When MG HS first came to Pakistan in 2019, people fell head over heels in love with the beauty of this car. Later, a wave of disappointment took over when they experienced the car’s drive. The biggest issue with MG HS was and still is its fuel average. Last year, MG solved the problem by introducing and opening bookings for the plug-in hybrid variant of HS. The company claims 50 km mileage for MG HS PHEV, and it really is.
We have the owner of MG HS PHEV, who honestly knows more about the car than the company. He bought this MG car knowing its pros and cons and is very happy with his decision. Here’s his full review.
Purchase & Price
Initially, the owner planned to buy an electric car, but the inability to take an EV out of the city shifted the owner’s preference to hybrids. He explored plug-in hybrid car options on PakWheels and found only the Japanese imported Honda Clarity. But then, MG introduced the HS PHEV, and the owner booked the car right away.
The MG HS PHEV cost the owner Rs. 85 lacs and 50 thousand. Surprisingly, MG delivered the car in less than 50 days. The owner booked the MG HS PHEV in mid-November and received the car in February.
Power
Besides fast delivery, the owner was surprised by the power of his HS PHEV. The hybrid variant of HS has 250 horsepower and 370 Nm of torque, making its drive much more powerful than the petrol variant.
The car’s 0-100 time is under 7 seconds, and 60-110 time is around 4 seconds. Very impressive!
Fuel Average
Now, for the big reveal, yes, the MG HS PHEV goes 50+ kilometers, but only when you drive it in EV mode. The car takes around 15 electric units (about 200 rupees) for a full charge and goes up to 60 kilometers on that charge.
However, the owner has been driving the car in hybrid mode with a maximum fuel average of 22 kilometers per litre.
Suspension and Handling
Another plus of MG HS PHEV is its soft suspension. Since the hybrid variant has extra battery packs, its weight is more than the petrol variant. As a result, the HS PHEV has a better suspension than normal HS. The car also has a softer suspension than JDM cars such as Prius, Clarity, etc.
MG HS PHEV has decent handling at high speeds, not as good as JDM cars, but good enough.
Maintenance
Maintenance of the HS plug-in hybrid variant costs exactly the same as its petrol twin. The car’s regular maintenance (oil change and air filter change) costs around Rs. 12,000.
Spare Parts
Another thing the MG HS PHEV has common with the normal MG HS is expensive spare parts. Since both cars are imported CBU units that look exactly the same, their spare parts are not easily available in the market.
Missing Features
For an Rs. 8.5 million price tag, the owner thinks the car should have had LED fog lights and better speakers.
Pros & Cons
Like every car, the MG HS PHEV has its advantages and disadvantages.
Pros
- The car has impressive fuel efficiency (especially in EV mode).
- The car has a powerful drive.
- It’s a beautiful-looking car.
Cons
- You can only use hi-octane fuel.
- The heating system trips over 20°C in EV mode.
- The touchscreen has a lag.
- The headrests are fixed.
- Regenerative braking is kind of annoying.
Final Words on MG HS PHEV
In the words of the owner—”MG HS Plug-in Hybrid is the best fuel-efficient car for both city and out-of-city travels.”
The writer is not considering the cost of battery in his per kilometres calculations. Battery is the most expensive consumable part of a EV , that you have to replace over a time period depending upon type of battery used.
People seem to have infinite money to but an expensive car and then B**ch about the price of fuel… strange world.