MG HS review: the SUV that makes the strongest case for buying MG new in Bahrain
MotorsSouq Editorial Team
The HS is the pick of the MG range in Bahrain for most buyers: a genuinely competitive mid-size SUV on space and equipment, with a single well-sorted 1.5-litre turbo engine that removes the guesswork of choosing a grade, backed by the same six-year warranty that de-risks the whole brand here. Cross-shop it against a Tucson before assuming the Korean badge is worth the difference in price.
Pros
- Interior space and 507-litre boot genuinely compete with the Tucson and CR-V
- Single, well-sorted 1.5-litre turbo removes the guesswork of choosing a grade
- Meaningfully cheaper than similarly equipped Korean and Japanese mid-size SUVs
- Six-year/200,000 km warranty beats every direct rival sold in Bahrain
- Smoother low-speed automatic than the MG6's dual-clutch gearbox
Cons
- Smaller dealer network than Toyota, Hyundai or Nissan in Bahrain
- Resale market for this all-new generation has not matured yet
- No hybrid or plug-in option currently offered for this market
- Cabin materials on the base grade fall short of the mid and top trims
The second-generation HS replaced the original 2019 car in 2024 with a stiffer platform, a completely redesigned interior built around a widescreen dual-display dashboard, and a simplified single-engine lineup — a 1.5-litre turbo four making around 170 hp — instead of the outgoing car's confusing spread of petrol and plug-in hybrid options for this market.
Space and comfort in Bahrain
At 4,630 mm long with a 2,750 mm wheelbase, the HS is genuinely competitive with a Tucson on interior room, and the 507-litre boot swallows a week's grocery run or a family's luggage for the causeway crossing to Saudi without needing to fold a seat. The cabin materials and switchgear on the mid and top grades are a clear step up from the MG5/GT family, closer in feel to what a Korean rival offers at a higher price.
The turbo engine has enough mid-range pull to feel relaxed at highway speed with the air conditioning working hard against a Bahraini summer, and the automatic gearbox is smoother in low-speed traffic than the dual-clutch unit in the MG6, which matters more in daily Manama driving than outright pace does.
Value against the established rivals
The HS undercuts a similarly equipped Tucson or CR-V by a meaningful margin in Bahrain while matching most of their standard equipment, and MG's six-year, 200,000 km warranty comfortably beats what either Korean or Japanese rival offers here. The trade-off remains the same one that applies across the MG range: a smaller dealer network and a resale market that has not yet had a full ownership cycle to mature, so buyers planning to keep the car long-term benefit more than those planning an early flip.