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Interior
What is it like on the inside?
Again, the difference between the old ZS and the new one is night and day on the inside too. You’ve got the fashionable 12.3in high-def touchscreen as standard, a 7.0in digital instrument panel and hard-wearing plastics that will stand up to daily use without feeling too cheap.
Having said that, the design of the fiddly X-marks-the-spot controls on the steering wheel won’t age well and the drive selector feels unnecessarily large – it looks like the thrust lever from an aeroplane, though perhaps that’s the vibe MG was aiming for.
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How’s the screen?
The central touchscreen is good: it’s snappy, responds quickly to inputs and offers a lot of screen real estate when you put the standard fit Apple/Android connectivity to the test (which is just as well, because the design of the built-in satnav is a bit ropey).
A line of buttons below the screen offers useful shortcuts, but you’re still dependent on the touchscreen for most of your aircon needs and that’s where the heated seats and wheel controls are squirrelled away as well.
The digital instrument panel is a bit more frustrating, with not enough configurable information on display. And just as you get it set to show you the trip info and things you want, it defaults back to a blank display of a parked ZS. C'mon MG, that's easily fixed with an update.
Is it practical?
Legroom is pretty good in the second row and there’s plenty of room for two side by side, even if the seats themselves feel a little flat. The middle seat is slightly raised, so better for occasional than everyday use.
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In the boot you get a decent 443 litres of space seats up and 1,457 litres of space with the rear seats folded flat. That’s better than the likes of the Renault Captur and Skoda Kamiq, and there or thereabouts with the Dacia Duster.
The ZS does lack the neat touches of cars like the Duster or Kamiq, which offer fun flourishes for everyday use. It doesn’t have the budget car excuse either when the Dacia can manage it. Having said that, the USB plug in the rearview mirror is handy if you want to run a dashcam.
