MG’S BARGAIN SUV
ANeW mG has hit the road. But if you were expecting a sprightly British sports car, you might be disappointed. It’s actually a budget SUV called the mG ZS. And it’s a far cry from those modestly priced vintage sports cars — the mGB, mG midget (one of which I owned) and the earlier mGA. But with the ZS, a low-priced challenger in the increasingly competitive crossover market, mG aims to more than double UK sales to around 10,000 vehicles a year.
mG began life as morris Garages in oxford in 1924, but for the past few years has been under Chinese ownership, after the firm went bust under the ‘Phoenix Four’ led by John Towers.
Today, mG motor UK is owned by SAIC, the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, and keeps a toe-hold at the former giant rover plant at Longbridge, Birmingham. It’s steadily on the long march back to UK showrooms and the handsome, if not revolutionary, ZS is a step in the right direction.
It’s keenly priced — from £12,495 for the entry level explore — in a bid to undercut established rivals such as the Nissan Juke and renault Captur.
The biggest seller is expected to be the exclusive model priced from £15,495. The middling excite trim level costs from £13,995, while the range-topping exclusive auto costs £17,495.
There are two engine options: a frugal 1-litre, three-cylinder petrol version that’s linked to a six-speed automatic gearbox, developing 109bhp and returning 44.9mpg, and a cheaper 1.5 litre, four-cylinder petrol with a five-speed manual gearbox.
A seven-year 80,000-mile warranty offers peace of mind, while the 448-litre split-level boot expands to 1,375 litres with the three rear seats folded down.