MG HS AS3A — Problems & Common Faults

Since autumn 2024 MG has sold the second-generation HS (AS3A), initially only as a 170 hp petrol with manual or 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. In summer 2025 two hybrid variants were added: the Hybrid+ full hybrid with 224 hp system output and a 2-speed automatic, and the PHEV with 272 hp system output and a 21.4 kWh battery for up to around 100 kilometres of WLTP electric range. Both hybrid variants share the same 143 hp combustion engine, paired with electric motors of different output.

ADAC tested the HS PHEV Luxury between October 2024 and July 2025 and awarded a grade of 2.4 (good) - with clear caveats. Criticised were a marginal 38.0-metre braking distance from 100 km/h, AC charging limited to single-phase 6.6 kW (a full charge takes over three hours at public chargers), and oversensitive driver-assist systems: the attention warning triggers after only a brief glance away from the windscreen, and traffic-sign recognition sometimes misreads speed limits. Independent road tests of the petrol version additionally confirm sluggish, noticeably felt and heard dual-clutch gearbox shifts at low speed along with a hesitant launch.

The infotainment system also remains a recurring theme: several tests describe an occasionally sluggish touchscreen, and in one road test Apple CarPlay fails to connect at all and only shows error messages, while wireless smartphone integration is missing entirely. Since the PHEV has only really been delivered in larger numbers since September 2025, evidence on production-related issues is still thin: so far only isolated early-production niggles are documented - non-functioning favourite buttons, sporadic service warnings, and steering that noticeably pulls left. Whether these are isolated cases or a broader pattern cannot currently be established.

Structural engine problems - timing chain, turbocharger, injectors - are not yet documented for the new engine generation, which is unsurprising given its short time on the market and does not automatically indicate better durability. A KBA recall like the one affecting the predecessor EHS is not currently known for the current generation.

For a used purchase: anyone buying a used 170 hp petrol with DCT should test the launch behaviour in city traffic. For the Hybrid+ and PHEV, a test drive focusing on brake feel, steering behaviour and the functioning of all assistance systems is worthwhile. Because the current generation is still so new, little is known yet about long-term issues - a thorough pre-purchase inspection and a complete warranty history are especially important here.