MG ZS

Making its presence felt in the subcompact crossover segment is the MG ZS from Morris Garages. Going head to head with the competition, the MG ZS presents a viable alternative by offering premium looks and performance without breaking the bank. All variants of the MG ZS come powered by a 1.5-liter, naturally aspirated gasoline engine. The engine is mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission and the drive is delivered to the front wheels. With a wide variety of features to choose from, the MG ZS comes in four variants, Style MT, Style AT, Style AT Plus, and the top spec Alpha AT variant.

Launch

The MG ZS was initially released in China in 2017 and was soon sold to the British market in the same year. Here in the Philippines, the MG ZS was launched in the Philippine market on October of 2018, together with its RX5 sibling. Initially, the MG ZS came in three variants, Style MT, Style AT, and Alpha AT.  Pricing for the MG ZS starts at ₱818,888 for the entry level Style MT to ₱998,000 for the top spec Alpha AT.

Variant and Price

The MG ZS adopts a familiar crossover silhouette, but manages to infuse its own styling cues.

For starters, there’s the front grille treatment that MG calls “Stardust Design” and the sculpted areas on the upper and lower sides of the exterior. Providing accent to the exterior are roof rails and black plastic trims found on the lower bumpers, bottom of the doors, and on the wheel arches. Greatly giving the MG ZS that sporty look. It also has what MG calls, “London Eye” LED projector headlamps that come with Daytime Running Lights (DRL).

Wheel and Tire

Depending on the variant, the MG ZS crossover comes in different wheel and tire combination. The ZS Style MT gets 16-inch wheels with 205/60 tires, while the ZS Style AT gets 17-inch wheels with 215/50 tires. The ZS Alpha variant gets the same tire and wheel combo as the Style AT but comes in a two-tone finish.

Color

The MG ZS is available in the following colors, meteorite black, laser blue, electro-optic orange, extreme speed red and moon white.

Dimensions

The MG ZS is positioned below the larger MG GS in MG’s vehicle line up. It is 4,314 mm Length x 1,809 mm Width x 1,648 mm Height. Its wheelbase is 2,585 mm and Ground clearance

The entry level MG ZS Style MT gets fabric seats, polyurethane door trims and a urethane steering wheel with a flat bottom design.

The higher spec MG ZS Style AT and the top spec Alpha AT come with leather seats and door trims stitched in leather. Same also goes for the steering wheel that comes wrapped in leather with remote info and audio controls.

The top spec MG ZS Alpha AT variant also gets a panoramic glass sunroof. Coming as standard on all MG ZS variants are 60-40 split fold rear seats that allow for additional cargo space for carrying large items.

Safety Features

In terms of safety features, the top spec Alpha AT gets a total of six airbags. These airbags include driver and front passenger airbags, side airbags, and curtain airbags. It also comes with Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Traction Control System (TCS), Stability Control System (SCS). Other safety features also include Hill-start Assist System (HAS), a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and ISOFIX child seat anchors. All MG ZS variants come with an anti-theft alarm and engine immobilizer.

Technology Features

The top spec MG ZS Alpha AT comes with an 8-inch LD display infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and a 6-speaker audio system. Other variants get a smart radio with Bluetooth and MP3 play with a 4-speaker audio system. Standard features on the MG ZS include smart key with push start button, digital air conditioning with PM 2.5 air filter, electric windows, electronic parking brake, 6-way power adjustable driver seat and instrument cluster with 7-inch multi-info display.

The MG ZS is powered by a 1.5-liter gasoline engine producing 114 hp and 150 Nm of torque. The thrifty engine is attached to a 4-speed automatic transmission w/ manual tiptronic function or a 5-speed manual.

The MG ZS Powertrain

Platform and Chassis

The MG ZS is 5-door, subcompact crossover SUV adopting a front wheel drive layout. The MG ZS is built with a rigid safety cage while the cabin uses ultra-high strength steel to absorb energy and dissipate impact. The suspension system is composed of MacPherson struts up front and a Torsion beam set up at the rear. The braking system of the MG ZS feature power assisted ventilated rotor discs up front and solid rotors discs in the back.

2022 MG ZS Chassis

• Class – Subcompact Crossover
• Body Style - 5-Door SUV
• Layout - Front Engine, Front-Wheel Drive

At full charge, the 44.5 kW/h battery pack offers 337 Km of pure EV range. A quick charge takes approximately 30 mins to charge the battery pack from 0 to 80 %, and a normal charge takes 6.5 hours from 0% - 100 %.

MG ZS is fitted with MacPherson Struts up front and a torsion beam setup at the rear just like in the Honda HR-V. But with the heavy battery pack fitted down low in the chassis, the centre of gravity is significantly lower than most of its petrol-powered rivals, which should translate to a more stable and well-balanced ride.

However, sitting on a relatively short wheelbase and a less sophisticated torsion beam rear suspension, the MG falls short when it comes to dealing with fast changing surfaces and winding roads. The suspension is soft and comfortable at lower speeds but feels a tad clumsy at higher speeds. The softer setup and higher mass present quite a pronounced level of roll under fast cornering.

Comparing it price points with that of its rivals in its segment, The MG ZS has a lot to offer. It’s affordable enough, but it’s not exactly a bargain. Call it a “smart buy” most especially after considering what one is getting for its price tag. This is in terms of features and the overall vehicle itself. Overall, the MG ZS is a credible and affordable alternative to the well-established competition.