New seven-seat family SUV could take MG to the top: 2025 MG QS detailed for Australia as affordable rival to Toyota Kluger, Ford Everest and Hyundai Santa Fe

Chinese carmaker MG unveiled its new flagship three-row family SUV at the Melbourne Motor Show last week as part of its plan to be a top three brand in Australia by the end of the decade.

Lining up at 4983mm long, 1967mm wide and 1788mm tall, the seven-seat SUV will compete against well-established segment leaders in the Ford Everest, Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota Kluger when it lands in showrooms by the middle of the year.

With a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine delivering 153kW/360Nm to two or all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission, the QS won’t trump its rivals on the headline figures, though it is poised to significantly undercut them on price.

Positioned above the mid-sized HS, which starts at $33,990, drive-away, the QS is expected to start closer to the $45,000 mark, making it roughly $10,000 cheaper than its Ford, Hyundai and Toyota equivalents, all of which are priced before on-road costs.

The three-grade QS line-up, consisting of the Vibe, Excite and Essence variants, will carry standard features such as 20-inch alloy wheels, dual 12.3-inch screens for multimedia, digital driver’s display functions and heated front seats.

A range-topping Essence variant will carry larger 21-inch alloys, a premium 12-speaker Bose sound system, four-wheel drive with drive mode selection, memory seats and a large panoramic sunroof.

An additional plug-in hybrid powertrain is expected to join the range further down the track. It will downsize its engine to a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol unit, but add a 24.7kWh battery pack and a single electric motor. Power and torque outputs will subsequently rise to 220kW/350Nm.

The QS was one of six new MG models, including the luxury IM5 sedan and IM6 SUV models, revealed at the Melbourne Motor Show last weekend.