MG HS vs Hyundai Tucson - MG Car Reviews

If you hadn't already noticed, we're currently living in an SUV boom. The Sports Utility Vehicle has never been more popular with drivers mainly thanks to their large size and all-round practicality. 

Half of the top ten of the best-selling new cars in the UK in 2022 were either SUVs or crossovers. A crossover is halfway between your traditional sized hatchback and an SUV. With the imminent demise of Ford Fiesta production, you'd expect the ratio to tip even further towards SUVs at the end of 2023. 

Two of the most popular SUVs in the UK are the MG HS and the Hyundai Tucson. The MG HS has already had a blistering start to 2023. It was the best-selling new car of any model in January, and it looks set to do well throughout the year. The Tucson is a more established name in the SUV field and was one of those in the top ten most popular cars of 2022. 

The two models that will go head-to-head are the MG HS Trophy and the Hyundai Tucson Premium.

The MG HS comes with a powerful turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine and is available as a 6-speed manual or with a 7-speed automatic gearbox. 

Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure, or more commonly WLTP, figures determine how many miles a car can travel per gallon of fuel consumed. These will include a mixture of city and motorway driving and in differing weather conditions and temperatures. 

The Combined figure, which takes all those factors into account, is 37mpg. Though in good conditions the HS can achieve up to 44mpg. 

The Tucson has a slightly larger engine - a 1.6-litre TGDI, and understandably clocks up an MPG slightly lower than the HS with a Combined 36mpg.

Both cars cannot be separated when it comes to their safety either. They each have a full five-star Euro NCAP rating. 

Euro NCAP provides a rigorous testing process on cars to determine how safe they are. Not just for the driver and passengers, but for pedestrians and other road users too. It's a real achievement to have a top rating following their stringent tests especially with plenty of models falling foul over the last couple of years and losing some or all stars. 

The HS is equipped with MG's advanced driver assistance system, known as MG Pilot. It includes Active Emergency Braking with Pedestrian and Bicycle Detection, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Intelligent High Beam Assist. 

The Tucson has many similar features, such as Lane Keep Assist, Speed Limit Assist, Blind Spot Collision Warning, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist and Forward Collision Avoidance Assist. 

The HS does have a certain number of safety features that the Tucson lacks, including Front Fog Lights, Follow Me Home Headlights, Anti Rolling Protection, and Cornering Brake Control.

So far, so samey! Which means you'd expect the cars to be comparably priced too. 

However, the MG HS Trophy is available at just £25,995, whereas the Tucson Premium will set you back almost £6,000 more - it's priced at £31,840. 

In fact, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the HS even costs less than the petrol Tucson Premium, starting at £31,095.

The big selling point of SUVs is their size and practicality. You have the ability to fit all the family in along with a full boot load of camping gear or a four-legged friend. 

The HS has a boot capacity of 463 litres, and that rear load space goes up to an impressive 1454 litres when the rear seats are folded over.

The Tucson is in a league of its own when it comes to boot space. It can hold 620 litres and there are few, if any, mid-sized SUVs that can compete with that. 

The automatic version of the HS Trophy does have a power tailgate that the Tucson doesn't. So even though the Tucson's boot is bigger, the HS's can be more accessible if you have your hands full. 

The HS also comes with a good level of tech that you'd expect: 10.1-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, Sat Nav, DAB radio, Rear Camera, rear parking sensors, Keyless entry & start, cruise control, rain sensing wipers, USB ports and Bluetooth. 

Unsurprisingly, all these features come as standard in the Tucson top addition, however the Tucson SE Connect only provides rear sensors and no camera to help you.

All MG cars, including the HS, come with a 7-year/80,000 miles warranty as standard. You can find out all about the MG 7-year warranty plan here. 

Hyundai can't match MG on warranty, but the Tucson is still covered by a more-than-adequate 5-year/unlimited miles plan.

It's a difficult task to separate the HS and the Tucson in all but one category. Both family SUVs are alike with their safety features, engine size, fuel efficiency, tech, and practicality. 

The main standout between the two is the price - the HS is almost £6,000 cheaper than the Tucson. The Hyundai model does win hands down when it comes to boot space, but you have to consider if it really is worth an extra £6,000 compared to the HS? 

MG has won many admirers in the motor industry for the excellent affordability of its cars, especially in its EV range, but the petrol HS is no different. 

The price tag of the MG HS means you get far more value for money compared to the Hyundai Tucson.