Road tested by Hugh Maguire.
MG keep producing pretty good cars that buyers like. They are generally competitively priced, offer a reasonable amount of standard kit and come with decent 7-year warranties. So it is with their latest self charging hybrid the MG ZS.
Before we continue I must say I believe the way forward is with cars such as this, the self charging hybrid.
They offer all the range you need with the ability to refuel the petrol tank as usual but with the added benefit of emission free driving for a considerable amount of your journey particularly if in town or city. With no plugging in they are very convenient too. Its been well established now that many owners of plug-in-hybrids benefit from the lower VRT and lower road tax but actually don’t bother plugging in as often as they should. Therefore they are driving around with a heavy battery and electric motor that they don’t use adding to weight, increasing their fuel consumption and therefore emissions.
EU legislators have realised this and there is talk of categorising the PHEV in higher WLTP rating resulting in higher VRT and road tax here. The goal they have is to push people further into just going EV. But wait because there is a bit of a revival of the hybrid going on as more and more manufacturers see lacklustre EV sales hurting their bottom line with more investment pointed towards petrol powered hybrids like the MG ZS on test here.
So how does it look?
It won’t win any awards for individuality or distinctiveness but its a nice looking car nonetheless. There are some nice touches such as the two tone alloy wheels and chrome waistline trim that add a touch glamour.
What is it like inside?
The cabin looks and feels well thought out. I particularly like the way the central touch screen is nicely integrated into the line of the dashboard unlike many who place it perched on top in isolation almost as an afterthought in the design process. Graphics are clear and easy to use and the menus intuitive to navigate. There are a row of physical shortcut buttons below the main screen so top marks to MG here.
The configurable drivers display is equally good and presents the driver information well if a bit fussy in layout. I was not a fan of the buttons on the steering wheel which serve in some cases multiple purposes therefore getting what you want from the button was sometimes annoying.
Particularly nice details include the funky designed gear selector and the square shaped silver start stop button. The seating is upholstered in faux leather and again looks and feels good. Overall then the designers seem to have been a bit more brave with the interior than the exterior. Standard kit is good too but three notable absences are wireless charging, and wireless Apple Car Play, as well as no reach adjustment for the steering wheel. You do get heated front seats, electric drivers seat and all the usual ADAS safety kit some of which is the annoying bongs should you creep over the speed limit but happily they had no eye reference monitor so its reasonably peaceful on board.
Accommodation is very good with lots of headroom both front and rear and decent legroom in the back too. The boot is a good size and has an under floor tray for smaller items.
What is under the bonnet?
A 1.5 litre petrol engine mated to a 100kW electric motor and a battery which is charged via the engine and regenerative barking. Total power output is 196 bhp while that power goes to the front wheels via a rather laggy 3 speed auto. Performance is surprisingly brisk and it returned an average fuel consumption of 5.8 litres per 100km. It runs in electric mode way more than I expected so thats worth noting.
What is it like to drive?
Adequately best describes the MG ZS. The suspension set up is geared towards comfort resulting in a little less damping than I would like. It handles reasonably well as long as you don’t demand anything but leisurely progress. But its not an involving or rewarding drive really. There is also quite a lot of intrusive road noise.
Hugh’s Verdict.
From the outside its a bit anonymous, but inside its very nicely finished and thats where you will spend your time. With plenty of standard kit and a long 7 year warranty I can see it appealing to buyers who want a practical mode of transport that runs on electric power only for quite a bit of the journey. Prices start at €28,995.