MG ZS review - MPG, running costs & CO2

Ownership of an MG ZS, on the face of it, looks quite pain-free from a financial perspective. The outright purchase cost is lower than many rivals, which gets it off to a good start. However, those buying on PCP finance might find deals aren't the most attractive on the market, depending on how the MG's resale value stacks up.

Otherwise, only the ZS' disappointing fuel consumption really works against it. Ongoing expenses such as insurance and road tax won't be significantly more costly than for rivals, and maintenance shouldn't throw up many unexpectedly large bills. There's also the reassuring presence of a seven-year warranty.

MG ZS MPG & CO2

Although its small size implies thriftiness, the ZS' 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine isn't quite as economical as you'd hope. With a manual or automatic gearbox it can return up to 42.7mpg and emits 149g/km of CO2 – figures some way off the 47mpg and 131g/km of the Renault Captur.

Company-car users will also baulk at the MG’s high Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) bracket. Here, the MG ZS EV does far better, sitting in the lowest BiK band reserved for zero-emissions vehicles.

While you’d probably expect it to be more expensive to run, fuel consumption and emissions figures for the 1.5-litre petrol match the 1.0-litre at 42.7mpg and 149g/km respectively. No diesel engine is expected to join the ZS range any time soon, particularly as sales of diesel models is dwindling in our list of the best-selling cars.

Every MG ZS will cost the standard rate each year for VED road tax, aside from the MG ZS EV, which is exempt until 2025 due to it being a zero-emission vehicle.

Insurance

Choose the entry-level trim and 1.5-litre petrol engine, and the MG ZS sits in insurance group 15 out of 50. This rating is the same for the 1.0-litre turbo in Exclusive trim, but drops by one group with the automatic gearbox fitted.

The MG's Renault Captur rival ranges from insurance group eight for the 0.9-litre entry-level model to 16 for the biggest 1.5-litre diesel, so it looks to be competitive with its rivals in this regard.

Servicing

Service intervals for the MG ZS are every year or 16,000 miles, which should suit high-mileage drivers who don’t want to visit the dealership too frequently. Service plans are available, and are claimed to make budgeting for routine maintenance easier. Your MG dealer will be happy to discuss the right service plan for you.

Warranty

MG's warranty provision for the ZS is very generous. At seven years/80,000 miles, it comes close to matching Kia's seven-year/100,000-mile warranty and those who cover low mileage will find that it beats Hyundai's five-year/unlimited-mileage policy. The warranty is fully transferrable and can be passed on to a subsequent owner when it comes time to sell.