REALLY GREAT IN THE SAIC...

THOUGH they're gathering a lot of Irish fans for their electric vehicles, SAIC, MG's gigantic Chinese owners, have access to a vast array of cars of every conceivable type under their different brands and are eyeing up the PHEV market here with their new HS.

- With John Mitchell

A mass-market crossover, the HS is equipped with a 105kW (142ps) 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with a powerful 154kW electric motor which banishes any and all range anxiety but of course isn't quite as good for the environment as its all-electric cousins.

That aside, a lot of people aren't ready for the move to full electric and a frustrating recent trip to Wexford where the ESB chargers weren't working AGAIN at Gorey services summed up just how infuriating and possible dangerous it can be to have to rely on the public charging network.

SPACIOUS

It’s slowly improving - particularly if you can utilise the pricey but powerful Ionity fast chargers - but ESB have a long way to go in my book.

The HS was actually designed as a combustion engined vehicle and early models were petrol alone, but now MG have introduced a Plug-in Hybrid combining performance and efficiency with a sleek design and spacious interior.