Plug-in hybrids have been somewhat lost in the sales success of Toyota Hybrids and the high-tech excitement of pure-electric vehicles, but carmakers have not completely abandoned them.
Later this year, Mitsubishi will launch a new version of its flagship Outlander PHEV in Australia, while MG now offers two plug-in hybrid versions of its HS SUV.
New 2022mg HS Plus EV Excite (MG-Speak for PHEV) shares its Powertrain with more expensive Essence here on the test, but with a list of smaller equipment it saves $ 2000 from the price tag.
Now that the Hyundai Ioniq PHEV is gone and the Kia Niro PHEV has been dropped, the HS Plus EV is the cheapest plug-in hybrid on offer in Australia. Cheap is also cheerful, or should you extend the essence?
What is the price of MG HS Plus EV Excite?
Price of 2022 MG HS Plus EV Excite $ 47,690 drive-away – Increased to $ 700 since launch earlier this year. This is $ 1000 less than its 2021 price plus EV Essence and $ 3000 less than its 2022 price.
It is about $ 12,000 more expensive than the equivalent petrol-powered HS Exit and $ 3700 more expensive than the range-topping Essence X petrol.
PHEV’s rivals are few and far between, but the HS Plus EV will face the Ford Escape ST-Line PHEV ($ 54,440), the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV (from $ 46,490) and finally the new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. .
How about MG HS Plus EVE Excite on the inside?
Although the range-topping essence lacks fancy, high-end leather sports seats and panoramic sunroofs, the cabin of the HS Excite doesn’t feel the bargain basement.
Large infotainment screens and a lot of digital instrument cluster pack showroom appeal, the steering wheel could be taken from the sixth-generation Volkswagen Golf, and the driving position is better than what HS Essence offers with sporty seats.
Without the sunroof, the front headroom of the HS Excite is better than the front of the more expensive HS Essence.
It’s not the most exciting cabin in the world, but it’s well-appointed. Most of the materials you touch frequently feel soft to the touch, although some hard and rough material is on the bottom.
The driver display has modern graphics and offers a quality blend of sharpness, customization and readability, but using a touchscreen infotainment system can be frustrating. It’s slow to load at startup, and the graphics are a bit more basic than what is offered among competitors.
It resets randomly as we drive, briefly removing the ability to adjust the details of climate control. A row of plastic rocker switches at the bottom of the screen allows you to hop between functions, but you still have to dive into the touchscreen to activate the heated seats, for example.
The system is basic on the built-in satellite, but you can easily get it using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The former looks good on the big screen and is the best way to experience the infotainment system.
There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the technology, but the HS is a more powerful processor that is less up to scratch.
Storage options include a thin phone holder in the transmission tunnel next to the cupholders, with a pair of USB-A ports on the front and a damp storage space with an AUX plug.
There is also an underarm storage bin, a sunglasses holder on the roof and a spacious glovebox.
The rear seats of the HS are very impressive. On paper, it is about the size of a Mazda CX-5 or Toyota RAV4, but the rear seat arrangement resembles a larger car. The legroom behind the tall drivers is nice, and I have an acre headroom for a two-meter frame.
The rear occupants have two USB points, a center armrest with cover cupholder, damp grab handle and reading light. The ISOFIX points on the rear seats of the outboard are connected by three top-tier points for the baby seats.
This is a great place for parents who want to carry kids or tall teenagers, but they don’t want to drive a big bus around town.
Boot space is claimed 451 liters The second row, in place below the upward tailgate, is being expanded 1275 liters With rear seat folds.
While some owners will be annoyed by the lack of a powered tailgate, it’s worth noting how slow and cumbersome the more expensive HS Essence’s electrical unit is.
There are no extra wheels under the boot floor due to the lithium-ion battery and hybrid hardware, although the MG throws a tire repair kit.
What’s under the bonnet?
Integrates MG HS Plus EV 119kW / 250Nm 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine And a seven-speed automatic transmission, including a 90kW / 230Nm electric motor Powered by a 16.6kWh Battery.
The maximum adjustment output at the top is a fleshy one 189 kW Of power and 370Nm Torque, which means it’s one of the most powerful mainstream medium SUVs for sale. Claimed 0-100km / h dash time 6.9 seconds.
MG has claimed a 63 km Pure-electric range, although our experience suggests that it is about 55 km closer to what you would see in the real world. You can drive without charge on a lithium-ion battery, although this is the least effective way to run a PHEV.
The demand for a cohesive energy economy 1.7L / 100km, But like all plug-in hybrids this image does not represent how to rent in the real world. With a full battery, we achieved this figure on an 80km drive bike.
With an empty battery, we’ve seen it close to the 7.0L / 100km mark before because of the default drive mode offered by Toyota Hybrid.
It takes about five hours to charge the battery using a 7kW home wall box, and about nine hours to plug in a conventional three-pin wall plug. If you are not able to charge at home or at work, you are less likely to have a PHEV car.
How does MG HS Plus EV Excite run?
The character of the HS depends on which drive mode you are in and which power source is driving the wheel.
When we run the HS Plus EV Essence, it can be locked in EV mode with a button on the transmission tunnel. The lithium-ion battery will call the petrol engine only when it is completely flat or when the driver demands full power.
The HS Excite has the same buttons, but with temperatures hovering around 10 degrees in Melbourne, it refuses to sideline the petrol engine for long periods of time instead of flashing an ‘EV Mode Entry Not Support’ message on the digital dashboard.
MG says the reason is that the HS Plus EV uses heat from the IC engine to heat the interior of the car through a heater core and if there is a demand for heat, the car will start and run the IC engine to generate that heat.
In other words, if you are cranking the heater and it is freezing, the car will use the engine instead of burning its limited battery power to keep you warm. Although this limits the effectiveness of the EV mode, it means that once the mercury drops, you will be able to drive more cars with the right electric support.
Running in EV mode, the HS Plus EV gives the impression of a reliable electric vehicle. It packs enough punches to get you off the line quickly, and the 16.6kWh battery pack will keep the car moving at highway speeds if you have enough charge.
The claimed 63km electric range is achievable, although in the real world it is better to do about 50km or 55km banking. One-pedal driving isn’t really an option, but some brakes regenerate from the motor when you lift the accelerator in EV mode.
The car defaults to an automatic mode instead of a pure-electric mode It automatically decides which power source is most suitable for the driver’s needs and aims to balance efficiency with efficiency.
MG has tuned the software to lean on a low-speed electric motor before handing it over to a petrol engine on a cruise, where its instant torque is best used. Keep your feet firmly down and both the electric motor and the petrol engine will send torque to the front wheels, which can cause the wet wheels to rotate out of line.
On the way though, it feels impressive for a heavy medium sized SUV. It takes a second for the car’s brain to figure out what it is doing, but when the two energy sources combine, the HS makes an advance.
Although it sounds awkward under load and you can feel the vibration from the 1.5-liter engine through the steering wheel. There is also a gap in the car’s power delivery as the electric motor runs out of puffs and the petrol engine begins to lift heavily, usually around the 90km / h mark.
Finally, the HS Plus EV basically works like a series hybrid when the lithium-ion battery pack is flat.
The electric motor can handle the first few meters of driving and pitch in to increase power while moving, but it is there to help the petrol engine instead of just carrying the load.
With smaller wheels than the Essence, the HS Excite rides better in the city. While it feels heavy on large crests and ditches on highways, it does a good job of smoothing speed bumps and holes at low speeds.
Although it is an entry-level model, the HS Excite still features a complete suite of driver support. The adaptive cruise control system smoothly maintains a gap with the vehicle in front, and lane-keeping assistance confidently puts you in the white line – although the array of beeps and bongs associated with suite operation can be annoying.
The steering wheel is light enough for one-handed parking techniques, and visibility from tall windows is better than some more style-based SUVs.
Did you get
HS Plus EVE Excite Highlights:
- LED lights running during the day
- LED tail light
- 12.3-inch digital instrument binoculars
- 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wired)
- Six speaker sound system
- Leathert seat
- Heat the front seat
- Power adjustment for the front seat
- Dual-zone climate control
- Tire repair kit
The range-topping plus EV Essence has gone from 360-degree cameras, panoramic glass roofs, metal paddles, LED headlights and LED ambient interior lighting, and leather sports seats have been subdued for cheaper faux leather units.
Miss the LED headlights with excite scrolling indicator, heated door mirror, front fog light and a powered tailgate. Whether it is worth the $ 3000 upcharge in Essence will depend on your preference.
Is MG HS Plus EVE Excite safe?
Although the petrol versions of the MG HS have achieved the highest five-star ANCAP crash rating (stamp of 2019 date), the PHEV range is not rated.
Standard security features include:
- Autonomous Emergency Breaking – Forward
- Forward collision warning
- Lane exit warning
- Lane-keep assistance
- Adaptive cruise control
- Blind-spot observation
- Rear cross-traffic warning
- Dual front, front side, two row screen airbags
How much will it cost to run MG HS Plus EV Excite?
MG HS is supported by a Seven-year, unlimited-kilometer warranty. It comes with seven years of free roadside assistance.
Maintenance required every 12 months or 10,000 kilometers, and supported by a capped-price service plan.
Cost of first seven services:
- 12 months / 10,000 km: $ 265
- 24 months / 20,000 km: $ 373
- 36 months / 30,000 km: $ 265
- 48 months / 40,000 km: $ 421
- 60 months / 50,000 km: $ 265
- 72 months / 60,000 km: $ 968
- 84 months / 70,000 km: $ 265
CarExpert’s tech on MG HS Plus EVE Excite
The Excite may be cheaper than the Plus EV Essence but it doesn’t seem to be of much better quality.
It’s only 000 3000 cheaper, and the equipment is simply missing the luxury বাইরে If you can stretch out to find extra cash, then LED headlights, surround-view cameras and the more beautiful seat standard of the Essence all make a significant difference in the HS experience.
If you can’t find the extra cash – or if you’re buying for a fleet that looks like the Exit target market – you’re getting a solid plug-in hybrid, with a simple all-electric range and reasonably refined petrol performance.
With some refinements in infotainment and a slightly sharper price than its big brother, it could be better than hard.
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