In need of an affordable alternative to the likes of the Renault Captur or Seat Arona? The MG ZS, which starts at £ 12,495 in the UK, could be worth a look. When it comes to small and urban-friendly cars, having a spacious interior goes a long way, and for its size, the MG ZS does a surprisingly good job at that.

The interior looks fine, but the quality of the materials isn’t quite on the same level as you’d get in most of its rivals. Still, the touchscreen infotainment system is one of the cabin’s strong suits, and you even get Apple CarPlay if you go for the Excite trim.


Sitting in the back of the ZS is a comfortable experience if you’re not too tall, as there’s plenty of leg room and headroom. The middle seat isn’t really suited to adults, who will feel squeezed. Open up the boot and you will find 448 liters of space, which is more than you get in a Nissan Juke.

The MG ZS is quiet and comfortable to drive around town. However, once you pick up speed, wind noise will start creeping into the cabin. Your best choice when it comes to power units is going for the 1.0-liter 3-cylinder petrol engine (no diesels in the range) mated to a 6-speed automatic. This version of the ZS will max out at 180 km/h, while the zero to 100 km/h acceleration time stands at a borderline acceptable 12.4 seconds.

The 1.0 GDI puts out 111 PS and is priced at £ 15,995 for the Excite trim level and £ 17,495 for the range-topping Exclusive.