MG’s ZS EV wins some and loses some
A facelift and new drivetrain made MG’s electric SUV better, but may have made its prospects worse
WHAT a difference a few years make. Back when The Business Times first jumped onboard the MG ZS EV to set sail in the uncharted waters of the electric car world, the battery-powered sport utility vehicle (SUV) cost an eighth of a million and looked like a tempting alternative to combustion machines.
That was in 2020. Now the ZS EV costs a fifth of a million – including a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) – and has no shortage of pure electric competition, with rivals from France, South Korea and Germany to fend off.
Just as well that it’s had a facelift to stay competitive. The ZS EV is based on a combustion car, so it still has the proportions of one – but some mid-life cosmetic work has given it a textured panel where the grille used to be, which really plays up the fact that it has a motor where an engine usually is.
The inside has had a makeover too, though mostly a digital one. MG gave the central touchscreen an update so the graphics look much more contemporary. The menu system is fairly easy to navigate, and there’s Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for your navigation and music streaming needs.
The main instruments have gone digital too, which is something of a must-have these days (or depending on how you look at it, physical needles have become must-not-haves).
New isn’t always better, of course. I quite liked that there are still physical switches for the climate control system and for turning up the music, and one that lets you play with how much regenerative braking you want from the motor.
In fact, MG generally seems to do hardware well. The ZS EV is quiet on the move, which might sound like a foregone conclusion with an electric vehicle (EV) but isn’t always the case. Some fail to keep the cabin isolated from wind and tyre noise, not to mention the odd clonk from the suspension. The MG beetles around with the sort of calming silence that makes you wonder why you clung to combustion for so long.
The other thing that tends to win people over to electric drive is the strong, smooth acceleration that comes with motors – and the ZS EV has it. The fancy new duds arrived with a bit more power: the motor now sends 177 horsepower to the front wheels, up from 141.
In fact, the components under the bonnet look completely different from before the facelift, so it’s clear that MG’s engineers have had more than a tinker with the car’s drivetrain.
With more power, the ZS EV does seem to keep up a steady surge for longer than before. One can see the added oomph coming in handy when merging with fast traffic or overtaking in a hurry.
But the extra juice seems to have dented the MG’s range. Despite a slightly bigger battery pack than before, it now covers a claimed 320 kilometres between each full charge, down from 335 km. That’s the bad news. The worse news is that rivals, such as the BYD Atto 3 or Kia Niro EV, offer an easy 100 km more.
More than that, though, the ZS EV’s more powerful motor puts it in Category B of the COE system – which is one reason it now costs so much more than before.
That’s also why it has more rivals than ever, although one of the best is MG’s own MG4 EV, a medium hatchback. The latter can squeeze 450 km from its battery, is surprisingly roomy inside and drives like a BMW, though the ZS EV’s bigger boot and tall stance make it more of a car for family-minded buyers.
Ultimately, with the electric car party now in full swing, the ZS EV is no longer a straightforward alternative to a combustion car. Yet its slicker infotainment software and peppy new motor boost its competitiveness, while its practicality and refinement make it worth shortlisting and test driving, at least. The EV dance is still early enough to make auditioning as many partners as possible a sensible move.
MG ZS EV Trophy Sport
Electric motor 177 hp, 280 Nm Battery Lithium-ion, 51 kWh Charge time/type 7.5 hours/7 kW AC, 54 minutes/50 kW DC Electric range 320 km 0-100km/h 8.6 seconds Top speed 175 km/h Efficiency 17.3 kWh/100km Agent Eurokars EV Price S$82,888 without COE Available Now
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