MG HS vs Lexus NX

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

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
VS
Lexus NX in South Africa

Lexus NX

NX 350 F SPORT Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,276,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

MG HS vs Lexus NX: the short answer

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

HS starts ZAR 574,300 cheaper HS from ZAR 499,900 · NX from ZAR 1,074,200

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification HS NX
Maximum Power HS170 kW NX205 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque HS370 Nm NX430 Nm
Engine Size HS1986 cc NX2400 cc
Combined Fuel Economy HS11.63 km/l NX12.3 km/l
Ground Clearance HS145 mm NX195 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

HS

Strengths
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use
Specification evidence leader

NX

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

HS

  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

NX

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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec HS NX
Model Introduced Year 2025 2023
Generation Current five-seat HS on MG's SIGMA-A architecture with 1.5T DCT and 2.0T automatic powertrains. Second-generation Lexus NX mid-size luxury SUV
Facelift History Current-generation HS introduced locally in 2025; four petrol derivatives remain active. Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives
Facelift Launched Since 2025 Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives
Facelift Version Ending Current Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17
Body Style Five-door mid-size SUV SUV
Model Year 2025 2026
Production Status active published
Segment Mid-size SUV Luxury SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Tare Mass Kg - 1760-1860 kg
Spec HS NX
Length 4655 mm 4660 mm
Width 1890 mm 1865 mm
Height 1655 mm 1670 mm
Wheelbase 2765 mm 2690 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 145 mm 195 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed -
Fuel Tank Capacity 65 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 507 l 520 l
Kerb Weight 1590 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2065 kg 2370 kg
Payload Capacity 475 kg -
Towing Capacity 750 kg 1000 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows -
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.65 m 5.8 m
Front Headroom 968 mm -
Rear Headroom 964 mm -
Front Legroom 1044 mm -
Rear Legroom 980 mm -

In depth: how these cars differ

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

Performance index: HS 70 vs NX 86.

Efficiency index: HS 46 vs NX 49.

Safety-equipment index: HS 98 vs NX 93.

Practicality index: HS 57 vs NX 65.

Ownership-cover index: HS not separately scored vs NX 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

NX leads by 6 points

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

Evidence leader 75 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 70% source coverage
75
#1 Evidence leader

NX

70% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 86
Efficiency 49
Safety 93
Practicality 65
Leads by 6 points
69
#2

HS

78% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Efficiency 46
Performance 70
Efficiency 46
Safety 98
Practicality 57
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance NX +16 Efficiency NX +3 Safety HS +5 Practicality NX +8

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

NX

Performance 86/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 65/100

HS

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Lexus NX leads the specification evidence index with 75 pts vs 69 pts for HS

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, NX leads. However, HS 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 Africa models and comparable body styles.

HS
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HS vs NX questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa 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.