MG QS: Seven-seat large SUV pushes MG into a new segment 

In the Australian new car market it’s said that without a large seven-seat SUV in your line-up, you may as well not bother selling cars here given their enduring popularity. Until now, MG was one such brand but that’s now been fixed with the arrival of the new MG QS – launched with keen pricing, a spacious cabin and a long list of features to establish a foothold in the seven-seat SUV segment.

Here we assess whether the new MG QS is worth consideration over more expensive big names, such as the Toyota Kluger and Hyundai Santa Fe?

Price and equipment:

For now, there are two QS models in Australia: the entry-level Excite and upper-spec Essence, the latter of which is equipped with all-wheel drive. 

MG QS pricing (drive away): 

MG QS Excite standard equipment:

• 20-inch alloy wheels
• Dusk-sensing automatic LED headlights
• Rain-sensing automatic wipers
• Silver roof rails
• Heated/auto-folding mirrors
• Keyless entry with push button start
• Electric tailgate
• Panoramic sunroof
• Leather steering wheel
• Tri-zone automatic climate control
• Normal, sport and eco driving modes
• Cloth upholstery
• 8-way electric front seats
• 12.3-inch digital driver’s display
• 12.3-inch touchscreen with live services
• Access to the MG iSmart app (12-months’ complimentary access)
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Satellite navigation
• AM/FM/DAB+ digital radio
• Bluetooth calling and audio streaming
• 8-speaker sound system
• Normal, eco and sport driving modes
• 5x USB ports

MG QS safety features: 

• Seven airbags (including a front centre unit)
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist
• Lane keeping assistance
• Adaptive lane guidance
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert with braking
• Driver attention monitoring
• Traffic sign recognition with intelligent speed assist
• Rear parking sensors
• 360-degree camera
• Rear automatic braking
• Door open warning
• Tyre pressure monitoring

At the time of writing, the QS is yet to be tested by ANCAP for a safety rating. 

MG QS Essence model adds:

• All-wheel drive
• 21-inch wheels
• Front parking sensors
• 12-speaker Bose sound system
• LED front fog lights
• Auto high beam
• Wireless phone charger
• Black leather upholstery (light colour optional) 
• Heated and ventilated front seats with driver’s memory
• Heated steering wheel
• Auto-dimming rear mirror
• Extra driving modes: snow, custom and off-road

Interior, practicality and bootspace:

MG’s cabins have come a long way in just a few years. The new-generation ZS, for example, gives off a far more expensive and higher quality vibe than the model it replaced. The QS is no different, with an impressive cabin that looks and feels expensive – certainly more than its keen pricing would suggest.

Throughout the cabin are quality leather trimmings, tasteful – but obviously faux – woodgrain trim and tight-feeling switchgear that feels good to touch. Front seat comfort is excellent, with ample adjustment in the driver’s seat – finally under-thigh angle adjustment in a Chinese car! – and effective heating and cooling. The driving position offers a lot of adjustment as well, while the view out is good thanks to big windows and mirrors, and a good quality 360-degree camera.

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The QS range uses a dual 12.3-inch screen set up, with one for the driver’s display and one for the infotainment system. Using the same software as the smaller HS – though not the newer system that’s used in the newer MGS5 EV – the QS’s screens are crisp and easy to use. The driver’s screen is configurable as well, allowing users to select a few views, including a map.

Regardless of model chosen, the touchscreen has plenty of features such as live services, sat-nav with live traffic, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB+ digital radio and even handy menus to – for example – find the nearest MG dealership, check the weather or call roadside assistance. We also quite like the physical buttons below the screen for features such as fan speed, turning the AC to auto and a home button, but the 12-speaker Bose sound system in the Essence could be punchier.

Storage solutions in the MG QS are excellent, with a seemingly endless supply of cubbies to store life’s various trinkets. That includes a large tray underneath the centre console, a box underneath the central armrest, big door bins, big cup holders in the centre console and a sectioned tray at the foot of the dashboard with a wireless phone charger and second tray for a phone.

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The second row of seating in the MG QS is quite comfortable and spacious, with ample room for three adults thanks to a wide cabin and flat floor. Amenities include a third zone of climate, big door bins, a central armrest with cupholders, two USB-C charging ports and two map pockets – though no heated seats or inbuilt window shades. The second row of seating folds and slides easily for third row access, more so than the Kia Sorento.

MG sells the QS as a proper seven-seater and not a ‘5+2’ as do some rivals like the Sorento, and the third row is fine for two adults around the six-foot tall mark, with good legroom (especially with the middle seat slid forward) and headroom as well. In addition, there are also air vents, cup holders and a USB port.

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Behind the third row of seating is a healthy 203 litres of space, with some under-floor storage for storing the cargo cover and tyre changing tools. Fold the third row and 517 litres is on offer (likely to the window line) and folding the second row increases that to 1052 litres (again, that’s likely to the window line and not including the space above that). Underneath the QS is a space-saver spare.

Performance and fuel economy:

For now, the MG QS range uses a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine making 153kW of power and 360Nm of torque. Mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission, the QS Excite is front-wheel drive, while the Essence is all-wheel drive.

MG claims that the QS Essence will use 8.8L/100km of 95RON premium unleaded fuel, and in our testing skewed towards urban driving used 11.3L/100km. Its claimed CO2 emissions are 198g/km, and it features a 65-litre fuel tank.

On the road:

MG’s recent run of impressive products from behind the wheel continues with the QS because it offers up a refined and comfortable driving experience with few faults. We expected the ride quality to suffer thanks to the QS Essence’s huge 21-inch alloy wheels, but thanks to its adaptive suspension, it actually rides quite well and is quite comfortable no matter the surface.

In some ways, it feels slightly European from behind the wheel: the ride is taut but comfortable and displays good body control. Being a large almost-two tonne SUV, the MG QS is not the world’s best handling car but it feels confident in the bends thanks to its steering weighting and nimble – for its size – chassis. The QS also has excellent refinement with little in the way of road noise, even at highway speeds.

Even though it’s been detuned compared to the 178kW/392Nm outputs in its home country, the QS’s engine is more than punchy enough for most. MG doesn’t list where peak torque occurs, but like most modern turbocharged engines, it feels relatively early in the rev range. The nine-speed automatic transmission is generally intuitive, though there’s no manual mode to increase engine braking. While we like the QS’s engine, a hybrid option would be great as it can be thirsty.

Like the MG HS that it sits above, the QS’s active safety features are a big improvement on a lot of MG products of the past, though some features such as the lane keeping assistance and speed limit warning were still too sensitive in our testing. We’d also love to see the ‘MG Pilot Custom’ mode from the S5 added to the QS so it’s easier to adapt features to a driver’s taste with each drive.

Service and warranty:

The QS range is covered by a seven-year/unlimited km warranty that’s extendable to 10 years/250,000km if serviced through an MG dealership. The QS’ roadside assistance lasts as long as the warranty, so minimum seven years and maximum ten in total.

The QS’ service intervals are once-yearly/every 15,000km and five years/75,000km of servicing costs an expensive $3442 for the Excite and $3618 for the Essence. The yearly amount ranges from $688 to $723 on average for the first five years and for buyers planning to keep it for over five years, the six-year/90,000km service alone costs a massive $2526 for the Excite and $2920 for the Essence. 

Verdict: Should I buy an MG QS?

Overall, the MG QS is definitely worth consideration over more established rivals such as the Kluger and Santa Fe. MG has largely hit a home run with the QS and that’s thanks to its spacious and upmarket-feeling cabin, comfortable and refined driving experience and a strong value equation that sees it offering a similar level of equipment to a Toyota Kluger Grande – which costs around $40,000 more once on-road costs are added into the equation.

Granted, the Kluger features a hybrid drivetrain and costs a lot less to service, but the QS is larger, more spacious and better finished. Really, our complaints are minor: add in a more responsive and more efficient hybrid drivetrain, cheapen the expensive service pricing and remove the ‘Ultimate’ side badging. Importantly, the QS has broadened MG’s local line-up and entering such a popular segment will no doubt improve its sales even further.

MG QS rivals: 

• Toyota Kluger
• Kia Sorento
• Hyundai Santa Fe

MG QS specifications: