MG HS — five stars for safety, just one and a half for fuel bills
A large SUV with five Euro NCAP stars walked away with just 1.5 stars for sustainability. The problem isn’t the design — it’s the petrol pump.
The MG HS looks like a strong play on the European market: a large SUV, a modern cabin, a striking design and five Euro NCAP stars for safety. But the petrol version has a weak spot that doesn’t show up in a crash test — it shows up at the pump. And it shows up fast.
Green NCAP gave the petrol MG HS just 1.5 stars out of 5 — 26% overall. For a model that sells well and looks like a sensible buy, that’s a punch in the gut. The independent European sustainability assessment recorded high fuel consumption and weak overall efficiency. We’re talking about the version with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo engine and direct injection. It puts out 170 hp, drives through an automatic gearbox and sends power to the front wheels.
In Green NCAP’s real-world tests, fuel consumption ranged from 7.3 to 9.9 l/100 km. On the motorway — exactly that 9.9. For a family SUV, those numbers turn into a permanent surcharge: on every urban commute, every overtake, every fully loaded trip. On the propulsion energy efficiency index, MG HS scored nothing. A clean zero.
The full life-cycle picture is even harsher. Production emissions are described as relatively low, but direct combustion emissions wipe out the advantage. The total lifecycle figure lands at around 303.7 g CO2-equivalent per kilometre. That’s above Green NCAP’s maximum threshold. In the greenhouse gas category, the crossover also walked away with 0 out of 10.
The only area where MG HS pulled it together was the clean air index. The exhaust treatment systems do their job even under cold start and high load — during hard acceleration on the highway, for instance. CO and particulate emissions climb in those conditions, but stay within legal limits. The takeaway for buyers is simple, and not particularly comforting. Safety and low running costs don’t always come in the same package.
The petrol MG HS may be attractive on equipment and protection, but the fuel bill needs to be priced in upfront. Especially if the car will live in the city — short trips, traffic jams, and the air conditioning working overtime.
Green NCAP effectively suggests skipping this petrol version altogether. MG does have hybrid and electric models, but their real-world efficiency also depends on the scenario: charging habits, weight, routes. Sometimes the most expensive part of a cheap SUV starts after you’ve bought it — right next to the petrol pump.