New look for MG HS SUV
Toyota RAV4 rival seen in facelifted guise as updated MG5 small sedan also breaks coverShowing off a sleek new look, the updated MG HS SUV has been spotted in China ahead of its Beijing motor show reveal.
Boasting a smart new front-end design with LED-heavy headlights, redesigned grille and a more steeply-raked ‘nose’, the facelifted MG HS was shown in images posted by CarNewsChina.com.
Rear-end styling revisions to the Chinese brand’s mid-size SUV include a reshaped bumper and new exhaust pipes.
Called the Linghang (translation: captain or pilot) in China, the cut-price Toyota RAV4 competitor gains interior upgrades, too, including a new gear shifter, temperature control buttons and a digital instrument cluster.
The steering wheel and 10.1-inch central touch-screen display appear unchanged.
Full details and Australian launch timing for the new model are still to be confirmed, but Chinese media report that a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (119kW/250Nm) will continue to be offered with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
A more potent 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine option is also on the table.
Launched late last year in Australia, the MG HS is priced between $30,990 and $40,680 (drive-away). It replaced the previous GS SUV and joined the Chinese brand’s smaller crossover, the MG ZS, and the MG3 compact car.
Another new-look MG vehicle has been outed this week in the form of the MG5 small sedan.
The Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla sedan competitor is not currently sold in Australia, but the new-look machine borrows some of the styling cues seen on MG HS, including the grille and headlights.
The MG5 is sold in the UK exclusively with an EV powertrain and wagon body style, offering a 344km range with a full battery charge.
Reports suggest the new MG5 will come with a similar engine to the MG HS, namely a 129kW 1.5-litre turbo-petrol unit or a non-turbo version producing 89kW.
The MG brand can trace its lineage back to Britain in 1924 and was best known for its small sports cars.
Chinese automotive giant SAIC purchased MG in 2007, and the reborn brand – still with UK links but with an eye on the biggest-selling segments – has set about building a strong presence in global markets, including Australia.
MG’s local sales are up more than 57 per cent to the end of August this year – passing 8000 units – in a depressed new-car market that has seen sales drop by an average of just over 20 per cent due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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