Chinese-owned MG has unveiled its latest estate model and confirmed it will be available at a market-leading low price.
The new ZS was unveiled this week and received a sporty overhaul with a new look, a hybrid powertrain and more equipment than before.
Not only will it become one of the most affordable family cars around, it will also undercut its biggest rival (and Britain’s hottest new motor), the Ford Puma, by almost £4,000.
MG’s new low-price family SUV: The Chinese company has unveiled its second-generation ZS compact SUV, which will come with a hybrid engine
The brand, now operated by Chinese car mega-group SAIC, has confirmed the new ZS will start at £21,995.
That will put it among the least expensive new compact SUVs on sale, although it is likely to be undercut by the 2024 Dacia Duster, which will be around £3,000 cheaper when prices are confirmed in early September.
While the ZS is unlikely to be the most affordable model in the segment, it will be kinder to budgets than the UK’s current best-selling car, the Puma.
The Ford, which was the most-bought new car in the country in 2023 and also tops the registration charts this year, starts at £25,800.
This means the MG will be £3,805 cheaper, and while the Ford has a mild-hybrid powertrain, the ZS’s is a full conventional hybrid (also commonly known as self-charging), meaning its small battery is charged by regenerative braking and the motor itself.
The ZS uses the same hybrid powertrain that was fitted to the award-winning MG 3 supermini. It features a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine combined with a single electric motor to generate 193bhp.
The brand, now operated by Chinese automotive megagroup SAIC, has confirmed that the new ZS will start at £21,995
Priced at just under £22,000, the MG ZS will be among the least expensive new compact SUVs on sale, although it’s likely to be undercut by the 2024 Dacia Duster.
The ZS returns to a highly competitive segment dominated by a number of high-volume models including the Ford Puma (the best-selling new model in Britain right now), but the MG will cost almost £4,000 less than the Ford’s £25,800 starting price.
Using the same powertrain borrowed from its award-winning MG3, the ZS is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine combined with a single electric motor to develop 193bhp.
This provides enough power to take the compact crossover from zero to 62 mph in 8.7 seconds.
The small 1.83 kWh battery also allows for short periods of purely electric driving at low speeds in and around the city, something the base Puma doesn’t offer.
Its greener powertrain results in an “official” fuel economy of 55.4 mph and CO2 emissions of 115 g/km.
The addition of the battery has reduced the ZS’s luggage space somewhat.
At 443 litres, the boot is 5 litres smaller than its predecessors. However, thanks to a slightly larger passenger compartment, once the rear seats are folded down, there is an additional 82 litres of loading capacity (1,457 litres in total).
With the seatbacks upright, the MG has more cargo space than a Nissan Juke or Peugeot 2008. However, the ZS can’t compete with the Ford Puma and its innovative under-floor “MegaBox” boot.
As standard (SE trim), every ZS comes with a 12.3-inch central touchscreen with built-in sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
The driver gets a new 7-inch digital instrument cluster and the convenience of a reversing camera, rear parking sensors and keyless entry.
As standard (SE trim), every ZS comes with a 12.3-inch central touchscreen with built-in sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and a 7-inch digital instrument cluster.
The top-spec Trophy trim, which costs an extra £2500, adds leather-effect upholstery and a more advanced parking camera.
While the ZS is geared toward families, the second-row center seat is very thin, so it’s only really suitable for short trips.
All ZS models come with a seven-year/80,000-mile warranty. Orders will open shortly.
The Chinese firm’s ‘MG Pilot’ suite of safety and driver assistance systems also includes active emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, lane keeping assist and traffic jam assist.
The top version is the Trophy, which, for £2,500 more, includes larger 18-inch alloy wheels, a 360-degree bird’s-eye view camera and heated front seats and steering wheel for cold winter days. This trim level also includes leather-effect upholstery and a six-way adjustable driver’s seat.
Each model also comes with a seven-year/80,000-mile warranty.
For those who don’t want a hybrid and prefer a simple combustion engine, a more economical petrol-only version is rumoured to be in the works for next year, which will likely bring it closer to the Dacia in terms of entry price.
There will be no all-electric model like the first-generation ZS EV, however – this will be replaced by an all-new car, MG bosses said.
Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. This helps us fund This Is Money and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationships to affect our editorial independence.