There’s a growing number of plug-in hybrid crossovers available to fleet users, offering the flexibility of a petrol-powered vehicle with vastly reduced benefit-in-kind. The MG HS PHEV is the cheapest of the lot, with a list price of just £31,040. Like many of its rivals, the HS has a zero-emission range of around 30 miles, CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km and the promise of potent performance.

With a price of gap of around £3,500 between the HS and its closest rival, the Vauxhall Grandland Hybrid-e, it might be fair to assume that drivers will be getting a sub-standard product, but the HS has much to offer.

It comes with a high level of specification, for example. The range-topping version, priced £33,000, is equipped with leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, LED headlights and a power operated tailgate.

All models come with keyless entry, a 10.1-inch touchscreen sat nav system with Apple Car Play and Android Auto, heated front seats and a 360-degree camera system.

Performance is impressive too. A combined power output of 258PS from the HS’s 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and electric motor means the front-wheel-drive SUV has a claimed 0-60mph acceleration time of 6.9 seconds.

There’s a lot to like. It has a spacious interior, is reasonably comfortable and makes plug-in hybrid technology more accessible to a wider pool of drivers.

A sleek exterior look and smart dashboard design round off the package. The HS PHEV is a segment leader then? Well, not exactly.

Once we spent some time in the HS its price point felt more justified. The refinement, driveability and build quality is not on par with the likes of a Kia Sportage or Peugeot 3008, which sit closer to premium cars such as the Volvo XC60. There are a few features, inside, that offer surprising tactility, but overall the HS doesn’t quite make the grade. There’s very little adjustment for the driver’s seat, for starters, and the instrument cluster, while fully digital, lacks the configurability that other cars offer.

The infotainment system is another weak point, with clunky graphics and a confusing interface. Unfortunately, all the main functions are buried within the touchscreen, including the air conditioning controls.

During our testing, the HS was averaging around 40mpg when driven on a mix of a-roads and motorways. It defaults to a hybrid powertrain mode, where it uses a combination of petrol or electric power, depending on how aggressively you drive.

There’s an ‘EV’ button next to the gear lever that switches the car into full electric mode. Here it will utilise the 16.6kWh battery, which takes four-and-a-half hours to charge. MG claims a combined fuel consumption of 155mpg, we’d expect between 40 and 60 unless the majority of trips are done exclusively in EV mode.

The petrol engine lacks character and emits a coarse drone when worked hard. A 10-speed automatic gearbox manages the transition between the two power sources, but its slow and unresponsive. There’s no Sport mode or manual override to perk it up.

Despite its shortcomings, the HS is a welcome addition to the segment with impressive running costs and overall affordability. It ticks a lot of boxes on paper but lacks the premium feel that rival models offer.