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MG Preps a Two-Pronged PHEV Offensive for 2026—ZS Plug-In Joins the Fold

MG is gearing up for a major plug-in push, and 2026 is shaping up to be the year the brand stops playing catch-up and starts shaping the segment. In an exclusive conversation with Auto Express, David Allison, MG Motor UK’s head of product and planning, confirmed that demand for plug-in hybrids “keeps creeping up”—enough that the brand is preparing to widen its PHEV pipeline. That expansion will come in the form of an electrified ZS, positioned just below the leaked MGS9 PHEV that quietly surfaced via Euro NCAP documentation this week.

MG’s strategy hinges on the sweet spot of the market: compact SUVs. As Allison put it, city cars and superminis “don’t really suit plug-in hybrid powertrains,” but B-segment crossovers—where range expectations and packaging tolerate a larger battery—are ripe for the picking. “I think [B-segment SUVs] are the next natural thing to do,” he said. He added that no automaker has meaningfully brought PHEV tech below traditional C-segment hatchbacks, and when pressed about a ZS with a plug, Allison’s reply was as subtle as an illuminated charge port: “Yes, probably.”

A 2026 Reveal Looks Likely

MG hasn’t locked in a reveal date, but if the brand’s hyperactive 2024 product cadence is any indication—four launches in a single year—it won’t be shy about pulling the covers off early. A 2026 debut for the ZS PHEV seems more “when” than “if.”

Once it lands, the ZS PHEV will slide directly into a niche that, for the moment, has just one occupant: the BYD Atto 2 DM-i, a newcomer temporarily enjoying a monopoly in the small PHEV crossover class. MG plans to bookend its plug-in range with the ZS at the entry point and the upcoming MGS9 PHEV as the range-topper, leaving the existing HS PHEV as a comfortable middle sibling.

Range, Pricing, and Real-World Expectations

Don’t expect the ZS PHEV to replicate the HS PHEV’s SUV-topping 75-mile electric-only rating. Segment realities—and battery size—won’t allow for it. But to stay in the fight with BYD’s upper-trim Atto 2 DM-i, MG will need to deliver close to 60 miles of EV range. Encouragingly, when Car and Driver’s UK counterparts tested the HS PHEV against a suite of Chinese hybrids earlier this year, the MG came within two percent of its official electric range. Efficiency seems to be a strong suit across MG’s electrified portfolio, so the ZS should inherit that discipline.

Pricing looks similarly competitive. Using the HS PHEV as a guide, MG is likely to tack roughly 10 percent onto the equivalent ZS hybrid’s price. That math points to an entry-level ZS PHEV SE starting around £25,000, a figure that would line up almost perfectly with the expected base price of BYD’s Atto 2 DM-i. If value remains MG’s trump card—and it usually does—the brand could find itself in a very favorable position.

MG’s Hybrid Momentum

The brand certainly has momentum on its side. In 2024, hybrids accounted for 44.8 percent of MG UK’s total volume—second only to Toyota in national HEV sales dominance. The lone PHEV currently in showrooms, the HS PHEV, made up 8.8 percent of the brand’s registrations last year. In other words, MG has already proven it can sell electrified SUVs in meaningful numbers; adding a lower-priced, more urban-friendly plug-in model could pour gasoline—figuratively, of course—on that growth.

The Takeaway

The ZS PHEV won’t be a moonshot, but it doesn’t need to be. It merely needs to be efficient, sensibly priced, and unmistakably MG. With plug-in interest rising, rivals limited, and the brand’s hybrid lineup already punching above its weight, the ZS PHEV could arrive as one of 2026’s most important small SUVs—not groundbreaking, but perfectly timed.

If MG executes the formula cleanly, expect to see a lot more charge ports glowing in UK driveways next year.

Source: Auto Express

NEW CARS

2026 BYD Atto 2 DM-i — The PHEV That Might Finally Make Sense

BYD’s first crack at the all-electric Atto 2 left us mildly underwhelmed, a reminder that not every EV out of China is a category killer. But give the same package a battery, a petrol engine, and a smarter mission, and suddenly things get a lot more interesting. The new Atto 2 DM-i plug-in hybrid lands next spring with a clear objective: replace the internal-combustion car entirely for urban users who aren’t sold on full EV life just yet.

And unlike the slightly limp Active trim, the longer-range Boost model makes a seriously compelling case — especially if BYD hits its predicted starting price of £28,000, which would make it the cheapest plug-in hybrid in the UK.

Powertrain: A Clever Split Personality

Underneath its sensible sheetmetal lies the same playbook used in BYD’s larger models: a 1.5-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder paired with a dual-motor hybrid system. One motor generates electricity, the other drives the front wheels, which is why BYD calls this setup DM-i (Dual Mode–intelligent).

The brain of the system is the company’s trademark 18.3-kWh Blade battery, good for a claimed 55 miles of electric range — more than a BMW X3 plug-in hybrid, for those keeping score.

The Boost trim tested here delivers:

  • 209 hp
  • 0–62 mph in 7.5 seconds
  • 110 mph top speed
  • 300 Nm from the electric motor alone

The entry-level Active makes do with a smaller battery (25-mile EV range) and 164 hp, stretching the sprint to 9.1 seconds.

On the Road: Electric First, Engine Second

In typical DM-i fashion, the Atto 2 feels for all the world like an EV that occasionally borrows an engine. The electric motor does most of the heavy lifting, and during two hours of mixed driving we rarely woke the petrol engine unless deliberately provoking it.

Throttle dip into the carpet? The 1.5 petrol fires up — eventually — and when it does, it’s neither musical nor especially eager. But most owners may hardly notice; the electric torque pulls strongly well beyond motorway speeds, and real-world range estimates seemed to track closely with the car’s predictions. That alone puts it ahead of many legacy-brand plug-ins.

Regeneration comes in two flavors — Standard and High — but both feel timid compared with European or Korean rivals. BYD still doesn’t offer true one-pedal driving here.

Ride and Handling: Comfortable Enough, But…

Refinement largely mirrors the EV version: excellent electric hush, but noticeable wind and road noise at speed. Ride quality is where things unravel. Because of the battery packaging and energy-recovery hardware, the Atto 2 DM-i runs a torsion-beam rear axle — and it shows.

Despite riding on modest 17-inch wheels with generous sidewalls, the DM-i:

  • Fidgets at higher speeds
  • Thuds into potholes around town
  • Never quite settles over broken surfaces

The all-electric Atto 2, with its multi-link setup, has a smoother stride. Handling is predictable but sluggish; vague steering and modest grip discourage any enthusiastic cornering. This is an appliance, not a backroad toy.

Interior & Tech: Sensible, Spacious, and Mostly Well Executed

BYD has toned down the quirkiness here — no Atto 3-style guitar-string door pockets. Instead, the cabin is clean, upright, and dominated by a fixed 12.8-inch touchscreen (no party-trick rotation this time) and an 8.8-inch driver’s display.

Highlights:

  • Infotainment is quick, intuitive, and smartphone-like
  • Swipe-down quick menu is genuinely useful
  • Build quality is better than expected for the segment

Lowlights:

  • No physical climate buttons, despite customers begging for them
  • Odd mix of materials: soft-touch up front, scratchy plastics in the rear
  • Slightly fake-looking moulded stitching

Space is a win. Two six-footers will happily sit in the back, and the 425-litre boot beats the electric version by 25 litres — though the seats don’t fold completely flat.

Features & Trims: Value Is the Real Story

Active (approx. £25,000)

  • Rear-view camera
  • Parking sensors
  • Rain-sensing wipers
  • Adaptive cruise
  • LED headlights
  • Metallic paint

Boost (approx. £28,000)

  • 360° camera
  • Heated seats + heated steering wheel
  • Tinted glass
  • Panoramic roof
  • Wireless phone charging
  • Vehicle-to-Load capability (run tools, appliances, camping gear off the battery)

If these prices hold, BYD will undercut the Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV by thousands, and nothing else in the UK market comes close on range-for-money.

A Hit — With Caveats

The BYD Atto 2 DM-i Boost isn’t perfect. The ride is unsettled, steering is vague, and refinement still trails the class leaders. But judged as a mass-market, long-range, ultra-affordable PHEV, BYD is onto something huge.

For buyers not yet ready to make the leap to a full EV, the Atto 2 DM-i hits a sweet spot: mostly electric commuting, petrol-powered freedom, and a price that could force every major rival back to the drawing board.

Right now, in this still-quiet corner of the market, BYD has the field to itself — and the Atto 2 DM-i Boost is the one to get.

Source: BYD

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Genesis Turns Up the Heat: GV60 Magma and Magma GT Concept Signal a Performance-Focused Future

For a brand that’s barely a decade old, Genesis is showing no interest in easing into its next chapter. Instead, it’s lighting the fuse. At Circuit Paul Ricard in France, the Korean luxury marque unveiled not just its first high-performance production car — the GV60 Magma — but also the Magma GT Concept, a low-slung preview of where Genesis wants its performance heritage to live for the next ten years.

This wasn’t a quiet industry presentation. It was a declaration: Genesis is officially chasing the “Luxury High Performance” crown, and it’s doing it on its own terms.

Luxury High Performance: Genesis’ New North Star

Most brands talk performance in kilowatts, horsepower, and lap times. Genesis’ pitch is more nuanced. “Luxury High Performance,” according to the brand, blends effortless speed, driver-focused control, and refined luxury — without the brutish overstatement that often comes with the territory.

Chief Design and Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke puts it bluntly: “Magma shows how emotion and precision can coexist.”

If “Athletic Elegance” defined Genesis’ early years, Magma is where the elegance gets teeth.

GV60 Magma: A Statement, Not Just a Spec Sheet

Genesis’ first production Magma model arrives wrapped in a stance that whispers restraint but screams capability. The GV60 Magma sits 20 mm lower, wears widened fenders, and rolls on 21-inch forged wheels wrapped in 275-section rubber. Gloss-black accents replace chrome, while functional aero — canards, sculpted side skirts, and a high-mounted rear spoiler — does more than look the part.

Inside, Genesis avoided the predictable carbon-fiber-and-red-stitching trope. Instead, the cabin mixes premium Chamude suede with Magma-orange accents and dark metal hardware. It’s tasteful without neutering the car’s intent.

Power and Performance

Underneath the skin, the GV60 Magma is a serious piece of engineering:

  • 609 hp / 740 Nm from dual motors
  • 650 hp / 790 Nm in Boost Mode (for 15 seconds)
  • 0–200 km/h in 10.9 seconds
  • Top speed: 264 km/h

Boost Mode and Launch Control aren’t just menu items — they fundamentally change the car’s demeanor. Genesis extended the rear motor’s output range to ensure it doesn’t fade at high speed, and the chassis received a major rework: recalibrated roll centers, ECS adaptive suspension, new bushings, larger brakes, and a more rigid rear substructure.

Despite the wider tires, Genesis insists the GV60 Magma maintains the quiet composure expected of a luxury EV. Active noise control and reinforced sealing keep it from sounding like a track-day reject on the highway.

Digital Performance Experience

Drivers get a Magma-exclusive digital cluster, complete with motor temps, G-force data, boost timers, and performance metrics. High-performance software features include:

  • Virtual Gear Shift System (VGS) — mimicking the feel (and sound) of a high-revving ICE car
  • Drift Mode — enough said
  • High-Performance Battery Control (HPBC) — optimized temps for track use

It’s an EV, but it’s not trying to hide behind silence or sterility. If anything, Genesis wants to inject emotion back into electrified performance.

Magma GT Concept: The Halo Car in Waiting

While the GV60 Magma handles the showroom reality, the Magma GT Concept is the brand’s North Star — a long-hood, low-roof grand tourer intended to become Genesis’ first true halo performance car. Genesis says it wants to take this machine racing — specifically GT-class racing — and that ambition alone tells us where its ambitions lie.

This isn’t a vaporware showpiece. It represents years of experimental Magma concepts: GV80 Coupe, X Gran Berlinetta, G80 Magma Special, and the wild GMR-001 hypercar study. The cumulative effect of this experimentation is what allowed the GV60 Magma to reach production with meaningful performance credibility.

And Genesis has already shown it can deliver. The GV60 Magma Concept clocked 52.72 seconds at the Goodwood Festival of Speed’s hillclimb, earning a class win — proof that the Magma project isn’t a marketing exercise.

A Decade After Launch, Genesis Is No Longer the Underdog

Genesis achieved one million global sales faster than any luxury brand in history — a point Hyundai Motor Company CEO José Muñoz emphasized. With Magma, Genesis is signaling its desire to stop chasing and start leading.

The plan:

  • Launch GV60 Magma in Korea in early 2025
  • Follow with European and North American markets in 2026
  • Expand Magma into a full performance sub-brand
  • Develop the GT Concept into a flagship performance icon
  • Enter motorsport with real intent

This is the kind of blueprint usually associated with German or British luxury marques — not a Korean upstart.

Genesis Isn’t Just Playing in the Performance Space — It’s Redefining It

The GV60 Magma is more than a quicker EV. It’s the first physical proof that Genesis is serious about building a luxury performance identity on its own terms. And the Magma GT Concept is the promise of what comes next: a future where Korean innovation isn’t a qualifier but a category leader.

If this is the next decade of Genesis, the rest of the luxury performance world should probably start sweating.

Source: Genesis

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