MG

GS

The MG GS is the company’s first venture into SUV territory and it is gaining plenty of attention. It looks smart, has lots of on-board technology, handles well and is on sale with a very attractive price-tag.

The good

Good looking, practical SUV with an attractive asking price

The bad

Noisy when pushed hard and touchscreen is fiddly

Tech Specs

Price from

£14,995

Combined Fuel up to

46.3mpg

0-62 from

9.9 seconds

max speed up to

118mph

co2 from

139g/km

Test Drive

MG GS 1.5 Excite

The MG name is not one that readily springs to mind when you talk about SUVs, but the overwhelming public demand for such vehicles has led to all sorts of manufacturers reconsidering their range and line-up.

For example, SEAT now has the Ateca, Vauxhall the Mokka and even Jaguar has its F-PACE. So now MG has introduced its very own family-sized soft-roader called the GS.

MG is owned by Chinese company SAIC, but the GS is designed in Birmingham, part built in China and then finished off to UK standards back in the Midlands. It’s quite a process, but one that keeps costs to a minimum and that results in very economically-priced end products, such as the GS which starts from just £14,995.

The test car in Excite trim level was one step up from the lowest priced Explore spec and was priced at £17,495. All models are powered by 1.5-litre 164bhp petrol engines which allow the GS to sprint from 0-62mph in 9.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 118mph. According to official figures it can achieve combined fuel economy of 46.3mpg with carbon emissions of 139g/km.

The GS looks good from any angle thanks to its sporty, athletic stance, chunky front bumper, tinted windows, sculpted bonnet, 17-inch alloys, LED daytime running lights and neat light clusters.

Move inside and the cabin is spacious with ample room for three back seat passengers. There is an abundance of hard plastic on the dashboard, which despite looking a little unrefined is always practical to wipe clean. Creature comforts include the likes of DAB radio, Bluetooth and smartphone connectivity, automatic air conditioning, automatic headlights, cruise control, rear parking sensors with reversing camera, a leather multi-function steering wheel and plenty more besides.

The fabric sports seats are comfortable and the elevated driving position results in good all-round visibility.

When it comes to practicality, the GS excels with 60:40 split-folding rear seats that can be dropped completely flat so increasing the storage capacity from 483 litres to 1,336 litres. The flat loading boot is also handy when transporting awkwardly-shaped or heavy items.

In busy traffic the GS cruised along effortlessly and parking was made easier thanks to the sensors and camera. Then out on faster lanes the acceleration through the six-speed manual gearbox was quite smooth and responsive. The road-holding is assured and there is little body roll into corners. There is a fair amount of engine and road surface noise if pushed hard, but then it is always worth reminding yourself of the car’s attractive price-tag before getting too critical.

One feature cannot be overlooked though and that’s the really fiddly touchscreen which is far too complicated and makes simple operations such as altering the temperature or flow of air con quite a frustrating process.

But that aside, the MG GS is a welcome newcomer to the ever-growing compact SUV scene. It looks good, handles well, is practical and also carries a very attractive five-year/80,000-mile warranty.