The interior is reasonably well appointed with soft-touch materials on the upper section of the dashboard, but you can tell where costs have been contained. There’s no reach adjustment for the steering wheel, for instance, and you won’t have to look hard to find brittle, scratchy plastics. But these compact SUVs are built to be affordable and you certainly wouldn’t feel put out if you stepped into the ZS from a Juke.
As for trims, there are three to choose from – Explore, Excite and Exclusive. Entry-level models get LED day-running-lights, electrically adjustable door mirrors, projector headlights and 15in alloy wheels as standard on the outside. Inside there is manually adjustable front seats, air conditioning, cruise control and USB and Bluetooth connectivity.
Upgrade to Excite and the ZS is equipped with DAB radio, Apple CarPlay, climate control, heated wing mirrors, front foglights and 17in alloys, while the range-topping Exclusive model adds rear parking sensors, leatherette upholstery and a reversing camera.
What you will also find inside the ZS is plenty of space. A tall adult will happily sit behind another while the boot offers 448-litres of storage capacity, which MG says is the biggest in this class.
Powering the MG ZS forward
There are two engine options, both of them petrol. The 1.5-litre four-cylinder develops 105bhp and is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, while the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged unit is a little more potent with 109bhp. It drives the front wheels (there will be no four-wheel drive option) through a six-speed automatic ‘box.
Like-for-like, the 1.0 models cost £2000 more than their 1.5 counterparts. Despite that premium, the more expensive drivetrain is the one to go for, unless you really must shift gears for yourself. The normally aspirated four-cylinder does rev quite keenly to 5500rpm or so, but it’s asthmatic in its power delivery and gutless on the motorway. The torquier three-cylinder at least has a little meat to it and the auto ‘box is smooth and refined.
The ZS has been tuned for UK roads and in dynamic terms, it isn’t at all bad. The ride can be a touch lumpy, but there’s decent body control and not too much roll in bends, the steering is light and direct and the suspension does a good job of brushing off potholes and broken patches of road. The ESP, meanwhile, quickly and quite abruptly intervenes if you enter a corner with any degree of enthusiasm.