Having previously pushed to champion fully electric vehicles, the Sino-Brit is now seeing more potential from hybrid tech.

AN early involver in electric motoring whose occasionally market-leading run lost pace as soon as incentives ended and Road User Charge hit now sees more merit with battery-fed drivetrains that bring petrol back into play.

MG Motors New Zealand’s ‘hybrid first’ repositioning announced today will see it from now on put most effort into petrol-electric models, notably the new generation of the HS medium sports utility with a new super hybrid drivetrain (above).

This sea change comes with announcement of discounts of several thousand dollars for some established models, with the ZS and MG4 fully electric models that were once hot but now win little attention seemingly dropping the most.

Putting faith in plug-in hybrid is also not without risk, as consumer interest in that technology has also withered, because of the same challenges facing EVs.

Only the mild hybrid sector involving self-sustaining petrol-electric is doing well, being the only category which experienced growth in 2024, when the whole market was down. MG’s challenge there is to win sales from Toyota, which absolutely dominates the genre.

Nonetheless, the Sino-Brit make is promising a “crescendo of new model activity” allying to what it has described as a groundbreaking strategy.

“MG is renowned as a leader when it comes to the introduction of new technology, said MG Motor Australia and New Zealand chief executive officer Peter Ciao.

“The marque was responsible for many industry-firsts with pure EVs in New Zealand and achieved many award wins and accolades (with ZS EV and MG4).

“We are now entering into an exciting new era where we are able to offer a wide range of highly desirable yet attainably priced range of new models, many of which feature advanced hybrid powertrain technology.

“We've listened to motorists who have been requesting models which offer outstanding driving dynamics combined with the ability to travel significant distances plus deliver outstanding fuel efficiency.

“Our new range of advanced hybrid powertrains will help position MG as the ‘go to brand’ when it comes to exceeding these specific needs and requirements.

“When coupled with MG’s outstanding warranty proposition, buying a new model from one of the fastest growing and most popular new automotive brands in the country is an easy decision to make.”

The new strategy showcases MG’s focus on the MG3 Hybrid and ZS Hybrid, both of which have performed quietly since introduction, but will be even more specific to the new HS, a larger car.

MG is into its second generation of the model, which first appeared five years ago, but it’s basically a fresh start, with a new look, new interior, reworked 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, a fresh seven-speed automatic transmission, and even larger dimensions underpin the 2025 model.

MG is also about to introduce the HS with a Super Hybrid system that allies that petrol engine with an electric drivetrain and swaps out the seven speed for a two-speed automatic.

The main difference comes from the addition of a 24.7kWh battery paired with a generator and traction motor capable of 154kW (105kW petrol, 154kW electric) and 350Nm combined, which, in tandem with the petrol motor, powers the front wheels.

The set-up intends the battery to provide lower speed driving with the combustion engine provides for additional power when at highway speeds.

The HS Super Hybrid will be available in Excite and Essence trim levels, with the Excite model priced from $52,990 plus on roads and an Essence priced from $56,990.

Final specifications will be confirmed ahead of launch in September.

MG only offers range estimates gauged by using the NEDC scale, which is considered outdated in this market but is still relevant in Australia, where the brand has its regional headquarters. With NEDC, a combined driving range of 1200 kilometres and electric-only 135kms is cited.

EV sales rose slightly in June, but the category is nowhere near as healthy as it was between 2000 and 2023, when electrics boomed.

However, MG NZ has at last committed to introducing the MGS5 EV, a small fully electric sports utility built on the same platform as MG4 (below) and effectively replaces the ZS EV.

It has yet to be priced, but will also come in Excite and Essence trims, each detailing with 49kWh or 62kWh lithium-ion batteries, with rear-wheel drive and a single electric motor with maximum power of 125kW and 250Nm of torque.

The smaller battery car brings a claimed 340km in Excite trim when measured to the WLTP scale preferred here, this dropping to the 335km for the Essence as it has larger wheels. the big battery variants achieve 430km and 425km respectively.

DC fast charging is quoted at up to 120kW for the 49kWh battery, and 150kW for the 62kWh battery, for claimed 30-80 percent recharging times respectively of 19 and 19.3 minutes.

AC home charging is limited to 6.6kW across the range.

A one-pedal drive mode is standard on all models from the start, plus three further regenerative braking settings.

The use trim involves 18-inch alloys wheels, a 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 10.25-inch digital instrument display. Wireless and cabled Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is satellite navigation. Essence grade scores synthetic leather and cloth seat upholstery with seat heating up front and the driver’s seat power-adjustable. A panoramic glass sunroof is standard at Essence level, as is a powered tailgate, 360-degree camera, wireless smartphone charging and rain-sensing windscreen wipers.

Another low-key MG entry here has been the QS 7-seater SUV, selling in $49,990 Excite front-drive and $55,990 Essence all-wheel-drive, both with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder making 153kW/360Nm, paired to a nine-speed automatic.

MG’s pricing realignments are broad, but examples include decreases of $2000 on the ZS HEV Excite and Essence, while the MG4 range features reductions of $2000 to $5000 and variants of the MG ZS have fallen $2000 to $3000.