MG Car Club
The New MG ZS
The new MG Compact SUV, the MG ZS, hit the dealers’ showroom on November 1. Described by MG as the next chapter in its history, by the end of 2018 MG expects its sales to double, due to the quality, an ultra-low starting price of £12,495 which undercuts its rivals by a couple of thousand pounds and a full manufacturer-backed seven-year/80,000 mile warranty.
Like the larger MG SUV, the GS, the ZS is available in three trims: Explore, Excite and Exclusive, with the Explore available in a manual 105bhp four-cylinder 1.5-litre, and the Excite and Exclusive available with the manual, 105bhp four-cylinder 1.5-litre or a six-speed automatic 109bhp turbocharged three-cylinder 1.0-litre.
Four members of Kimber House recently got to experience the MG ZS first-hand. Here are their thoughts on MG’s latest offering.
Jeff Ruggles: The crossover market remains the hottest sector for new vehicles, so as much as I’d like to see a new octagon-badged sports car, the launch of the new MG ZS compact SUV model makes a lot of sense for a company with ambitions to double its UK sales. Standing out in such a competitive arena isn’t easy though, so MG has responded with very keen pricing and a strong seven-year warranty. The styling appears to be built upon a combination of cues and details lifted from market rivals, but I’m probably being a little unfair in such a judgement as the overall effect is pleasing and the new grille with its large MG badge certainly looks the part.
Inside, there are plenty of neat details and the eight-inch touchscreen with satnav is impressive. The quality of the steering wheel and switchgear is definitely up a few notches compared to previous models, and though some of the plastics on show don’t live up to the soft-touch upper dashboard, it must be remembered that the ZS is a good few grand cheaper than its rivals.
Six months of development work for the UK has endowed the ZS with a comfortable ride, and the handling is more than adequate. The 1.5-litre engine option with its manual gearbox is fine in most situations, but is found wanting when swift progress is required. The 1.0-litre turbo with its six-speed automatic transmission has a similar power output and is actually slower on the 0-60mph sprint, but this is a bit misleading as it’s much livelier when it comes to mid-range punch and overtaking. I can’t help but feel a manual ‘box on the little three-pot engine would be the best combination, assuming a bigger-capacity turbocharged motor isn’t made available in future.
That said, it’s still a very promising start for the ZS. There is plenty of space on offer, the new colours look superb and the long manufacturer-backed warranty shows that MG is very confident about its new car. The ZS is already attracting a lot of attention and could very well be the car that tempts a healthy number of people away from mainstream brands and into an MG.
Colin Grant: On first seeing the new MG ZS I was immediately impressed by its stylish looks and finish. Looking inside, it was like Dr Who’s Tardis with 448 litres of space with the rear seats in place, rising to 1375 litres with them down, so there’s plenty of room for an average family. There’s also the handy presence of a dual-height boot floor, plus the usual 60:40 split-folding rear seats. Sitting in the car there is oodles of leg and headroom, not only in the front but in the back as well.
I was impressed with the amount of storage space which is generous all round, plus there are some neat slots in between the front seats for storing parking tickets and other receipts. I liked the interior which is well appointed with the use of soft touch material on the dash and door trims. The Exclusive model I drove had an eight-inch colour touch screen which I found logical and easy to use. The reversing camera worked well, and not having had a car with such an option I soon mastered it and found it a breeze to use.
With two engines on offer I tried the 105bhp 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol motor first. First impressions were good, with the engine pulling away quite briskly from the standstill, but once out on the road I found it lacking when needing power quickly for overtaking slower vehicles. But driving round the country lanes of Northamptonshire the motor responded perfectly and became a joy to drive with the five-speed manual transmission slick and easy to use. The power-assisted steering has three options, Urban, Normal, and Dynamic.
I chose Dynamic as it gave me the feel of my existing MGTF, but Urban is no doubt ideal for town driving, giving a much lighter feel, with Normal no doubt being the standard setting for most people. Handling was also impressive with barely any body roll, although I didn’t take it to its limits. Braking was excellent, as you would expect on a modern car, with no heart-stopping moments when having to brake in a hurry. Overall, very impressed.
My next drive was the 1.0 litre turbo six-speed automatic. Now I have never liked autos, but I liked this one. The power delivery was excellent with the auto transmission almost seamless, a total joy to drive. Pop it in sport mode and I became a boy racer again, using the manual gear changes to the full. The extra power delivery from the turbo made the dual carriageway driving of our test route very relaxing, with plenty of power for overtaking.
Which car would I choose? The automatic every time; it just did it for me and I would have no hesitation in placing an order for one when we next change our existing saloon car.
Andy Knott: After previewing a Chinese version of the ZS at the London Motor Show back in in May this year, I’ve been awaiting the launch of the UK-specification Compact SUV with anticipation. My wife currently drives a four-year-old MG3, which although it has been totally reliable, is now getting a bit small for our two growing boys and all the paraphernalia we need to cart round to the various Clubs and groups they attend. I was hoping the UK ZS would live up to the hype that was shown at the London Motor Show, as it could be an ideal replacement for the MG3.
On seeing the UK spec ZS my initial impression was that it looked good, although the exterior styling is fairly generic for today. The Longbridge design team have managed to add some very neat styling cues, such as the tilting boot badge that opens the class-leading 448 litre boot. The lack of a separate boot release keeps the exterior rear looking clean and uncluttered. The front sports a new family face for MG, with a large full frame grille allowing the large octagonal MG badge to take centre stage.
The interior of the Exclusive models we experienced were very stylish, from the soft-touch dashboard to the 8” touchscreen which features Apple CarPlay, ideal for the iPhone user. The leather-style seats offered plenty of support and when sat in a comfortable driving position for my 6ft frame allowed plenty of leg room for the rear passengers. Headroom both in the front and rear was also more than ample. Driving the 1.0 turbo automatic first I was apprehensive as to what the driving experience, or more precisely the power delivery, would be like. I was pleasantly surprised.
The eagerness of the three-cylinder engine with a turbo belied the performance figures quoted by MG, mated to the six-speed dual clutch gearbox I found the ZS a capable cruising car on the motorways as well as having the power to pull up hills or out of sharp bends whilst out in more rural areas. The dual clutch automatic gearchange was very smooth and eager to change down if accelerating hard, the three-cylinder making a distinctive, but not unpleasant sound as the revs rose to the red line.
Knock the gearstick to the right and you engage sports mode, the car changes down, you then have the option of changing gear by knocking the stick forward to change up and back for down. I found the road noise a little loud at speed. The car we had was fitted with 17” alloys shod with the 215/50 rubber; the ride was competent but I found it a bit harsh when travelling along the not-so-well-maintained rural roads of Northamptonshire. Back on the motorway it was very surefooted. The power delivery of the 1.5 VTi-tech manual ZS felt as expected, coming from an MG3 with a virtually identical power unit, the performance felt adequate with a 0-60mph time of 10.4 and 141Nm of torque for the compact SUV. For me, though, the 1.0 GDI turbo was the engine of choice in the ZS.
Adam Sloman: Having already bought a MK2 MG6 and an MG GS, I’m the least likely of the Kimber House staff to be in the market for a new car; however it’s always fascinating to see how MG’s products continue to evolve. I saw a Chinese-market MG ZS at the Shanghai Auto Show in April and found myself impressed with the design, the cabin layout and the sheer amount of space inside the car.
While it’s great to sit on a motor show stand with a gleaming, carefully prepared car, it’s another thing entirely to try a car in a real-world setting. Thankfully, the ZS delivers the same sort of ‘wow’ factor on a cold, grey morning in Northamptonshire as it did in Shanghai!
The fit and finish of the car is excellent, with the doors and boot shutting with a reassuring ‘thunk’, while the cabin layout is smart, simple and intuitive. Each new MG seems to benefit from another leap in quality and the ZS is no different. Comparing it directly to my wife’s GS, the interior has been decluttered, with a distinct Volkswagen feeling to the buttons and their positioning. The large 8” touchscreen is great, with a big, clear display and, importantly, the satnav is easy to use.
My first on-the-road experience was behind the wheel of the three-cylinder, 1.0 Turbo with six-speed auto. I’m not a huge fan of automatic ‘boxes, so was initially disappointed not to be in the manual; however my disappointment quickly faded once I was out in the car. The little three-pot is a genuinely engaging car to drive, it packs an impressive punch, no doubt helped by the turbo, and the sound of the three-cylinder engine gives the ZS some real character.
The 1.5 manual was a less impressive experience – as others have already said, it feels nigh-on identical to the MG3, albeit the 1.5 here is charged with moving a larger, heavier car, so some performance trade-offs are to be expected. That said, if you prefer to do your gearchanges yourself, the MG ZS manual offers a decent drive and anyone looking to trade up from the MG3 will be immediately at home.
With such a low starting price, good spec levels and strong warranty it’s difficult not to give the ZS serious consideration.
