MG ZS Hybrid+ Rating

MG is a cult British brand that was founded 101 years ago. Like all the big empires, it grew from modest beginnings, reached a highlight of the success and was finally managed for decline. MG was revived about 17 years ago and is no longer a brand that lives in a borrowed time – it has turned into a really international company with a global focus.

Today MG offers a six-model range that has diversified through petrol, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and complete EV options. The MG ZS is such an example. Do you want it as a gasoline? You understood it. Do you prefer a hybrid, PHEV or PURE EV? You have that too.

The exterior

The MG ZS of the second generation was introduced in 2024 and its Design language is a remarkable improvement compared to the first. This means that if I’m honest, the appearance is a bit more genetic, although some interesting surface details give a touch of flair. Overall, it looks good.

It is available in petrol, hybrid, plug-in hybrid. The EV variant has been discontinued and now replaced by an independent EV, the MGS5. The prices are currently starting at £ 19,000 for the entry-level petrol version and increasing to 22,495 GBP for the MG ZS Hybrid+ SE variant, 24,995 GBP for the fully loaded top spec trophy model. 23,000 pounds for a hybrid – still as a premium technology – are a remarkable price.

The interior

I had expected a sea of ​​cheap hard plastics and an overall miserable experience, like a Dacia duster, but how wrong I was, although it is not at BMW or is Audi Bize levels are comparable to some VWs in terms of materials, processing quality and comfort.

The cabin has a mixture of leather and fabric surfaces and strategically hard and soft plastics. It doesn’t feel cheap and evil, as some other reviews have highlighted. In fact, the perceived quality feels okay at first. More expensive competitors like that VW T-Roc Feel much less refined in comparison.

The passenger room in both the front and in the back is generous, even for those who are over six foot.

The seats offer moderate comfort and support, and in my opinion the standard quality is decent and exceeds that of Volkswagen’s standard padding.

More spacious than it seems

The trunk offers 443 liters with the seats and 1,457 liters, with the rear shared seats being folded flat. Do you know what? That’s okay.

With regard to the specification, the entry -level model is reasonably well equipped. However, there is a lack of any creatures such as heated front seats, electric folding door mirrors, electrically adjustable seats and a back driver’s armrest.

This means that air conditioning is standard and the sound system is fine. The highlights for the equipment include adaptive speed control, Lane Assist and even monitoring blind stains, which are usually reserved as expensive options for premium cars.

Infotainment system

The central infotainment system measures 12.3 inches and is supplemented by a 7.0-inch digital instrument display. Both screens offer sharp screen resolutions, the stock software is reasonably reaction and the system contains a huge catalog of menus and submenus that can be accessible with regard to user -friendliness.

You can control many of the functions using the steering -assembled buttons such as the climate control. However, you must configure the settings via the infotainment system.

For example, the tax -mounted controls have a strange user -friendliness if you access the volume control and display the desired information in the cluster for digital instruments. But in the end you will find ways around the quirks, adapt and get used to how everything works.

The standard built-in satellite nav is not that good. Nevertheless, the Apple CarPlay infotainment system offers Android car Compatibility, but it is only wired for the time being.

The drive

The first problem I noticed was the lack of range of the steering wheel, probably only with this equipment that is fair enough, but I tried to find an ideal driving position. Either I had to sit too close or move the seat too far back. After all, I have adapted and for short trips it is fine, but I would really appreciate more adjustability on longer trips.

The MG ZS Hybrid+ is powered with an electric motor of 134 hp with a 1.8 kWh battery and a 1.5-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 105 hp for a combined system output of 193 hp. Electricity is supplied by a three-speed automatic transmission.

I had expected a lackluster performance, but I was unprepared. From 0–40 miles per hour, the low torque reminds me of a V6 engine. It loses some steam under strong acceleration, but overall it feels more like a fully electrical drive train than a conventional hybrid.

This is because the petrol engine is designed as a generator that feeds the electric motor. The engine acts as an assist if necessary. It also has EV rain that, like a one-pedal mode, works in a full EV with three levels. I found that level 3 rain offered too much braking for daily use, Level 2 was just right.

The handling? Again I was unprepared. It is deceptively fun, agile and decently composed. I legally threw it around like a hot hat. I started pushing it through corners and approaching circular sellers with enthusiasm, almost as if I were driving a sports car.

The ride

The journey offers good comfort, some other reviews said something else, and if the trip were trashy, I would not hesitate to say this, because we did not hesitate to say this with our former bloody, terrible Volkswagen Tiguan Long -Timeer that had bloody, terrible driving quality.

I felt that the tires were too small for the size of the vehicle. The standard adjustment of 17 inches ensures better efficiency and improved the handling of low speed, but overall I would go into better all-round comfort with larger standard fit alloy wheels with 18-inch alloy wheels, especially for the motorway crossing. Larger bikes convey a more planted feeling.

Efficiency

The efficiency levels are pretty good, drive through the city, make errands and the school runs will easily return around 50 MPG -60 MPG, depending on how hard they drive.

Autobahn cruise, on a 300-mile-combined trip, I led 48 MPG, which is okay.

Diploma

The MG ZS Hybrid+ is the cheapest hybrid that you can buy and proves that an exotic technology is now offered at an affordable price. Let me remind me of it, it costs £ 23,000. It is well equipped, reasonably comfortable, faster than it should of course be within restrictions.

With is a competent vehicle across the board, but it is the small details that require attention. The journey and handling could be more sophisticated, the engine noise reduced, the audio system improves and the steering and high -speed stability improves. In view of the price, it is an absolute bargain. It offers excellent processing quality and represents a lot of car for the money.