Omoda C5 vs MG HS

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Omoda C5 in South Africa

Omoda C5

Street Plus Petrol 6-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 339,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 230 Nm ⛽ 14.5 km/l
VS
MG HS in South Africa

MG HS

2.0T AT Luxury Petrol 9-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 665,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 170 kW 🔧 370 Nm ⛽ 11.63 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Omoda C5 vs MG HS: the short answer

C5 and HS are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

C5 starts ZAR 160,000 cheaper C5 from ZAR 339,900 · HS from ZAR 499,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification C5 HS
Maximum Power C5115 kW @ 5500 rpm HS170 kW
Maximum Torque C5230 Nm HS370 Nm
Engine Size C51500 cc HS1986 cc
Combined Fuel Economy C514.5 km/l HS11.63 km/l
Ground Clearance C5169 mm HS145 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

C5

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

HS

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance

Which One's Right for You?

C5

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

HS

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec C5 HS
Model Introduced Year 2023 2025
Generation Current South Africa C5 range Current five-seat HS on MG's SIGMA-A architecture with 1.5T DCT and 2.0T automatic powertrains.
Facelift History Current South Africa version listed by official source Current-generation HS introduced locally in 2025; four petrol derivatives remain active.
Facelift Launched Since 2023 2025
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV Five-door mid-size SUV
Model Year 2026 2025
Production Status active active
Segment SUV Mid-size SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1381 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec C5 HS
Length 4400 mm 4655 mm
Width 1830 mm 1890 mm
Height 1590 mm 1655 mm
Wheelbase 2630 mm 2765 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 169 mm 145 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 145 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity 51 l 65 l
Boot/Cargo Space 442 l 507 l
Kerb Weight 1381 kg 1590 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1856 kg 2065 kg
Payload Capacity 475 kg 475 kg
Towing Capacity 1200 kg 750 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.1 m 5.65 m
Front Headroom 1000 mm 968 mm
Rear Headroom 970 mm 964 mm
Front Legroom 1050 mm 1044 mm
Rear Legroom 900 mm 980 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This C5 and HS comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: C5 51 vs HS 70.

Efficiency index: C5 56 vs HS 46.

Safety-equipment index: C5 91 vs HS 98.

Practicality index: C5 59 vs HS 57.

Ownership-cover index: C5 not separately scored vs HS not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

HS leads by 5 points

C5 and HS are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 69 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 78% source coverage
69
#1 Evidence leader

HS

78% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Efficiency 46
Performance 70
Efficiency 46
Safety 98
Practicality 57
Leads by 5 points
64
#2

C5

69% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Performance 51
Performance 51
Efficiency 56
Safety 91
Practicality 59
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance HS +19 Efficiency C5 +10 Safety HS +7 Practicality C5 +2

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

HS

Performance 70/100
Efficiency 46/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 57/100

C5

Performance 51/100
Efficiency 56/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 59/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index MG HS leads the specification evidence index with 69 pts vs 64 pts for C5

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, HS leads. However, C5 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Related comparisons

Continue with closely related South African models and comparable body styles.

C5
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C5 vs Corolla Cross →
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C5 vs T-Cross →
HS
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HS vs Corolla Cross →
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Tiggo 7
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HS vs Tiggo 7 →

C5 vs HS questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.