Lexus LBX vs MG HS

What's the difference?

The Lexus LBX Luxury 2WD is the sort of car you get if you’re kids have flown nest or you’re wanting to get into a luxury brand for a relatively affordable price tag.

It earns its compact SUV size tenfold, so don’t expect to be ferrying your crew in this; a cat or small dog maybe but it’s not adult sized in the back seat. However, this grade sees some solid features, it looks great and it’s well suited for city dwelling.

The MG HS Excite is a mixed bag and difficult to score. What it does well, it does really well. And what it does poorly, well...

The pricing is great, the driving is pleasant (when those alerts are switched off) and the new design is sharply styled. Plus the space in the cabin will offer even larger families room to move.

However, the overall comfort, technology and some of the big safety systems need serious work and let down an otherwise decent mid-sized SUV.

Sitting smaller than any of its rivals at 4190mm long, 1825mm wide and 1560mm high, the LBX truly earns its compact tag and it shares some underpinnings with its cousin, the Toyota Yaris Cross. So, if you like that, you’ll love the LBX but Lexus has tuned the exterior to look more refined with softer edges and stylised LED lights.

The options for paintwork are all two-toned and that gives the LBX some cool-kid vibes. Add on the 18-inch alloy wheels and large Lexus badging at the rear and you won’t forget you’re getting into something nice.

As you’d expect, the cabin is far more refined than its Toyota cousin and there are a swathe of soft touchpoints and synthetic leather trims throughout the car that boost the luxury look. Doors close with a soft thump and all the joinery is flush and solid-looking.

The dashboard is accentuated by a 9.8-inch touchscreen multimedia system and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster – both of which look great. There are some nice focal points too with the adjustable ambient lighting and contrasting red stitching upholstery.

The previous shape of the HS was pleasant, if unremarkable but the new-gen model offers bigger dimensions being 81mm longer, 14mm wider and riding on a 45mm longer wheelbase.

A new grille with slim LED headlights headlines the redesign but the body features crisp pleating that runs into a shapely rear. It's bolder, more distinct on the road and far sharper than before.

The new design should make it a firm competitor against rivals like the Sportage and CX-5, which offer a sportier vibe for the segment.

Head inside and the interior has had a thorough look-in, as well. Additional soft touchpoints are scattered throughout to elevate the premium feel. There's a new steering wheel and a heavier use of soft materials versus harder plastics.

The dashboard is slick-looking and features an eye-catching technology panel that houses the dual 12.3-inch screens.

There is still a lack of personality inside that seems inherent with these more affordable Chinese makes but it looks far more premium than its grade level might suggest.

The size of the cabin well and truly establishes this as an urban dweller that's best suited to one or two occupants. While I have plenty of head and legroom for my 168cm height, I jostle for elbow room with my husband whenever we travel together.

Individual storage up front is what you would expect for the class with a shallow middle console, two cupholders, phone cradle and small storage bins in each door. The glovebox is filled by the manual (I'd toss it in the boot for more room) but one of the cupholders slides backwards and forwards for easier middle console access and you get a handy little shelf under the centre console.

The LBX takes a hit with the cabin's rear-seat practicality and its here that the word 'compact' takes on new meaning. I literally can’t sit behind my driving position without my knees pressing firmly into the back of the seat and I'm only 168cm (5ft6').

Amenities and storage in this row are bare by anyone's standards with a single map pocket and two USB-C ports on offer. That’s it. Not the best for a luxury entry, no matter if it is a base model.

For any families considering this car, my big harnessed booster seat barely fits through the small door aperture and once installed, it blocks part of the view out of the back window. To accommodate my seven-year-olds comfort (and legs), the front passenger seat has to shift forward a lot. It's 100 per cent doable to have a kid in the back but it's not what I'd call a family- or adult-friendly rear seat.

Technology is pretty well-rounded with a multimedia system that is easy to use and responsive to touch. The wireless connectivity for smart phones is great and the built-in satellite navigation proved itself simple to operate.

Charging options are great up front with three USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad and a 12-volt socket to choose from.

Head to the rear and the boot offers decent capacity at 402L. The deep well makes it easy to stack groceries or luggage and underneath the floor is a tyre puncture repair kit. A powered boot lit also comes standard on the base model.

Access and space for both rows would have to be class-leading and you don't feel like you're in a 'mid-sized' SUV.

When it comes to comfort you're bang out of luck, though, as the front seats aren't the most comfortable, even on shorter trips.

The driver's side is the better of the two (the front passenger seat isn't as wide) but both are too hard, narrow and the front passenger side sits too high. Limited adjustments are available and you miss out on lumbar support, which is crucial on a longer trip.

The and higher than drivers side and no height adjustment is available on the passenger side.

The back seats are marginally better with more padding under the butt but there's still a bench-seat element in cornering, which means you'll be jostled in turns.

The back seat is wide, though, so you can take advantage of the three top-tether points if you have a few tots in tow.

Storage is average for the class and the cabin lacks some of the clever cubbies competitors feature but the glove box and storage bins are XL and there is a dedicated phone tray up front.

Four cupholders, two drink bottle holders and two map pockets round out the individual storage.

The boot now offers 507L of luggage capacity and that’s plenty big enough for a decent grocery haul but it is on the lower end for the class.

You get a temporary spare tyre under the floor but no powered tailgate, and the lid is heavy to open and close.

The technology isn't great despite looking flash because the touchscreen on the multimedia system is slow to respond and most systems are accessed via the menu screens with limited physical buttons available.

That means its a punish to access climate control or music while on the go.

Climate control is a bit dodgy as the AC function seems to dip in and out and will just blow air occasionally despite the car not having an auto start/stop function which might have explained it.

The built-in satellite navigation is clear, however, and easy to use but it alerts loudly whenever you enter a new suburb and in the city, that means it chimes a lot.

Coupled with all of the other alerts this car bangs out, which I'll get to in the Safety section, it’s a bit much.

You only get wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which means a messy cable in the cabin and charging options are basic with four USB-A ports and a 12-volt socket. Big brand rivals have it beat on that front.

The model line-up for the new HS includes three petrol-powered variants, the version on test for this review being the two-wheel-drive mid-spec Excite.

There are hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants arriving in 2025, to offer further choices.

Its direct rival is the Haval H6 Lux, which has the same drive-away price of $36,990, but the nearest and similarly-specified big-name competitor, the Kia Sportage SX+ 2WD, costs $42,050 MSRP while the Mazda CX-5 GT-SP starts at $50,310 MSRP.

While it offers better value than most, the price point for the HS has jumped $5000 for the new-gen model but some great features are included as standard like synthetic leather upholstery, a 360-degree view camera system, satellite navigation, dual 12.3-inch tech screens and MG’s 'iSmart Connect' app.

Other standard features include keyless entry and start, wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, digital radio, Bluetooth connectivity, fog lights, LED exterior lights, a temporary spare tyre, a retractable cargo cover and 19-inch alloy wheels.

The Luxury 2WD is powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder hybrid-petrol setup with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and it produces a combined power output of 100kW but Lexus hasn’t declared it’s torque figure. Based solely on the petrol engine, the torque figure is sitting at 185Nm.

To give you an idea of its power, the Luxury 2WD can do a 0-100km/h sprint in 9.2 seconds. So, it’s not a speedster but it's perfectly adequate for city journeys – just think of it as a little baby Lexus.

The new HS has a 1.5-litre, turbo-petrol, four-cylinder engine that produces 125kW of power and 275Nm of torque, outputs that are both slightly up from the old model.

If that combo doesn't ignite any passion, there are new hybrid and plug-in hybrid models coming in 2025.

The HS is front-wheel drive only and has a new seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission that is very smooth with its gear changes.

The official combined fuel-cycle consumption figure is 3.8L/100km and my real-world usage is 5.2L/100km after doing a stack of open-roading and some city driving. My consumption sat closer to the 4.5L mark in the city but I think that’s excellent consumption.

Based on the official combined fuel cycle and the small 36L fuel tank, you should see a theoretical driving range of 947km but realistically expect between 550km and 600km.

The Excite has a low official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel economy figure of 6.9L/100km and based on its 55L fuel tank, you should see a theoretical driving range of up to 797km, which is respectable for a family SUV.

My real-world usage sat at 6.6L/100km after mostly open-road driving with a smattering of urban stuff thrown in. It's a great result but may be higher in a straight urban environment.

While the LBX isn't what you'd call a powerhouse on the open road, there is more than enough power to easily keep up with traffic and overtake when necessary. At times the engine can whine at you when you hit hills and sometimes it sounds like its stuck in the wrong gear for too long, which is attributed to that CVT.

It's in the urban environment where the hybrid powertrain shines and manages to make the performance feel almost spritely. Despite heavy torrential rain for most of my week with the LBX, it remained stable and solid on the road.

Steering is responsive and there are some go-kart vibes when you're in a small carpark. That's where those vibes end as the ride is rather refined, despite the occasional engine complaint, and suspension feels well-cushioned. The cabin is also ridiculously quiet for such a short wheelbase.

With my child seat installed, visibility out the back window is compromised but otherwise, the surrounding view is pretty good and you are confident being assertive in tight traffic.

The LBX's compact size really makes it a breeze to park. The clear 360-degree camera system is top-notch and the front and rear parking sensors are sensitive.

The new HS is better than the previous model with power delivery and on-road performance. You feel like you have a decent well of power to dip into and it’s delivered promptly - making the Excite a pleasant open-roader and a fun urban dweller.

The handling is well-tuned with good suspension that lets you ride over bad bumps without too much fuss and the steering is direct, which makes it feel nimble and sure footed.

The cabin is more refined with very little road or engine noise creeping in, even at higher speeds. Visibility is excellent thanks to wide windows and none of the pillars get in the way.

It’s great to see the addition of the 360-degree view camera system and although it’s not the best quality it’s a bonus for a family SUV.

The reversing gear is pretty much the only blip on an otherwise great transmission, though, as it tends to judder and feels hesitant when you are reversing into a spot.

The new-gen HS just received a five-star ANCAP safety rating. It has seven airbags, including a front centre bag.

The Excite also includes a long list of crash-avoidance features like AEB, blind-spot monitoring, rear and front cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, lane departure alert, emergency lane keeping, forward and rear collision warning, tyre-pressure monitoring and a 360-degree view camera system.

It's nice to see MG includes a full suite of safety features for even it's base model which, frustratingly, is not always the case across the segment.

However, several systems are the most intrusive I've experienced in everyday driving. I’m looking at you driver monitoring system, but the speed sign recognition tech is a culprit, too. And there are too many chimes, alerts, bings and bongs to distract you. Both of these technologies were also called out by ANCAP in its assessment.

It's awesome to see such a great safety features list but it's not enough to just tick the box of inclusion... these systems do have to work well otherwise they become a distraction rather than helpful.

The Lexus LBX comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and you get five years of capped-price servicing where services cost $595, which is great for the class.

You get three years of roadside assistance as a part of your servicing plan and servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

The HS is offered with an excellent 10-year/250,000km warranty which is the best unconditional warranty offer in this segment at the moment!

The five-year servicing program is a bit expensive as it averages at $507 per service but the servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12-months or 15,000km whichever occurs first.

The HS loves a premium drink, though, and only takes 95 RON fuel.