MG HS Plus EV 2022: new plug-in hybrid Excite variant goes on sale in Australia

Starting at $46,990 driveaway, MG’s new HS Plus Excite variant expands its plug-in hybrid portfolio while reducing the entry price by $2000

MG has added a new variant to its HS Plus EV plug-in hybrid range called the Excite, which has gone on sale in Australia priced at $46,990 driveaway.

Powered by the same plug-in hybrid powertrain as the existing Essence Plus EV model, the Excite combines a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine with a compact electric motor, and offers up to 63km of electric-only range.

MG says that the Excite variant of the MG HS Plus EV provides consumers with an entry-level option to access electric motoring at a more affordable price point.

The MG HS Plus EV Excite is a more affordable entry point to a PHEV

What spec does the HS Plus EV Excite offer?

Costing $2000 less than the top-spec Essence plug-in hybrid, the Excite still includes an array of features including 17-inch alloy wheels, metal-capped pedals, keyless entry, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.1-inch touchscreen, six-speaker sound system, leather-wrapped steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers and LED ‘London Eye’ daytime running lights.

The Excite also comes standard with MG’s Pilot safety suite that includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, AEB, lane assist, traffic-jam assist, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert and intelligent speed assistance.

Four colours are available for the Excite variant including Phantom Red, Clipper Blue, New Pearl White and Sterling Silver. Clipper Blue is a no-cost option, while metallic paint is $700 extra.

Subtle badging tells others what sort of power is under the bonnet

How efficient is the MG HS Plus EV Excite?

The MG HS Plus EV powertrain consists of a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine mated to a single electric motor. The turbocharged engine produces 119kW of power and 250Nm of torque. The electric motor produces 90kW of power and 230Nm of torque and is fed by a 16.6kWh liquid cooled battery pack.

Total power outputs for this powertrain are 189kW/370Nm.

MG claims that this powertrain returns a combined fuel consumption rating of just 1.7L/100km which is slightly lower than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV which consumes 1.9L/100km.

Like other MG models, the HS Plus EV Excite comes with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, along with a seven-year battery warranty.

The MG HS sold well in Australia in 2021, finding 6828 buyers, though this was still no match for the Toyota RAV4 (35,751 units), Mazda CX-5 (24,968 units) or Subaru Forester (11,810 units).