MG’s electric SUV, the ZS EV, has been a very popular entry-level car for those entering the EV market and it has just got better. Hitting showrooms very soon, the latest MG ZS EV has been given a thorough makeover and more range improving what was already a compelling package. 

The ZS EV has been MG’s biggest selling electric model and consistently one of the UK’s top 10 best-selling battery electric cars. Available from just over £26k, it was one of the cheapest ways into the EV world without compromising on space for a family.

It isn’t without its faults, such as a fiddly and out-dated infotainment and maximum range of not much more than 150 miles in real-world conditions. Visually, it was a bit ‘last generation’, too – albeit not offensively so.

The new MG ZS EV addresses these minor faults.

Styling

The most obvious change to the MG ZS EV is the way it looks. A major overhaul of the front-end brings with it a new grille – that’s more aerodynamic and also incorporates the charging port, slimmer LED headlamps plus a more pronounced chin air intake with black detailing.

The car’s profile is broadly similar to that of the previous model, whilst at the rear of the car, the bumper has been given the once-over. It’s a good-looking thing and a significant step forward over the first-gen model.

Powertrain upgrades

Perhaps the biggest and most meaningful upgrade to the 2022 MG ZS EV is a new 72kWh battery pack which elevates the car into a new sphere of competition. The old car’s 44.5kWh battery and 163 miles of range was, well, fine. But that’s about as much praise as we could heap on it.

The 72kWh unit offers a WLTP range of up to 273 miles – a full 110 more than the current model – transforming the MG ZS EV into properly practical, everyday family car that could happily replace a petrol or diesel vehicle. MG will be bringing a 51kWh version to the UK in due course with a 198-mile range and no doubt a lower price.

Maximum charging speed for the 72kWh variant is 76kW, meaning it can be juiced to 100 per cent in as little as 42 minutes. A 7kW AC on-board charger will allow overnight charging from a low state of charge.

New connectivity

The third thing MG has addressed with the new ZS EV is the infotainment, which came in for more than a little bit of criticism. The latest version is called MG iSMART which offers connectivity through a smartphone app. This allows various car functions such as climate, security and charging to be controlled remotely.

A new 10.1 inch touchscreen interface with better graphics and improved functionality deals with interactions while behind the wheel. Augmenting this is a new digital instrument cluster and wireless phone charging on the higher spec Trophy model. A regular SE spec car will also be offered

Price and availability

Update 01.11.21: MG has now revealed the price of the new MG ZS EV as well as upping the model count to three with the introduction of both a Trophy and Trophy Connect version. All versions come in at under £35k and therefore benefit from the plug-in car grant. 

The SE Long Range is priced at £28,495 on the road after the grant is applied. Step up to the Trophy and the price is £30,995 with the top-spec Trophy Connect (which gains live services such as weather and traffic) and the price is still a modest £31,495 after the grant. All models are backed up by MG’s seven year/80,000-mile warranty.