Mg HS vs KIA Sportage

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.

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
KIA Sportage in South Africa

KIA Sportage

2WD 1.6T-GDI GT-Line S DCT Petrol 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 823,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 132 kW 🔧 265 Nm ⛽ 13.9 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance HS
⛽ Fuel Economy Sportage
🛡 Safety Sportage
📦 Practicality Sportage
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
HS starts ZAR 163,095 cheaper HS from ZAR 499,900 · Sportage from ZAR 662,995

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec HS Sportage
Maximum Power 170 kW 132 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque 370 Nm 265 Nm @ 1500 rpm
Engine Size 1986 cc 1591 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 11.63 km/l 13.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 145 mm 181 mm
Boot / Load Bay 507 l 466 l
Airbags 7 7
Kerb Weight 1590 kg 1570 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 5 years / 200,000 km vehicle; 7 years / unlimited km engine 7 Years / 150,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance HS +13 pts
Efficiency Sportage +8 pts
Safety Sportage +2 pts
Practicality Sportage +6 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

HS

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

Sportage

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

Which One's Right for You?

HS

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

Sportage

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec HS Sportage
Model Introduced Year 2025 2022
Generation Current five-seat HS on MG's SIGMA-A architecture with 1.5T DCT and 2.0T automatic powertrains. Fifth generation (NQ5); global launch 2021, SA 2022
Facelift History Current-generation HS introduced locally in 2025; four petrol derivatives remain active. Fifth generation (NQ5) launched SA 2022; no facelift yet
Facelift Launched Since 2025 2022
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Five-door mid-size SUV SUV
Model Year 2025 2026
Production Status active active
Segment Mid-size SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Color Note - Clear White, Aurora Black Pearl, Gravity Blue, Steel Grey, Intense Red, Glacial White Pearl, Interstellar Grey
Dealer Stock Note - Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Drivetrain Note - Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2WD 1.6T-GDI GT-Line S DCT
Tare Mass Kg - 1570 kg
Spec HS Sportage
Length 4655 mm 4515 mm
Width 1890 mm 1865 mm
Height 1655 mm 1660 mm
Wheelbase 2765 mm 2680 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 145 mm 181 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed 181 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 65 l 54 l
Boot/Cargo Space 507 l 466 l
Kerb Weight 1590 kg 1570 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2065 kg 2080 kg
Payload Capacity 475 kg 500 kg
Towing Capacity 750 kg 1500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.65 m 10.8 m
Front Headroom 968 mm 1010 mm
Rear Headroom 964 mm 955 mm
Front Legroom 1044 mm 1040 mm
Rear Legroom 980 mm 855 mm

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

HS leads by 0 points

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

Index leader 69 /100
Lead 0 points
Data 78% source coverage
69
#1 Index 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 0 points
69
#2

Sportage

99% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 100 Check Efficiency 54
Performance 57
Efficiency 54
Safety 100
Practicality 63
Ownership 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance HS +13 Efficiency Sportage +8 Safety Sportage +2 Practicality Sportage +6

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

HS

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

Sportage

Performance 57/100
Efficiency 54/100
Safety 100/100
Practicality 63/100
Ownership 71/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Mg HS leads the catalogue index with 69 pts vs 69 pts for Sportage

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, HS leads. However, Sportage may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

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Questions Buyers Usually Ask

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.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This HS and Sportage 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: HS 70 vs Sportage 57.

Efficiency index: HS 46 vs Sportage 54.

Safety-equipment index: HS 98 vs Sportage 100.

Practicality index: HS 57 vs Sportage 63.

Ownership-cover index: HS not separately scored vs Sportage 71.

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.