TAKE off those rose-tinted spectacles, buddy, because MG has gone from Midget to mighty with its first seven-seat SUV.
It’s called MGS9 and it’s a £32k plug-in hybrid that’ll do 60-odd miles without waking the petrol engine.
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MG has gone from Midget to mighty with its first seven-seat SUV, the new MGS9 Credit: Supplied
The MGS9 is a lot of car for big families on a budget, and comes with a five-star safety rating Credit: Supplied
You’d normally pay that kind of money for a regular five-seat hybrid without any real EV capability, so this is a lot of car for big families on a budget.
I was going to say big families like Wayne and Coleen (four kids) but they’re not really on a budget, are they? Ditto, Tyson and Paris (seven kids). But they need a Transit van.
Sorry, I digress.
As much as we’d all love to see MG shifting two-seat roadsters by the boatload, the reality is SUVs are the money-makers.
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The five-seat HS is MG’s golden goose and MGS9 feels very familiar inside, albeit with a third row of seats.
It’s all very agreeable up top with comfy, heated seats, a big glass roof, twin display screens and actual metal buttons, which both add an effect of jewellery and make it easy to use.
The knurled drive mode controller is very Bentley-esque.
The second row of seats has separate air-con controls, a wide flat floor, cup holders and charging ports, so the oldest bin lids will be happy.
The third row is more than adequate for the little ones and they’ve got charging ports too. Full house.
With all seven seats in use, there’s still room for the Friday shop. Flip down the third row and you’ve an estate. Flip down the third and second rows and you’ve got a van.
Out on the road, MGS9 uses the same 1.5-litre petrol/electric combo as the HS, with a combined output of 299hp. Progress is smooth. The suspension rounds off most bumps.
You’ll get around 600 miles if you brim the 65-litre petrol tank and top up the 24.7kWh battery before you go.
The 62-mile EV range is good for BiK (benefit in kind).
Three final observations for parents.
MGS9 has a five-star safety rating and can tow a caravan or toys up to two tonnes.
The third thing? Buy some Durex.
MGS9: Key facts
Price: £34,205
Engine: 1.5-litre petrol plug-in hybrid
Power: 299hp
0-62mph: 9.6 secs
Top speed: 124mph
Economy: 42mpg
CO2: 18g/km
EV range: 62 miles
Out: Now
