- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru He Fr Ar
MG ZS. Inherited name
In October 2021, the MG ZS EV was restyled, acquiring a longer driving range.
The MG ZS is a subcompact front-wheel drive SUV, which has been produced since 2017 by the British brand MG under the management of SAIC (China). In 2021, an electric version of the ZS EV SUV can be purchased in the Israeli market.
The MG ZS is the second model created jointly by the British and the Chinese. The first model in this range was the larger MG GS, released in April 2015. The ZS is currently the brand’s best-seller model in international markets (as of 2021). Interestingly, the MG ZS revives the name previously used for the passenger car from the British brand MG, also called the ZS, which was produced in sedan and hatchback bodies from 2001 to 2005.
The first generation
It has been produced from 2017 to the present (as of 2021). The first MG ZS was presented in two trim levels: the base Soul and the top-end Essence. In 2018, the manufacturer added the Core trim level. The SUV was equipped with a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine with 114 hp and a 1-liter turbo engine with 111 hp. The vehicle is small: its length is only 4.3 m. It is equipped with the MacPherson strut at the front and the torsion beam at the rear.
In 2019, the MG ZS underwent minor restyling, acquiring the redesigned exterior, new LED headlights, an improved dashboard with a 10.1-inch display of the infotainment system. The 1.5-liter engine comes with a positive infinitely variable transmission with 8 pseudo gears. Such a vehicle is not very dynamic: acceleration to 100 km/h occurs in 10.4 seconds, and the maximum speed is 175 km/h. But there was a slightly more powerful modification with a 1.3-liter 3-cylinder turbo engine, which develops 163 hp. It is coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission by Aisin (Japan). This version takes 8.5 seconds to accelerate to 100 km/h.
Electric SUV
The MG ZS SUV, which is sold in Israel, has the EV prefix in its name and is an electric vehicle. The new ZS EV is equipped with a 44.5 kWh battery and a 141 or 150 hp electric motor. The vehicle is front-wheel drive. The drive range is 280 km. The electric SUV accelerates to 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds, and it takes half an hour to charge the battery to 80%.
The 2020 MG ZS EV has a long list of equipment, including a 6-speaker audio system, heated front seats, power driver’s seat, power panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery, electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors and 17-inch alloy wheels, and much more.
As befits a modern model, the new MG ZS EV is equipped with six airbags, electronic stability control, traction control, hill start assist and ABS, as well as a driver assistance package called MG Pilot. MG Pilot includes:
- Autonomous emergency braking: It enables the vehicle to independently brake in the event of a potential accident;
- Adaptive cruise control: It enables your vehicle to follow the vehicle in front and match its speed (up to a given value) and maintain a given distance;
- Lane keeping assist: It makes it possible to bring the vehicle back to its lane;
- Intelligent speed limit system: It makes it possible to read speed signs using the built-in camera and adjust the cruise control accordingly;
- Intelligent headlight control: The video camera measures the brightness of the environment and estimates the distance to vehicles in front/oncoming vehicles to switch the high beam to the low beam;
- Traffic jam assist: The vehicle can come to a complete stop and restart if it gets stuck in a traffic jam;
- Rear cross traffic alert: It makes it possible to warn vehicle drivers approaching from any direction when reversing;
- Blind spot monitoring system: It indicates when another vehicle or object is in the blind spot;
- Door open warning: If you want to open the door, the vehicle will make sure that no bicycles or cars approach you.
