MG ZS Review

The MG ZS has long been one of those cars that makes immediate sense once you look past the badge. MG’s modern formula has been simple enough: build family-friendly hatchbacks and SUVs with plenty of standard equipment, then price them well below the obvious alternatives. The ZS has been one of the clearest examples of that approach.

The latest MG ZS keeps that value-led thinking, but it no longer feels quite so much like a car bought on price alone. This second-generation model looks more polished than before, both outside and in. The styling is cleaner and more grown-up, while the interior now has some genuine appeal rather than simply feeling functional.

The line-up is also broader than it was at launch. The self-charging hybrid remains the most interesting version and the one most buyers will probably land on, because it combines decent performance with respectable fuel economy. A cheaper petrol model has since joined the range, which gives the MG ZS an even lower entry point and should appeal to buyers who just want the biggest small SUV they can get for the least money.

What has not changed is the basic appeal. This is a very roomy car for the class. The rear seats are generous enough for adults, the boot is bigger than several obvious rivals, and standard equipment is strong even in the cheaper trim. MG also backs the ZS with a seven-year warranty, which only adds to the sense that this is a family SUV designed around reassuringly straightforward ownership.

The weak points are the ones you might expect from a budget-focused small SUV. The ride is firmer than some rivals, motorway road noise is more noticeable than it should be and the steering column on early cars only adjusts for rake, not reach. That last point matters because it will make it harder for some drivers to get perfectly comfortable.

Even so, the MG ZS remains very easy to understand. It is not the most polished or prestigious small SUV, but it offers a huge amount of metal, space and standard kit for the money. For plenty of buyers, that will be enough.

The hybrid is the MG ZS most people should buy. It uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor for a combined 196PS, giving it much stronger performance than the modest price suggests. With 0-62mph taking 8.7 seconds, it feels brisk enough for a family SUV and much livelier than the cheaper petrol version.

The petrol model makes sense only if keeping the purchase price as low as possible is the priority. It has a 1.5-litre engine with 115PS and a five-speed manual gearbox, which is fine for local use, but it does not have the same easy shove or efficiency as the hybrid.

Trim-wise, SE is already generously equipped, so it is the sensible choice if you are sticking to a budget. Trophy is the one most buyers will want, though, because it adds some genuinely desirable extras for a relatively modest step up in price. Heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, 360-degree camera and artificial leather upholstery all help the MG ZS feel a bit richer inside.

The MG ZS range starts at £20,245 for the 1.5-litre petrol SE. The hybrid line-up begins at £22,995 for the MG ZS SE hybrid, while the range-topping Trophy hybrid costs £25,495.

That leaves the MG ZS undercutting most obvious rivals, in some cases by thousands rather than hundreds. The hybrid especially looks very strong value when you compare its price and standard kit with alternatives such as the Renault Captur E-Tech, Toyota Yaris Cross or Hyundai Kona Hybrid.

There is less choice than elsewhere, though. There are only two trim levels, one hybrid powertrain and one petrol engine, and there are effectively no options beyond paint. Even so, that simplicity will be a plus for some buyers rather than a drawback.

If you are looking at the MG ZS and want a hybrid alternative, the Renault Captur E-Tech is one of the closest comparisons. It feels more polished on the road and its cabin layout is more conventional, although it does not offer the same value equation.

The Toyota Yaris Cross is another obvious rival because it is efficient and easy to use, but it is noticeably smaller inside and often feels expensive once you match equipment. The Dacia Duster Hybrid is worth a look if value matters above all else, while the Nissan Juke and Hyundai Kona remain strong all-rounders in this class.

If you are not bothered about hybrid power, the Skoda Kamiq and Volkswagen T-Cross are still among the best small SUVs for usability and polish, although neither can match the MG ZS on outright standard kit for the money.

The MG ZS is bigger than many so-called B-segment SUVs, and you feel that as soon as you climb inside. There is plenty of room up front, while the rear seats have enough headroom and legroom for tall adults to sit comfortably.

Three adults across the back will feel more squeezed because the cabin is not especially wide, and the middle rear seat is narrower than the outer pair, but for four adults or a young family the MG ZS is usefully spacious. The low floor in the back also helps keep it comfortable for the middle passenger’s feet.

Boot space is 443 litres, which is a strong number for a small SUV and puts the MG ZS right in the thick of the class. A Renault Captur offers a touch more flexibility because of its sliding rear bench, while a Skoda Kamiq has a slightly smaller boot on paper but is more polished in the way it uses its space. Even so, the MG ZS remains a practical choice, and the 60:40 split-folding rear bench is more useful than the awkward arrangement used in the smaller MG3.

Fold the rear seats and capacity rises to 1,457 litres. The adjustable boot floor helps reduce the step between the boot floor and folded seats, although it does not create a perfectly flat load area. Even so, the MG ZS remains one of the more practical cars in this part of the market.

The MG ZS measures 4,430mm long, 1,818mm wide and 1,635mm high, with a 2,610mm wheelbase. That makes it larger than some rivals in the small SUV class and helps explain why it feels so roomy inside.

It has more of a lower-medium hatchback footprint than a supermini-based crossover, which is good news for cabin space, even if it means it does not feel quite as neat in tight town spaces as the smallest alternatives.

Every MG ZS gets the same 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 7.0-inch digital driver display. The central screen is a big improvement on older MG systems. It looks sharper, the shortcut icons and home layout make it easier to understand, and it includes the expected features such as DAB radio, Bluetooth, sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It is not perfect, though. Some functions are still buried further into the menu structure than they should be, and the screen itself can need a more deliberate prod than ideal before it responds. It is much better than older MG systems, but not quite as slick as the best rivals.

The smaller driver display is less convincing. It is configurable in a limited way, but the most useful information sits around the edges and is smaller than it should be. It does the job, but the main screen is clearly the stronger part of the set-up.

There are six speakers as standard, plus four USB ports in total, including one in the back and one integrated into the mirror area for a dashcam. That is the sort of thoughtful equipment list that helps the MG ZS feel good value.

The MG ZS does not feel as cheap inside as many buyers might fear. There are some harder plastics if you start poking around lower down, but most of the key surfaces in your eyeline have a neat finish and a more upmarket look than the price would suggest.

The stitched faux-leather treatment on the top of the dashboard and doors is particularly effective, while Trophy models go further with artificial leather upholstery that lifts the cabin ambience again. The overall feel is not quite as solid as the best rivals, but it is absolutely acceptable and more than good enough at this price.

There are currently two MG ZS powertrains in the UK line-up.

The hybrid is easily the more convincing option. Around town, it has the eager, immediate feel that electrified powertrains tend to bring, and it remains punchy enough at higher speeds to feel more than adequate. If you accelerate gently, the petrol engine and electric motor blend together smoothly enough, but work it hard and the engine becomes more obvious.

The petrol version is there mainly to give the MG ZS a lower starting price. It is likely to suit drivers who are not especially concerned about performance and want a straightforward manual petrol SUV, but the hybrid is the one that really makes the case for this car.

The MG ZS does not follow the usual small-SUV script of going all-in on softness and comfort. Instead, it has a distinctly firm edge to the suspension, which helps keep body roll in check and gives the car a surprisingly tidy feel through bends.

That also means it is less cosseting than some rivals. It is not outright uncomfortable, but buyers stepping out of softer family cars may find it a little abrupt over rough urban surfaces. This is one of those cars where a test drive is worth doing before committing.

The steering is another mixed bag. It is extremely light at parking speeds, then suddenly weights up once you are moving more quickly, which feels odd at first. Beyond that, though, it is accurate enough and gives the MG ZS a secure, easy-going feel.

Refinement is more of a weak point. Wind noise is acceptable, and the hybrid powertrain is usually subdued if you are gentle with it, but road noise is much more intrusive than it should be. On the motorway in particular, tyre roar is loud enough to become tiring over longer journeys.

The latest MG ZS Hybrid was awarded a four-star Euro NCAP rating in 2024, which is a clear improvement on the old model’s three-star result from 2017. The ZS also received a Moderate rating for its MG Pilot assisted-driving system in Euro NCAP’s 2025 assisted-driving tests.

Standard safety kit is generous. MG Pilot includes forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot detection, lane-keeping assistance, lane-change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, intelligent speed-limit assist and driver attention monitoring.

That means the MG ZS is well stocked with active safety tech for the money, even if it does not quite set the benchmark in this class.

The official combined WLTP figure for the MG ZS hybrid is 55.4mpg, with CO2 emissions of 115g/km. That means it is not quite as frugal on paper as some hybrid alternatives, but it should still be cheaper to run than most non-hybrid rivals.

The petrol version is rated at 43.5mpg, which is perfectly acceptable rather than outstanding. If you do a lot of urban or stop-start driving, the hybrid is the version that will make the most financial sense.

The MG ZS comes with a seven-year warranty. MG’s current UK warranty terms cover new vehicles for unlimited mileage during the first 12 months, then up to 80,000 miles between months 13 and 84. That is still stronger cover than many rivals offer.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first. That is straightforward enough and should help keep routine running costs predictable.

Insurance groups are reasonable for the class. Current petrol models sit in group 16, while the hybrid versions are in group 22. That is a step up from the old MG ZS, but still competitive against several obvious rivals.

The hybrid is therefore not especially cheap to insure in absolute terms, but it should not come as a nasty surprise either.

The standard VED rate from the second year onwards is £200 a year for petrol and hybrid cars registered on or after 1 April 2017. None of the current MG ZS range crosses the £40,000 list-price threshold, so there is no Expensive Car Supplement to worry about.

In practice, that means every current MG ZS costs £200 a year in VED from year two onwards.