MG HS confirmed as UK's best-seller for January
Forget the Fiesta, who cares about a Corsa - MG's SUV is number one
There aren’t usually too many surprises in those lists of best-selling cars released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). We’re creatures of habit, superminis used to be cheap and good enough, we’d buy the new model to replace our existing one when the time came and the top 10s would continue looking the same. But the times really are changing, as not only are the overwhelming majority of best sellers in the UK now small SUVs - eight out of the top 10, in fact, with Corsa in fifth and Fiesta in 10th - there’s now an MG in at number one. The HS SUV was the UK’s best-selling car in January, with 3,481 sold.
That’s not the snazzy new 4 EV, either, which has been garnering such a favourable response, it’s the big petrol and plug-in model that’s been on sale for a few years and isn’t generally regarded as a class leader. But an enticing entry price of £23,495 (or £31,095 for the PHEV) along with lots of space and kit count in the HS’s favour, and last month it held a market share of 2.6 per cent. It sold 225 more units than the second-placed car, the VW T-Roc.
January 2023 was an especially good month for MG in the UK; not only was the ZS the eighth best-selling car (2,260 sold), overall sales of 7,433 were up 108 per cent compared to January last year. And in 2022 it was already recognised as the fastest growing mainstream vehicle brand for the second year running. The rise in popularity of electric cars will likely benefit the 4 and 5, too.
Full steam ahead for MG, then. “We’re thrilled to see two of our best-selling models featured in the overall UK top ten,” said Guy Pigounakis, Commercial Director at MG Motor UK. “The HS model has been hugely important in the growth of MG over the last few years, and we’re delighted it remains so popular with customers.” This is all ahead of the interesting stuff, too, with faster 4s coming and that Cyberster to look forward to. They won’t be on any best seller lists, sure, but they’re likely to mean a lot more MG on PH.
I guess I can see the appeal for someone who isn't the slightest bit interested in cars - it's a handsome enough, if rather uninspiring, design of a sensible size for a typical family and it is, by the standards of modern cars, remarkably cheap.
My wife is one. Wants to be up high, so we've got a Duster. Wants an auto next. Actually wants not to have to think about or engage with driving.
The kids have to climb up into it and slide down out of it, getting trousers and skirts dirty in the process; they can't sit on the boot ledge to change shoes for wellies; we burn more fuel - but we've got to be up high.
- Identify month of year when UK has lowest car sales so smallest number needed to achieve top spot.
- Offer heavy incentives to encourage buyers to agree January registration.
- Ensure dealers pre-register as many cars as possible in January.
- None of us can drive properly, so we desire high-up cars with which to mount the pavement
- No one has any money, so the best-selling car is basically the cheapest, even though it's obviously crap
- We don't make anything any more, so the Chinese buy the rights, stick the badge on some old tat and sell it back to us
- After all that, we're still so obsessed with status that we'll buy an SUV when it's worse in every regard than the equivalent hatchback
I guess I can see the appeal for someone who isn't the slightest bit interested in cars - it's a handsome enough, if rather uninspiring, design of a sensible size for a typical family and it is, by the standards of modern cars, remarkably cheap.
k me… I’ve driven far too many of these things as hire cars and they’re utterly hateful. The horrible little engine is allegedly turbocharged (honestly thought it was NA until I just googled it to check, it’s that gutless) and you have to rev out for any amount of power, but it has all the refinement of a washing machine someone’s just thrown a brick into. The body control is on par with a drunk elephant, the ride is a bit like falling down some stairs, the steering is better on some types of hovercraft, the electronic handbrake sometimes decides you’re not allowed to go anywhere, the high-beam assist is erratic and also weirdly difficult to turn off, and the interior is a collection of cheaply imitated parts from far superior alternatives.
But my biggest complaint? The climate controls are entirely contained within a touchscreen menu which takes a full 5 seconds to appear when requested (yes, I timed it). Oh and the fact that when parked up for 2 days, one example suffered a total electrical failure despite being only a few months old and barely out of the break-in period.
Manufacturers on the Scheme due to chip shortages etc have completely neutered their offerings in the last couple of years.
Some down to 1 engine 1 spec etc (VW for example) where you used to be able to have a very good choice across all the models.
I think the MG is one of the more affordable on the scheme and with decent spec etc. Why they seem to be quite popular in blue badge parking spaces....
Interestingly, most estate cars are longer than most fullsize SUVs like Range Rovers and Discovery's.
- Identify month of year when UK has lowest car sales so smallest number needed to achieve top spot Why would MG bother? The UK market is small and drives on the wrong side of the road
- Offer heavy incentives to encourage buyers to agree January registration Yup, same as all manufacturers do
- Ensure dealers pre-register as many cars as possible in January Yup, same as all manufacturers do
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/14410792
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/13158473
k me… I’ve driven far too many of these things as hire cars and they’re utterly hateful. The horrible little engine is allegedly turbocharged (honestly thought it was NA until I just googled it to check, it’s that gutless) and you have to rev out for any amount of power, but it has all the refinement of a washing machine someone’s just thrown a brick into. The body control is on par with a drunk elephant, the ride is a bit like falling down some stairs, the steering is better on some types of hovercraft, the electronic handbrake sometimes decides you’re not allowed to go anywhere, the high-beam assist is erratic and also weirdly difficult to turn off, and the interior is a collection of cheaply imitated parts from far superior alternatives.
But my biggest complaint? The climate controls are entirely contained within a touchscreen menu which takes a full 5 seconds to appear when requested (yes, I timed it). Oh and the fact that when parked up for 2 days, one example suffered a total electrical failure despite being only a few months old and barely out of the break-in period.
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