IT may surprise many that MG is one of the fastest, if not the fastest growing car brands in the UK.

This after an uncertain start after being purchased by Chinese giant SAIC and lauding some not-so-memorable vehicles. They were cheap yes, but not necessarily cheerful

They say that you get what you pay for and MG took that on board and now offers a compelling range of good quality cars, that are still cheap, but a lot more cheerful.

And in the case of the classy HS flagship, is there a better value SUV in pure cost terms. At under £34,000 for a plug in is a bit of a steal. Oh, let's not forget the seven-year, 100,000 mile warranty.

Revamped recently, there have been tweaks to the back and front for a more muscular and aggressive profile including new bi-function LED headlights, new grille and front bumper design and very smart diamond cut alloys, plus electric folding and heated door mirrors.

At the rear, a new bumper design, revised dual exhaust outlets and LED taillights complete the update,

Two specifications include SE or Trophy, both are well equipped and feature a single 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 16.6kWh battery pack and a 90kW electric motor to deliver 257hp.

It is mated with a dual-clutch DCT 10 speed auto gearbox, which is not my favourite type of transmission.

It has a claimed electric-only range of 32 miles and like all plug-ins it has a ridiculous range claim of 155.8mpg on the WLTP combined cycle, assuming you are almost permanently driving on electric power. My admittedly high-speed motorway drive delivered under 40mpg. It seemed distinctly thirsty.

However, there is plenty of pace, it hits 60mpg in just about seven seconds and emissions of 43g/km make it cheap to tax and put it in a low category for benefit-in-kind taxation.

The large interior has good head and legroom all round and this model has comfortable electrically operated sports-style leather style seats giving the driver a commanding view of the road.

It features an array of soft-touch finish to dash and sports seats, with fewer of the harsher solid plastics. It has a push button start, a 10.1 inch colour touchscreen featuring the latest software and connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

The goodies get better as you move up the range and this range-topper adds front and rear LED sequential indicators, dual-zone climate control, rear privacy glass, metal sports pedals and the standard 360 degree camera is brilliant for manoeuvring.

On the road don't expect sports car style sharpness to steering and handling, both are adequate for a family motor and the ride is comfortable enough.

The size of the car does not necessarily match the boot space with a modest 448 litres, but folding the rear seats flat extends the total capacity to 1,375 litres. There's also a dual height boot floor.

Safety kit is comprehensive with the MG Pilot set up offering safety aids, including Active Emergency Braking, Lane Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Blind Spot Detection, Lane Departure Warning System and Rear Cross Traffic alert.