Snapshot
- The MG Plus EV Excite is Australia’s most affordable plug-in hybrid
- It shares the same powertrain as the MG Plus EV Essence
- MG has shelved plans for an even cheaper Vibe variant
MG has reduced the starting price of its plug-in hybrid HS Plus EV medium SUV by $3000.
At $46,990 driveaway, the new HS Plus EV Excite is clearly the most affordable plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) in Australia.
However, anyone who has been trying to scrape up around $40,000 for an even lesser-equipped variant, as announced by MG Australia in December 2021, will be disappointed.

Plans to introduce the base-spec HS Plus EV Vibe have been scrapped, with an MG Australia spokesperson telling Wheels the mid-spec Excite is better suited to its product plan.
The Excite does seem to represent good value, coming with most of the features found in the higher-spec HS Plus EV Essence, including a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, 10.1-inch touchscreen, satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, MG Pilot active safety suite, LED daytime running lights and tail-lamps, automatic headlights and wipers, keyless entry/start, and an electronic park brake.
The $3000 saving was made by fitting smaller 17-inch alloy wheels, instead of the Essence’s 18-inch rims and omitting features such as leather seats, a 360-degree parking camera, customisable interior lighting, panoramic sunroof, and LED headlights.

Both cars share the same plug-in hybrid powertrain, which includes a four-cylinder 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and 90kW electric motor that combine to produce a total of 189kW and 370Nm, with electrons flowing from a 16.6kWh lithium-ion battery.
The reduction in equipment levels means the Excite is a little lighter, but this doesn’t impact performance figures, which include 63km battery range, 1.7L/100km combined fuel economy and 0-100km/h sprint time if 6.9 seconds.
The MG HS Plus EV Excite’s $46,990 drive-away price includes a seven-year warranty and seven-years fixed-price servicing.
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Comparisons
Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV vs MG HS Plus EV Essence vs Kia Niro S comparison review
They’re mid-sized, sub-$50K and pack plug-in hybrid powertrains, but does that make them versatile and desirable? Or inherently compromised?