A Third String To Mg's UK Bow

The eagerly awaited new MG ZS arrived in UK showrooms in November, and our first impressions from driving both versions are of a stylish design that is well built and offers real value for money. Simon Goldsworthy reports.

- Simon Goldsworthy

MG has talked up the new ZS in recent months, promising it would mark a step change in quality from the Chinese-owned marque. The compact SUV therefore had a lot to live up to when the press were let loose in the lanes of Northamptonshire at the end of October. Predictably some journalists turned up with their opinions already formed and couldn’t wait to get back to their keyboards and start bashing the new arrival, but everyone we talked to who approached the MG with an open mind came away greatly impressed.

And there really was a lot to like because the fit and finish is indeed excellent, the performance very good and the specification generous. Before going any further, I should qualify that statement by reminding you that while the ZS proudly carries the MG badge, it is not a sports car and despite the name it has no aspirations to being a modern equivalent of the MG-Rover era ZS180. The performance I refer to is very good for a car that feels much bigger on the inside than its ‘compact SUV’ tag would indicate and still returns up to 50mpg on the combined cycle. Similarly, there may well be alternatives out there that have more power, lower emissions, greater towing ability or more luxury, but nothing that comes even close to the way MG combine all of these factors with such a modest price tag.

None of this is meant to diminish the new ZS or to damn it with faint praise, but to judge the car fairly you have to bear in mind the job it is designed to do. That job is to provide stylish, affordable, fun and practical motoring for people who probably thought they could only ever afford to buy secondhand. It does all that and more, with prices starting from £12,495. Even better than this, MG is so confident of the build quality that all models come with a hugely impressive seven year/80,000 mile full manufacturer warranty.