Cars
MG Motor

MG ZS EV 2022 review

Shock and awe

₹ 25,88,000

(Exclusive variant, ex-showroom)

Sambit Satpathy 31 Mar 2022 10:28 PM

These days, news about electric vehicles tends to generate as much excitement as celebrity marriages. So when MG Motors India announced the 2022 ZS EV with a new-ish design, more tech features, larger battery and longer range, you can imagine the buzz that it created. 
We spent a balmy Sunday driving around the city trying out the various tech features, and testing MG’s generous claims to see if our heart could survive the range anxiety. Here’s our MG ZS 2022 review.

Design: Ctrl C + Ctrl V

The new ZS EV looks like just a tweaked version of the first-gen model, and that’s because it is. MG’s designers have probably spent their lunch break finishing this project, giving the already-good-looking SUV a nip here and tuck there.

The biggest visual differentiator is the front grille, which is now closed off, and it can’t scream EV any louder than that. This lack of a traditional grille along with the MG logo and the flap hiding the charging port will however polarise opinions. While some fancy the futuristic look, others miss the more traditional styling. The look also varies based on the colourway, and I for one, didn’t find the no-grille look on the white model all that appealing.

Tech overload

If the exteriors remind you of the first-gen ZS EV, stepping inside will remind you of MG’s petrol-powered Astor. The overall layout remains similar, everything feels premium, and fortunately it doesn’t come in Astor’s wine-splattered Sangria Red. 
In addition to the looks, MG has also borrowed some of the best features and tech bits from the Astor. Starting with the 10.1in infotainment system, which is vibrant, sharp, and easy to read even with the massive panoramic roof open on a sunny day. It supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but alas, only in the wired form.

The six-speaker audio system sounds good and balanced, and you can further tweak the sound using the built-in equaliser. The system gets loud, highlighted by low NVH levels of an electric vehicle. 
Despite borrowing things from the Astor, there’s no robot sitting on top of the dashboard. But that hasn’t stopped MG from adding over 75 connected features. Just as on the Astor, you can control a few features on the car remotely using the smartphone app. You can also use voice commands for things that you’re too lazy to do – like control the AC temperature or open and shut the panoramic sunroof. 
Then there are a few driver aids, which we first experienced on the Astor. These include lane change assist and blind spot detection, which give you an indicator on the ORVM if there’s someone or something approaching from behind. These work as advertised, and are helpful in most scenarios.

Performance: Long Ranger

One of the big changes on this new EV is the larger 50.3kWh battery pack under the hood, which produces 174 bhp and 280 Nm of peak torque. With these numbers, it may not be swift as a gazelle, but it does go from 0-100 kph in a respectable 8.5 seconds.

There are three driving modes to choose from, and you can easily switch between them with a flick of the switch. Needless to say, performance in Eco and Normal modes are just to keep the battery happy, and not the driver. The Sports mode does bump up the excitement factor and puts a smile on your face – at least until you feel guilty seeing the rapidly falling range. 

MG claims a range of 461km on a single charge, but in reality, you’ll get somewhere close to the 350km mark, and that too will widely differ based on your driving and other external factors. There’s regen available as well, and you can again choose from three levels of intensity.

At the strongest level there’s enough feedback from the brakes that you can theoretically drive with one foot. But it isn’t strong enough to let you drive at high speeds, and that’s when using the brakes becomes a necessity. Deciphering the regen levels though on the 7in digital instrument cluster is as difficult as translating the hieroglyphs in a pyramid. Simpler diagrams or just numbers would have done the trick. 
With a larger battery comes longer recharging times. A 7.4kW AC wall box charger will take about 8.5-9 hours to fully juice up the battery pack. A 50kW DC charger will take about the time you need to finish your lunch.

Verdict

There’s a lot to like about the 2022 MG ZS EV with its premium design, mile-long feature list, practicality, and the fun-to-drive element. But the one big thing that goes against it is the high price tag. 
Prices start from ₹21.99 lakh for the Excite variant that comes with the same battery pack as the top variant, but misses out on all the fun techy features. To get a fully loaded Exclusive variant, you need to fork out ₹25.88 lakh, which feels a tad prohibitive. 

Stuff Says

A well stocked EV with long-ish range, and a high price tag.
Good stuff
Bad stuff

  1. A good looking SUV

  1. Premium cabin full of tech

  1. Range

  1. Polarising front grille design

  1. High price tag

Specifications
Battery: 50.3 kWh
Power: 173.83 bhp
Torque: 280 Nm
Range: Up to 461 kms