MG ZS Hatchback

• Body Glass
  • Front and rear aero wiper
  • Front and rear electric windows with driver's one-touch up/down
  • Rain sensing wipers
  • Rear privacy glass
  • Rear wiper
• Brakes
  • ABS/EBD
  • EBA
  • ESP
  • Hill launch assist
• Communication
  • Android Auto
  • Apple CarPlay
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • eCall emergency call system
  • USB mobile phone charging function
• Driver Aids
  • 360 degree parking camera
  • Blind spot monitoring
  • Cruise control with speed limiter
  • PAS
  • Rear cross traffic alert
  • Rear parking sensors
• Driver Information
  • 'Lights On' Reminder warning buzzer
  • 10.1" colour touchscreen
  • Full digital driver information display
  • Satellite Navigation
  • Trip computer
• Driving Mirrors
  • Body colour electric adjustable folding heated door mirrors
• Entertainment
  • 6 speaker audio system with 3D sound
  • DAB audio
  • Radio/MP3 player
  • USB/aux input socket
• Exterior Body Features
  • Body colour bumpers
  • Body colour door handles
  • Chrome side window trim
  • Rear side wing doors
  • Rear spoiler
  • Silver roof rails
• Exterior Lights
  • Auto headlights
  • Follow me home headlights
  • Front fog lights
  • LED Bi-Function headlights
  • LED centre brake light
  • LED daytime running lights
• Heating/Cooling/Ventilation
  • Air conditioning
• Interior Features
  • 12V power sockets
  • Adjustable dual height boot floor
  • Driver's footrest
  • Front cupholders x 2
  • Front grab handles
  • Glovebox
  • Internal chrome door handles
  • Leather steering wheel
  • Leather upholstery with contrast stitching
  • Rake/reach adjustable steering wheel
  • Rear grab handle
• Interior Lights
  • Boot light
  • Front reading lights
  • Illuminated switches and controls
• Safety
  • 3x3 point rear seatbelts
  • Anti rolling protection
  • Automatic unlocking of doors in case of impact
  • Dual front airbags
  • Front passenger airbag deactivation switch
  • Front seatbelts (3-point + pretensioner + load limiter)
  • Front side airbags
  • Fuel cut off safety device
  • Rear door child safety locks
  • Rear passenger seatbelt alert
  • Seatbelt reminder for driver and front passenger
  • Side curtain airbags
  • Tyre pressure monitoring system
• Seats
  • 2nd row 60/40 split/fold
  • 3 rear headrests
  • 3 seat bench in 2nd row
  • 4 way manually adjustable passenger seat
  • 6 way electric adjustable drivers seat
  • Front headrests
  • Front seat back map pockets
  • Heated front seats
  • ISOFIX restraints on outer rear seats x2
  • Single front passenger seat
• Security
  • Alarm system and engine immobiliser
  • Automatic latching door
  • Remote central locking
  • Second remote key
  • Speed sensing door locks
  • Superlocking
• Wheels - Alloy
  • 17" Tomahawk diamond cut alloy wheels
• Wheels - Spare
  • Tyre repair kit

• Emissions - ICE
  • HC+NOx:
  • Particles:
  • Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb: 149
• Engine and Drive Train
  • Camshaft: DOHC
  • Catalytic Convertor: Yes
  • CC: 1,498
  • Compression Ratio: 11.5:1
  • Cylinder Layout: IN-LINE
  • Cylinders: 4
  • Cylinders - Bore (mm): 75
  • Cylinders - Stroke (mm): 84.8
  • Engine Layout: FRONT TRANSVERSE
  • Fuel Delivery: MULTI POINT FUEL INJECTION
  • Gears: 5 SPEED
  • Number of Valves: 16
  • Transmission: MANUAL
• Fuel Consumption - ICE
  • EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: No
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb: 6.6
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Extra High: 7.3
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - High: 5.7
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Low: 7.7
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Medium: 6
  • WLTP - MPG - Comb: 42.7
  • WLTP - MPG - Extra High: 38.6
  • WLTP - MPG - High: 49.3
  • WLTP - MPG - Low: 36.7
  • WLTP - MPG - Medium: 47
• General
  • Alternative Fuel Qualifying: No
  • Badge Engine CC: 1.5
  • Badge Power: 106
  • Based On ID:
  • Coin Description: VTi-TECH
  • Coin Series: Exclusive
  • Generation Mark:
  • Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 15E
  • Man Corrosion Perforation Guarantee - Years: 7
  • Manufacturers Paintwork Guarantee - Years: 3
  • NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %:
  • NCAP Child Occupant Protection %:
  • NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09:
  • NCAP Pedestrian Protection %:
  • NCAP Safety Assist %:
  • Safety Concerns?: No
  • Service Interval Frequency - Months: 12
  • Service Interval Mileage: 15,000
  • Special Edition: No
  • Special Order: No
  • Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 80,000
  • Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 7
  • Timing Belt Interval Frequency - Months:
  • Timing Belt Interval Mileage:
  • Vehicle Homologation Class: M1
• Performance
  • 0 to 60 mph (secs): No
  • 0 to 62 mph (secs): 10.9
  • Engine Power - BHP: 106
  • Engine Power - KW: 78
  • Engine Power - PS: Yes
  • Engine Power - RPM: 6,000
  • Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 104
  • Engine Torque - MKG: 14.4
  • Engine Torque - NM: 141
  • Engine Torque - RPM: 4500
  • Top Speed: 109
• Test Cycles
  • Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP
  • RDE Certification Level: RDE 2
• Tyres
  • Alloys?: Yes
  • Space Saver?: No
  • Tyre Size Front: 215/55 R17
  • Tyre Size Rear: 215/55 R17
  • Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT
  • Wheel Style: TOMAHAWK
  • Wheel Type: 17" ALLOY
• Vehicle Dimensions
  • Height: 1,620
  • Height (including roof rails): 1,653
  • Length: 4,323
  • Wheelbase: 2,580
  • Width: 1809
  • Width (including mirrors): 2,048
• Weight and Capacities
  • Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 45
  • Gross Vehicle Weight: 1,695
  • Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 1375
  • Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 448
  • Max. Loading Weight: 456
  • Max. Roof Load: 75
  • Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 500
  • Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: 500
  • Minimum Kerbweight: 1,239
  • No. of Seats: 5
  • Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 11.1

Ten Second Review
The ZS is MG's first properly credible fully class-competitive model. A small B-segment SUV rivalling cars like Nissan's Juke and Renault's Captur, it's much better suited to European buyers than the brand's previous Chinese-era designs. But it still manages to undercut small class rivals by a significant amount on price.

Background
Students of MG history will be very familiar with the MG ZS. Launched in 2001, it was a re-badged, sportier version of the Rover 45 saloon that sold until the wind-up of the MG Rover business in 2005. Thank goodness, this new-era MG ZS is nothing like that and it's made by a company that has very little in common with the way the brand was back then. We all know that MG is Chinese-owned these days. And many are now also aware that the company no longer bothers to build its cars in Longbridge from shipped-in kits in order to preserve some semblance of British identity. Going forward, the manufacturer must be able to offer truly class-competitive models able to deliver more than just low pricing. This ZS B-segment SUV is the first of them, and its task is to do nothing less than double this maker's sales in our market.

Driving Experience
Engine-wise, ZS buyers can choose between two petrol engines, there being no real demand for diesel in this segment. The entry-level option is a 1.5-litre VTI four cylinder unit with 105bhp mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. Much more modern though, is the alternative 1.0-litre GDI three-cylinder 110bhp turbo unit, which is also offered with a six-speed automatic gearbox option. With a manual shift, the 1.5-litre variant can get to 62mph from rest in 10.9 seconds en route to 109mph. That's over a second quicker than the equivalent version of the rival Nissan Juke. The Chinese brand says that this ZS has been extensively tested on UK roads and developed for UK drivers. In other words, it's much more dynamically tailored to European needs than its larger GS SUV stablemate. To that end, if you avoid entry-level trim, you'll find that the steering comes with a choice of three selectable modes - 'Urban', 'Normal' and 'Dynamic'. The 'Urban' setting offers a lighter and quicker response at low speeds and when parking. Alternatively, the 'Dynamic' mode is designed to increase the steering effort, deliver a higher damping effect and increase the centre definition at medium and high vehicle speeds. The 'Normal' steering option aims to deliver the best all-round fit to MG's tailored suspension set-up.

Design and Build
We're told that the ZS showcases the future design direction for MG, expressing an 'Emotional Dynamism' which is set to feature across all upcoming models. A distinctive enlarged, full frame grille inspired by the famous brand's heritage dominates the front end. Elsewhere, there's plenty of MG branding and a smartly-fashioned nose that aims to give the car a refined look, one carried through to its sweeping corners and solid backend. Headlights are also a key design feature, with a massive 23 LEDs creating a design statement in each one. Inside, you get SUV C-segment 'Qashqai'-class standards of space for SUV B-segment 'Juke'-style pricing. For reference, the XS is 179mm longer, 44mm wider and 46mm taller than the Juke. In fact, this MG offers one of the most generous shoulder, leg and headroom capacities in its segment, the cabin providing around 55mm additional rear shoulder room and 80mm rear headroom than the segment average. A spacious 448-litres of cargo capacity (some 60-litres larger than is typical for a supermini-based B-segment SUV) is welcome, as is the split-level boot, which provides plenty of room for prams, luggage, outdoor leisure equipment or the weekly shop. Keen cyclists and adventure sports fans will benefit from numerous compartments throughout the car which provide additional storage.

Market and Model
There are three trim levels, 'Explore', 'Excite' and 'Exclusive'. Like all MG models, this one's certainly affordable. The entry-level version is available on the road from around £12,500 - around £2,500 more affordable than the equivalent Nissan Juke. Plus, as you'd expect, there's also a full range of competitive finance offers. For example, for £199 per month, you can get yourself a top-of-the-range 'Exclusive'-trimmed manual variant, with £3,550 deposit and 0% finance. There's plenty of equipment too. Inside, an 8-inch touch sensitive infotainment screen is supported by DAB radio (on the 'Exclusive' and 'Excite' models), while Bluetooth hands-free and remote central locking is available across the range. Cruise control is also included, while air conditioning comes as standard on 'Excite' and 'Exclusive' models, and satellite navigation and a rear camera are standard on the 'Exclusive' variant. Headlight day/dusk sensors are standard, even on the entry-level 'Explore' model. Avoid entry-level trim and you also get the 'Apple CarPlay' smartphone-mirroring system for the centre-dash screen. This means you can get directions, make calls, send and receive messages and listen to music, all in a way that allows you to stay focused on the road. As you'd expect, there's a wide range of (most extra cost) colours, including a specially-developed tri-coat 'Dynamic Red' paint option.

Cost of Ownership
We didn't expect the ZS to deliver class-lading efficiency stats and it doesn't. It gets pretty close to the class standard though. The 1.5-litre petrol model manages 49.6mpg on the combined cycle and 129g/km of CO2, which is basically the same as a rival Nissan Juke 1.2 DIG-T. It's also miles ahead of the base 1.6-litre Juke variant, which is much closer to a ZS on price and can only manage 47.1mpg and 138g/km. The ZS also has a larger fuel tank than the Juke, so there'll be less need to fill its tank. You also get one of the longest fully transferable warranties in its class, a 7 year/80,000-mile package being standard across all variants. Rivals such as SsangYong, Hyundai and Toyota only provide 5 years.

Summary
Here at last is an MG we can whole-heartedly recommend. That doesn't make this ZS model a B-segment SUV class leader but it does mean that you could enjoy the large price saving this car offers over mainstream rivals without feeling that you'd opted for a significantly inferior product. In fact, there are plenty of things about this ZS that you might conceivably prefer to some rivals. Maybe the looks. Possibly the multi-mode steering system. Probably the long 7-year warranty. Certainly the improved levels of equipment. Is it the best car in the sector? No. Is it the best really affordable model in the class? Almost certainly, yes. For MG, that represents a big step forward.