MG ZS Electric SUV Review 2024

Does the ZS EV survive the urban chaos that NCR or will range anxiety reign supreme? This is our very first impression of the MG ZS electric SUV.

I for one, enjoy cold, foggy winter mornings! I love breathing in the fresh air, feel the mist in my face and revel in the chill, instead of being curled up inside my comforter. And one of those ways where we can keep fog from turning into smog is by going easy on planet Earth. The not-so-subtle thing this is that with air pollution levels hitting on the roof, I’m beginning to believe that electric vehicles make more and more sense! This is the area where MG Motor enters the fray with the ZS electric SUV! It’ll be second version to be launched in MG after the Hector, it’s a compact SUV and it’s completely electric! We spent a while with all the new MG ZS EV and here is what we thought of it.

MG Motor tasted success with all the Hector and the very best way, perhaps, to build upon that was to introduce yet another SUV in the SUV crazy nation of ours. Along with the ZS too, there’s nothing about it betrays the fact it is an electrical SUV, except possibly the’electric’ badging on the sides along with the hum of the electrical whine of the engine. But more on this later! It employs a typical crossover stance. The plan is understated and front end, it seems good with this broad grille with chrome surround and hidden underneath is the charging point too. Adding to the appearances would be the London Eye’ inspired daytime running lights and the very cool looking windmill inspired alloy wheels. Additionally, the lines on the profile break the monotony and add a feeling of relief, again, which makes the car look good.

The back end though is a little too generic. Actually, it will remind one of a certain best-selling compact SUV from Hyundai (the Creta) but nothing that stands out as a sore thumb. In general, it’s a neat-looking car and the use of chrome around, be it the grille, the door handles, the window and even the badging in the back, is subtle and not overbearing.

Interior

The inside also employs a clean, uncluttered design and we really like the delicate, understated design of the dashboard. Again, MG has smartly used chrome inside also adding to the top look and it’s further reinforced by the flat-bottomed steering wheel and the leather soft-touch bits on the dashboard and door panels. The all-black theme does eat in the feeling of distance but so far as space is concerned, it can fit in four adults comfortably, five will be a squeeze. The chairs are well-bolstered and you sit snugly. At the back, there is enough knee-room to get a 6-foot tall individual with all the driver seat corrected to my height. And the support for your shoulders and back is aplenty too.

Features

We had the top-spec Exclusive version for evaluation with us. MG knows the simple fact that car buyers in the Indian marketplace love a characteristic loaded car and that the ZS EV caters to this to the’. Starting off, it’s a connected SUV and gets an embedded eSIM along with in-built Wifi and more or less has all connectivity features that the Hector gets. Additionally, there will be Apple CarPlay and Android Automobile on the market soon. Following that, you get a full panoramic sunroof together with PM 2.5 filter as well. Yes, that is a standard fitment on the very best model and much desired, if you’re driving around in Indian metro cities.

Coming to security features, the MG ZS EV has 6 airbags as standard along with ABS and electronic stability control. There are hill descent control and hill start assist and rear parking sensors, ISOFIX child seat mounts and tire pressure monitoring system as well. So yes, in terms of features, the ZS EV is quite well-loaded. Oh! And the MG ZS electric SUV scored five stars from the latest round of Euro NCAP crash tests too!

Motor Specifications
There is a lone speed reduction gear which will help deliver the electricity immediately but more on this later. The electricity comes from a 44.5 kWh battery which is IP67 rated which means it’s resistant to dust and waterproof up to a depth of 1 meter. We do not think anyone would ever want to try that out on a ZS EV.

The first thing that strikes you while driving the ZS is your immediate acceleration! It is something else and it comes once you tap the pedal, it does not even require mashing the controller. The motor, paired with the single-speed reduction equipment doesn’t need to opt for the equipment or strategy the rev band. The pull and the torque, virtually all of it’s yours for the taking straight from the word go! You spot a gap in the traffic before you, gently press on the pedal and you are already there! I mean, it needs to be reason enough for city dwellers to switch to electric automobiles from IC motor cars.

The other plus was the balanced suspension. It made light work of speed breakers and potholes and using the battery pack placed on the floor the car feels stable around corners too. If we were to nit-pick, the steering robs you of the fun which the engine is capable of. It seems dead. However, in the event you want some more weight, all you want to do is select the’sport’ mode from the toggle switch near the rotary transmission knob.

There are just three drive modes available that are Sport, Normal, and Eco. Aside from the drive modes, the MG ZS electric SUV also contains three levels of Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) that can be’Moderate’,’Light’ and’Heavy’. In an instance where you’re using brakes frequently, it is advisable to opt for the Heavy mode to add more control in the battery. The brakes on the ZS EV are great and have adequate progression, even though we would have liked a little more bite from them.

The MG ZS EV takes about 6-8 hours to be charged entirely having an AC home-charger, which MG will set up at your location free of cost. MG gives a mobile charger with each unit which may be plugged in at any given normal socket. However, that of course, will take a long time to charge. The fastest charging alternative is that the 50 kW DC quick – charger that can charge the vehicle up to 80 percent in under one hour. MG says that its own dealerships in metro cities will have a single unit each of the 50 kW fast-chargers, in partnership with Fortum. Plus, MG will also provide roadside assistance and find a portable charging van for you in case you’re stranded.

If this is how electric cars sense (the MG ZS EV along with the Hyundai Kona Electric), I am prepared to be converted to electric-head’ from a petrol-head. The MG ZS has the correct proportions for a town car, has sufficient range to perform a 50-kilometer commute daily for 5 days, is cleaner than diesel or a petrol car, is packed with features and offers solid performance also. The one thing which remains to be noticed is the prices. We anticipate it to be priced at about $25 lakh keeping it in contention with its only rival, the Hyundai Kona electric. Trust us, take a test drive of this MG ZS and you’ll be amazed by what it has to offer, thankfully naturally.