In-depth reviews

MG ZS review - a wallet-friendly SUV: owner reviews

"The attractive MG ZS offers low-cost SUV practicality, but it’s not very good to drive or particularly frugal"

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4 Jul 2024

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Carbuyer Rating

3.0 out of 5

Owners Rating

3.8 out of 5

Reviews

Owner Reviews

5 out of 5
4 out of 5
3 out of 5
2 out of 5
1 out of 5

71%of people would recommend this car to a friend

Common Problems

Engine (2 cases)
Electrics, Engine (1 case)
Brakes, Other (1 case)
Electrics (1 case)
Other (2 cases)

Review 1 of 17

Tell us what you think about your car?

Sadly I'm not happy with this. Had it back 3 times always to be told nothing wrong! It feels sluggish and unsafe. Sad as it's a nice looking car but lacks performance.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I bought this car new after nearly 20 years of Land Rover ownership. It was a hard decision swapping my Discovery for the MG, but we love it! Have owned it for three months now and my motoring costs have dropped significantly. The car is so comfortable to drive and the 1 litre automatic very responsive. The car is very roomy with lots of interior space and a big boot. Value for money is excellent. I can't understand why motoring reviewers and magazines don't rate the car higher.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I love my 6-speed auto MG ZS. Before buying, I tried the SEAT Arona which was too small and felt like a difficult drive in comparison. I felt the same with the Vauxhall Mokka X. I had a Volvo XC60 diesel for a while but that was too big. I looked for something mid-range and tried out the MG ZS which blew me away. It's very comfortable, handles well in corners and pulls like a train. It's hard to believe it has small engine under the bonnet. I have had no problems at all with it. It's reasonable quiet too, good on fuel, very good model, I can't understand why the MG ZS has so many low reviews from car magazines. I love mine to bits and will definitely have another after this one. I will recommend anybody looking for a SUV that's mid-size and stylish. There is loads more I could say but just try one for yourself.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Excellent little car. Pros: It feels more like a 2.0 not a 1.0!, It's roomy for all passengers, with loads of rear legroom even with the front seats right back, and a Decent size boot. DAB radio is fitted, good fit/finish inside with no rattles. Comfortable seats, parking camera and sensors, Satnav and phone connectivity are all fitted, and there's a 7 year / 80,000 full manufacturer warranty. Cons: The fuel consumption not great on my 25 mile commute to work, I get around 32mpg with 10 miles of motorway and 15 miles of stop/start driving. On longer trips on the motorway I've had 46mpg. The Aisin dual clutch automatic is great, but sometimes changes up to quickly and labours the engine, this might be sorted with a software update in near future and doesn't make it undriveable. The Maxxis tyres fitted by the factory are of a hard compound and create quite a bit of road noise. There's no centre armrest, but you can buy aftermarket ones. Overall you really can't beat this car for value for money. It drives great, looks great and suits me for commuting and using at weekends for trips with wife and 2 kids without any space issues.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Bought this car in June 2018. I'm extremely happy with it. Great value for money, fantastic to drive, stereo is absolutely awesome with a vibrant touchscreen. It has very positive, light steering and there’s so much room inside, too. You can fit two six-foot people in the back and in the front. The build quality feels almost German made and a the seven year warranty provides peace of mind. The only downside is that its ride is a little hard when you’re on the motorway or carriageway, but down back roads it handles fantastically well.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

While waiting at lights engine shuts down, this is correct to save fuel etc, however while i have been stationary with foot on clutch and still in gear the engine shuts off. To start i have to floor accelerator or return to neutral, handbrake on and carry out normal start, this causes frustration with other drivers. Service manager said due to low battery volts as luggage compartment prone to not closing properly and boot light staying on. He forgets about warning display and thinks i believe him. Lol. Will be returning car when i have time. Took car for service and not offered courtesy car, wait in garage, or lift home. Don't think I will buy another MG. Also there seems to be a flat spot during accelerating.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

The worst car I have ever purchased. The battery has died 36 times despite full servicing. The AA came out last week and told me they had been called out to several ZS that day with flat batteries. The guy has written a report saying that the car's internal data causes the battery to drain. It's been reported to MG but nothing appears to have been done about it!

What's the one thing you like most about your car?

Nothing

If you could improve one thing, what would it be?

A car that starts

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Great car for the first 3 months then the cracks started to show. Issues with the stop start and the car just cutting out at junctions without the hand brake and car being out of gear that is required for the stop start feature to work. Reported to our MG garage they advised that nothing was wrong. It must be driver error. It continued and we had video evidence of it continuing to happen but because it is an intermittent fault MG could replicate at the further two visits to MG for the technicians / specialists to look at. Videos provided to MG and finance company to reject the faulty car from dash cam and inside the car and every time they want to see the car again. This could go on forever! I will never recommend this car to anyone or the appalling service from MG. To conclude I have a car that I can’t use as unsafe and can’t sell as unsafe so it’s become a pretty ornament in my garden just collecting dust don’t waste your money.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I was looking for a new car and hadn't considered the MG until it came up in a search. I'm so glad I did, I love the car. I went for the top of the range Exclusive model, everything about it is great and the most important thing for me is value for money and a 7 year warranty.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I bought this ZS Exclusive new in July 2021. The cost was probably £8-10k less than a Qashqai. It is great. I have driven all over the UK and its fuel economy is about 40mpg. I had doubts about the 1.0-litre engine, but it is fine. I had 4 people and luggage, and it had no problems. Some people complain about the lack of fun and performance. Seriously, buy a Lotus. This is a roomy, comfortable and reasonably economical car, it seats 4 in comfort, has a large luggage area and is easy to drive. Smooth auto and informative sat nav. Great LED lights for night driving. Electric driver's seat and many other safety features, reasonable ride on the dirt tracks the UK calls roads. I have had no problems; for the money it is great value. I would certainly buy another

What's the one thing you like most about your car?

it does exactly what it is supposed to do, no fuss, no drama

If you could improve one thing, what would it be?

Soften the suspension a little, add window tints. Thats it

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Bought the car new May 2018, the mileage is now 25000 miles and I've had no major problems. Door handles stick in the open position and don't always return into the bodywork, so I have to lubricate them about every 6 months. The driver's side electric window sometimes goes down when switch is pulled to go up but a new motor fitted under warranty. It drives well and is pretty roomy, it's just a pity they did not fit the turbo, as the GS loan car I borrowed had one and it makes a big difference.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

There’s plenty of room inside with a large boot. There’s even a proper full-size spare wheel which I prefer. The touchscreen infotainment system works well, and it drives better than reviews tell me. The comfortable seats offer excellent support, and the steering is excellent. As for fuel economy, it’s better than my previous Kia Venga. The best MPG achieved so far from a 250-mile return trip was 46.1 MPG, averaging about 40.1 MPG overall. Update 12/01/2019 I’m still happy with the car, I had one glitch resolved quickly under warranty. A faulty crankshaft position sensor was replaced that was giving incorrect traction and steering control warning lights, together with fluctuating rev counter readings. It wasn’t showing on diagnostics, but the warning lights then came on while in the dealership’s car park, so I left the engine running and asked the service manager to witness the issue. The customer service from my dealership was exemplary. Fuel consumption is still satisfactory at 40-41MPG. The tyre pressure warning system shows individual tyre pressures on the dashboard. Update 29/01/19 No further problems with the traction control and steering control warning lights. Update 23/03/19 No further problems, fuel economy stable 40-41 MPG overall. Update 27/04/19 The USB plug detached itself and fell into the centre console... Also, the parcel shelf string clip has broken. The cloth coverings the front passenger bolster separated itself from holding clips, but all should be sorted by the dealership under warranty shortly. The car is now on 7200 miles, and fuel economy is still around 40 MPG. Update 23/05/2019, 7900 miles total, no further problems to report. Update 18/07/2019 8000 miles in total since purchase and no further problems to report. The car is running well, and the paint finish still looks excellent after 18 months old. The interior wearing well, with no marks or scratches. Everything is working as it should.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Excellent car, especially for the price. I took mine to Europe for our summer holidays and drove over 2000 miles in two weeks. It was very comfy, quiet, good on motorways and when navigating b-roads. I'm very pleased, the 7 year warranty means I've not a lot to worry about for quite some time. Less than a month after purchasing the ZS, I bought my daughter a MG3.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

What a fantastic car for the price, style and functionality is great, lots of people knock the brand because they are frightened too many people pay £5k + less for an superb car, on par with Nissan, Mazda, Kia etc Great value for money, the 1.5 needs driving correctly to get performance but it sits at 72 mph no problem at all on motorways and returns 51 mpg, try that for size.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I have had the car for over a year havin* bought new on 0% finance deal. Whilst it’s not the most distinctive car (it has many external features that resemble Audis, Jaguars and Hyundais) it is certainly cheaper than many of its rivals. Pros: It has been comfortable, reliable and good car to drive. It has an excellent DAB radio, and bluetooth player as well as good loud phone hands free (I am partially deaf). But I have found engine performs fine for me on my daily commute as well as other driving. Boot size is excellent, and easily fits my partner’s mobility scooter. Cons: Fuel economy is not the best, but for the size of car it is about what I would expect. After having a rear shunt, 6 weeks after getting the car parts took a long time to come through (4 weeks for fog lamps)

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

My new ZS was damaged in a no fault on my part accident - 3 MONTHS later I am still waiting for it to be repaired as it has been impossible to get a driver door from MG as there are simply no spare parts in the UK . MG still cannot give a date for delivery of the parts. Bear this in mind when buying a new MG !!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

This is a perfect car for me, I love the drive and whole look of the car. For the price I am spoilt and I really appreciate the simplicity but quality of this model. Nice big boot for my dog and it manages my rural location and bumpy drive very well.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up