The MG QS is but extra proof the Chinese language have properly and actually infiltrated the Australian automobile market.
4 Chinese language marques have develop into common fixtures within the checklist of prime 10 best-selling manufacturers, and you could find Chinese language 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 language have largely averted the massive crossover SUV section that’s dwelling 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 Professional 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 language are making up for misplaced time, it appears.
We’ve been properly overdue for a big MG SUV with three rows of seating, as MG launched its RX8 within the Center East again in 2018. However that was a body-on-frame off-road SUV, whereas the brand new QS is correct crossover SUV with car-like unibody building.
The previous RX8 and the brand new QS do have one factor in widespread, although: they’re each not likely MGs.
See, MG’s guardian SAIC Motor likes to place the MG octagon on autos from its different manufacturers the place they will plug a spot. That’s how the LDV Terron 9 ute turned the MG U9, and it’s how the Roewe RX9 has develop into the MG QS. In different markets, you’ve even been in a position to purchase MG vans and folks movers.
Roewe is MG’s Chinese language-market sister model, with mannequin designs which are typically rather less sporty and just a little extra elegant. And in contrast to the Roewe RX5, which acquired a nostril job to develop into the second-generation MG HS, the QS is pure Roewe externally.
Not that we’re complaining. That is, to my eyes at the very least, a reasonably good-looking SUV. Oh positive, your pareidolia might discover that grille paying homage to a menacing smirk, with the angled headlights obvious and the plunging diagonal LED daytime operating lights wanting like fangs.
However in case 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 paying homage to fender vents, although bafflingly they learn ‘Final’ on all QS variants despite the fact that none of them are referred to as that. This isn’t the primary time MG has achieved this in Australia…
Throw in a set of engaging 21-inch alloy wheels that properly fill out the arches, and this QS Essence – not Final – has received some severe showroom attraction.
How a lot does the MG QS value?
| Mannequin | 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, take a look at our comparability software
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What’s 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, despite the fact that 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. Relying in your seating and steering wheel place, this readout might be blocked.
Talking of the digital instrument cluster, you’ll be able to select between the default view, a full-screen map view (helpful!) and an ‘clever drive’ view that reveals little animated variations of the vehicles round you (dumb!)
A separate ‘immersion mode’ means that you can have a minimalist show with solely key data seen, whereas for every of the primary views you’ll be able to select what seems on the facet of the display screen – for instance, gas economic system or media data.
The touchscreen infotainment system is mostly good, and a marked enchancment over earlier MG methods. MG has additionally resisted the temptation to maneuver virtually every part to the touchscreen, and it’s arguably simply two to 4 bodily buttons away from hitting the candy spot.
You continue to 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 dwelling 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. Nonetheless, despite the fact that 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 language manufacturers although, providing programmable shortcut buttons on the steering wheel. We will’t consider too many vehicles exterior the MG model that assist you to modify the AC utilizing the steering wheel.
The touchscreen features a helpful anchored shortcar bar, with buttons for dwelling, navigation, media, car settings, telephone and the surround-view digital camera. Annoyingly, nevertheless, it doesn’t appear to persistently seem when you might have smartphone mirroring on.
Wi-fi Android Auto labored a deal with, booting up shortly each time we began the QS, and by no means disconnecting unexpectedly, although occasionally 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.
On the base of the centre stack, you’ll discover a conveniently situated wi-fi charging pad with one other rubberised pad subsequent to it.
The centre console has two ranges. The highest tier options the monostatic gear selector, rotary dial for drive mode choice, and buttons for the park brake and auto maintain perform – 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 automobile. 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 massive opening, is sort of deep. The button to pop its lid, nevertheless, is way too straightforward to hit together with your elbow.
Beneath the higher tier of the centre console is a rubberised shelf the place you’ll be able to put a handbag or pockets, and which incorporates a pair of USB-C energy retailers and a 12V port.
Storage is sort of good within the QS, with the bottle openers within the doorways additionally massive 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 if you get in and switch the automobile on, which is neat.
The entrance seats are plush and comfy, and but nonetheless proved supportive within the corners. They characteristic heating and air flow, annoyingly with out bodily buttons for adjustment, and unusually you’ll be able to truly activate each capabilities on the identical time.
It’s a wierd feeling to have the QS’ seat heat your posterior as cool air is propelled by 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 virtually industrial look to a cabin that’s in any other case aiming for contemporary stylish.
The sprint prime is completed in exceptionally tender trim that eschews a conventional leather-look graining for a particular sample, whereas the centre console is wrapped in firmer, leather-look trim to provide it an upscale look. The highest half of the doorways are additionally completed in engaging, tender supplies.
You should look all the way down to the doorways to seek out arduous plastics, and these do look fairly low cost – however there’s not a lot of this materials, fortunately.
Chinese language manufacturers have gotten quite a bit higher at translating warning messages and menu gadgets to English, however the QS has some doozies within the ambient lighting menu.
When you go into this menu and press ‘state of affairs settings’, there’s an possibility for ‘respiratory impact’ – okay, that one’s fairly logical, the ambient lighting pulsates. However what’s ‘welcome to get on’, for which you’ll be able to toggle between normal, elegant and robust modes?
There’s additionally a ‘light-sensing’ possibility, the one one which has an evidence… however the rationalization merely reads “routinely on or off with the width lamp standing”, which is mindless.
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 car from the MG marque’s very distant previous, on the rear – out of your pocket.
The flush door handles come out when the car is unlocked, and so they’re straightforward 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 flooring 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 may also be discovered right here, whereas the tender entrance seatbacks characteristic map pockets and the fold-down centre armrest homes a pair of cupholders.
The doorways again listed here are nonetheless completed in a mixture of soft-touch plastic and leatherette trim, with arduous plastics reserved just for the underside.
The bench is comfy, although the center seat is firmer and barely elevated. Nonetheless, at 180cm tall I might comfortably sit upright on this place, even with a panoramic sunroof above. The shortage 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 arduous, 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 facet, however just one USB-C outlet again right here. There are additionally no top-tether or ISOFIX anchor factors again right here, so baby seats should be fitted within the second row.
How does the QS’ third row measure up? Properly, 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, but it surely was completely 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 may have no downside.
There’s a button on the second-row seatback to tilt and slide it ahead, however this may solely be discovered on one facet of the automobile. On our tester, this was on the motive force’s facet – not ultimate for loading youngsters into the third row when street-parked, as this must be achieved from the traffic-side of the automobile.
With the third row up, boot area is restricted – as is usually the case with three-row SUVs. You may be capable to match a pair of in a single day luggage, or a small suitcase.
There’s a 12V outlet plus some storage below the boot flooring, with the spare wheel truly mounted below the car. So why, then, is the spare a space-saver? Give us a full-sizer!
| Dimensions | MG QS |
|---|---|
| Size | 4983mm |
| Width | 1967mm |
| Peak | 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, take a look at our comparability software
What’s below 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 ready to hitch it.
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| Specs | MG QS Essence |
|---|---|
| Engine | 2.0L 4cyl turbo-petrol |
| Energy | 153kW |
| Torque | 360Nm |
| Transmission | 9-speed auto |
| Drive sort | All-wheel drive |
| Weight | 1994kg (tare) |
| 0-100km/h (as examined) | 9.11 seconds |
| Gasoline economic system (claimed) | 8.8L/100km |
| Gasoline economic system (as examined) | 10.2L/100km (inner-city, suburban and freeway loop) 13.2L/100km (over the course of per week) |
| Gasoline tank capability | 65L |
| Gasoline 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 pictures.
To see how the MG QS strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability software
How does the MG QS drive?
The MG QS’ outputs don’t look extraordinary on paper, and but this massive SUV feels fairly sprightly round city.
Throttle response off the road is surprisingly fast and even with a couple of passengers on board, if not a full complement, the QS didn’t really feel underdone within the powertrain division.
The nine-speed automated shifts pretty easily and shortly, which is nice as there aren’t any paddle shifters and no different technique to manually change gears.
The steering is gentle with out being too gentle, and helps make this massive SUV straightforward to twirl round a decent car parking zone or metropolis avenue with out feeling disconcertingly imprecise.
The QS can be a cushty cruiser. There’s an occasional thump from the large 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 typically 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 may pop it into Sport mode which corporations up the dampers, provides some extra weight to the steering, and quickens throttle response.
This may solely achieve this a lot to make the QS dynamic, although. Whereas 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.
However whereas the everyday QS purchaser isn’t going to take this canyon-carving, the spongy brake pedal will likely 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 two.0-litre engine has a little bit of a raspy word to it, however noise suppression within the cabin is sort of good so this will likely be rather 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 Regular, Sport, Snow, Off-Street and Customized drive modes, with the latter permitting you to toggle between Eco, Regular and Sport modes for the powertrain and steering, Regular or Sport modes for the suspension, and Auto or Off-Street modes for the all-wheel drive system.
There’s an automated engine cease/begin system, which we all know many individuals discover irritating, but it surely’s easily calibrated.
Not so easily calibrated are the superior driver help methods (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 provide you with an concept of the place we’re at in 2025.
When you’ve gotten out of your older automobile 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 avenue with vehicles parked on the facet, you could 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, other than the lane departure warning which is a tad melodramatic, whereas the lane-keep help gently nudges you again into place and has totally different ranges of adjustability, and the motive force monitoring system was truly 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 avenue, the rear cross-traffic help slammed on the brakes despite the fact that I used to be reversing onto the other facet of the road from the place the site visitors was. The autonomous emergency braking system additionally tried to brake once I was travelling alongside a avenue with autos parked on both facet.
Then there’s the adaptive cruise management, the place you’ll be able to hear the brakes being utilized, and it received’t work in Sport or Customized 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 perform.
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 automobile. The wheel has a lot give, and the system strikes it in a twitchy, jerky style.
An absence of steering really feel with this characteristic turned on could be forgiven in case you didn’t should preserve your arms on the wheel, however you do. And also you’d need to, anyway – it’s actually not the most effective lane centring system, and may ping pong you in your lane.
The overspeed alert defaults to on if you begin the car, which is annoying and requires a couple 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 at the very least there’s no ‘new velocity restrict detected’ chime that defaults to on.
The cameras are a blended bag. In daytime, they’re bloody good, being crisp and clear albeit with a contact of lag. At night time time, nevertheless, they get very washed out.
Like so many different Chinese language vehicles, the QS additionally insists on turning on a facet digital camera view if 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 facet of the car and never on the blind spot.
One different minor gripe: the park brake doesn’t persistently activate if you flip the automobile off. Generally it does, typically it doesn’t.
To see how the MG QS strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability software
What do you get?
There are two members of the QS lineup in Australia.
2026 MG QS Excite normal gear highlights:
- 20-inch alloy wheels in 245/50 R20 tyres
- T145/80 R18 spare tyre
- Automated LED headlights
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Energy-folding, heated exterior mirrors with reminiscence
- Energy tailgate
- Panoramic sunroof
- Electrical parking brake
- Proximity entry with push-button begin
- Regular, Sport, Eco drive modes
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- DAB+ digital radio
- Satellite tv for pc navigation
- 8-speaker sound system
- Material upholstery
- 8-way power-adjustable entrance seats
- Sliding second-row seats
- 60/40 split-fold second-row seats with straightforward entry on proper facet
- 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
- Distant adjustment of locks, local weather management
- Distant view of car data together with tyre stress, gas ranges
- Car monitoring
The Essence provides:
- 21-inch alloy wheels in 255/45 R21 tyres
- Adaptive suspension
- Regular, Snow, Off-Street, Sport, Customized, Eco drive modes
- Automated high-beam
- LED entrance fog lights with static cornering lights
- Wi-fi telephone 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
Whereas 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 appeal to an $800 surcharge.
To see how the MG QS strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability software
Is the MG QS secure?
The MG QS acquired a five-star score from security authority ANCAP this yr.
| Class | MG QS |
|---|---|
| Grownup occupant safety | 88 per cent |
| Youngster occupant safety | 86 per cent |
| Weak street consumer safety | 76 per cent |
| Security help | 80 per cent |
Customary security gear throughout the QS vary contains:
- Adaptive cruise management
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Driver consideration monitoring
- Clever Cruise Help
- Clever Velocity Restrict Help
- Lane-keep help
- Rear cross-traffic help
- Protected exit warning
- Tyre stress monitoring
- Entrance, 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, take a look at our comparability software
How a lot does the MG QS value to run?
MG did an about-face on the QS’ capped-price servicing program after damaging press protection regarding a sixth-year service that value virtually $3000.
| Servicing and Guarantee | MG QS |
|---|---|
| Guarantee | 10 years, 250,000km (service-activated) |
| Roadside help | As much as 10 years |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km |
| Capped-price servicing | 7 years or 105,000km |
| Common annual service value | $413.28 |
| Whole capped-price service value | $2893 |
After initially outlining at launch a complete value over seven years or 105,000km of $6962 to service the QS throughout the MG vendor community, the model slashed pricing in September to only $2893. Now, the costliest service is $699, with the most affordable costing $299. It’s gone from being absurdly costly to service to being class-competitive.
MG affords 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. When 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, take a look at our comparability software
CarExpert’s Tackle 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 language SUV boasts a spacious and well-appointed cabin. You may match adults within the again, too, whereas the second row is fantastically comfy.
For much less cash than even probably the most inexpensive Kia Sorento ($51,630 earlier than on-roads), the $50,990 drive-away QS Essence affords a protracted, lengthy checklist 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 mostly extra user-friendly than numerous different new Chinese language vehicles.
The superior driver help methods are additionally modestly much less annoying than these in another new Chinese language 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 1000’s on a brand new MG QS. Click on right here to get an awesome deal.
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