MG ZS Australia

MG ZS Australia

FROM
$22,990

The MG ZS has been a huge success story for the Chinese-owned British brand in Australia. Since arriving locally in late 2017, it has forged a place for itself on the sales charts among some very impressive big-name rivals. But perhaps more importantly, the MG ZS is now a household name, thanks in no small part to its attractive looks, clever interior packaging and strong ownership program. And there’s also its incredibly sharp pricing, which starts at $22,990 for the entry-level ZS Excite. The line-up tops out at $36,990 for the ZS Essence Hybrid+.

7.1L/100km (combined)
SUV
4 Speed Automatic
Unleaded Petrol
Rating Summary
Price and features
9
Practicality
9
Driving
6
Safety
8
Overview
Likes
Great value
Spacious with good storage
10-year warranty
Dislikes
Underpowered engine
Not the most fuel efficient engine in the range
Sunroof means cabin heats up fast in summer

MG ZS Interior

The MG ZS’ interior is reassuringly normal and easy.

An attractive and contemporary dashboard greets you, dominated by a centre display, ushering in a good mix of physical buttons and touchscreen access.

The front seats are soft yet supportive, and stay that way for hours.

A chunky flat-bottom steering wheel gives off very BMW vibes, as do the electronic instrumentation.

Note that while the ZS offers a good driving position, there is no reach adjustment for the steering wheel, nor any sort of head-up display. On the other hand, you’ll experience ventilation, sufficient if not great storage, OK all-round vision and quite premium finishes in the Essence.

The MG’s back-seat area is a bit disappointing. Yes, it is adequately roomy and comfy, but the seats aren’t as sumptuous as the front ones; there is no centre armrest, nor cupholders or overhead lighting, and just a single USB port for kids to fight over.

MG ZS Colours

The MG ZS is available in Sloane Silver, Dover White, Lunar Grey Metallic, Emerald Green Metallic, Brighton Blue Metallic, Diamond Red Metallic and Black Pearl Metallic.

Black Pearl Metallic
Brighton Blue Metallic
Diamond Red Metallic
Dover White
Emerald Green Metallic
Lunar Grey Metallic
Sloane Silver

MG ZS Accessories

The base MG ZS Excite comes equipped with a long list of advanced driver-assist safety systems (ADAS), as well as six airbags, cloth seats, a reverse camera, digital instrumentation, DAB+ digital radio, satellite navigation, adaptive cruise control, a central touchscreen, wired-only Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and alloy wheels and alarm.

The Essence scores LED instead of halogen headlights, keyless entry/start, a panoramic sunroof, rear-seat air vents, PVC artificial leather seat material, electric and heated driver’s seats, a 360-degree view camera, a 12.3-inch (not 10.5-inch) touchscreen, ambient lighting luggage cover and roof rails.

MG ZS FAQs

What are the pros and cons of a 2018 MG ZS?

ZS pros include cheap pricing, an easy driving experience and a comparatively spacious interior compared to other direct rivals like a Mazda CX-3. The dash is pleasant, there is a decent amount of equipment and the controls are all simple to use. It should also be fairly inexpensive to run and service, though earlier ZSs like yours require six-monthly rather than 12-monthly service intervals.

There are two engine options - a 1.5-litre four-cylinder model with a four-speed auto on the base Excite, or a 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder version on higher-specification Excite Plus and Essence grades with a six-speed auto. Note that the latter powertrain is more expensive to service.

Plus, there's still a fair chunk of the manufacturer's warranty left, which is seven years, while capped-price servicing is also offered.

But the ZS does not offer AEB Autonomous Emergency Braking, so only rates a four-star ANCAP crash-test rating.

Additionally, the ZS's suspension is on the firm side in terms of dealing with road bumps, which might upset some occupants, yet there is not much of the 'fun factor' in regards to steering and handling finesse that rivals like the CX-3, Suzuki Vitara, Honda HR-V, Hyundai Venue, Holden Trax, Ford EcoSport and Hyundai Kona offer in spades.

We've also heard complaints about the interior's perceived quality being sub-par, cabin storage isn't generous and Android Auto isn't supported (though Apple CarPlay is).

Finally, the ZS' resale value trails all of the aforementioned competitors by a significant margin, meaning it's on track to be worth less when the time comes to on-sell it.

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What electric car should I buy?

We can understand your feelings about the centrally-mounted screen in the Tesla, though you do get used to it surprisingly quickly.

As for the other models you’ve mentioned, we’ve had to get the crystal ball out to attempt to answer you!

The Polestar 2 will be on sale by the end of 2020, if all goes to plan. The company will be pushing hard to make that happen. 

The VW ID3 is likely not going to be here until 2021, likely the mid or latter part of that year. It certainly has a lot of potential, and with pricing set to start below $50,000, it could well be The People’s (Electric) Car. 

There are other options coming, though it depends on your diary and your budget.

You could consider the Tesla Model S, which may have been around for a while, but that also means it has a more traceable reliability history. It has a digital instrument cluster in the regular spot as well.

Have you looked at the Jaguar i-Pace? It has a claimed range of 470 kilometres, though it is on the pricey side of the equation, starting from about $125,000.

Indeed, a high price tag is a common theme among those EVs with big battery capacity and expansive driving range, because you’re basically covering the cost of the batteries with your money.

For instance, there’s the Audi e-tron quattro, which is due here in early 2020. That model will have a range of “more than 400 kilometres”, and - we suspect - a price tag above $120,000. 

The Mercedes EQC is about to go on sale, too. Range for that mid-size SUV is pegged at about 450 kilometres, but again, you can expect a high price tag.

If 2021 isn’t too long to wait, there’s the Volvo XC40 Recharge coming then. Based on our previous experience with Volvo XC40s, it’ll be a great small SUV, with predicted range of 400km - though we think that’s understating it, because it has a 78kWh battery pack, and it has AWD too.

At the more affordable end - though admittedly still not quite meeting your expectations for range - there’s the very impressive Hyundai Kona Electric, which has a WLTP range of 449km, and a price tag of around $65k. It isn’t all-wheel drive though.

And MG is about to launch a real upstart in the segment, with the ZS EV hitting showrooms soon for $46,990 drive-away, albeit with a range of 262km. It’s also FWD only. 

The Mini Cooper SE will also arrive in mid-2020, with pricing set to be less than $60k. But again, a range of 270km will likely rule it out for your needs, and its 2WD as well.

Another new small EV due next year is the Mazda MX-30. Pricing is still to be confirmed, and range isn’t great at about 300km. It’s FWD too. 

In short, at this point in time - and out towards the end of 2020 - it looks like you’ll either need to spend a big amount of money on a premium EV to get the best range possible, or you’ll have to get used to the Model 3’s screen. You could always get an aftermarket head-up display fitted…

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What tyres should be on my MG ZS?

They shouldn’t be very old, but it depends on the stock being held by the carmaker and the tyre company that supplies their tyres.

I would suggest you check the tyres on other MGs and see if they are the same as yours. From your question I guess you believe the dealer has switched tyres on your car while it was in for service. If you do then perhaps the best thing is to confront the dealer about it.

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Disclaimer: You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice. CarsGuide is not liable for the accuracy of any information provided in the answers.

MG ZS Boot Space

Large and easy to access, the MG ZS hybrid’s cargo capacity matches the non-hybrid versions with a very handy 443 litres available with the backrest in place, and opens up to 1457L, beating some other similarly-sized and priced hybrids. There is also some additional storage under the flat floor.

However, there is no spare wheel of any sort in the hybrid versions, just a tyre repair kit, which is inadequate for Australia.

MG ZS boot space

MG ZS Engine

The MG ZS Excite and Essence are powered by an 81kW/150Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, driving the front wheels via an eight-speed CVT automatic gearbox.

The MG ZS Essence Turbo ups the ante with a 125kW/275Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine, driving the front wheels via a CVT automatic gearbox.

The MG ZS Hybrid+ pairs a 75kW/128Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a 100kW/250Nm electric motor, for a combined 158kW and 465Nm, to drive the front wheels via a three-speed hybrid automatic transmission.

MG ZS Range

The MG ZS Excite and Essence average 6.7L/100km on the combined cycle, for a carbon-dioxide emissions rating of 157g/km. With their 55L tank running on the recommended 91 RON standard unleaded petrol, that should mean an average theoretical range of over 820km.

The more-powerful MG ZS Essence Turbo averages 6.9L/100km on the combined cycle, for a carbon-dioxide emissions rating of 161g/km. With its 55L tank running on the recommended 95 RON premium unleaded petrol, that should mean an average theoretical range of over 795km.

The MG ZS Hybrid+ averages 4.7L/100km on the combined cycle, for a carbon-dioxide emissions rating of 110g/km. With its 55L tank running on the recommended 95 RON premium unleaded petrol, that should mean an average theoretical range of over 1170km.

MG ZS Seats

The MG ZS has a front pair of bolstered and very comfortable front seats, aided by a helpful lumbar support, and these are powered and electrically adjustable. Cloth seats feature in the entry Excite while the Essence has PVC artificial leather.

The rear seats are split 60:40, are fixed, but lack a centre armrest with cupholders. They offer adequate comfort and support.

MG ZS Speed

The MG ZS petrol can accelerate from zero to 100km/h (0-100km/h) in about 13 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 167km/h.

Meanwhile, the MG ZS Turbo can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 8.7 seconds, on the way to a top speed of about 175km/h.

The MG ZS hybrid can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 8.1 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 175km/h.