Tag Archives: MG

AWD, MG, SUV/4X4

Few can match value of electric MG

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MG ZS EV

By Bill McCarthy

Once an upmarket British marque, under Chinese ownership MG is firmly aimed at the family market offering, excellent value for money and a seven-year warranty.

Now the ZS EV has joined the race to electrification alongside the MG5 EV and the HS plug-in hybrid and offers excellent value for money.

It is a smart move because the ZS is a fine looking vehicle and the EV version deviates little from its plugin and petrol siblings.

In terms of price, as electric SUV/crossovers go, there’s nothing to match the MG, which can be bought for just under £27,500, inclusive of the Government EV grant.

The cosmetic changes include a different grille that has a cleverly hidden port for the charging point and bespoke alloys wheels, together with the green stripe on the number plate signifying an electric vehicle.

And while they are becoming more common, the car still attracts some curious gazes from passers-by.

While looking like the SUV/crossover that it is, it has some neat new design touches and the large and still famous MG badge adorning the grille.

And MG is also doing its bit to alleviate EV range anxiety with its latest 72.6kWh battery which delivers a driving range of up to 273 miles from a single charge on the WLTP combined cycle.

In addition, it’s quick, hitting 60mph in just over eight seconds and delivering 150-plus bhp.

It looks the SUV part with a muscular stance and full LED headlamps, while the interior is also impressive with a roomy cabin, much improved fixtures and fitting and cutting edge technology. 

Centrepiece is the 10.1 inch colour touchscreen which is the brains of the car, controlling navigation, connectivity and infotainment while also standard is wireless mobile phone charging. It also features the MG iSMART app you can pre-start the climate control system to cool or heat the car, and also schedule battery charging. 

There are three specifications, SE, Trophy and Trophy Connect driven here, with either the 51.1 kWh or 72.6 kWh battery, the lesser battery still has a claimed maximum range of just shy of 200 miles according to WLTP figures.

But like other electric models, get up to motorway speeds with the wipers and lights on the go and the range plummets alarmingly.

 All models are well equipped with a 360-degree parking camera, air con, cruise control, USB connectivity with Bluetooth, electric windows and door mirrors, LED daytime running lights and a host of other goodies.

 The Trophy model adds a couple of grand to the price and more bells and whistles with updated 10.1 inch floating colour touchscreen.

The interior is much more upmarket, with this model offering heated, leather-style powered front seat and multi-adjustable front passenger seat, new piano key buttons and better quality trim, fixtures and fittings. 

Seats are supportive and there is excellent head and legroom for a car of its dimensions and all round vision is also good. Stowage space is impressive with a deep split-level boot offering a huge 470 litres.

It is a pleasant car to drive, a smooth and comfortable ride, with passengers well insulated from road and wind noise.

There is plenty of safety kit, including full complement of airbags, electronic stability programme, assisted emergency braking and hill launch assist. 

There’s no doubt that MG’s growing success will continue with an ever-improving range and more models coming on stream. Add to that a hugely attractive price tag and that seven-year warranty.

Factfile

MG ZS EV Trophy Connect

Price: 33,495

Mechanical: 151bhp, 72 kWh electric motor driving front wheels via auto gearbox

Max speed: 109mph

0-60mph: 8.2 seconds

Range: 273 miles (WLTP)

Insurance group: 11

CO2 emissions: 0g/km

Warranty: 7yrs/80,000 miles

MG, Supermini

Mini MG steps up to the marque

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MG3

By Bill McCarthy

MG’s supermini has taken a quantum leap forward from the first version introduced back in 2013. Better in virtually every area, but still offering incredible value for money, an iconic badge and industry-equalling seven-year warranty – notot to mention low insurance rates, making it particularly attractive for younger buyers.

It’s also stylish and practical, with the largest boot space in its segment. The firm’s blurb says: “Designed to make a bold statement, the New MG3 is targeted at style-conscious buyers seeking something different from the rest of the market, offering a wealth of personalisation options.”

A typical sales pitch, but accurate in many ways. One of the first things that strikes you about it is the ease of entry and exit, the kind you would expect on a larger SUV.

It is a smart looking car, with the iconic MG badge set in the middle of a deep, wide grille flanked by LED daytime running lights, wit deep air scoops below.

 In addition there are body coloured door handles, powered electric door mirrors and rear spoiler, together with side sills with  body coloured with black insert, so it does have a funky, sporty look. 

Equally distinctive is the side profile where the body coloured side skirts lower the stance and it is all finished of nicely with 16-inch diamond-cut alloys.

“It’s quite a package and hard to argue about value for money, even the range topper is under £14k”

 if that’s not enough, there are also customisable options, with six distinctive colour variations.

It is well equipped, with many goodies found on much more expensive cars. It features all round electric windows, all versions come with Bluetooth telephone and audio streaming and AUX/USB as standard, plus an eight inch colour touchscreen and steering wheel audio controls.

The interior continues the sporty theme, but lacks some of the soft touch plastics sophistication of some of its competitors. But the harsh dark plastics are nicely offset with a tartan finish on this model, together with matching red stitching and graphic highlights. This model also featured sports seats and multi-function steering wheel.

The centrepiece is the screen, which features navigation, smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay, DAB radio and also houses the reversing camera on this model. Other controls are functional, if looking slightly dated.

Underlining the easy access and exit from the car is the class-leading head and legroom, which accommodates  four people in comfort, with the fifth a  tight squeeze. No surprise really in this class of car. But it does have a roomy feel to it especially with the large glass areas allowing plenty of light into the cabin.

The 105 bhp petrol engine is a lively unit. Mated to a slick-shifting five speed manual gearbox, it hits 60mph in just over 10 seconds. It is refined enough and has just enough poke on the motorway for reasonable overtaking. Fuel economy is a claimed 47-odd mpg, but I struggled to get 40, while CO2 emissions are on the high side.

 Road performance is good with sharp, sporty handling making it an engaging drive, while the direct, responsive steering adds to the agility of the car. This can be at the expense of comfort through the firm ride. The suspension is  specifically designed for British roads and  can become uncomfortable over lesser surfaces.

In practical terms, it has one of the most spacious boots in its class, with an impressive 285 litres of capacity. Rising to 1,262 with the seats folded. A sizeable stowage space in a small car.

Versions include Excite at £12,195, Exclusive and Exclusive Nav and all featuring the single 1.5 litre petrol power unit. 

Safety features include twin front, side and curtain airbags, electronic stability control, corner brake control, hill hold control and traction control as standard.

It’s quite a package and hard to argue about the value for money, with even this range topper costing £13,840 on the road.

Oh yes, and there’s that warranty, seven years or 80k miles for extra peace of mind.

Factfile

MG3 Exclusive 1.5 

Price: £ 13,840

Mechanical: 1498cc, 105bhp, four-cylinder petrol engine driving front wheels via five speed gearbox

Maximum speed: 108mph

Acceleration: 0-60mph in 10.4 seconds

Economy: 47.1 mpg (NEDC2)

Insurance group: 6

CO2 emissions: 140g/km

Warranty: seven years, 80,000 miles’