GROUP has officially launched the second generation High school The SUV in Australia has big ambitions as the brand looks to move away from its image as a car for budget buyers.
The first generation has only been on sale in Australia for four years after its launch in late 2019, and in that time it has proven itself to be a hot seller – even if it hasn’t topped MG’s best-seller list.
Although rising prices have led to High school With a starting price of $33,990, MG hopes the new model will outsell its predecessor.
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In 2022 and 2023, 10,948 and 8,126 HS units were delivered, respectively, putting the SUV second only to the MG ZS And Machine gun 3 in the brand’s best-selling product list.
It also holds a commendable position in its segment, although there is still a significant gap compared to the leading companies like Toyota RAV4 And Mazda CX-5 with over 23,000 examples per year.
Now, as MG begins to shift away from the low-cost platform driven by a number of smaller models, it says the new HS “signals a take-off point” in the SUV market and the launch of a hybrid powertrain next year is expected to take it into the heavyweight SUV space while retaining value to stay “competitive”.
MG Motor Australia commercial director Giles Belcher said hybrids “seem to be the way to go”, with consumer demand suggesting the next-generation hybrid could be the brand’s flagship – even if the non-hybrid version is now up to $7000 more expensive than before.
“A lot of brands are bringing [hybrids] has been launched, so it looks like this is definitely the direction the market is going,” he said.
“However, it is not for everyone. Hybrid cars always cost more and the price varies from product to product, and not everyone can afford that much.
“What we want to do is offer different powertrains within the same product so that everyone has an opportunity, which is what we are doing with the HS. We have a petrol engine now, a full hybrid next year and a plug-in hybrid coming at the same time.
“Our plan is to offer a variety of powertrains to the market and customers can decide which one is right for them.”
MG’s outline contrasts with plans by other manufacturers such as Toyota, which recently announced its entire Australian passenger and utility vehicle range (excluding performance vehicles) would be moved to Hybrid-only powertrain.
That includes larger SUVs like Toyota’s. Kluger and RAV4, as well as the smaller Corolla Cross And C-HRAlthough Toyota expects hybrids and electric vehicles (EVs) to account for more than half of its sales next year.
Mr Belcher predicts MG could find itself in a similar situation as sales of petrol models are expected to start lagging behind hybrids once all three HS powertrains are introduced locally.
“I think the plug-in hybrid is an interesting variant. Our technology in that area will be really great when we can launch it, and I can’t say too much about it right now but we are confident in the specifications, the capabilities and the technical strength of that car,” he said.
“Plug-in hybrids will become more popular than ever as all-electric ranges extend and become more useful. [The] The plug-in hybrid in the old HS was great for its time, so [the new version] could be a pleasant surprise in the future.”
No specifications have been confirmed for Australia yet, although UK HS PHEV models combine a 105kW 1.5-litre petrol engine with a 154kW electric motor and 24.7kWh battery.
That battery is the larger of the two available in China and MG Motor Australia’s product director, Akshat Ahuja, said Car expert The upcoming HS PHEV model will feature the “largest battery yet” aimed at providing “maximum electric driving range for customers”.
The new HS will be launched locally with non-hybrid technology in its first three variants. It retains the same 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a dual-clutch transmission, although there have been some subtle changes aimed at improving the driving experience.
Power and torque figures have been slightly increased, while the gearbox is now a seven-speed wet dual-clutch unit designed for smoother gear changes – especially at low speeds.
The car’s exterior largely matches MG’s latest design language on the new MG 3 and ZS, and while the petrol-only versions are seen as a new step forward for the brand, the introduction of hybrid technology in the first half of 2025 is expected to bring significant improvements.
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