Video Summary
The MG ZS EV, priced at just under $41,000 AUD, is a good value for the money. It is the cheapest EV in Australia, competing with the Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Ioniq.The car's design is inoffensive and pleasant, even though it is a retrofitted model that looks like an engine was taken out and EV stuff was put in its place.
The vehicle has chrome highlights, a 3D etched grill, LED daytime running lights, and 17-inch wheels with an "aero" design. The car has halogen main beam headlights, offset piano black and silver colors, and a radar sensor for cruise control.
Regarding EV specifications, underneath the hood is the engine, and down below is the Type 2 plug, including a CCS combo port. It has 6.6 kW of AC charging and up to 76 kW of DC charging. Battery 44.5 KWh.
Inside, the styling looks good and uses stitching to appear more premium. While the material on the lower dash is scratchy, it is well set off by metal highlights.
The gear selector is a metallic, LED topped dial and includes a KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) button, which adjusts levels of regenerative braking.
The infotainment system with 8 inch touch screen, is basic and at times is frustrating to use, although there is smartphone mirroring through Android Auto and Apple Car Play. This works well, when the system connects.
Driver-side comfort features include electric seat adjustment and the door and center armrests are soft, with durometer measurements indicating these areas are better than average. However, the steering wheel has no reach adjustment.
For practicality, there are two USB ports and a 12 V outlet. Bottle storage is in the doors and center console, and there are map pockets. Rear seat USB charging ports are included, but no air vents and there are isofix mounting points.
Rear visibility is decent and has a good quality reverse camera.
Cargo space is at 359 L of space, expanding to 1187 with the dual-tiered floor and dropped seats, but there is no spare tire.
When driving, the car is quiet, due to the EV drivetrain, however there is wind and tire noise on coarse surfaces. It is very responsive.
The driver may experience some torque steer when accelerating through corners due to the single motor and front wheel drive, which is dampened by stability control.
The electric motor produces 105kW/353Nm, while the claimed combined energy consumption is 18.6 kWh per 100km, while the EDC Range is 320km, more realistically 260km.
Climate controls are a downfall of the car, as it lacks climate control and the temperature does not transition smoothly from hot to cold.
