Last updated on April 8th, 2020 at 07:54 pm
- Amazing value
- Plenty of room inside
- Well equipped
- Slow infotainment system
- Noisy on the road
- Stiff ride
If you want a longer driving range or a more premium infotainment system, you'll have to fork out an additional £12,000 on a rival's vehicle; if you are to sacrifice on space for a smaller-sized hatchback, you'll still have to pay a small premium. Truly, it's a no-brainer. If you're on a budget, want to go electric and want a larger-sized vehicle, there's nothing on the market like the MG ZS EV.
Range (WLTP): 163 miles Top Speed: 87 mph 0 to 62: 8.5sec Cost/Mile (@14p/kWh): 3.82p
Introduction
Electric vehicles have garnered a reputation among some as being an expensive alternative, namely in the larger-sized vehicle segment. MG, however, wants to buckle that trend with its all-electric SUV, the ZS EV.
The British company, which was known by the name of Morris Garages (or M.G. Car Company Limited), was acquired by SAIC Motor in 2007, formerly the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, after the latter company merged with Nanjing Automobile Group, one of China's oldest automakers.
The now Chinese state-owned manufacturer has completely revitalised the MG brand, which saw its first model in the UK for 16 years launched in June 2011. Fast-forward to Q4 2019, MG announced its first-ever fully electric vehicle. Since its arrival, MG has sold 659 ZS EVs.
Read next: MG ZS EV audio review: An ‘Exclusive’ 3D sound system
MG ZS EV review: Price and options
The MG ZS EV is available in two trims: Excite and Exclusive. They start from £24,995 and £26,995 (after PiCG), respectively. To further incentivise customers, MG offers a staggering £2,500 off the list price, which brings the price down to £22,495 and £24,495, respectively.
Both models are available in four colours: Arctic White (at no additional cost), Black Pearl (+£545), Pimlico Blue (+£545) and Dynamic Red (+£695).
As standard, both come with 17″ diamond-cut alloys (215/50 R17), keyless entry, rear parking sensors, an 8″ infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a whole host of safety features such as Lane Departure Warning and Active Cruise Control. Pretty impressive.
The Exclusive model, which comes with a two-grand premium, adds the following: a panoramic glass roof, silver roof rails, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, an electrically adjustable driver seat, leather-style upholstery, heated front seats, rain-sensing wipers, an odour and pollutant filter for the air-con, a rear parking camera, a six-speaker audio system with 3D Sound, and further bolsters its safety credentials with blind-spot detection (BSD) and rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA), which helps with reversing out of a parking space.
That's a whole lot of bang for your buck! Better still, the whole MG range is backed by a seven-year / 80,000 miles, fully transferrable, manufacturer’s warranty – that includes the battery, too.
At the time of writing, there are no other all-electric SUVs that comes remotely close to the ZS EV's asking price. Its rivals, such as the Kia e-Niro and Hyundai Kona Electric start from £34,495 and £35,100, respectively.
WhichEV received the MG ZS EV Exclusive in a Dynamic Red finish for review.
