MG HS vs Rolls-Royce Phantom

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
Rolls-Royce Phantom in South Africa

Rolls-Royce Phantom

Phantom Series II Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
Price on request
⚡ 420 kW 🔧 900 Nm ⛽ 6.29 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

MG HS vs Rolls-Royce Phantom: the short answer

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

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification HS Phantom
Maximum Power HS170 kW Phantom420 kW @ 5000 rpm
Maximum Torque HS370 Nm Phantom900 Nm @ 1700 rpm
Engine Size HS1986 cc Phantom6749 cc
Combined Fuel Economy HS11.63 km/l Phantom6.29 km/l
Ground Clearance HS145 mm Phantom136 mm

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

Independent editorial assessment

Hagalu editorial ratings

When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.

MG HS

2.0T AT Luxury

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Rolls-Royce Phantom

Phantom Series II

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

HS

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

Phantom

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

Which One's Right for You?

HS

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Phantom

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec HS Phantom
Model Introduced Year 2025 2018
Generation Current five-seat HS on MG's SIGMA-A architecture with 1.5T DCT and 2.0T automatic powertrains. Eighth-generation Phantom in standard-wheelbase Series II form
Facelift History Current-generation HS introduced locally in 2025; four petrol derivatives remain active. The eighth-generation Phantom was presented globally in 2017, introduced in South Africa in 2018 and received its light-touch Series II evolution in 2022
Facelift Launched Since 2025 2022
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Five-door mid-size SUV Four-door luxury saloon
Model Year 2025 2026
Production Status active active
Segment Mid-size SUV Full-size super-luxury saloon
Vehicle Type SUV Internal-combustion passenger car
Spec HS Phantom
Length 4655 mm 5762 mm
Width 1890 mm 2018 mm
Height 1655 mm 1646 mm
Wheelbase 2765 mm 3552 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 145 mm 136 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed 136 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 65 l 90 l
Boot/Cargo Space 507 l 530 l
Kerb Weight 1590 kg 2560 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2065 kg 3235 kg
Payload Capacity 475 kg 675 kg
Towing Capacity 750 kg 0 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 4 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.65 m 6.55 m
Front Headroom 968 mm 1046 mm
Rear Headroom 964 mm 978 mm
Front Legroom 1044 mm 1041 mm
Rear Legroom 980 mm 1105 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This HS and Phantom 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 Phantom 96.

Efficiency index: HS 46 vs Phantom 29.

Safety-equipment index: HS 98 vs Phantom 95.

Practicality index: HS 57 vs Phantom 67.

Ownership-cover index: HS not separately scored vs Phantom 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

Phantom leads by 6 points

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

Evidence leader 75 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 79% source coverage
75
#1 Evidence leader

Phantom

79% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Performance 96 Check Efficiency 29
Performance 96
Efficiency 29
Safety 95
Practicality 67
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 Phantom +26 Efficiency HS +17 Safety HS +3 Practicality Phantom +10

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Phantom

Performance 96/100
Efficiency 29/100
Safety 95/100
Practicality 67/100

HS

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Rolls-Royce Phantom leads the specification evidence index with 75 pts vs 69 pts for HS

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

HS vs Phantom 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.