Let’s get this out of the way right off the bat - the MG QS is big. Not just “for an MG”, although it is, indeed, the biggest MG to go on sale here (for now, the LDV Terron-related U9 ute is coming…), but just in general.
In fact, at almost 5 metres long and 2 metres wide, it is actually bigger than the Hyundai Palisade. I repeat; the MG QS is BIG.
But where the Palisade starts at $86,990, the MG stops at $55,990. No, there aren’t any numbers missing from the start of the MG’s price - the top-spec MG QS AWD Essence you see here lands on the road for less than $60k once you add ORCs. And there’s an even cheaper one that starts at just $49,990 too…
That means the MG is not only bigger and cheaper than the biggest Hyundai SUV, it is also bigger and cheaper than one of its most popular; the Santa Fe. This is a theme that repeats itself across large SUV models from most carmakers, with very little approaching not just the MG’s size for its price, but also falling well short of its standard equipment.
So, the MG QS is a large seven-seat SUV with AWD and a high level of standard kit for a truly bargain asking price. So that makes it a no brainer, right?
Well, that still depends on your tolerance of a few things…
The MG QS is actually a rebadged Roewe (which is what SAIC had to call the remnants of Rover after it turned out they had actually bought everything except the Rover name), and this is particularly noticeable inside, where the QS sports lots of leather and wood that is quite at odds with MG’s more contemporary approach with its other vehicles.
However, it is all very nice, with the possible exception of the plasticky expanse on the dash just in front of the passenger, which is a weird low point amid what is otherwise impressively good quality materials, and the abrupt way the wood trim across the lower edge of the dash just sort of stops at the doors, with no real effort made to integrate the lines.
The QS is a seriously impressive vehicle for the money MG asks for it.
Still, this aside, with its superbly comfortable seats and genuinely impressive build quality, the QS’s interior is otherwise a very pleasant place to be. Until the lady starts yelling at you, that is.
What lady is that? The very annoying one who lives in the MG QS’s dash and nags you incessantly about the speed limit.
Let me walk you through the process of coming to grips with the MG QS and the shouty dash lady:
- Hop into the MG QS and admire the genuinely well built interior, marvelling at how they can sell it so cheap.
- Press the button to start the 153kW/360Nm 2.0-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder engine and nod approvingly at its smooth, refined nature at idle.
- Drop it into drive and raise an eyebrow at the very civilised response from the engine and the slick, almost seamless nature of the 9-speed automatic transmission.
- Almost drove off the road in fright as the lady screams at full volume that you are exceeding the speed limit as soon as you hit 51km/h.
- Grit your teeth in frustration as a separate alarm chimes in immediately after the lady has finished shouting with a long, slow series of bogs that also indicate you have dared to stray a fraction over the speed limit.
- Stop and swear at it for a bit while you comb through swaths of confusing, poorly organised options trying to turn things off, or at the very least, make them quieter.
- Move off in triumph after you have found and deactivated the speed sign recognition.
- Almost drive off the road in fright again as the lady screams the same thing at you again, despite having turned off speed sign recognition.
- Pull over again and have another go, wondering in a bewildered fashion, how the lady knows to scream at you after you have deactivated the speed sign recognition system.
- Let out a surprisingly loud shout of bitter glee as you find the setting that allows you to drop the volume of voice alerts (that someone had set to maximum, hence the screaming) and revel smugly in how you just outsmarted the shouty lady in the dash.
- Drive off again and feel that smugness evaporate when you realise that you may have shut her up, but she will still mute the stereo to shout at you, even though she isn’t shouting at you.
- Swear a bit more. Just at everything in general.
- Admit defeat and just be satisfied with the fact that you don’t have to mute her every time you turn the car on…
But even that resignation wears thin when you realise just how erratic and sensitive the warning is, particularly at open road speeds.
While the constant muting of the stereo is actually a good and surprisingly tolerable way to keep an eye (or rather, an ear) on you speeds in an urban setting, it will often kick in just a fraction over 100km/h on the open road - or even sooner if it has misread or missed a speed sign - which means that cruising along on the open road, even with cruise control on, it will constantly be muting the stereo so the lady can not actually shout at you in sort of automotive version of passive aggression.
The MG QS is a superb value-for-money large SUV that will do everything you want it to do. Except, it seems, shut the hell up…
This, as you might guess, is utterly infuriating if you are someone with ears, and even more so if you like to use them to listen to music while you are driving. MG insists that this can be turned off, but I suspect their definition of “off” differs significantly from mine…
While the other driver assists and warnings are nowhere near as annoying as the shouty lady and the nagging bongs related to speed, they are a bit erratic and unpredictable too, which means you will quickly settle into a routine of turning most of them off when you start the QS.
All of which is a shame, because otherwise, the QS is a seriously impressive vehicle for the money MG asks for it.
While not over-endowed with power, the QS is powerful enough to pull comfortably away from a standing start, although the transmission does take some time to sort itself out and turbo lag does throw its hat into the ring, making for the occasional “wait for it… NOW!” power delivery if you wrong foot it.
It is also an effortless open road cruiser, with the mid-range being where the bulk of its power and torque come together. Ride quality is excellent too, with a supple, wafty nature to the suspension that, surprisingly, doesn’t compromise it through the corners.
Build quality, refinement and standard equipment are all also far in excess of what you would expect from a large sub-$60K SUV, and the relaxed and polished nature of its ride is deeply impressive.
If you can tolerate a few oddly rough edges and that shouty lady, then the MG QS is a superb value-for-money large SUV that will do everything you want it to do. Except, it seems, shut the hell up…
How much is the MG QS AWD Essence?
The Essence is the top-spec QS and lands here at a frankly remarkable $55,990, while the entry 2WD Excite model undercuts that with a $49,990 price tag.
What are the key statistics for the MG QS AWD Essence?
Both models of MG QS are powered by the same 153kW/360Nm 2.0-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder engine with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Essence gets an AWD set up over the Excite, as well as larger 21-inch alloy wheels and 255/45 R21 tyres.
Is the MG QS AWD Essence efficient?
It's not bad for a large seven seat SUV, but it could be better. MG claims 8.8l/100km for the AWD QS, but we didn't even get close to that during our time with it finishing up on 12.2l/100km by the end of a week made up largely of commuting (generally an even split between urban and motorway).
It's a decently efficient engine, but it has two tonnes of large SUV to haul around, so there is always a fuel cost for that. Adding insult to injury is the fact that the QS demands 95 octane fuel as well...
Is the MG QS AWD Essence good to drive?
For a big, comfortable SUV, the QS is surprisingly agile and responsive, with predictable handling that isn't compromised by its comfortable ride quality. Around town it is a serene and refined commuter that is even surprisingly easy to park and manoeuvre, despite its size.
Is the MG QS AWD Essence practical?
It is supremely practical; its sheer size sees to that. It also boasts a good number of thoughtful and genuinely useful storage options around its cabin, and leg room, head rom and cargo space are all enormous.
What do we like about the MG QS AWD Essence?
The Essence is wonderfully comfortable and refined, with lots of space and a genuinely good stereo. It is effortless to drive, park and get in and out of, while also looking decidedly handsome (depending on your attitude towards big grilles, that is).
What don’t we like about the MG QS AWD Essence?
Take a guess...
What kind of person would the MG QS AWD Essence suit?
Anyone who needs a big, comfortable, refined and extremely well-built seven seat SUV, and who has a high tolerance for annoying people shouting at them randomly as they drive.
