Car of the Year Awards 2025: Plug-in Hybrid of the Year

MG’s bloodline is as twisting and complex as the Game of Thrones saga. That the octagonal badge is still part of the motoring landscape is as surprising as Jon Snow’s resurrection in the TV series. 

Yet here we are, and the brand has an ever-widening range of models that spans a small hybrid hatchback through to an electric sports car, with the eminently sensible HS family SUV somewhere in the middle.

While the MG HS lacks the visual punch and visceral performance of the Cyberster sports car, it more than compensates with things that really matter to most buyers of plug-in hybrid (PHEVs). Chief of these is price. In our preferred entry-level SE trim, the HS Plug-in Hybrid is the equal-cheapest PHEV you can currently buy (alongside the Mazda MX-30 R-EV). That makes it a great choice for private buyers, not just company car drivers. 

Adding to the HS’s appeal is an official electric range of 75 miles, which is among the best of any PHEV. You’ll have to spend at least £10,000 more on a Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid to find an SUV with a longer zero-emissions range. As a company car, the HS PHEV stacks up incredibly well, being in the low, 5% benefit-in-kind tax band in the current financial year (and 6% in 2025-2026). A Ford Kuga, with a 42-mile official electric range, would cost almost twice as much in salary sacrifices. 

In normal use, the HS PHEV is a lively performer, with its 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor putting out a substantial total of 295bhp. Instead of just carrying over the suspension from the regular petrol HS, MG has retuned it to cope with the PHEV’s extra weight, with this resulting in a car that actually feels more controlled and composed. 

The HS may be cheap to buy by PHEV standards, but it doesn’t feel that way inside; in fact, there’s a tactile mix of artificial and real leather and swathes of soft-touch plastics. It’s easily a match for the more expensive Citroën C5 Aircross in terms of plushness. Even in SE trim, the HS is well equipped, with a comprehensive suite of driver assistance systems and a 12.3in infotainment touchscreen that’s bright and responsive. It’s just a shame so many functions are baked into it; the physical controls in the MX-30 R-EV are easier to use on the move. 

On the other hand, the HS is much more practical than the MX-30, with more than enough space for four six-footers to sit in comfort and a generous-sized boot. As a bonus, you can change the angle of the rear seatbacks to improve comfort or give yourself a squarer load area. The Cyberster might grab the headlines, then, but don’t make the mistake of overlooking the HS. In this category, it’s unbeatable value.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

See all of our 2025 Car of the Year Awards winners >>