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August 9, 2022

MG Sets Its Sights On Kicks E-Power, Corolla Cross Hybrid With 2023 VS HEV


MG is bridging the gap between the sub-compact ZS and the compact HS SUVs with this: the MG VS. And it’s coming with standard hybrid power.

Pitted against the likes of the Corolla Cross Hybrid and the Kicks e-Power, the MG VS HEV has been launched in Thailand with a price between 859,000 baht (P 1.335 million) to 919,000 baht (P 1.428 million). Compared to the HR-V, it’s smaller in every dimension, but compared to the Kicks e-Power, it’s bigger.



Powering the MG VS HEV is the familiar 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine found in the ZS; for that, it produces 109 horsepower and 142 Nm of torque. In this case, however, it’s paired with an electric motor that helps boost outputs by 95 horsepower and 200 Nm of torque (combined output is 177 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque—comparable to the turbocharged MG ZS T and then some). Electricity is stored in a 2.1-kWh lithium-ion battery which is good enough to offer more than 25 km/L says MG.

The MG VS HEV is styled based off the Chinese market Roewe Lomemo (yeah, weird name), but looks to be based off the ZS platform. It scores high on tech equipment with automatic LED headlights, a hands-free power tailgate, panoramic sunroof, electronic parking brake, auto-dimming rear view mirror, and a powered driver’s seat among its available features. It also uses two 12.3-inch LCD displays for screens and has a wireless charger, Apple CarPlay, and a 360-degree camera.



In terms of safety, the MG VS HEV comes equipped with six airbags (including curtain airbags), traction control, hill-start assist, stability control and a tire pressure monitoring system, along with the standard ABS and electronic brake force distribution.

No word whether MG Philippines would bring in the MG VS HEV. However, it’s a big possibility given the sudden interest in fuel-sipping vehicles lately given the high fuel prices. That said, don’t expect the local distributor to source it from Thailand anytime soon. If anything, MG Philippines will be sourcing the VS HEV from China.

6 comments:

  1. Bring it on MG! More competition, more fun!

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  2. This seems more like the ZS with a revised front-end and heavily updated interior rather than the Roewe Lomemo, which looks like a smaller RX5.

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    Replies
    1. Sorry, I wasn't clear. It's styled to look like the Roewe, but it is based off the ZS. Updated the article to make it clearer.

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    2. Appreciate the quick edit :) MG's and Roewe's line-up are really confusing. It would have been better if this had been named the ZS Hybrid instead imo

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  3. Roewe RX3 Lomemo is a MG ZS with a different front exterior design and interior..I doubt MG Philippines would sell this SUV in the local market as they still haven't updated the lower and mid end variants of the ZS yet.

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  4. Meh, it"s a conventional parallel hybrid with a gearbox. Nothing special.

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