By Otsile Kadiege 

We recently joined MG Motor South Africa at the ‘Mother City’ for the launch of the new ZS which is the automaker’s compact crossover SUV. The ZS enters a very competitive segment with hard-to-overlook contenders competing for a bigger slice of the cake. Does it have what it takes to compete with the likes of the popular Chery Tiggo 4 Pro? Continue reading as we unpack our launch impressions.

Exterior design and styling 

In the age where bold car designs are a norm, MG is playing it safe with an inoffensive look. Highlights include xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights which look strikingly similar to the previous generation Mazda CX-5, a large grille with chrome surrounds, a cosmetic skid plate, 17-inch alloy wheels in 5-spoke design for the Luxury grade, roof rails and Magnite-like taillights.

The ZS looks decent yet dated at the same time. After all it’s a compact SUV which debuted back in 2018 and we think it’s peers are far better looking. The colour is available with a choice of six exterior paints – white, black, red, orange, blue and silver.

Interior design, tech and space

Hoping aboard the ZS, the simplicity of the exterior has been carried over inside. Standout features include a sporty-looking multifunctional steering wheel, faux leather seats with contrast stitching, an analogue instrument cluster, a soft touch dashboard, carbon fiber-like trims, dominant scratchy plastics, an 8-inch touchscreen, a single USB port, and a standard 4-speaker sound system (6 speakers for the Luxury grade).

The cabin has very little to no frills. One frustrating thing worth mentioning is its infotainment system which has poor graphics and didn’t support Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity at launch.

Space is quite fair and I could somewhat sit behind my driving position without feeling too cramped thanks to the reclined rear bench back seats. Luggage capacity is rated at 359 litres which again is fair for a compact SUV and it can be expanded to 1 166 litres by folding down the 60|40 split rear seats.

Safety

On the safety front, the ZS features six airbags (front, side, and curtain). The same applies when it comes to the active safety package. The 9th-generation Bosch ESP integrates eight safety functions including the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Hazard Light (HAZ), Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA), Hydraulic Brake Boost (HBB), Traction Control System (TCS), Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), Brake Disc Washing (BDW), and Hill-start Hold Control (HHC). A tyre pressure monitoring system is another unusual standard feature for a vehicle in this class.

Powertrain and drive impressions

Powering the new ZS is a naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine developing a healthy 84kW and 150Nm. It’s solely paired with a 4-speed auto transmission and MG claims it has a fuel-consumption of 7.1l/100km.

Our lengthy drive in the Western Cape availed the opportunity to to experience the ZS in a variety of situations. The ZS drives quite well in the city but struggles and feels underpowered on mountain passes and highways. This is also where the 4-speed auto gearbox disappoints as it’s constantly hunting for gears resulting in the engine revving higher than it should.

We will expand further on daily driving the new ZS once we get one on test.

Pricing and warranty

ZS 1.5 Auto Comfort – R289,900

ZS 1.5 Auto Luxury – R309,900

Includes a class-leading 7-year/200,000km warranty on the full vehicle and a 5-year/60 000km service plan. Both are transferable should the vehicle be sold within that period.