Living with the MG ZS
Review by Jacob Lerklint.
Let me introduce you to the new MG ZS EV, yes, an electric MG; what is happening to the world? If you are not aware, MG is nowadays owned by the Chinese car company SAIC motor. SAIC motor is owned by the Chinese government and is serious when it comes to producing cars. They even manufacture cars for VW.
The MG ZS EV came to life in 2018, MG’s first all electric car. The relatively affordable ZS EV has been a sale success in pretty much every market and now it's time for the facelift model with a much bigger battery and new tech to conquer the EV market. The facelifted MG ZS EV is still based on the ICE model ZS, therefore it is not a from the ground up electric car platform. The battery is now considerably larger than the previous model promising a much longer range. New and improved technology has been integrated and, as you can notice, it looks slightly different. It is also more expensive than before, so is this new ZS EV really a bargain anymore?
The ZS EV only comes in two configurations and with one battery option. You can choose a “comfort” spec or a “luxury” spec, both come with the new 72.6kwh battery. There is no additional options except the color of the car, which makes the ordering process much easier. The “comfort” spec includes most of the things you’ll need like heated seats, LED head and taillights, a 7” inch digital instrument cluster, a 10” touchscreen infotainment system. You even get adaptive cruise control as standard.
On paper, everything looks improved from the previous model. Let’s find out if it really does. I cannot wholeheartedly say the ZS EV is fun to drive, but it gets a move on. The acceleration gets you a 0-100kmh in 8.6 seconds, but being an EV with that instant torque it feels faster than that. It also weighs a whole lot less than the rest of its class coming in at 1620kg and that makes a different in corners. It leans a bit in corners, but grip seems to always be there and the traction and stability control does the job.
The MG ZS EV might be the cheaper alternative, but does that reflect on the quality of the car? Not really, most of the interior and exterior feel solid and well put together. I would even say the overall quality is higher than, for example, the VW I.D3. But it is not perfect, the steering wheel has a cheap feel to it, the floor mats will not stand the test of time and the quality of the 360 degree view camera is rubbish.
The battery is noticeably larger than the previous ZS EV with that being only a 44.5 kWh battery, the new one comes in at 72.6kwh (70kwh Net) capacity. The WLTP is now an impressive 440km range, and when I did the range test I traveled about 350kms in 3 degrees Celsius and with an average 180wh/km. That is quite impressive and I have no doubts the ZS EV will reach close to that WLTP figure in better conditions.
In the matter of slow charging, the MG ZS EV can take 3 phase, 11 kw AC charging. The DC charging is limited to 92 kw charging and can recieve 80% in about 40 minutes. A neat and surprising trick with the ZS EV is that it comes with V2L which allows you to charge external items as for example an electric bicycle or perhaps your computer if necessary. The ZS EV comes with the MG ismart app that lets you preheat your car and other usful features.
The luxury model comes with a panoramic roof, and with its spacious interior, it creates a bright atmosphere. There is plenty of rear legroom and headroom for the passengers. However, the steering-wheel is only adjustable up and down but not in and out, which can be frustrating, depending on the person who is driving. The boot can contain up to 448 liters.
The new facelifted MG ZS EV proves that a relatively unknown car manufacture can compete with the major brands and offer a cheaper alternative that does not compromise in quality and range. The already established car companies should be concerned about the rapid Chinese rivalry and their ambitious development with technology.
Comentarios