100 miles. 100 miles is rather a long way. 100 miles is much further than you think. Why the preoccupation with distance? Because the additional range on this refreshed MG ZS EV is just that, 100 miles. The Mark 1 ZS had an overall range of 173 miles, a decent if unspectacular amount but this, the Mark 2 has up to 273 miles of range. That extra mileage turns a decent (perhaps even great) BEV into one that is now impossible to ignore.
The Mark 1 ZS EV was an excellent introduction for many to the benefits of fully electric driving, indeed I bought one myself as I was so impressed after reviewing the car a few years ago. An opinion that hasn’t changed over the last 28,500 miles so I was really looking forward to testing this new edition to see what changes had been made to the exterior, the technology within the car and the additional freedom that that extra range opens up. Was I disappointed? Absolutely not.
Exterior changes are fairly substantial with an easier to access and use front charging port, a streamlined, grille-less front and new lights combining 21 LED units for a great new look. There’s a similar redesign to the rear of the car with newly-designed LED tail lamps and subtle alterations that modernise and refresh.
Inside, the ZS is a subtle combination of familiar shapes and brand new experiences. What dominates is the all new 10.1″ floating touchscreen control panel that’s easy to read and is chock full of information that just wasn’t available on the previous model. Obviously there’s Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite navigation etc. but you also have a whole new suite of charging information to use when trying to maximise your efficiency which will be really useful over the ownership of the car as well as access to MG’s ever evolving MG Pilot safety and driving systems such as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Intelligent speed limit assist and Blind Spot Detection (BSD), amongst others. The rest of the interior has also stepped up in quality and appearance and provides you with a very comfortable space in which to spend your time.
Just as important is the all new iSMART system which integrates car, internet and user communication, giving you the ability to operate many functions with hands-free voice control in the Trophy edition. You want the panoramic sunroof to open? Ask the car and open sesames. The MG smartphone app can also find your parked car, check its status and find nearby charging points. Plus, if you need to open your car remotely, just use the Bluetooth key. MG have also clearly listened to their customers’ desires as you can now pre-start the climate control system to cool or heat the car before you step inside and (using the app) to schedule battery charging at whatever time works best
for you.
Driving wise, the Mark 2 ZS provides greater ride quality than before with a more composed feel through the corners and over our less than optimal roads with the journey appearing to be a little quieter at motorway speeds. This all adds up to a more relaxed feel when covering distance, something the ZS excels at, as well as the more mundane trips to work and back or the weekly shop. MG have taken what worked well with the Mark 1 and improved it almost beyond recognition. All whilst keeping the price firmly at the affordable end of the BEV spectrum.
Would I part ex my Mark 1 against this new edition? Absolutely!