400 rpm. The engine is hooked up to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that drives the front wheels.

Depending on variant, the MG HS can be had with a host of ADAS features, including:

• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Traffic Jam Assist
• Intelligent High Beam Control (IHC)
• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
• Lane Departure Prevention (LDP)
• Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
• Lane Change Assist (LCA)
• Blind Spot Detection (BSD)
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)

In Thailand, the MG HS is priced from THB 919,000 for the entry-level MG HS “C” variant, while the range-topping “X” variant is priced from THB 1,119,000, undercutting rivals such as the Honda CR-V (THB 1,359,000 to THB 1,699,000), Mazda CX-5 (THB 1,300,000 to THB 1,850,000), and Nissan X-Trail (THB 1,350,000 to THB 1,617,000).