MG ZS EV

The cabin of the 2024 MG ZS EV is plain and simple, which is on expected lines considering the car's price tag. The seats are of faux-leather. The dashboard gets soft-touch plastics, along with solid-feeling buttons with impressive fit and finish. Some hard plastics have been used, particularly on the door insides to keep production costs under check. The central console is reasonably sized. The gear selector's rotary dial works well. There's a pleasing mix of colors and materials, like the shiny round air vents, red stitching, and fake carbon fills. The 2024 MG ZS EV comes with a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, and a digital driver's information display panel. The door cards get bottle holders and the power outlets sit underneath the infotainment unit. The EV gets 470 litres of boot space, higher than the standard ZS.

The 2024 MG ZS EV is based on the standard ZS and the two cars look quite similar. Sharing a common chassis, MG has managed to keep the EV's price affordable. Electric cars that are designed ground-up are more expensive. The electric version of the ZS gets more EV cred, courtesy of the closed-off grille in the front. There's no engine inside an EV and it doesn't require cooling. The grille is still pecked to forge a more traditional look. The electric charging port that was earlier under the big-size MG logo, has now been moved to the side. The bumpers in front get more prominent revisions. There are metal accents along with sleeker headlight units. The car comes with all-round LED lighting. There are big 'electric' badges that sit proudly on the fenders. These replace the windmill design of the wheels and lend the car a bit sharper look that's in line with the times. The rear is crisp and neat, void of any drama, because of the angular taillights and revised bumpers. Overall, the styling is more on the plain side, instead of revolutionary. 

The 2024 MG ZS EV has a spacious cabin. The two front seats are electrically adjustable. Taller drivers may still have to struggle a bit to get into a comfortable position because of the steering wheel's unusual angle. All seats are nicely padded. The legroom and headroom on the rear seat are great. Even with the panoramic sunroof, there's enough space for a six-foot passenger. The soft suspension handles big bumps well. But the car easily gets unsettled by expansion joints and occupants are jostled around on faster roads. Despite being an EV with no engine noise, the car isn't exactly noiseless.

The 2024 MG ZS EV is hauled by a permanent magnet electric motor that produces 148 PS/350 Nm. The motor is mated to a 44.0kW liquid-cooled, lithium-ion battery. The car officially sprints 0-60mph in a little more than eight seconds. Handling is decent and the ZS EV turns corners easily. It returns a mileage of 198 miles which is rather acceptable from the small-capacity battery.

The 2024 MG ZS EV comes with a number of driver-assist features and safety equipment. It gets all-round parking sensors, 360-degree parking camera, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, and lane-keep assistance. The brake pedal makes it easy to judge the amount of pressure required for regenerative braking. 

The 2024 MG ZS EV is among the most affordable cars in its segment. It comes with a decent set of features and a roomy cabin. These are still early days of EVs and their long-term is still uncertain. But the ZS EV is a nice option for those on a budget.