MG ZS reviews: what the car critics say

Is MG’s dinky SUV a credible, bargain alternative, or a case of “you get what you pay for”, said What Car?. On the plus side, it is “well equipped”, with an infotainment touchscreen, LED headlights, and cruise control with speed limiter, but the car is let down by a noisy, “tiring” driving experience. While the price is great (from £15,995), if your main criterion is affordability, a Dacia Duster might be a better bet.

The driving wasn’t the problem for us – we found it “fun to drive”, said The Daily Telegraph. But this spacious, practical car does have one major flaw: its crash-test performance. In 2017, the ZS obtained scores of 71% for adult occupants and only 51% for children from Euro NCAP. In its new incarnation it has plenty to like, but “not enough has changed” to suggest its crash-test results will be much better than before.

The ZS might not feel quite as upmarket as, say, the more expensive Mazda CX-3, but it is roomier than that car, and has a pleasant interior, said Carwow. On the downside, the touchscreen infotainment isn’t easy to use – and on the road, the car isn’t especially quick. Even so, the ZS makes a strong case for itself as an affordable, small family car, though if you can, “avoid the rather spartan entry-level models”.