2023 MG ZS EV Long range new car review

A wave of cheap new electric vehicles have arrived from booming Chinese brands, we examine the latest arrival to see if the numbers stack up.

2023 MG ZS EV Long Range.

Chinese brand MG has added a bigger battery to its ZS EV small SUV that increases its driving range and price. We take a closer look to see if the numbers stack up.

The MG ZS EV Long Range’s bigger battery increases the driving range by 100km.

IT’LL TRAVEL FURTHER

As the name suggests, the ZS EV Long Range goes further between charges. The Long Range has 420km of claimed range versus 320km for the standard model. In the real world you can expect less – roughly 360km – and those extra kays come at a cost. The shorter range MG starts at about $46,000 to $48,000 drive-away for the Excite (depending on state incentives) and $50,000 to $52,000 for the better equipped Essence. The longer range model, which comes only in Essence trim, costs between $58,000 and $61,000. That works out at $80 extra per kilometre.

That extra driving distance pushes the price way up.

THERE’S NOT MUCH EXTRA GEAR

The ZS Long Range Essence has wireless phone charging, front-seat heaters, imitation leather, a panoramic sunroof, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, roof rails, a 360-degree camera and a 10.1-inch central infotainment screen incorporating Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The only additional feature over the standard range model is tinted rear windows.

The ZS EV also has a connected app that allows you to remotely monitor charging and lock/unlock the car.

But there are also things missing, such as the ability to have different temperatures set for each side of the cabin. As with all electric SUVs there’s also no spare wheel.

Despite the extra spend there isn’t much increase in standard gear.

IT’S BASIC TO DRIVE

In entry-level guise it’s easier to forgive the ZS EV’s basic and occasionally sloppy road manners due to its sharp(ish) price. But as the price approaches $60,000, more scrutiny needs to be applied and there’s room for improvement. The electric ZS is softly sprung so it leans through corners and will chirp the tyres when accelerating. The tyres appear to have been chosen to extend the driving range they don’t have the best grip. Combined with light and lifeless steering, it saps driver confidence.

A trio of drive modes adds some steering weight and more alert responses to throttle inputs, but it’s not enough to hide the underwhelming basics.

It’s also less powerful than the Standard Range version.

FURTHER BUT SLOWER

The ZS Long Range can go further but has less power. The peak is limited to 115kW versus 130kW for the regular range variants. That increases the claimed 0-100km/h time from 8.2 seconds to 8.5 seconds.

The difference comes down to the bigger battery pack, which holds more electricity but delivers less power.

The power difference sounds more dramatic on paper than it is in the real world. The Long Range has the same 280Nm of torque as other ZS EVs, so it pulls enthusiastically.

Once up to speed, full-throttle applications yield less potent acceleration but it’s no deal breaker.

Maximising EV range can be done by selecting the most aggressive of three regenerative braking modes, selected via the KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) button. If you’re in the less aggressive regeneration mode the MG uses its regular brakes more often, in turn losing the opportunity to recapture electricity.

IT’S NOT CHEAP

The Long Range’s bigger battery may bring a welcome bump in range but the price premium places it closer to classier EVs with longer driving ranges for similar money. Think the Cupra Born or the Tesla Model 3.

MG is offering a $5000 rebate until the end of this month to make it slightly more attractive but there are still question marks around the Long Range’s pricing. Rather than arriving with a solid tech story it feels more like a budget EV with added batteries.

At a budget price it would make more sense.

Originally published as 2023 MG ZS EV Long range new car review