UAE Mid-Size SUV Battle: Is the Geely Monjaro Really Worth the Extra AED 20,000 Over the MG HS?

Abu Dhabi: As the market starts to be driven by SUVs in overall new car sales, the mid-size SUV segment has quietly become one of the most competitive and interesting spaces overall. Buyers are moving predominantly from sedans to SUVs, and mostly Japanese and Korean ones were the obvious choices. The market seems to have changed rather visibly over the last few years, as Chinese brands are offering compelling choices that buyers are embracing in a big way.

The MG HS and Geely Monjaro are two very different choices for the same buyer profile, represented by well-established UAE dealer networks. The MG HS is available through Inter Emirates Motors, a brand with showrooms across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ajman, and Ras Al Khaimah. AGMC sells the Geely Monjaro through five showrooms located in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah. Both networks are accessible and active.

What makes this comparison worth your time is the price gap and what it actually represents. The MG HS starts at under AED 91,000. The Monjaro starts at around AED 112,000. That difference is real, and the question the headline asks is a fair one: Does the Monjaro deserve that extra price? Read on to find out.

Price Comparison 

Feature	MG HS	Geely Monjaro
Starting Price (AED)	90,900 (STD)	112,000 (GK 4WD)
Top Variant Price (AED)	107,000 (LUX 2WD)	127,900 (GF 4WD)
Lowest Monthly (AED)	From 1,287	From 1,585

The MG HS's four-variant spread gives proper flexibility between AED 90,900 and AED 107,500. There is a clear step-up logic at each price point. The Monjaro comes in only two variants, GK and GF, both with the same 2.0-liter engine and 4WD system. There is no lower-engine entry point. You pay for the 4WD and the larger engine regardless of which Monjaro you choose.

Note that the MG HS's base STD and the DEL Plus ADAS both use the smaller 1.5-liter engine at 170 hp, while the 2.0-liter, 227 hp engine is only available on the LUX 2WD at AED 107,500. So a fair comparison between the two cars on engine capability alone requires spending at least AED 107,500 on the MG and AED 112,000 on the Monjaro. The gap at that point drops to AED 5,000, and the Monjaro offers 4WD for that price, while the MG remains front-wheel drive.

Size That Matters 

Dimension	MG HS	Geely Monjaro
Length	4,630 mm	4,770 mm
Width	1,890 mm	1,895 mm
Height	NA	1,689 mm
Wheelbase	NA	2,845 mm
Ground Clearance	NA	210 mm
Boot Space	507 L	562 L (1,450 L folded)

Now, glancing at the numbers shows that the Monjaro is 140 mm longer, carries a larger fuel tank, and has a noticeably bigger boot. The 562-liter boot, expanding to 1,450 liters with the rear seats folded, is a practical advantage over the MG HS's 507 liters for families who pack seriously for road trips to Fujairah, weekend trips to Hatta, or airport runs with full luggage. The Monjaro's 210 mm ground clearance is competitive for urban driving and light off-road use, though both cars are primarily highway and city SUVs rather than desert machines.

The Monjaro's 2,845 mm wheelbase is a key number for rear-seat comfort. On a long drive from Dubai to Khor Fakkan, adults in the back of the Monjaro have noticeably more legroom than in the more compact MG HS.

Distinctive Exterior

The MG HS got a facelift in early 2026 and came out sharper for it. The revised front fascia, new LED projector headlights with sequential turn signals, and the X-Motion design language give it a sporty, modern look that stands out at an accessible price. The 19-inch diamond-cut Blade alloy wheels on higher trims add visual presence. It looks contemporary and confident on Sheikh Zayed Road or parked outside a Dubai Marina apartment building.

The Geely Monjaro is visually different, as it draws partial influence from Geely's ownership of Volvo and Lotus in terms of design restraint and material quality. The large Geely grille, full LED matrix headlights with adaptive technology, a gently sloping roofline that suggests a coupe without sacrificing cabin space, and the 20-inch diamond-cut alloys on the top trim give it a presence that reads genuinely premium rather than just well-equipped.

• MG HS: White, Black, Red, Silver, Grey, Blue
• Geely Monjaro: White, Green, Black, Silver, Grey, Grey Matt, Emerald

Cabin 

This is quite an interesting comparison where you find the real difference between them, even though both are of Chinese origin.

Feature	MG HS	Geely Monjaro
Main Infotainment	12.3-inch dual screen (all trims)	14.1-inch touchscreen (all trims)
Co-Pilot Screen	No	12.3 inch (all trims)
Digital Cluster	12.3-inch TFT	Integrated digital
Head-Up Display	No	Yes (all trims)
Audio System	Standard	Bose audio (all trims)
Seat Ventilation	No	Yes
Seat Heating	LUX only (front seats)	Not confirmed
Memory Seats	LUX only (driver)	Yes, driver (all trims)
Wireless Charging	LUX only	Yes (all trims)
Panoramic Sunroof	No	Yes (all trims)
Ambient Lighting	No	Yes (all trims)
Blind Spot Warning	LUX only	GF only
Lane Departure Warning	No	Yes (all trims)
Power Boot	LUX only	Yes (all trims)
Apple CarPlay	Yes (all trims)	Yes (all trims)

The table tells a clear story. The Monjaro GK at AED 112,000 includes a 14.1-inch touchscreen, a 12.3-inch co-pilot passenger screen, a panoramic sunroof, Bose audio, ventilated seats, and a 540-degree camera. All of these are standard. The MG HS LUX 2WD at AED 107,500 still has no panoramic sunroof and no ambient lighting.

The Monjaro's triple-screen setup needs special mention. The combination of the 14.1-inch main display, the 12.3-inch co-pilot screen, and the digital instrument cluster creates a cabin experience that feels several segments above the Monjaro's price. The co-pilot screen is particularly unusual; it gives front passengers their own independent display for navigation, music, or information without interrupting the driver's view. It is a feature you find in cars costing AED 200,000 and above from European brands.

One thing the MG HS does well that the Monjaro does not clearly match at the same trim level: front seat heating arrives on the LUX 2WD. The Monjaro's seat heating status is not fully confirmed across its trims, which is a gap worth clarifying with the AGMC showroom before purchase.

Powertrain

Spec	MG HS	Geely Monjaro
Engine Options	1.5L Turbo / 2.0L Turbo	2.0L Turbo (Volvo co-developed)
Power	170 hp (1.5L) / 227 hp (2.0L)	238 hp (all trims)
Torque	275 Nm (1.5L) / 370 Nm (2.0L)	350 Nm (all trims)
Transmission	CVT (1.5L) / 6-speed DCT (2.0L)	8-speed Automatic
Drive Type	FWD (all variants)	4WD (all variants)

The Monjaro's 2.0-liter engine was co-developed with Volvo, and that provenance matters in a practical sense. The calibration, refinement level, and thermal management of the engine reflect a level of engineering input that goes beyond what a standalone Chinese powertrain typically delivers. At 238 hp paired with an 8-speed automatic, the Monjaro's highway performance is composed and confident.

The MG HS 2.0L at 227 hp and 370 Nm slightly edges the Monjaro on torque, and the 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox is fast in Sport mode. The front-wheel-drive limitation is relevant on wet UAE winter roads or sandy approach tracks, where the Monjaro's 4WD system provides genuine traction confidence that the MG simply cannot match.

For a daily Dubai commuter who never leaves the tarmac, the FWD MG HS LUX at AED 107,500 promises strong performance. If you want weekend flexibility, take the family toward Hatta, or simply value the security of 4WD on slippery roads, the Monjaro clearly justifies its existence.

Safety

MG HS	Geely Monjaro	Geely Monjaro
Airbags	Driver and passenger (STD) / Full set with curtain (LUX)	6 airbags, front, side, and curtain (all trims)
AEB	No (all variants)	Yes (all trims)
Adaptive Cruise	DEL Plus ADAS only	Yes (all trims)
Lane Departure Warning	DEL Plus ADAS only	Yes (all trims)
Blind Spot Warning	LUX only	GF only
360 Camera	LUX only	Yes, 540 degrees (all trims)
Rear Cross Traffic Alert	LUX only	GF only
Hill Start Assist	Yes (all variants)	Yes (all trims)
TPMS	Yes (all variants)	Yes (all trims)

The MG HS's safety features are spread across trims and may confuse some buyers; lane departure warning and adaptive cruise are available on the DEL Plus ADAS at AED 99,900, but then disappear on the LUX 2WD at AED 107,500, where blind spot warning and the 360-degree camera replace them. You cannot get lane departure warning and blind spot warning together on the MG HS without reading the spec sheet carefully. This is not a small point for a family car.

The Monjaro GK gives you AEB, adaptive cruise, lane departure warning, and the 540-degree camera system from the base trim. AEB alone on a family car at AED 112,000 is a baseline expectation that the MG HS does not meet in any variant. That is worth considering before making a final decision.

The Verdict

Now going back to the headline where we asked whether the extra AED 20,000 is deserved, the clear answer is that it depends on which MG HS you are actually comparing.

If you compare the Monjaro GK at AED 112,000 against the MG HS STD at AED 90,900, the gap is large, and the Monjaro scores well and wins hands down on almost every metric. If you compare it against the MG HS LUX 2WD at AED 107,500, the gap closes to AED 5,000, and the Monjaro still seems to be the better deal owing to 4WD, AEB, lane departure warning, a panoramic sunroof, a co-pilot screen, and Bose audio.

However, the MG HS is still a truly capable, well-packaged mid-size SUV and remains one of the most popular in the UAE for good reason. Yet, in a straight head-to-head comparison at equivalent spend, the Geely Monjaro is the more complete car. The extra AED 20,000 over the MG HS base price is not a premium for the brand, but for the overall product, tech, and features, and in this case, it certainly earns it.

Also Read: Best SUVs Under AED 100,000 in the UAE 2026