MG ZS Hybrid+ Review

MG is an iconic British brand established 101 years ago. Like all great empires, it grew from humble beginnings, reached a peak of success, and was eventually managed into decline. Revived around 17 years ago, MG is no longer a brand living on borrowed time—it has transformed into a truly international company with a global focus.

Today, MG offers a six-model range, diversified across petrol, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and full EV options. The MG ZS is one such example. Want it as a petrol? You got it. Prefer a hybrid, PHEV, or pure EV? You’ve got that too.

The Exterior

The second-generation MG ZS was introduced in 2024, and its design language is a notable improvement over the first. That said, if I’m being honest, the exterior is a bit generic, although some interesting surface detailing adds a touch of flair. Overall, it looks OK.

It’s available in petrol, hybrid, plug-in hybrid. The EV variant was discontinued, now replaced by a standalone dedicated EV, the MGS5. Prices currently start at £19,000 for the entry-level petrol version and rise to £22,495 for the MG ZS Hybrid+ SE variant, £24,995 for the fully loaded top-spec Trophy model. £23,000 for a hybrid—still considered premium tech—is a remarkable price point.

The Interior

I was expecting a sea of cheap hard plastics and an overall miserable experience, like a Dacia Duster, but how wrong was I. While it’s not at BMW or Audi premium levels, it’s comparable to some VWs in terms of materials, build quality, and comfort.

The cabin features a mix of leatherette and cloth finishes and strategically placed hard and soft plastics. It doesn’t feel cheap and nasty, as some other reviews have pointed out. Indeed, the perceived quality initially feels OK. More expensive rivals such as the VW T-Roc feel much less refined by comparison.

Passenger space in both the front and rear is generous, even for those over six feet tall.

The seats offer moderate comfort and support, and in my opinion, the standard fabric quality is decent, surpassing that of Volkswagen’s standard upholstery.

More Spacious Than It Appears

Boot space offers 443 litres with the seats up and 1,457 litres with the rear split seats folded flat. You know what? That’s OK.

In terms of specification, the entry-level model is reasonably well-equipped. However, it does lack some creature comforts such as heated front seats, electric folding door mirrors, electrically adjustable seats, and a rear passenger armrest.

That said, climate control comes as standard, and the sound system is OK. Equipment highlights include adaptive cruise control, lane assist, and even blind spot monitoring, which are usually reserved as expensive options on premium cars.

Infotainment System

The central infotainment system measures 12.3 inches and is complemented by a 7.0-inch digital instrument display. Both screens offer sharp screen resolutions, the stock software is reasonably responsive, and the system incorporates a vast catalogue of menus and submenus, which can be confusing to access in terms of usability. 

You can control many of the functions via the steering-mounted buttons, such as the climate control, but you have to configure the settings via the infotainment system.

The steering-mounted controls have a quirky usability, for example, when accessing the volume control and displaying the information you want in the digital instrument cluster. But in the end, you find ways around the quirks, adjust and get used to how it all operates.

The standard built-in Sat-Nav is not so great. That being said, the infotainment system does offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, but it’s wired only for now.

The Drive

The first issue I noticed was the lack of reach adjustment in the steering wheel—it’s height-adjustable, presumably only on this trim, which is fair enough, but I struggled to find an ideal driving position. I either had to sit too close or move the seat too far back. Eventually, I adjusted, and for short trips it’s fine, but on longer journeys I’d really appreciate more adjustability.

The MG ZS Hybrid+ is powered by a 134 hp electric motor paired with a 1.8 kWh battery and a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 105 hp, for a combined system output of 193 hp. Power is delivered through a three-speed automatic transmission.

I was expecting a lacklustre performance, but I was caught off guard. From 0–40 mph, the low-end torque reminds me of a V6 engine. It does lose some steam under heavy acceleration, but overall, it feels more like a fully electric powertrain than a traditional hybrid.

That’s because the petrol engine is designed to act as a generator feeding the electric motor, with the engine acting as an assist when required. It also has EV regen, which works exactly like a one-pedal mode on a full EV, with three levels. I found level 3 Regen offered too much braking power for everyday use, level 2 was just right.

The handling? Again, I was caught off guard. It’s deceptively fun, agile, and decently composed. I found myself legally tossing it around like a hot hatch. I started pushing it through corners, approaching roundabouts with enthusiasm, almost like I was driving a sports car.

The Ride

The ride offers OK levels of comfort, some other reviews have said otherwise, and if the ride was trashy, I would not hesitate to say so, as we didn’t hesitate to say so with our erstwhile bloody awful Volkswagen Tiguan long termer, which had bloody awful ride quality.

I did feel that the tyres were too small for the size of the vehicle, the standard fit 17-inches provide better efficiency and improve low-speed handling, but overall I would take a hit with the handling for better all-around comfort with larger standard fit 18-inch alloy wheels, especially for motorway cruising. Larger wheels will give a more planted feel.

Efficiency

Efficiency levels are fairly good, driving around town, running errands, and school runs will easily return around 50mpg -60mpg, depending on how hard you drive.

Motorway cruising, on a 300-mile combined journey, I managed 48 mpg, which is OK.

Conclusion

The MG ZS Hybrid+ is the cheapest hybrid you can buy, and it proves that a once exotic technology is now being offered at an affordable price point. Let me remind you, it costs £23,000. It’s well equipped, reasonably comfortable, faster than it ought to be, within limitations of course.

MIt’s a competent vehicle across the board, but it’s the small details that need attention. The ride and handling could be more refined, engine noise reduced, the audio system improved, and the steering and high-speed stability enhanced. That said, considering its price, it’s an absolute bargain. It offers excellent build quality and represents a lot of car for the money.