Used MG GS 2016-present review

For those who are old enough to remember, MG used to exclusively produce sports cars, much like Porsche. Trouble is, there isn’t a huge amount of money in sports cars and what the buying public really demands are SUVs. Porsche relented over a decade ago and added an off-roader to its line-up and so did MG with this, the GS.

A used GS significantly undercuts its rival from Stuttgart on price, and competes with the likes of the Ssangyong Tivoli and Dacia Duster. However, unlike its rivals, you can’t have four-wheel drive with this MG.

The engine range is limited to just a 164bhp turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol unit. You can have either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, though. Despite having a turbo, the engine needs to be wound up to 3000rpm to reach its best and beyond 5000rpm it can sound coarse.

There’s no getting around the fact that the GS feels like a heavy SUV to drive due to plenty of body roll, a firm ride and a long-throw gearchange. The steering is pleasant enough, however, even if it is heavier than you’ll find in its competitors.

Space up front is plentiful and you get to sit nice and high, which means you have a good view out, plus the bonnet is fairly flat so you can see the extremes of the car quite easily. Room in the back is up there with the best in class and there’s a virtually flat floor. The base of the seat is slightly too close to the floor so your knees will be bent a little more than they should be.

The boot is easily big enough for a holiday’s worth of luggage and the standard split-folding rear seats essentially lay down flat. The only issue is the boot opening, which narrows as it gets to the bottom, meaning that you have to be careful when loading items into the back.

Interior quality isn’t stellar, but given the low price of it new, that’s to be expected. The bigger issue is the design of it. The touchscreen infotainment is okay to use, but only top-spec cars have sat-nav and the system doesn’t have Apple CarPlay. MirrorLink is included for Android phones, but it’s not as good as the stand-alone Android Auto application. Then there are the stereo and air-conditioning controls that are grouped together, requiring you to divert your attention from the road because of its confusing layout and small symbols.

Prices for an early MG GS start from about £11,500. Most have done fewer than 10,000 miles and come in mid-range Excite guise. £14,500 will find you a year-old top-of-the-range Exclusive model with under 10,000 miles, which is a useful saving over the £19,500 list price of a new one.

Check the value of a used MG GS with What Car? Valuations

With only one petrol engine option and no diesel, the MG GS is certainly not the cheapest large SUV to run on a daily basis. Manual versions have an average NEDC economy figure of 46.3mpg with automatic versions getting 45.6mpg. That difference doesn’t sound that great, but if you’re buying a GS registered before 1 April 2017, the yearly road tax figure is £140 for the manual and £155 for the automatic. Any GS registered after that date will be charged a flat-rate fee of £140.

Servicing is due every 15,000 miles and you can set up a service plan if you need to spread the cost.

Since there’s only one engine available, it’s really a choice of manual or automatic. We’d stick with the manual because it’s cheaper to run.

Of the three models on offer, go for mid-range Excite because you get cruise control, Bluetooth, DAB radio, an 8.0in colour touchscreen with MirrorLink and rear parking sensors with a reversing camera. The base Explore version may come with air conditioning and auto headlights, but it misses out on simple stuff such as remote central locking – which is odd.

Top-of-the-range Exclusive cars do get sat-nav and full leather, but the fact the interior isn’t that plush means it never feels that luxurious and, therefore, isn’t worth the additional expense.

Our favourite MG GS: 1.5 Excite

The Dacia Duster isn’t the most sophisticated of cars, but it is spacious, inexpensive and can even be found with a choice of a small turbocharged petrol or ultra-efficient diesel. There’s even a four-wheel-drive version for some light off-roading.

Another good value SUV with the option of four-wheel drive is the Ssangyong Tivoli. The boot isn’t massive and it doesn’t have the nicest finished interior, but you do get a lot of equipment for not an awful lot of money – plus, there are even diesel and four-wheel-drive options available.

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