MG ZS & HS (2025) Launch Review

The ZS, HS and Cyberster models spearhead now Chinese-owned MG’s relaunch in South Africa. Ciro De Siena drove MG’s 2 crossover offerings and shares his thoughts.

Morris Garages (MG) was founded in 1924, in what must have been, I imagine, a decidedly damp garage somewhere in Britain, while it probably rained outside relentlessly.

Driven by the desire to rather spend time indoors, Cecil Kimber began building cars in earnest. And so, MG was born. Up until the early 2000s, it achieved moderate success both in the UK and some other markets with various not-too-terrible runabouts, as well as cheap ‘n’ cheerful sportscars and roadsters.

However, after the Japanese brands entered the UK and European market with cars that both functioned properly and were reliable, MG soon found itself floundering and the entire brand was sold to SAIC, the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation – now the world’s 7th largest automotive manufacturer.

SAIC set about restructuring and redeveloping the brand into a company which is now gaining serious ground in Asian markets, the UK, Australia and, to a lesser extent, Europe.

The product strategy? Crossovers, crossovers and more crossovers. Today, MG is renowned for offering affordable, reliable and relatively premium compact SUVs such as the ZS and HS. Indeed, on a recent trip to Thailand, I saw so many MG ZSs that I thought there were about 5 of them just going around in circles.

Indeed, under SAIC’s stewardship, MG has become the 11th biggest- and fastest-growing car brand in Britain, where it sold over 81 000 cars in 2024, many of which must have been what we know as the ZS and HS models. For context, that number is about a 5th of South Africa’s entire passenger car market.

See also: The Zeitgeist is Chinese. It just is.

That brings us neatly to the 3 models that MG SA has launched in the local market. Local motoring journos were invited to drive the MG ZS and HS in the Western Cape and herewith are my impressions.

Up front, MG SA has made a bold move by including a 7-year/200 000 km warranty with the ZS, HS and Cyberster models. This is a strong warranty and competes favourably with legacy brands such as VW and Toyota, which continue to offer 3-year warranties (even if they’re extendable “at point of purchase”).

Curiously, GWM SA (the distributor of the P-Series bakkie and custodian of the Haval, Ora and Tank sub-brands) recently announced an extended 7-year/200 000 km warranty on almost all of its new vehicles, up from the 5-year/150 000 km offered since the company arrived back on the local scene in 2012.

One wonders if whispers of MG’s imminent announcement encouraged this move…

What is the MG ZS like to drive?

Let’s kick off with the ZS – the most compact and affordable MG now available in South Africa. The ZS model is aimed squarely at the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, Volkswagen T-Cross, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Toyota Starlet Cross, Suzuki Fronx and similar offerings in the budget crossover segment.

With prices beginning at a very reasonable R289 900, the base-spec MG ZS is known as the Comfort, while the R309 900 Luxury variant is the only other trim level in the range, at least at the time of launch.

You can have any ‘box as long as it’s a four-speed automatic – yup, no manuals are available. This probably won’t bother 95% of buyers as the MG ZS is very much a commuter vehicle.

Power is provided by an engine, unsurprisingly. The ZR utilises a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol motor with outputs of 84 kW and 150 Nm. This compares favourably to say, the Fronx, for which Suzuki claims peak figures of 77 kW and 138 Nm, also from a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated 4-pot.

On our launch route, which took in highway driving, country roads and even some rutted gravel, the MG ZS felt eager, well, at least until we hit some steep inclines… Then the 4-speed automatic made its voice heard and the engine felt strained and, at the time, with just a driver, passenger and no luggage on board.

The MG ZS delivers workmanlike performance at best and, with that realisation, my thoughts turned to motorists in Gauteng, where the thinner air robs naturally aspirated (non-turbocharged) motors of about 17% of the power that they generate at sea level. I fear that, when the MG ZS is fully loaded, its driver will have to have to really “put foot” on inclines or, more critically, when executing overtaking manoeuvres.

If you are on the Highveld and considering the MG ZS, I would recommend a lengthy test drive to find out whether the car offers adequate power for your needs.

The MG ZS’s suspension setup is firm although not overly so, and the only element of the ride quality that bothered me was the tyre roar; it feels as though a bit of extra sound insulation in the wheel wells would have resulted in a more premium feel to the driving experience, especially at highway speeds.

To its credit, MG has succeeded in mapping the throttle correctly for South African requirements and -driving parameters. While the car does leap on initial throttle input and which requires some familiarisation, in all other driving situations, the ZS’ throttle is responsive and easy to modulate.

This is a refreshing change from what our team has experienced with other Chinese brands’ new models. It’s a bit long to go into here, but simply put, as Chinese cities are heavily congested and highway speed limits are low, OEMs in that country map cars’ throttle responses for dense traffic and fuel efficiency.

The interior of the MG ZS feels built to a price, which, of course, it is. Some of the panels and trims are a bit plasticky and the infotainment system’s touchscreen (with Android Auto and Apple Carplay) is a bit small, but overall, the cabin feels sufficiently modern and built to a high enough standard for our market.

A nice touch is a height-adjustable driver’s seat, with rake- as well as reach adjustment for the steering column – a couple of features that are often missing in this segment of the market.

Exterior styling is subjective, but I feel MG has struck a pleasing balance between sportiness and general road presence. Given this new compact family car’s high-quality metallic finish, from the outside at least, the newcomer looks like it’s well worth its sticker price, a feeling which is 50/50 once you climb inside.

However, when you remind yourself of the MG’s list price, as a new-car offering, the ZS makes complete sense. If it retailed for R50 000 more, I’d say it would not be worth it and advise you to look elsewhere.

However, with an asking price of R290k, a high level of standard spec and the peace of mind of a 7-year warranty, I would say the MG ZS is worth a look if your budget and desires are in this ballpark.

It feels and looks premium enough to warrant attention from onlookers and to make the buyer feel like they’re getting their money’s worth.

How much does the MG ZS cost in South Africa?

MG ZS 1.5 Comfort 4AT	R289 900
MG ZS 1.5 Luxury 4AT	R309 900

Prices (in January 2025) include a 7-year/200 000 km warranty and a 5-year/60 000 km service plan.

See also: MG ZS (2024) Price & Specs

What is the MG HS like to drive?

After driving the MG ZS first, the larger, family-car-sized MG HS proved a truly wonderful surprise. I was immediately impressed by the Chinese medium SUV’s ride quality, the quality of interior materials, the modern fascia layout, the comfortable seats, the generous rear legroom and decent luggage capacity.

Aimed squarely at the Kia Sportage, Volkswagen Tiguan, Chery Tiggo 8 Pro, Hyundai Tuscon, Haval H6 and similar, the MG HS is instantly a handsome alternative from your very first steps towards the car.

There’s a real feeling of solidity here: from the sensation of opening/closing the doors, and the feel of the imitation leather (you don’t even get genuine leather as standard in a Mercedes-Benz E-Class or BMW X5 these days, so don’t expect to find it here), to the touch a feel of the dash, carpeting and roof liner.

A giant dual-screen “skateboard” dominates the dash – a design feature that seems to have become the go-to configuration (to package the instrument cluster and infotainment system) for virtually every car interior designer on the planet. Graphics are crisp and some serious thought has gone into ease of use.

Much like in the MG HS’ Haval and Chery counterparts, there are precious few buttons on the dash, but I found it easy to control the climate settings, something that can be frustrating in other brands’ vehicles.

The multifunction steering wheel does, however, house all the buttons your heart might desire, making controlling various onboard functions, such as the trip computer and audio system, a breeze.

The driver’s seat is 6-way electrically adjustable (replete with electric lumbar support), while the passenger seat is 4-way electrically adjustable.

The amount of rear legroom available in the MG HS is so generous that I first thought it was an optical illusion. The load-bay capacity, meanwhile, is comparable to those of the MG HS’ rivals, while the rear seats fold and split in a 60/40 fashion and ISOfix child-seat mounts are fitted as standard.

But what truly stands out about the MG HS is its overall ride quality, which strikes a remarkable balance between comfort and sportiness; the newcomer’s suspension setup is reasonably supple when it needs to be but then, in the twisties, the HS corners in an impressively flat manner. The MG is so accomplished in that regard, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in a German sports SUV costing 3 times as much.

There is virtually no road noise or wind noise to speak of, which I feel makes the MG HS more than a very comfortable daily driver – it is also bound to be an effortless long-distance tourer.

What’s more, the MG HS comes equipped with numerous standard safety features. It has 7 airbags as standard, including an innovative new airbag that pops out of the centre bin between the front seats. The MG representatives were very proud to announce that the HS was awarded a full 5 stars in the stringent EuroNCAP assessment programme, something not many Chinese manufacturers have achieved.

And then we get to the model’s pricing. The 4-variant range begins with the 1.5T Comfort, priced at R499 900. Again, there are no manuals available, but the MG HS eschews the 4-speed auto from its smaller ZS sibling for a conventional 7-speed auto – a good old-fashioned “slush-box”, which I certainly prefer.

The other trim level with this drivetrain is Luxury, which offers more standard features than the Comfort and is priced at R534 000. This brings us to the 2.0T Comfort and -Luxury variants, which are priced at R629 900 and R665 900 respectively and utilise a 9-speed automatic transmission.

While the 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol (1.5T) offers 125 kW/275 Nm, the larger 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol motor (2.0T) offers a very healthy 170 kW/370 Nm, which is knocking on Golf GTI territory.

For all that extra oomph you do, however, pay a penalty in the form of increased consumption; MG claims an average fuel consumption of 6.9 L/100 km for the 1.5T- and 8.6 L/100 km for the 2.0T variants.

Unfortunately, I did not get to drive either of the 2.0T variants. However, I did feel the smaller motor provided sufficient power and torque for most driving needs, including reasonable overtaking ability. However, if you are looking to tow with your vehicle, the larger engine might be a better choice.

How much does the MG HS cost in South Africa?

MG HS 1.5T Comfort 7DCT	R499 900
MG HS 1.5T Luxury 7DCT	R534 900
MG HS 2.0T Comfort 9AT	R629 900
MG HS 2.0T Luxury 9AT	R665 900

Prices (in January 2025) include a 7-year/200 000 km warranty and a 5-year/90 000 km service plan.

See also: MG HS (2024) Price & Specs

MG Cyberster

MG’s electric roadster was there and, gosh, it looked good. I am very much hoping we get to drive it soon at Cars.co.za, as with a claimed 0-100 kph time of 3.2 sec, thanks to dual motors producing a whopping 375 kW and 725 Nm, there’s not much out there that could compete with it in a traffic-light shootout.

The interior of the Cyberster looks and feels particularly impressive, with ultra-modern and rather clever design traits. And, of course, the scissor doors are a real highlight – they add to the model’s drama.

It is a properly interesting looking car, quite radical in its presence and a very interesting proposition, being the only fully-electric 2-door sportscar in South Africa. Priced at R1 399 999, I can’t wait to get my hands on the MG Cyberster! Look out for a full video review on our platforms soon.

How much does the MG Cyberster cost in SA?

MG Cyberster

R1 399 900

The stated price includes a 7-year/200 000 km warranty and a 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.

See also: MG Cyberster (2024) Price & Specs

Summary

With aggressive pricing and a very strong warranty, MG is back with a bang in South Africa with the ZS, HS and Cyberster. With no fewer than 6 Chinese brands set to launch in Mzansi in 2024, the consumer will be truly spoilt for choice, and the legacy brands have another Chinese-based headache to deal with.

While the ZS, in my opinion, offers just enough to be competitive at its price point, it’s not as convincing as the newer HS, which is certainly bound to give just about everything on the market a run for its money.

When you consider an all-new Volkswagen Tiguan, with its comparatively asthmatic 1.4-litre turbopetrol engine and a similar spec to the MG HS’ Luxury trim grade will set you back around R900 000 (watch our 2024/25 Cars.co.za Awards Family Car category comparison video), even the very top-of-the-range 2.0T Luxury derivative, at R655 900, feels better built, is more powerful, and seems a bargain by comparison.

MG will no doubt claw some market share in the short term, with especially the ZS and HS. What’s more, with more models on the way, including well-priced EVs that are selling up a storm in other markets, the MG brand is almost certainly set to become a mainstay of the South African motoring landscape.

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