MG aces its local return with well-priced ZS compact crossover

The Citizen Motoring went to China last year to get a look at the cars that MG would be bringing to South Africa at the beginning of this year.

A full itinerary of activities included a drive in the new offerings. These are the MG HS large SUV, the MG ZS crossover and the MG Cyberster full electric sportscar. But thanks to a raft of delays caused by the airline tasked with getting us there, we ended up missing the Cyberster drive and only got a very brief trundle around one of MG’s test facilities in the HS and ZS.

So, when the invite arrived to attend the local media ride and drive event in Cape Town of the now launched MG HS, MG ZS and what I thought would include MG Cyberster, but didn’t, I packed my bag and headed down to the fairest Cape to finally experience what is on offer from MG. Side note, a Cyberster road test is still in our future and we will bring you that impression as soon as the opportunity arises.

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MG ZS drives SUV onslaught

You can’t but help think that despite MG being a brand that is steeped in British motoring culture and having just surpassed the 100-year mark, the brand’s Chinese owners, SAIC (China’s largest automaker) are looking to capitalise on the popularity of well-priced, well-appointed crossovers and SUVs first and foremost, with cars like the enticing Cyberster being small volume, niche, halo cars. With this said, let’s get back to the MG ZS.

MG sells the ZS in over 100 countries with global sales exceeding one million. Pricing starts at R289 900 for the Comfort and R309 900 for the Luxury. These stickers make the crossover well-positioned to take the fight to the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, the Hyundai Venue and the Kia Sonet.

I never comment too much on styling as it is such a subjective topic and here again, I will allow you to make your own mind up about the MG ZS. I can only add that against its identified rivals, I think it looks a little dated, but this is because I have seen the new MG ZS and it carries more modern MG HS styling cues, which I obviously prefer.

Jumping inside the MG ZS a well put-together interior greet you. One that immediately reminds you of the previous generation Toyota Urban Cruiser. Which is not a bad thing. It’s rather spacious and has a decent spec list that includes everything from Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto usability to cruise control and six- speaker 3D sound in the Luxury.

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Solid drivetrain

The drive was as expected from the 1.5-litre normally aspirated engine that sends 84kW of power and 150Nm of torque to the front wheels via four-speed auto box. It’s a combination we know so well from all the Toyota and Suzuki products that run this set-up.

For the record, MG says the engine is not sourced, or shared with Toyota or Suzuki. It got the job done and we saw a fuel consumption number in the low 7-litre per 100km range which will be a key selling point for budget conscious customers.

Safety features include six airbags, ABS, hazard light, hydraulic brake assist, hydraulic brake boost, traction control system, vehicle dynamic control, brake disc washing and hill-start hold control.

Value for money

Is there a downside here? No, not unless you have an issue with the fact that the MG ZS is a previous generation model that has made way for an all-new MG ZS in certain overseas markets. The all-new MG ZS is under consideration, but it won’t be the bargain the current model is. And that means you are still getting a good deal with what you see here, as this crossover delivers exactly what you expect it to at the price.

MG ZS pricing includes a seven-year/200 000km warranty on the full vehicle and a five-year/60 000km service plan.