MG ZS EV 2023 review

$44,990. At the time of writing, that was the drive-away price of the entry-level MG ZS EV Excite grade.

While the BYD Atto 3 small SUV wears a price-tag starting from $44,381, this is a before on-roads figure, and so the MG ZS EV nudges ahead, if only by a little.

MG actually changed the price the day the ZS EV launched, snatching back the title from BYD, and while the brand denied this was in reaction to the arrival of its new nemesis, it did grab headlines.

Value wise things aren’t bad, but as with any electric car you need to consider the available driving range before you look at features. To that end, the MG ZS EV can travel a claimed 320km between charges, while the Atto 3’s base version can travel 345km, so the two are still closely matched despite a slight price discrepancy.

Standard equipment is great in the ZS, with MG leaning into its current value-focused brand pillar. Even the base Excite scores 17-inch alloy wheels, a new 10.2-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a 360-degree parking camera suite, a 7.0-inch digital dash cluster, built-in sat-nav, LED headlights and tail lights, as well as keyless entry and push-start ignition.

The base car scores cloth seat trim with manually adjustable seats, while the top-spec Essence, at some $4000 more gets synthetic leather seat trim, heated front seats, and power adjust for the driver.

The Essence grade also scores a panoramic sunroof, rain-sensing wipers, roof rails, a wireless phone charger, and some additional safety equipment we’ll look at later in this review.

Interestingly, the ZS EV also offers V2L (vehicle-to-load) for the first time, allowing it to power household devices from its external charging port. An intriguing value-add.

The new ZS EV has migrated onto the updated ZS platform which the ZST combustion car sits on. This means slightly expanded interior dimensions, as well as the aforementioned improvements to this car’s interior design.

I can find a reasonably comfortable driving position at my 182cm height, although like other ZS models, the seat base for the driver feels a bit too high, and there’s no telescopic adjust for the steering wheel. The improved soft trims include a patch for my left knee which is a nice touch, and visibility proved to be excellent out of the ZS EV’s big windows and generous wing-mirrors.

There’s no telescopic adjust for the steering wheel. (image credit: Tom White)

In terms of storage there is a bottle holder and pocket in the doors, a further two of varying depth in the centre console, a small armrest storage box, and a little bay under the multimedia screen which serves as a storage area on the base Excite, but doubles as the wireless charger on the top-spec Essence. There are a choice of USB C and USB 2.0 connections, as well as a 12v outlet, for a nice variety of charging options.

The multimedia screen is improved out of sight, and its proximity to the driver means its large touch areas are actually easy to use while you’re on the move. The new software is leaps and bounds over the awful outgoing suite, although still occasionally presents some lag when transitioning between screens.

While you do also get a few handy shortcut switches below the screen, as well as toggles for temperature and fan speed, it can be a little frustrating to have to control some of the climate functions exclusively through the screen, the menu for which has annoying small touch areas.

The rear seat is relatively impressive for a small SUV. I found I had great knee room behind my own driving position, with headroom being sufficient but not fantastic, likely due to the high seating position which continues from the front seats. The floor is flat, offering a centre passenger better legroom, although it might be a little tight for an adult width-ways.

The rear seat is relatively impressive for a small SUV. (image credit: Tom White)

Rear passengers score both a USB 2.0 and USB-C outlet on the back of the centre console, with dual adjustable air vents, too, but there’s no full-size household power outlet like the one in the current Kia Niro.

There are bottle holders in each of the doors, too, but no drop-down armrest. I was pleased to see the soft trims in the doors also continue for rear passenger’s elbows, and there are also pockets on the backs of both front seats.

Boot space comes in at 359-litres (VDA) matching the outgoing car. You’ll need to make full use of the space, but it fit the full CarsGuide luggage set with some ease, even with the luggage shelf in place.

There’s no spare wheel, so you will have to make do with an inflator kit, but there is two cutaways in the underfloor styrofoam liner for the storage of your charging cables.

The ZS EV has a new electric motor which has more power but less torque than the previous version. With outputs totalling 130kW/280Nm, it’s on the lower end for an electric vehicle, but proved sufficient and certainly smoother than its predecessor in my time with the car.

MG says it comes with other benefits too, like increases to efficiency and a new regenerative braking system.

The electric motor produces 130kW/280Nm. (image credit: Tom White)

You can pick from three drive modes, Eco, Normal, and Sport, as well as three levels of regen braking. No matter which of the two variants you choose, the ZS EV is front-wheel drive only.

Thanks to a new battery pack measuring in at 50.3kWh, the ZS EV can travel at a claimed 320km between charges. It’s a significant improvement on the previous version’s 263km range, but as I discovered in my testing, this will depend on how and where you drive it.

In fact, during my time testing the car, it almost left me stranded, with an 89km freeway journey ending with 0km of range despite the car telling me it had 46 per cent charge and 139km range before I set off.

The ZS EV has a range of 320km. (image credit: Tom White)

This disturbing drop in range was puzzling, with my Kia Niro long-termer being much more consistent with its range calculation. My theory is perhaps the battery got a bit hot in the last few big climbs on my trip, becoming less efficient. Once I had left the car off in the shade for a while, the computer reported more range, jumping from 0km to 12km. It still wasn’t enough to get to a charger, but lends credibility to my temperature theory.

To get myself home I actually had to use the V2L charging from my Kia Niro to top the ZS up to make it back to the nearest charger. Turns out this feature is not a gimmick at all.

The ZS EV has a claimed energy consumption of 17.1kWh/100km. (image credit: Tom White)

In terms of efficiency, the ZS EV has a claimed consumption of 17.1kWh/100km, something which my test car stuck to reasonably closely despite its little freeway mishap. During my week of testing it produced an overall number of 16.8kWh/100km, in fact under the claim. 

For reference it’s not as efficient as the similarly-sized Hyundai Kona Electric in which I scored an impressive 11.0kWh/100km, but far from the worst I’ve tested.

In terms of charging, the new ZS EV can juice up at a rate of 80kW on DC, allowing a five to 80 per cent charge time in just under an hour, or an impressive 11kW on a slower AC charger, allowing a charge time in the region of four hours.

Ownership, at least on paper, is a very positive story for the ZS EV. The brand continues to impress with a seven-year and unlimited kilometre warranty, a promise which extends not just to the car itself but also the high voltage battery components.

The ZS EV is covered by MG's seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. (image credit: Tom White)

The ZS EV only needs to see a shop once every 20,000km or two years, whichever occurs first, and there’s a capped-price servicing scheme covering the first seven visits, for a whopping 14 years. Most services are fairly cheap, with only one outlier costing over $800. Over the 14 year period though, the service cost averages out to just $172.50 a year. Pretty damn good if you ask me.