New MG ZS Hybrid+ revealed: compact SUV offers electrified power for under £22k

The all-new MG ZS has been unveiled, with the second iteration of MG’s popular small SUV featuring a fresh new look and hybrid power. It's available to order now and prices start from £21,995 – nearly £4,000 less than the Ford Puma.

At launch, the new ZS is only offered with MG's Hybrid+ powertrain – the same setup found in the award-winning MG3. It uses a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor, which deliver a combined power output of 193bhp. As much as 134bhp of that comes from the e-motor, plus 250Nm of torque. 0-62mph takes 8.7 seconds, according to MG.

A 1.83kWh battery allows for short periods of pure-electric driving, which in turn helps the ZS Hybrid+ achieve up to 55.4mpg and emit 115g/km of CO2. With such a small battery, there’s no need to plug-in, instead it’s charged from regenerative braking or the engine itself. 

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We’ve been told by MG UK’s head of product and planning, David Allison, that the new ZS will also be available with a pure-petrol engine early next year, however there won’t be an all-electric version. Instead, the successor to the current MG ZS EV will be a completely different electric SUV based on the MG4 hatchback. 

Styling-wise, there’s a strong family resemblance between the latest MG ZS, MG3 supermini and new MG HS mid-size SUV. Just like its siblings, the new ZS features a very wide and distinctive front grille flanked by thin air intakes on either side. There’s also the typical octagonal MG badge on the nose, plus a contrasting section on the lower bumper that emulates a skid plate, plus there’s full LED lighting at the front and rear.

The new MG ZS has 443-litre boot, which is five litres less than the old model but still more than what the Nissan Juke and Peugeot 2008 offers. Plus, folding down the rear seats opens up 1,457 litres – 82 litres more than its predecessor could accommodate.

The MG ZS Hybrid+ is available to order in SE or Trophy trim. Standard kit includes a 12.3-inch central touchscreen with built-in sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a seven-inch digital instrument display, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors and keyless entry.

For an extra £2,500, the Trophy trim adds 18-inch alloy wheels, a 360-degree surround-view camera, heated front seats and steering wheel, a six-way adjustable driver’s seat and leather-effect upholstery.

Every model also comes with a seven-year/80,000-mile warranty and the ‘MG Pilot’ suite of safety and driver-assistance systems. This combines active emergency braking with pedestrian and bicycle detection, rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, lane-keeping assist and traffic jam assist.

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