Cheaper Chinese Toyota RAV4 Hybrid rival ready to launch: MG HS PHEV confirmed for Q1

MG will have what should be a cheaper alternative to the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid in Australia in the first quarter of 2021, with the brand's HS SUV to get a plug-in hybrid variant in the new year.

The decision to launch its first PHEV in Australia comes as MG - as well as other car makers - attempt to read the tea leaves when it comes to the take up of electrified vehicles in this country.

While some car makers were thought to be waiting for government incentives for low fuel-use vehicles, the booming success of the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has proven the market is ready for electrified cars, or conventional hybrid versions at least.

And MG says it "wants to be a part of that wave" with the eHS to lead the charge, so to speak, next year.

"In other countries, governments have really helped out, but in Australia they haven't," says MG's sales and product boss Danny Lenartic.

"That said, if they move, obviously we want to be a part of that wave, and we are bringing in cars to be a part of that. We have a PHEV version of the HS mid-size SUV in the first quarter of next year, that will be a plug-in hybrid.

"So we're moving forward, and we've got really good products coming beyond that, so I just think it's a matter of time.'

Revealed at the Guangzhou auto show in China last year, the MG eHS plug-in hybrid pairs a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (125kW) with a 90kW electric motor, for a combined output of around 215kW, with 480Nm of torque.

The eHS has a 16.6kWh battery pack, which is apparently good for 75 kilometres of electric driving. MG says it will produce a lightning-quick sprint to 96km/h in just 5.8 seconds, too.