2021 MG HS – What is it and can it challenge the Proton X70?

The SUV segment in Malaysia is set to heat up in the near future, as MG is set to return to Malaysian shores real soon.

Sightings of the MG HS have intensified recently, hinting that the company behind the iconic British brand is working hard to introduce the model before the year ends.

What is the MG HS?

The MG HS is a C-segment SUV that rivals the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, and Proton X70.

First shown as a concept in 2018, it was then launched in Thailand back in September 2019. Pricing of the MG HS undercuts all of its segment rivals, including the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, and Nissan X-Trail.

What engines does the MG HS get?

In Thailand, the MG HS is equipped with 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.

While power figures are down when compared to the ever-popular Proton X70 (184 PS, 300 Nm), MG HS is, on average, 100 kg lighter than the Proton (1,510 kg to 1,570 kg versus 1,635 kg to 1,675 kg).

Is the interior nice?

The Thai-market cars you see here is fitted with an eye-catching red interior. While this set-up may not be everyone’s cup of tea, we believe that the Malaysian-spec MG HS will be fitted with a full-black interior, as seen in our earlier spyshots.

Upper variants the MG HS also get a semi-digital instrument cluster, paddle shifters, and a power-adjustable driver seat. It also gets rear air-conditioning vents, a panoramic sun roof, and electric parking brake (EPB).

How fancy is the infotainment system?

All variants of the Thai-spec MG HS are equipped with a floating-style 10.0-inch infotainment display. Various vehicle features, including driver assistance, air-conditioning, and ambient lighting are accessed from the infotainment display.

Although the MG HS lacks the fancy voice command infotainment system found in the Proton X70, it makes up for that with the inclusion of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The Thai-spec car you see here appears to run a different software from overseas market models, as the home menu user interface (UI) looks different.

Is the MG HS safe?

In-line with its segment rivals, the MG HS gets 6 airbags, stability control, hill start assist, and emergency stop signal across the range.

ADAS features on the MG HS is also rather comprehensive, considering that it gets:

• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Traffic Jam Assist (TJA)
• Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
• 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)

When will it come to Malaysia?

Considering that the number of spyshots have ramped up, we reckon that the MG HS could be making a debut in Malaysia before 2020 ends. After all, we believe that the Vehicle Type Approval (VTA) process for the MG HS has been completed a while ago.

The new model will compete against some well-established rivals such as the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Nissan X-Trail, Proton X70, and Volkswagen Tiguan.