IT LOOKS GOOD ON PAPER

The name is synonymous with British twoseater sports cars but the current incarnation of MG is more about mainstream Chinesedesigned SUVs and hatchbacks. When the MG Rover Group went into receivership in 2005, Chinese giant SAIC bought the assets. It began making cars in China in 2007 and the first allnew model from the UK arrived in 2011. The MG ZS we’re driving is a city-focused baby SUV that competes with the Mazda CX-3, Mitsubishi ASX and Subaru XV. Prices start from $25,990 drive-away. For that money you get the topspec Essence with all the goodies. The ZS is one of the more convincing vehicles from the Chinese car industry, which in the past has been dogged by poor safety, old engine technology and less than ideal quality. The exterior design is conservative but modernlooking and the cabin appears well screwed together. There are plenty of hard plastic surfaces below eye level, but the armrests are padded and the imitation leather seats are comfortable, while the flat-bottomed steering is a nice nod to the brand’s sporting past. The larger GS SUV was the first Chinese model to earn a five-star crash rating from ANCAP but the ZS didn’t follow suit, achieving four stars due to a less than stellar result in the frontal crash test. ANCAP found that protection of the lower legs was marginal and the passenger airbag didn’t deploy sufficiently. Autonomous emergency braking, standard fare on most new cars these days, is missing. The ZS is also a step behind in engine technology. The 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo is down on power and torque compared with rivals and there’s also a noticeable lag before the turbo spools up. It’s also thirsty in this class. The fuel use label says 8.4L/100km, compared with 6.1L/100km for the more powerful CX-3. The ZS line-up starts at an eye-catching $22,990 drive-away for the Excite grade, which gets smartphone mirroring, cruise control, reversing camera and rear parking sensors. It’s powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder that puts out less power and torque than the turbo triple and is matched to a four-speed auto when most rivals have six speeds. It’s thirstier too, using 9.1L/100km. Spend an extra $3000 on the Essence and it gives you a panoramic sunroof, the punchier, more efficient engine and sixspeed auto. Toss in a seven-year warranty and it all looks pretty good on paper. The ZS is no pacesetter but it feels suitably solid and predictable on the road. The three- cylinder is lively enough when you’re on the move and the six-speed shifts smoothly. The suspension is not as well sorted as the class leaders, though, and it will skip over