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One of the latest SUVs to enter the market, is the MG ZS any good? finds out

The MG ZS is the Chineseowned, British manufacturer’s new compact SUV. It slots in between the MG3 hatchback and MG GS SUV, and the company’s billing it as its ‘greatest car yet’. With the compact SUV market so strong these days, MG are aiming to make the ZS stand out with a low price and seven-year manufacturer warranty. Aside from the ZS nameplate – previously attached to a highperformance, Rover 45-based saloon – the compact SUV is an almost totally new car in the MG line-up. It introduces a new design language for the brand, showcasing a much larger grille and more angular styling cues compared to its GS and MG3 stablemates. Two petrol engines and gearboxes are available for the compact SUV; there’s a new 1.0-litre motor, available with a six-speed automatic, and MG’s own 1.5-litre naturally aspirated unit, which is paired to a five-speed manual. We spent most of our driving with the 1.5-litre engine. It develops 105bhp and 141Nm of torque, taking the ZS from 0-60mph in 10.4 seconds with a top speed of 109mph. Fuel economy is a claimed 49.6mpg with CO2 emissions of 129g/km. In urban driving, the MG ZS offers a perfectly fine experience. A high seating position, good all-round visibility, soft suspension and parking sensors – coupled with a camera on higher-spec models – make city driving easy and stress-free. MG also makes a big deal of the car’s three steering modes – urban, normal and dynamic. To me the differences are noticeable but not worlds apart, and will likely be an untouched feature after a while of ownership. The interior of the ZS looks quite impressive, offering a visual design of something in a much higher price bracket. To touch though, it’s not quite so good. It’d be hard to expect anything more at the ZS price-point, but it makes it hard to justify the savings over its rivals, if cost isn’t your priority. It’s certainly a practical car, offering 448 litres of boot space with all seats in place. Compared with 354 litres in the Juke, 346 litres in the Ford EcoSport and 350 litres in the Mazda CX-3, the ZS offers classleading space. Considering the low price, the MG ZS is fairly generously equipped. Standard equipment on all models includes LED daytime running lights, Bluetooth connectivity and cruise control. We tested the Excite model, which included 17-inch wheels, air-conditioning, ‘designer’ fabric seats and parking sensors, coming in at a price of £13,995. The top of the range Exclusive models offer an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system that includes Apple CarPlay, satellite navigation and a reverse parking camera, starting at £17,495.