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The MG QS is but extra proof the Chinese have nicely and really infiltrated the Australian automotive market.
Four Chinese marques have change into common fixtures within the listing of prime 10 best-selling manufacturers, and you’ll find Chinese fashions throughout a raft of segments from gentle vehicles all the way in which as much as utes and huge off-road SUVs.
And but, surprisingly, till just lately the Chinese have largely prevented the big crossover SUV phase that’s house to the top-selling Toyota Kluger, Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento.
GWM’s short-lived, five-seat Haval H8, axed in 2018, had been the one entrant till final yr when Chery launched its Tiggo 8 Pro Max… although we’d argue that’s extra of a mid-sizer, even when it does have a 3rd row of seating.
Then, this yr, Chery lobbed the Jaecoo J8 and Chery Tiggo 9 cousins, BYD confirmed the Sealion 8 for a 2026 launch, and MG launched this: the QS. The Chinese are making up for misplaced time, it appears.
We’ve been nicely overdue for a big MG SUV with three rows of seating, as MG launched its RX8 within the Middle East again in 2018. But that was a body-on-frame off-road SUV, whereas the brand new QS is correct crossover SUV with car-like unibody development.
The previous RX8 and the brand new QS do have one factor in frequent, although: they’re each probably not MGs.
See, MG’s dad or mum SAIC Motor likes to place the MG octagon on automobiles from its different manufacturers the place they will plug a niche. That’s how the LDV Terron 9 ute turned the MG U9, and it’s how the Roewe RX9 has change into the MG QS. In different markets, you’ve even been capable of purchase MG vans and other people movers.
Roewe is MG’s Chinese-market sister model, with mannequin designs which can be usually rather less sporty and just a little extra elegant. And in contrast to the Roewe RX5, which obtained a nostril job to change into the second-generation MG HS, the QS is pure Roewe externally.
Not that we’re complaining. This is, to my eyes a minimum of, a reasonably good-looking SUV. Oh certain, your pareidolia might discover that grille harking back to a menacing smirk, with the angled headlights obtrusive and the plunging diagonal LED daytime operating lights trying like fangs.
But when you don’t see faces in inanimate objects, you’ll discover the good-looking metallic accents across the grille, on the D-pillar, and alongside the rockers, which add a chic and distinctive contact.
There are trim items harking back to fender vents, although bafflingly they learn ‘Ultimate’ on all QS variants though none of them are referred to as that. This isn’t the primary time MG has carried out this in Australia…
Throw in a set of engaging 21-inch alloy wheels that properly fill out the arches, and this QS Essence – not Ultimate – has acquired some critical showroom enchantment.
How a lot does the MG QS price?
| Model | Drive-away pricing |
|---|---|
| 2026 MG QS Excite | $46,990 |
| 2026 MG QS Essence | $50,990 |
To see how the MG QS strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability software
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What is the MG QS like on the within?
The MG QS has a contemporary, distinctive and usually well-appointed cabin. There are some minor usability points, nevertheless.
There’s no head-up show, though that is the top-spec QS. That mightn’t sound like the tip of the world, however in two of the three digital instrument cluster themes, the velocity readout is displayed on the prime of the display screen. Depending in your seating and steering wheel place, this readout might be blocked.
Speaking of the digital instrument cluster, you may select between the default view, a full-screen map view (helpful!) and an ‘intelligent drive’ view that exhibits little animated variations of the vehicles round you (dumb!)
A separate ‘immersion mode’ means that you can have a minimalist show with solely key info seen, whereas for every of the primary views you may select what seems on the aspect of the display screen – for instance, gasoline economic system or media info.
The touchscreen infotainment system is usually good, and a marked enchancment over earlier MG programs. MG has additionally resisted the temptation to maneuver nearly every part to the touchscreen, and it’s arguably simply two to 4 bodily buttons away from hitting the candy spot.
You nonetheless get bodily buttons for fan velocity, and turning the air-conditioning, hazard lights and demisters on and off, plus a shortcut button to the local weather menu and the infotainment’s house menu.
The house menu is neatly laid out, and you may modify the temperature on right here with out additional burrowing into the local weather menu. Still, though you should utilize the local weather management, we’d like a bodily button for adjusting the temperature.
It’s additionally a bit irritating having to dive right into a menu or use the voice assistant to regulate the heated and ventilated entrance seats and heated steering wheel.
MG remains to be extra user-friendly than some Chinese manufacturers although, providing programmable shortcut buttons on the steering wheel. We can’t consider too many vehicles outdoors the MG model that will let you modify the AC utilizing the steering wheel.
The touchscreen features a helpful anchored shortcar bar, with buttons for house, navigation, media, automobile settings, cellphone and the surround-view digital camera. Annoyingly, nevertheless, it doesn’t appear to persistently seem when you may have smartphone mirroring on.
Wireless Android Auto labored a deal with, booting up shortly each time we began the QS, and by no means disconnecting unexpectedly, although infrequently we’d have a problem with media skipping barely. In a special QS Essence tester, nevertheless, Paul Maric had no finish of troubles with wi-fi Apple CarPlay.
At the bottom of the centre stack, you’ll discover a conveniently positioned wi-fi charging pad with one other rubberised pad subsequent to it.
The centre console has two ranges. The prime tier options the monostatic gear selector, rotary dial for drive mode choice, and buttons for the park brake and auto maintain operate – by the way in which, the auto maintain will keep on so that you don’t have to show it on each time you begin the automotive. There’s additionally a pair of cupholders with a woodgrain curler cowl.
There’s a softly padded lid for the centre console bin which, without having a very giant opening, is kind of deep. The button to pop its lid, nevertheless, is much too simple to hit together with your elbow.
Below the higher tier of the centre console is a rubberised shelf the place you may put a handbag or pockets, and which contains a pair of USB-C energy retailers and a 12V port.
Storage is kind of good within the QS, with the bottle openers within the doorways additionally giant sufficient to suit 1.5-litre bottles plus a pair of smaller bottles.
There’s a straightforward entry and exit mode that strikes the motive force’s seat whenever you get in and switch the automotive on, which is neat.
The entrance seats are plush and cozy, and but nonetheless proved supportive within the corners. They function heating and air flow, annoyingly with out bodily buttons for adjustment, and unusually you may really activate each capabilities on the similar time.
It’s an odd feeling to have the QS’ seat heat your posterior as cool air is propelled by way of the vents at your again. We mentioned unusual, not dangerous.
The expansive panoramic sunroof is one other luxurious contact, although we do want it had a thicker shade.
The woodgrain appliques, which simulate open-pore wooden trim, are tasteful. They’re accompanied by odd textured, gray trim items that are much less so, and lend an nearly industrial look to a cabin that’s in any other case aiming for contemporary stylish.
The sprint prime is completed in exceptionally comfortable trim that eschews a conventional leather-look graining for a particular sample, whereas the centre console is wrapped in firmer, leather-look trim to present it an upscale look. The prime half of the doorways are additionally completed in engaging, comfortable supplies.
You have to look all the way down to the doorways to search out laborious plastics, and these do look fairly low-cost – however there’s not a lot of this materials, fortunately.
Chinese manufacturers have gotten lots higher at translating warning messages and menu objects to English, however the QS has some doozies within the ambient lighting menu.
If you go into this menu and press ‘scenario settings’, there’s an possibility for ‘breathing effect’ – okay, that one’s fairly logical, the ambient lighting pulsates. But what’s ‘welcome to get on’, for which you’ll be able to toggle between customary, elegant and robust modes?
There’s additionally a ‘light-sensing’ possibility, the one one which has an evidence… however the clarification merely reads “automatically on or off with the width lamp status”, which is senseless.
The QS options proximity entry, so that you don’t should take the important thing fob – which is oddly emblazoned with The Roaring Raindrop, a automobile from the MG marque’s very distant previous, on the rear – out of your pocket.
The flush door handles come out when the automobile is unlocked, and so they’re simple to open. The rear doorways do require a agency slam to close, although, even when they don’t really feel gentle and tinny.
Step into the second row and also you’ll discover a ground that’s nearly flat. There are air vents within the roof, plus controls on the rear of the centre console for adjusting AC settings. A pair of USB-C retailers can be discovered right here, whereas the comfortable entrance seatbacks function map pockets and the fold-down centre armrest homes a pair of cupholders.
The doorways again listed below are nonetheless completed in a mixture of soft-touch plastic and leatherette trim, with laborious plastics reserved just for the underside.
The bench is comfy, although the center seat is firmer and barely elevated. Still, at 180cm tall I might comfortably sit upright on this place, even with a panoramic sunroof above. The lack of a driveline hump can be a boon for legroom.
Step into the third row and all the beautiful supplies seen up entrance evaporate. It’s nothing however laborious, scratchy plastic right here, although the seats are completed in the identical plush materials as the primary and second rows, and a few textured plastic trim makes an attempt so as to add some distinction.
There are cupholders and air vents on both aspect, however just one USB-C outlet again right here. There are additionally no top-tether or ISOFIX anchor factors again right here, so youngster seats must be fitted within the second row.
How does the QS’ third row measure up? Well, with the second row in its default place, I had sufficient toe room and my head solely barely brushed the roof if I maintained correct posture.
My knees touched the second-row seatbacks, however it was totally potential to regulate the second-row seats to a place the place individuals my top could possibly be comfy throughout each rows. Suffice to say, children could have no drawback.
There’s a button on the second-row seatback to tilt and slide it ahead, however this will solely be discovered on one aspect of the automotive. On our tester, this was on the motive force’s aspect – not very best for loading youngsters into the third row when street-parked, as this must be carried out from the traffic-side of the automotive.
With the third row up, boot area is proscribed – as is usually the case with three-row SUVs. You would possibly have the ability to match a pair of in a single day baggage, or a small suitcase.
There’s a 12V outlet plus some storage beneath the boot ground, with the spare wheel really mounted beneath the automobile. So why, then, is the spare a space-saver? Give us a full-sizer!
| Dimensions | MG QS |
|---|---|
| Length | 4983mm |
| Width | 1967mm |
| Height | 1778mm |
| Wheelbase | 2915mm |
| Cargo capability | 203L (behind third row) 517L (third row folded) 1052L (second and third rows folded) |
To see how the MG QS strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability software
What’s beneath the bonnet?
For now, there’s only one engine within the QS lineup, a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol mill, although a plug-in hybrid powertrain is about to affix it.
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| Specifications | MG QS Essence |
|---|---|
| Engine | 2.0L 4cyl turbo-petrol |
| Power | 153kW |
| Torque | 360Nm |
| Transmission | 9-speed auto |
| Drive sort | All-wheel drive |
| Weight | 1994kg (tare) |
| 0-100km/h (as examined) | 9.11 seconds |
| Fuel economic system (claimed) | 8.8L/100km |
| Fuel economic system (as examined) | 10.2L/100km (inner-city, suburban and freeway loop) 13.2L/100km (over the course of per week) |
| Fuel tank capability | 65L |
| Fuel requirement | 95-octane premium unleaded |
| CO2 emissions | 198g/km |
| Braked tow capability | 2000kg |
Over a mixture of inner-city, suburban and freeway driving, we averaged 10.2L/100km. Over the course of per week, this swelled to 13.2L/100km.
It’s value noting our tester was barely damaged in, with just a few hundred kilometres on the odometer – much less, even, than the Melbourne-based instance featured in these photographs.
To see how the MG QS strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability software
How does the MG QS drive?
The MG QS’ outputs don’t look extraordinary on paper, and but this huge SUV feels fairly sprightly round city.
Throttle response off the road is surprisingly speedy and even with a number of passengers on board, if not a full complement, the QS didn’t really feel underdone within the powertrain division.
The nine-speed computerized shifts pretty easily and shortly, which is nice as there aren’t any paddle shifters and no different option to manually change gears.
The steering is gentle with out being too gentle, and helps make this huge SUV simple to twirl round a decent car parking zone or metropolis road with out feeling disconcertingly obscure.
The QS can be a cushty cruiser. There’s an occasional thump from the massive 21-inch alloy wheels, however the Essence additionally contains adaptive dampers which assist offset this.
We drove the QS over a mix of surfaces and located the journey to be usually fairly comfy; there’s a little bit of bobbing on some undulating surfaces, however the QS doesn’t really feel too floaty or uncontrolled.
You can pop it into Sport mode which corporations up the dampers, provides some extra weight to the steering, and quickens throttle response.
This can solely achieve this a lot to make the QS dynamic, although. While it feels extra tied down in Sport mode, push it right into a nook and also you’re greeted with understeer and physique roll, whereas even a quick mountain drive had the brakes smelling totally cooked.
But whereas the standard QS purchaser isn’t going to take this canyon-carving, the spongy brake pedal will probably be disappointing in all driving situations. There’s no really feel within the pedal, and it makes the QS much less confidence-inspiring to drive.
The 2.0-litre engine has a little bit of a raspy be aware to it, however noise suppression within the cabin is kind of good so this will probably be way more noticeable to pedestrians than passengers.
Wind noise is well-contained, and there’s solely modest roar from the Michelin ePrimacy tyres over coarse-chip surfaces.
There are Normal, Sport, Snow, Off-Road and Custom drive modes, with the latter permitting you to toggle between Eco, Normal and Sport modes for the powertrain and steering, Normal or Sport modes for the suspension, and Auto or Off-Road modes for the all-wheel drive system.
There’s an computerized engine cease/begin system, which we all know many individuals discover irritating, however it’s easily calibrated.
Not so easily calibrated are the superior driver help programs (ADAS). Let me preface this by saying that is removed from probably the most poorly calibrated suite of ADAS I’ve skilled, however that must also offer you an concept of the place we’re at in 2025.
If you’ve gotten out of your older automotive and right into a QS for a take a look at drive, and end up driving 2km/h over the velocity restrict whereas letting out a quick yawn and crossing a lane marking on a slender road with vehicles parked on the aspect, chances are you’ll discover the cacophony of bings and bongs to be overwhelming.
For these of us in new vehicles each week, the QS is pretty near regular. The alert noises are comparatively subdued, aside from the lane departure warning which is a tad melodramatic, whereas the lane-keep help gently nudges you again into place and has completely different ranges of adjustability, and the motive force monitoring system was really fairly correct – sure, I actually was yawning all these instances, not obnoxiously chewing gum.
There have been a few moments when the ADAS did genuinely give me (and my passengers) a fright.
Reversing out of a driveway onto a busy road, the rear cross-traffic help slammed on the brakes though I used to be reversing onto the alternative aspect of the road from the place the visitors was. The autonomous emergency braking system additionally tried to brake once I was travelling alongside a road with automobiles parked on both aspect.
Then there’s the adaptive cruise management, the place you may hear the brakes being utilized, and it gained’t work in Sport or Custom drive modes.
You activate and modify the adaptive cruise by pushing the button on the steering wheel formed like a steering wheel, then setting the velocity with the silver rectangular toggle button. There’s one other button that appears like a digital camera and a push pin, however this activates the speed-limiter operate.
To activate lane centring, lengthy press the steering wheel icon. Alas, the QS’ system jogged my memory all too shortly of different MGs just like the MG 4. As quickly as you press the button, all feeling is drained from the steering, leaving it gentle and bobbly like an arcade automotive. The wheel has a lot give, and the system strikes it in a twitchy, jerky trend.
An absence of steering really feel with this function turned on can be forgiven when you didn’t should hold your arms on the wheel, however you do. And you’d need to, anyway – it’s actually not the most effective lane centring system, and might ping pong you in your lane.
The overspeed alert defaults to on whenever you begin the automobile, which is annoying and requires a number of button presses (and a clumsy swipe) to repair every time. The chime is barely much less annoying than that in Hyundai and Kia merchandise, and a minimum of there’s no ‘new speed limit detected’ chime that defaults to on.
The cameras are a combined bag. In daytime, they’re bloody good, being crisp and clear albeit with a contact of lag. At evening time, nevertheless, they get very washed out.
Like so many different Chinese vehicles, the QS additionally insists on turning on a aspect digital camera view whenever you activate the symptoms. It’s not as useful as, say, Hyundai and Kia’s Blind-Spot View Monitor because the digital camera is identified the aspect of the automobile and never on the blind spot.
One different minor gripe: the park brake doesn’t persistently activate whenever you flip the automotive off. Sometimes it does, typically it doesn’t.
To see how the MG QS strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability software
What do you get?
There are two members of the QS lineup in Australia.
2026 MG QS Excite customary gear highlights:
- 20-inch alloy wheels in 245/50 R20 tyres
- T145/80 R18 spare tyre
- Automatic LED headlights
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Power-folding, heated exterior mirrors with reminiscence
- Power tailgate
- Panoramic sunroof
- Electric parking brake
- Proximity entry with push-button begin
- Normal, Sport, Eco drive modes
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- DAB+ digital radio
- Satellite navigation
- 8-speaker sound system
- Fabric upholstery
- 8-way power-adjustable entrance seats
- Sliding second-row seats
- 60/40 split-fold second-row seats with simple entry on proper aspect
- Microfibre/leather-based steering wheel
- Tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment
- 256-colour ambient lighting
- Woodgrain trim
- Tri-zone local weather management with rear controls, vents in all three rows
- 5 x USB ports (2 x entrance, 2 x rear, 1 x third row)
- 1 x entrance 12V outlet
- 1 x 12V outlet in boot
- 12 months’ complimentary iSmart entry
- Remote adjustment of locks, local weather management
- Remote view of auto info together with tyre strain, gasoline ranges
- Vehicle monitoring
The Essence provides:
- 21-inch alloy wheels in 255/45 R21 tyres
- Adaptive suspension
- Normal, Snow, Off-Road, Sport, Custom, Eco drive modes
- Automatic high-beam
- LED entrance fog lights with static cornering lights
- Wireless cellphone charger
- 12-speaker Bose sound system
- 8-way energy driver’s seat with 4-way energy lumbar, reminiscence
- Heated and ventilated entrance seats
- Perforated leather-based upholstery
While each the Excite and Essence include a black inside, a Stone Beige colourway is a $700 possibility on the top-spec QS. All exterior paint finishes bar Oxford White Metallic additionally entice an $800 surcharge.
To see how the MG QS strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability software
Is the MG QS protected?
The MG QS obtained a five-star ranking from security authority ANCAP this yr.
| Category | MG QS |
|---|---|
| Adult occupant safety | 88 per cent |
| Child occupant safety | 86 per cent |
| Vulnerable highway consumer safety | 76 per cent |
| Safety help | 80 per cent |
Standard security gear throughout the QS vary contains:
- Adaptive cruise management
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Driver consideration monitoring
- Intelligent Cruise Assist
- Intelligent Speed Limit Assist
- Lane-keep help
- Rear cross-traffic help
- Safe exit warning
- Tyre strain monitoring
- Front, front-side, far-side and curtain airbags
- Rear parking sensors
The Essence provides entrance parking sensors.
To see how the MG QS strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability software
How a lot does the MG QS price to run?
MG did an about-face on the QS’ capped-price servicing program after adverse press protection regarding a sixth-year service that price nearly $3000.
| Servicing and Warranty | MG QS |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 10 years, 250,000km (service-activated) |
| Roadside help | Up to 10 years |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km |
| Capped-price servicing | 7 years or 105,000km |
| Average annual service price | $413.28 |
| Total capped-price service price | $2893 |
After initially outlining at launch a complete price over seven years or 105,000km of $6962 to service the QS inside the MG vendor community, the model slashed pricing in September to simply $2893. Now, the most costly service is $699, with the most cost effective costing $299. It’s gone from being absurdly costly to service to being class-competitive.
MG gives one of many longest warranties within the enterprise at 10 years or 250,000km, although that is contingent on you servicing the QS inside its workshop community – now a way more palatable proposition. If you select to service it independently, the guarantee drops all the way down to a still-impressive seven-year, unlimited-kilometre program.
To see how the MG QS strains up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability software
CarExpert’s Take on the MG QS
The MG QS is sensational worth for cash. At a worth level the place most seven-seat SUVs are an entire dimension smaller with inhospitable third rows, this new Chinese SUV boasts a spacious and well-appointed cabin. You can match adults within the again, too, whereas the second row is beautifully comfy.
For much less cash than even probably the most reasonably priced Kia Sorento ($51,630 earlier than on-roads), the $50,990 drive-away QS Essence gives an extended, lengthy listing of ordinary gear – all that’s conceivably lacking is a head-up show and, if we’re being grasping, massaging seats.
The in-car tech has its quirks, however the QS is usually extra user-friendly than lots of different new Chinese vehicles.
The superior driver help programs are additionally modestly much less annoying than these in another new Chinese vehicles, however they will nonetheless annoy or alarm you in day-to-day commuting.
They take away from a driving expertise that’s in any other case fairly good, due to a responsive powertrain, manageable steering and a cushty journey.
Throw within the distinctive design in and out, and the QS’ execs outweigh its cons.
CarExpert can prevent hundreds on a brand new MG QS. Click right here to get a fantastic deal.
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