MG HS vs BYD Sealion 6: Cheaper Petrol SUV or Thriftier Plug-in Hybrid
The MG HS Vibe costs less, has the bigger seats-up boot and the longer warranty, while the BYD Sealion 6 Essential uses far less fuel on paper and has more power.
By Uzzi · 8 October 2026 · Every figure comes from each car's own page on CarSorted.
$33,990
RRP excl. on-roads
Price tracker
Standing price
$33,990 RRP before on-road costs
We check the maker's published price regularly and record every change here.
RRP before on-road costs, as published by the maker.
$42,990
RRP excl. on-roads
Price tracker
Standing price
$42,990 RRP before on-road costs
We check the maker's published price regularly and record every change here.
RRP before on-road costs, as published by the maker.
Who the MG HS suits
The HS Vibe suits buyers who want a straightforward petrol SUV and want to keep the purchase price down, at $33,990 (RRP excl. on-roads). It has the bigger boot with the seats up at 507L and the longer warranty at 10-year, 250,000km.
Who the BYD Sealion 6 suits
The Sealion 6 Essential suits buyers who can plug in regularly and want to burn as little petrol as possible, with a combined fuel figure of 1.1L/100km. It also has more power, at 160kW against 125kW, but you pay $42,990 (RRP excl. on-roads) for it.
What decides it
1. Price
The HS Vibe is $33,990 (RRP excl. on-roads) and the Sealion 6 Essential is $42,990 (RRP excl. on-roads). That puts the MG about $9,000 lower before on-road costs. We have no drive-away figures for either car.
2. Fuel use
The HS is a petrol car using 6.9L/100km on the combined figure. The Sealion 6 is a plug-in hybrid rated at 1.1L/100km, with a 18.3kWh battery. We have no electric range figure for the Sealion 6.
3. Boot space
With the rear seats up, the HS has a 507L boot and the Sealion 6 has 425L, so the MG has about 82L more. The Sealion 6 offers 1,440L with the seats folded, but we have no folded figure for the HS.
Running costs
The HS uses 6.9L/100km of petrol from a 55L tank, while the Sealion 6 is rated at 1.1L/100km with a 60L tank and DC charging up to 18kW. We have no electric range figure for the Sealion 6. Both are serviced every 12 months, we have no capped servicing prices for either, and the warranty is 10-year, 250,000km on the MG against 6-year, 150,000km on the BYD. The running-cost chart below lets you compare the two over time.
True Cost of Ownership (5 Years)
$5,720
per year to run
$62,590
total 5yr cost
$0.80
per kilometre
Where the 5-year total goes
About $5,720/year to run, or $28,600 over 5 years including fuel, insurance, servicing, tyres and registration.
* Estimates based on your parameters. Servicing uses each manufacturer's capped-price schedule where we have it, and tyres scale with your weekly km. A guide only, not a quote.
True Cost of Ownership (5 Years)
$4,243
per year to run
$64,206
total 5yr cost
$0.82
per kilometre
Where the 5-year total goes
About $4,243/year to run, or $21,215 over 5 years including fuel, insurance, servicing, tyres and registration.
* Estimates based on your parameters. Servicing uses each manufacturer's capped-price schedule where we have it, and tyres scale with your weekly km. A guide only, not a quote.
Practicality
Both have 5 seats and share the same 1,890mm width, 2,765mm wheelbase and 11.0m turning circle. The Sealion 6 is 4,775mm long, about 120mm longer than the HS, yet the HS has the bigger seats-up boot. The HS sits higher off the ground with 180mm of clearance against 140mm, and both are rated to tow 1,500kg braked and 750kg unbraked.
Cost to tow
The real fuel/energy cost once you hitch up. Pick a trailer and trip.
⚠ Not every limit could be checked: the manufacturer publishes no GCM for this vehicle, so this verdict rests only on the limits that are published.
Estimate only: consumption rises as range falls; real use varies with terrain, wind and load.
Will it fit in the boot?
May fitExample sizes only - measure your item before relying on this.
Volume check only (seats up)
Item box about 166L (33% of the volume). Litres don't describe shape, so this can't confirm a fit.
MG doesn't publish boot dimensions for this car, only 507 litres. Litres can prove something won't fit, but never that a rigid item will - so the best this car can score is "May fit".
Based on the manufacturer's published boot volume.
Cost to tow
The real fuel/energy cost once you hitch up. Pick a trailer and trip.
⚠ PHEV: the rated tow capacity is legal, but once the battery is depleted it tows on the petrol engine alone — expect noticeably lower speed on highway climbs and much higher fuel use (real-world tests hit ~30 L/100km near capacity on a flat battery). Keep some charge in reserve for hills.
Estimate only: consumption rises as range falls; real use varies with terrain, wind and load.
Will it fit in the boot?
May fitExample sizes only - measure your item before relying on this.
Volume check only (seats up)
Item box about 166L (39% of the volume). Litres don't describe shape, so this can't confirm a fit.
BYD doesn't publish boot dimensions for this car, only 425 litres. Litres can prove something won't fit, but never that a rigid item will - so the best this car can score is "May fit".
Based on the manufacturer's published boot volume.
How quick is it?
How quick is it?
0-100 times as published and held in our records. Counts cover on-sale cars with a figure and refresh daily.
How quick is it?
0-100 times as published and held in our records. Counts cover on-sale cars with a figure and refresh daily.
Safety
Both cars carry a 5-star ANCAP rating. The HS rating dates from 2024 and the Sealion 6 rating from 2023.
The figures side by side
| MG HS | BYD Sealion 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $33,990 (RRP excl. on-roads) | $42,990 (RRP excl. on-roads) |
| Powertrain | ICE | PHEV |
| Fuel | Petrol | Plug-in Hybrid |
| Drive | FWD | FWD |
| Transmission | 7-Speed DCT | Auto |
| Power | 125kW | 160kW |
| Combined system power | No data | 160kW |
| Torque | 275Nm | 300Nm |
| 0-100km/h | 9.6 seconds | 8.5 seconds |
| Fuel use (combined) | 6.9L/100km | 1.1L/100km |
| Fuel tank | 55L | 60L |
| Battery | No data | 18.3kWh |
| Max DC charging | No data | 18kW |
| Body | SUV | SUV |
| Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Boot (seats up) | 507L | 425L |
| Boot (seats folded) | No data | 1,440L |
| Length | 4,655mm | 4,775mm |
| Width | 1,890mm | 1,890mm |
| Height | 1,655mm | 1,670mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,765mm | 2,765mm |
| Ground clearance | 180mm | 140mm |
| Turning circle | 11.0m | 11.0m |
| Kerb weight | 1,585kg | 1,940kg |
| Towing (braked) | 1,500kg | 1,500kg |
| Towing (unbraked) | 750kg | 750kg |
| ANCAP rating | 5-star (2024) | 5-star (2023) |
| Warranty | 10-year | 6-year |
| Warranty distance | 250,000km | 150,000km |
| Service interval | 12 months | 12 months |
The verdict
On the figures the HS Vibe makes more sense for most buyers, unless you can charge at home and want to use as little petrol as possible.
Pick the MG HS if
you want the lower price, the bigger seats-up boot, more ground clearance and the longer warranty.
Pick the BYD Sealion 6 if
you can plug in regularly and value the much lower official fuel figure and extra power enough to pay more up front.
Put them side by side yourself
Every figure, feature and running cost for both, in our live comparison table.
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Ask about these two cars
- MG HS Vibe
- BYD Sealion 6 Essential
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Questions buyers ask
Is the MG HS cheaper than the BYD Sealion 6?
Yes. The HS Vibe is $33,990 (RRP excl. on-roads) and the Sealion 6 Essential is $42,990 (RRP excl. on-roads), a gap of about $9,000 before on-road costs.
Which has the bigger boot, the MG HS or BYD Sealion 6?
With the seats up, the HS has 507L and the Sealion 6 has 425L. We have no seats-folded figure for the HS, so we can't compare that.
Do the MG HS and BYD Sealion 6 have the same ANCAP rating?
Both have a 5-star ANCAP rating. The HS was rated in 2024 and the Sealion 6 in 2023.
How much can the MG HS and BYD Sealion 6 tow?
Both are rated to tow 1,500kg braked and 750kg unbraked.
What warranty do the MG HS and BYD Sealion 6 come with?
The HS comes with a 10-year, 250,000km warranty. The Sealion 6 comes with a 6-year, 150,000km warranty.
More on these cars
- 2026 MG HS Vibe: full specs and priceEvery MG HS gradeAll MG models
- 2026 BYD Sealion 6 Essential: full specs and priceEvery BYD Sealion 6 gradeAll BYD models
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