New MG ZS EV: fresh look, more range, still cheap*

The MG ZS EV has been updated for 2022, with a new 72kWh Long Range battery bumping the car’s range up to a very attractive 273 miles. That’s a big leap up from the old version’s 163-mile figure.

It’ll arrive in UK dealerships next month, and there’s a smaller 51kWh alternative coming next year too: that’ll return a very respectable 198 miles on paper, no doubt offering a cut-price route into a car that’s already cheaper than chips.

The design of the ZS EV has also been overhauled, with the most noticeable change being the real grille swapped out for a fake, stamped-effect one. Better for aero, apparently, and it houses a new charging port which itself contains a four-stage lighting system so you can check charging progress at a glance.

LED headlights, daytime running lights, a new rear bumper and fresh wheels are the other headline alterations.

Both Type 2 and CCS charging are supported. Plug in at home and you’ll max out at 7kW, delivering a full charge in ten-and-a-half hours. Find a service station with a rapid, DC supply and you’ll be capped at 76kW, enough to get you on your way again in 42 minutes.

Inside there’s a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen with new graphics and - according to MG - better functionality, and there’s a new instrument cluster too. Wireless smartphone charging is supported, but only on the top-spec Trophy trim; entry-level SE cars make do without.

MG also claims its iSMART connectivity is ‘state-of-the-art’, which would be fine if features like remote control over climate settings, security and charging hadn’t already appeared years ago on dozens of other models. Still, it’s got them, and that’s good.

Another thing it’s got is a seven-year warranty, which puts everyone else bar Kia to shame. Prices will be confirmed in a few weeks, but the ZS EV has long been the Dacia Duster of the electric SUV segment and we’d expect that to continue.