If you've been looking for a seven-seat SUV that doesn't cost a fortune to run, the MG S9 has probably landed on your shortlist. It's MG's first proper seven-seater, it's a plug-in hybrid with up to 62 miles of electric range, and it undercuts most rivals by thousands of pounds.
The question we get asked most is which trim to go for. There are only two, Comfort and Premium, which keeps things simple. But it's worth knowing exactly what the extra money gets you before you commit to three or four years of monthly rentals.
What every MG S9 comes with
Let's start with the good news. MG hasn't stripped back the Comfort model to make Premium look better. The engine, the battery, the space, the screens and the safety kit are identical on both.
Every S9 uses a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine paired with an electric motor and a 24.7kWh battery. Together they produce 299PS and get you from 0-62mph in 9.6 seconds. On a full charge you can cover up to 62 miles on electricity alone, or up to 104 miles in town. Plug into a 7kW home charger and it's full again in around four hours.
Inside, both trims get:
- Twin 12.3-inch screens for the driver and the infotainment
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus built-in sat nav
- Tri-zone climate control, with physical buttons for the key controls
- A panoramic glass roof and ambient lighting
- Heated front seats, an 8-way electric driver's seat and a 6-way electric passenger seat
- A 360-degree camera for parking
- Vehicle-to-Load, so you can power a kettle, camping kit or power tools from the car
- 20-inch alloy wheels and a powered tailgate
You also get the full MG Pilot suite of driver assistance systems on both trims, and the S9 scored the full five stars in Euro NCAP testing.
What Premium adds
Stepping up to Premium brings a short but useful list of extras:
- Leather-style upholstery in place of cloth
- Ventilated and massaging front seats
- 4-way electric lumbar support for the driver
- A 12-speaker Bose sound system instead of the standard 8 speakers
- Wireless phone charging in the centre console
- A hands-free smart tailgate that opens when you swipe your foot under the bumper
- Front fog lights
- An auto-dimming rear-view mirror
That's the full list. Nothing changes under the bonnet, in the boot or in the back two rows.
Side-by-side: MG S9 Comfort vs Premium
|
Equipment |
Comfort |
Premium |
|---|---|---|
|
Upholstery |
Cloth |
Leather-style |
|
Heated front seats |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Ventilated and massaging front seats |
No |
Yes |
|
Driver lumbar support |
No |
4-way electric |
|
Audio system |
8 speakers |
12-speaker Bose |
|
Wireless phone charging |
No |
Yes |
|
Tailgate |
Power |
Hands-free smart |
|
Front fog lights |
No |
Yes |
|
Auto-dimming rear-view mirror |
No |
Yes |
|
Electric range (WLTP) |
Up to 62 miles |
Up to 62 miles |
|
BIK rate 2026/27 |
10% |
10% |
Is Premium worth it on a lease?
When you lease, the difference between the two trims shows up as a slightly higher monthly rental, rather than a big lump sum. That changes the maths a bit, because you're paying for the extras only while you're actually using them.
Here's how we'd think about it.
Families with young children or pets. We'd lean towards Premium. Leather-style seats are much easier to wipe down after a muddy dog walk or a car-seat snack disaster than cloth. And the smart tailgate is one of those features you don't think you need until you're standing at the boot holding a toddler and three bags of shopping.
High-mileage drivers. If you spend hours on the motorway every week, the ventilated and massaging seats and extra lumbar support make a real difference to how you feel when you get out. The Bose system helps the miles pass too.
Company car drivers. Both trims sit in the same 10% BIK band, but Comfort has a lower list price, so your monthly tax bill will be a little lower. If the Premium extras don't matter much to you, Comfort is the sensible choice.
Anyone watching the budget. Comfort is genuinely well equipped. You still get heated seats, the panoramic roof, the big screens and the 360-degree camera. Wireless charging is easy to add with an inexpensive pad if you miss it.
Seven seats you'll actually use
Whichever trim you choose, the S9 is a practical car. The third row offers 864mm of legroom, which is enough for adults on shorter journeys, and each of the back seats folds independently. Like most seven-seat SUVs, climbing into the back row takes a little more effort, so it suits kids and agile adults best.
Boot space is 332 litres with all seven seats in use. Fold the third row and that grows to 1,026 litres, and with both rear rows down you've got 2,093 litres to play with. It'll also tow up to 2,000kg braked, which is the most of any MG.
Running costs
The S9's real trick is how cheap it can be to run if you plug it in regularly. Most UK commutes and school runs fall well within its electric range, so a lot of owners will rarely use the petrol engine during the week. On longer trips the 65-litre fuel tank means you're not hunting for chargers.
For business users, CO2 emissions of just 18g/km put the S9 in the 10% BIK band for 2026/27. That's a big saving compared with a diesel or petrol seven-seater. If you need a home charger, we work with Pod Point and can arrange a quote for you.
Our latest MG S9 lease deals
We've got strong lease rates on both the Comfort and Premium models right now, for personal and business customers. Click into either deal to choose your contract length, annual mileage and initial rental, and see your monthly price update as you go.
The verdict
The MG S9 Comfort will do everything most families need, and it's hard to argue with the value. Premium adds comfort and convenience rather than capability, but on a lease the extra monthly cost is modest, and the wipe-clean seats and hands-free tailgate earn their keep in family life.
If you'd like a second opinion, give our team a call. We'll talk you through both trims honestly and find the deal that fits.
Want a second opinion? Talk to a real person in Lincoln, not a call centre.
MG S9 FAQs
Premium adds leather-style upholstery, ventilated and massaging front seats, driver lumbar support, a 12-speaker Bose stereo, wireless charging, a hands-free smart tailgate, front fog lights and an auto-dimming mirror. Everything else is the same.
Yes. Both use the same 24.7kWh battery and offer up to 62 miles of electric range on the WLTP combined cycle.
Yes. Heated front seats are standard on both trims. Premium adds ventilation and a massage function on top.
Absolutely. It has the same seven seats, boot space, safety kit and tech as Premium. The main things you'd miss are the wipe-clean upholstery and the hands-free tailgate.
Both sit in the 10% BIK band for 2026/27. Comfort has a lower list price, so it will cost slightly less in company car tax each month.
Yes. We offer both trims on Business Contract Hire as well as Personal Contract Hire, and through salary sacrifice where your employer has a scheme.