MG ZS News

The car landscape has dramatically changed in the past 10 years, with new brands entering the fray and dynamic market conditions shifting buyer wants.Data from 2016 shows how different the cars were captivating the attention of Aussies only a decade ago.The Toyota HiLux led the way, and the Ford Ranger was not far behind, but there was a theme of hatchbacks dominating the other top places. The Toyota Corolla took out second place, while the Hyundai i30 was in third and the Mazda3 sat in fifth. Toyota continued to feature down the list with the Camry sedan, followed by the Australian built Holden Commodore. Further down list, the SUV revolution can be seen to take shape in Australia, starting with the Mazda CX-5. After the Mitsubishi Triton ute in ninth place, there were three SUVs in the Hyundai Tucson, Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-3.The best-selling brands in 2016 has changed a lot compared to today. Toyota is still parked up at the top of the charts, but several big names have now been replaced by Chinese carmakers.Mazda and Hyundai occupied second and third, while Holden secured fourth. The Japanese duo of Mitsubishi and Nissan followed next, with Volkswagen being the only European brand in the top 10 after that. Subaru came ninth in the standings, with Kia finishing in 10th, highlighting the brand’s rapid development in Australia. Top selling cars 2016 Top selling brands 2016 In 2021, there were clear changes to the market, but also some consistent themes.The HiLux and Ranger duopoly was in full swing at the top of the standings, with Toyota’s ute still edging Ford’s.Third position showed SUVs were taking over as the RAV4 picked up a huge chunk of sales.There were still examples of a past market, with the i30 and the Toyota Corolla hatches sandwiching the D-Max ute.Further down, SUVs increase their presence further, with the Mazda CX-5, Toyota Prado and MG ZS all making up the top 10, along with the Triton ute. Pure internal combustion power remained a dominant player, with best-sellers such as the RAV4 and Corolla still yet to make its full hybrid transition. Top selling cars 2021 Toyota was still on top as a brand in Australia, while Mazda and Hyundai continued their holding in the top three. Ford was hot on the heels of Hyundai, followed by Kia which had surged up the sales charts in five years to claim a spot in the top five. Mitsubishi and Nissan still occupied high places in the standings as did Volkswagen. The big shift was the appearance of the only Chinese brand in the top 10, in MG. This foreshadowed what we see today where BYD is fast approaching a potential top-two finish in Australia.Subaru picked up a 10th place finish. Top selling brands 2021 Fast forward to 2026, and only three top 10 sellers from 2016 remain. The Ranger and HiLux continue their battle at the top of the standings, but they are in decline.Some unfamiliar names a few years ago are emerging as top choices for Aussie motorists.The Chery Tiggo 4 small SUV has emerged as the best-selling SUV in 2026 to date.Hyundai's Kona is next on the list followed by the D-Max Ute.Mitsubishi's Outlander large SUV is sitting sixth, while the long-awaited launch of the new Toyota RAV4 has resulted in a burst of sales for the popular family car.The Mazda CX-5 remains a regular feature at the top of the sales charts, with GWM's Haval Jolion sitting in ninth currently.Rounding out the top 10 is Ford Everest.This data only represents the first four months of the year, but it does show the general trends of where the market is headed.Top selling cars 2026 (up to April)Top selling brands 2026 (up to April)There are no surprises in the top four best-selling brands so far, with Toyota out in front, followed by Mazda, Kia and Ford.A monster month from BYD has pushed the Chinese giant brand into fifth, overtaking Hyundai. This is despite the brand not having a single car in the top 10 best sellers.The final four highlight the success of Chinese brands in Australia as GWM, Chery and MG are all present, along with Mitsubishi.Former mainstays Nissan, Subaru and Volkswagen are gone, and Holden has closed up shop completely.

MG is on the verge of its line-up almost doubling in the UK and Europe, which could be good news for the brand’s local variety.According to reports, MG plans to take its offerings from 10 models to 18 in the region soon, which also leaves the door open for new models from its quirky sub-brands. CEO of MG Motor UK & Europe William Wang told Automotive News Europe the plan to expand its line-up includes a large plug-in hybrid SUV and an “electric four-meter-long small car” which will reportedly rival the BYD Dolphin.In Australia, MG currently sells the HS, ZS, QS, and MG 5S SUVs, plus the MG3, MG4, MG5 and MG7 along with the sporty Cyberster and the IM5 and IM6 from its sub-brand, IM.If MG is to expand its Euro line-up to around 18 models as the report suggests, this could see six new models land here if they are to be built in right-hand drive.One of these is the locked-in MG S6 EV, set to join the smaller S5 EV which has already arrived.Similarly styled but closer in size to a mid-size SUV like the Tesla Model Y, the electric SUV could significantly undercut the popular American EV.Also just-spotted in China is an SUV spin-off of the upcoming MG4 Urban as a potential price-leading EV SUV to replace the position once held by the MG ZS EV in the brand's line-up.The IM luxury sub-brand which already has two cars here could expand into the SUV space, too, with the 2026 MG IM LS9 having been detailed for the brand’s home market earlier this year.The IM LS9 is a huge Volvo XC90 or BMW X7-sized SUV with luxury appointments and sleek styling, though unlike some of the other models here, it’s not locked-in for Australia just yet.Further down the track, a boxy off-road-style SUV could make the 2025 MG Cyber X concept a reality, something of a Land Rover Defender rival but at a likely lower price point.The Cyber X was revealed last year at the Shanghai Motor Show, and is expected to be part of an expanded range of models under an emerging Cyber sub-brand which kicked off with the Cyberster electric roadster in Australia last year.

What is the cheapest new small SUV in Australia? We know, but you should, too, if you’re looking for a little SUV that won’t cost you big dollars.By small, we mean a step up from the very tiny light SUVs such as a Hyundai Venue but not as big as a mid-sized SUV like a Toyota RAV 4.So without any more delay, these are the top 3 most affordable small SUVs in Australia right now.The Chery Tiggo 4 is the most affordable small SUV in Australia at the time of publishing at a driveaway price of $23,990 for the entry grade Urban. And just to stress, drive-away pricing means on-road costs like stamp duty, registration, dealer delivery and compulsory third part are all paid.The Tiggo 4 Urban has been tested by CarsGuide’s reviewers who found it surprisingly spacious, well equipped for the money and also fuel efficient.Drawbacks of the Urban include it not being as good value as other Chery models and it also being not very memorable to drive.Powering the Tiggo 4 Vibe is a 1.5-litre petrol engine in front-wheel drive.Standard features on the Urban include a 10.25-inch media screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control and cloth seats.There are five seats and a 470 litre boot - measured to the roof.The Tiggo 4 scored the maximum five stars for its ANCAP safety test in 2023. MG has earned its place in Aussie driveways with vehicles that continually improve and the new ZS is a good example of that constant refinement while staying incredibly affordable. In this case the entry-grade ZS Vibe is $25,888 drive-away. CarsGuide reviewers said the ZS in the Vibe grade was spacious, good value, and had a refined and stylish look.A 1.5-litre petrol engine drives the front wheels, but reviewers felt the engine was underpowered.Standard features include a 10.25-inch media screen Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, air-conditioning and fabric seats. There are five seats and a 443-litre boot.ANCAP gave the ZS the maximum five-star rating for safety in 2025.The third most affordable small SUV in Australia is the super popular GWM Haval Jolion in the Premium grade, which wears a list price (not drive-away like the others here) of $26,990.CarsGuide reviewers called out its roominess, good looks and low ownership costs.Despite the name, Premium is the entry grade and standard features include keyless entry, a 10.25-inch touch screen and air-conditioning. Reviewers also said the driving experience was let down by an underwhelming engine and annoying safety alerts.A 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine drives the front wheels.There are five seats on board and the boot is quite small at 337-litres.ANCAP awarded the Jolion the maximum five-star safety rating in 2022.

The cheapest MG ZS grade has just been re-introduced, with the base Vibe back on sale in Australia.

An all-new MG has received top safety marks. The MG 7 mid-size liftback picked up a five-star ANCAP safety rating ahead of its Australia launch. It joins the market as a potential rival to the popular Toyota Camry, gearing up to hit Aussie roads early next year, starting from $44,990 (before on-road costs). The car received 88 per cent for adult protection and 85 per cent for child protection as per ANCAP testing.ANCAP noted the MG 7’s comprehensive active safety technologies, such as autonomous emergency braking. In the frontal offset test, good protection was offered for most critical body regions for the driver, apart from the chest and lower legs where it was adequate. It was stated that the front structure of the car presented a moderate risk to occupants of oncoming vehicles, with a penalty applied to its score. According to the full width frontal test, there was good protection for all critical body areas for the driver, with rear passenger chest protection marginal and good elsewhere. In more MG safety news, one of its most popular models has received a safety boost, with its ZS small SUV, shifting from a four-star rating to a five-star. The rating increase for the ZS is due to the addition of a centre airbag, and has pushed adult protection up to 81 per cent. Elsewhere the SUV scored maximum points in the side impact test, with adequate protection for the driver in the oblique pole test and good protection in all other body areas. For child protection, the car scored 84 per cent, but there was poor protection for the 10-year-old dummy’s chest. ANCAP also revealed the GWM Haval H7 mid-size SUV has been awarded a five-star rating.It launched earlier this year as a hybrid rival to the best-selling Toyota RAV4 and has managed 379 sales up to December.The Haval H7 received 89 per cent and 91 per cent for adult and child protection, respectively. In frontal offset testing, adequate protection was offered for the driver chest and lower legs, with good protection elsewhere, including for the front passenger. GWM has issued a voluntary recall over the dislodgement of the driver’s head restraint from the seat back, following what is being described as an anomaly during the full width frontal test.

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What is the best car to drive for a ride hailing service like Uber, Ola and Didi? Well, we thought we’d give you our two cents. Not only are we car experts and have driven thousands of new vehicles but we also spend a surprising amount of time sitting in the back of ride share cars talking to drivers. 

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MG might have only been a popular mainstream brand for a few years, but the bullish carmaker is intent on being a top-three brand in Australia quite soon.