How MG’s new HYBRID+ system is different from the competition

If you’ve got a long way to drive and there are petrol stations few and far between – often the case on an Australian road trip – you might want a car that extracts the maximum kilometres from every litre in its fuel tank. A hybrid, in other words.  

Hybrids have been around for a while, but MG is disrupting the traditional hybrid players in Australia with its own system – HYBRID+.

Offering a larger onboard battery than you’d typically find in a hybrid enables the fitment of a bigger electric motor, not just resulting in longer periods in “EV-mode” and even lower fuel consumption, but more rapid, instantaneous, EV-like acceleration. It’s a hybrid system – now on the next level.  

To experience MG’s new HYBRID+ technology, we find ourselves on a road in the middle of nearly nowhere in South Australia.

Even after a long drive, there’s plenty of fuel still left in the tank as the sun beams down. To our left is a lake of bright pink water. To our right, a lake of bright blue.

We’re at Lake MacDonnell in remote South Australia with a trio of MGs – the latest models from MG’s new HYBRID+ range, and beneath their contemporary, aerodynamically-honed exteriors lies some seriously advanced automotive engineering.  

All three of these cars – the MG3 HYBRID+ light hatchback, ZS HYBRID+ compact SUV and upcoming HS HYBRID+ medium SUV – are designed to redefine your drive with efficiency that lasts longer and power when you need it, without any compromises.

The ZS HYBRID+ and MG3 HYBRID+ use the same high-tech hybrid powertrain combining a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine with a 1.83kWh NCM hybrid battery and muscular 100kW/250Nm electric motor. But what really makes the HYBRID+ technology different to the rest?   

MG HYBRID+ stands out from its rivals with its larger battery and bigger electric motor, meaning more time driving using electricity alone – delivering instant power and torque when you need it most.    

In the case of the small but mighty MG3 HYBRID+, the HYBRID+ system results in combined power and torque of 155kW and 425Nm respectively – a lot for a small car like this.

The hybridised ZS HYBRID+ has 158kW combined max power and its torque an even meatier 465Nm, while the HS HYBRID+ outputs are still top secret – for now. The combined power outputs are highest in the segments.   

In years gone past in Australia, extra power and performance meant increased fuel consumption, but with MG HYBRID+ the opposite is true.

The larger electric motor in the HYBRID+ powertrain, paired with increased power and torque, reducing fuel consumption and making the HYBRID+ range more efficient overall.

The HYBRID+ system grants the MG3 HYBRID+ fuel efficiency of 4.3L/100km (combined) – or an incredible 0.9L/100km in the urban environment, where it will spend most of its time.

With its 36-litre fuel tank, and using the combined fuel figure, the MG3 HYBRID+ could theoretically complete an incredible 837km between refuelling. It’s a similar story with the ZS HYBRID+, with a combined efficiency of 4.7L/100km, and urban consumption of 0.9L/100km.   

To add to the advantages, MG's HYBRID+ powertrain is also more flexible with more drive propulsion modes to suit your needs, with a total of eight – which is more than other hybrids – to suit your driving needs.  

The two cars available today, MG3 HYBRID+ and ZS HYBRID+, require no plugging in – you just insert petrol like you would any other car, but also enjoy the electric benefits.

Without getting too technical, the hybrid system simply combines an electric motor and a high-capacity battery with the regular petrol engine. Through braking and decelerating, the electric motor can recuperate that electric energy and store it in the high-capacity battery. In other words, it recharges while you drive.  

You can adjust the regenerative braking in an MG HYBRID+ vehicle (with settings for Low, Medium or High) – something you can’t do in many other popular hybrid rivals.

Every time you accelerate in the hybrid vehicle, the electric motor can power the car (assisting the petrol engine), retrieving energy from the battery, saving fuel and reducing emissions, often by substantial amounts.

Even better, you can set the drive responsiveness to your drive with the selection of driving modes via the button on the centre console – Eco for fuel efficiency, Normal for a comfortable and balanced drive and Sport for dynamic performance – also unique to the HYBRID+ range.

Enhanced with an advanced three-speed Hybrid Transmission, the MG HYBRID+ range still delivers a smooth and dynamic driving experience at higher speeds.   

MG's HYBRID+ system also enhances your drive due to the configuration of the battery. The two available HYBRID+ models have the hybrid battery situated in the end of the rear seat with the 12-volt battery in the boot and petrol engine positioned in the front of the car. This allows for a more balanced distribution, ultimately improving handling.  

Overall, the HYBRID+ technology provides a smooth and dynamic driving experience resulting in a blend of efficiency without compromising on power, a major advantage of MG's HYBRID+ system.

With this advanced hybrid tech, you can see MG as one of the world’s leading brands in electric technology (with its MG4 previously voted Drive’s 2024 Best Electric Car Under $50K), applying its vast EV experience now to the world of hybrids.  

Once you’ve driven a hybrid – especially one from the MG HYBRID+ range – you won't want to go back. You’ll enjoy a smooth, responsive EV-like drive, along with worry-free road trips. Experience the freedom of longer journeys without the need to refuel, all while keeping your wallet content.  

Despite its small stature, the MG3 HYBRID+ is roomy inside with plenty of tech, and we love the high-resolution of the 10.25-inch central infotainment display which projects Apple CarPlay or Android Auto brightly and crisply. With its premium materials, this is a smart and attractively-designed interior feeling straight out of 2025.  

The electric motor and combustion engine work together so subtly you’re unlikely to notice it switching between the two modes, while the battery, when having enough charge, will keep in “EV mode” – with no petrol engine assistance – for longer than some of its rivals.  

It doesn’t take long to conclude that this is just an easy city car to drive, with the fuel economy to match. With a full battery and in Sport mode, put your foot to the floor and it has plenty of power – great for overtaking. From $27,990 drive-away, the price is also very much right.  

Out on the open road, we swap into the ZS HYBRID+. The extra space and higher seating position is immediately apparent, as is the contemporary dashboard design with the generously large 12.3-inch display taking pride of place in the centre of the cabin. There’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and the 360-degree camera is a game-changer, giving almost anyone parking superpowers.   

Up until around 80km/h the ZS HYBRID+ leans heavily on its electric motor for propulsion – no bad thing, given this makes for smoother, quieter driving. And like its MG3 HYBRID+ little brother, in Sport mode, the ZS HYBRID+ is genuinely brisk for a small SUV. Handy if you have a three-trailer-long road train to overtake.  

Again, this is so much car and equipment – even in the entry Excite grade – for the money, which is just $32,990 drive-away.  

The HS HYBRID+ elevates cabin roominess even further, with an appreciable premium vibe. We’ve driven the MG HS petrol variant extensively and are fans of its spacious interior and generous equipment levels. If the HYBRID+ model has the same efficiency and performance of the MG3 and ZS HYBRID+, this will make it a very competitive vehicle in the medium SUV segment in Australia. Stay tuned.  

Our long trip to Lake MacDonnell is made infinitely easier thanks to MG’s PILOT semi-autonomous suite of active safety and driver assistance aids.

If you’ve never used this system, it feels properly futuristic, the MG reassuringly helping you ‘drive’ the car on the open road. Adaptive Cruise Control saves a lot of energy and makes long trips easier, and it’s comforting to know you’ve got a high-tech active safety guardian angel, in the form of features such as Automatic Emergency Braking, always watching over you.  

The MG HYBRID+ range has left us impressed. The combination of a powerful electric motor and a large hybrid battery is sure to resonate with performance-loving, cost-conscious Australian buyers.

As is a 10-year warranty; MG is nothing if not confident in its cars. And with more hybrid range, you’ll feel that confidence, too – especially if you’re setting a course for a multi-colour lake in South Australia.