2022 MG ZS Review: Packed With Luxury Features, This EV Does Good Job Of Being A Family SUV — IN PICS

With fuel prices increasing day by day, the interest in EVs has exploded but the sad truth is that amongst all the hype, you can buy just a handful of them in India right now. MG Motor jumped into the EV space early with its ZS and recently launched the facelifted version with new features and a larger battery pack. For car buyers looking to switch to EVs, that is the most crucial factor and as we found out, in the real world the range is also quite surprisingly good.

Before anything let's talk about why you want to buy the ZS anyways. Yes, the range and the performance. An EV is all about being quick and effortless to drive but delivering enough range to remove anxiety is an issue. The previous ZS did a decent job with an official figure of 419km but the new one has a larger 50.3kWh battery pack with a 461km range. That immediately translates to a more real-world range.

We drove the ZS in city and highway conditions in its 'eco' mode setting to get the best possible range. There are other modes but with the regenerative braking set at its highest level and driving it in stop-go traffic, we achieved around a 370/380km range. The range depends on driving conditions, weather, passengers, and the mode but it should easily add a lot more km over the earlier ZS. In sport mode, it would be below 200km while normal will get you above 320km easily. However, in eco mode, you will get above 340km at worst also. That is impressive.

In terms of driving, the ZS now gets 176bhp and that's also an increase over the earlier version. Of the three drive modes, eco is the best for stop-go traffic and it is very smooth. You can also change the brake regeneration levels to suit your driving style. Like any electric car, acceleration is instant and it is strong when seen in sports mode. It has no problems going to triple-digit speeds with ease and also being a relaxing cruiser. We also felt that torque steer is less than the earlier ZS and high-speed stability is better along with less roll. The ride quality continues to be a mix between being firm yet able to take potholes reasonably well. The light steering and compact size are a bonus.

The interior continues to be a highlight in terms of feeling premium as its price tag suggests. The contrast stitching, soft-touch materials are all high quality and it has one of the best quality interiors at this price. The new digital instrument cluster fits with the theme of a futuristic EV and is easy to see. The new 10.1-inch touchscreen is well laid out too with lots of EV-related information and how to better your driving style for more range. Space is decent being a comfortable four-seater with a good amount of legroom at the rear even if headroom is a bit of a compromise due to the roofline.

Like any MG, equipment levels are high with a useful 360-degree view camera, panoramic sunroof, rear armrest, connected car tech with more features, a digital Bluetooth key that helps if you have lost the physical one, blind-spot detection, rear-drive assist, wireless charging, TPMS, 6 airbags, PM 2.5 Air filter, etc. It, however, misses out on the ADAS features seen on the Astor.

Like the Astor, the new ZS gets redesigned slimmer LED headlamps but the coloured closed grille and the new bumper makes it different looking on the road and unlike the earlier ZS, this one gets more looks as a result. Elsewhere there are new 17-inch alloys, new LED tail-lamps, and a new rear bumper as well.

Let's talk about charging and the charging port location has changed from the logo to the side. MG provides you with a portable charger and will install a fast AC charger while it is also compliant with fast DC charging. There many charging stations are now being added with MG itself adding many AC fast chargers. Typically most will charge at their homes with the time being roughly 9 hours.

Priced at Rs 25.8 lakh, the ZS is the only EV below Rs 50 lakh that delivers a good enough range to be used as your only car in cities. The fact that it has luxury features and does a good job of being a family SUV is also a good thing. There is no competition right now for the ZS but the biggest factor would-be car buyers looking at diesel/petrol SUVs and thinking of the ZS. Looking at current fuel prices, the new ZS might seem a good buy indeed.