If you grew up in the 2000s, the MG ZS was a dressed up version of the Rover 45 with flared arches and a brash blue vinyl interior. But under Chinese ownership, the ZS has blossomed into a small crossover, the Nissan Juke rival we kept hearing about.
Presented at the Guangzhou International Auto Show, it's poised to hit some global markets in 2017, including the Middle East, Australia and the UK. However, MG is no longer making cars in Britain, not even from knocked down kits.
The styling draws attention without being overstated. MG's trademark grille design is connected on either side to headlights that bear more than a passing resemblance to the Mazda CX-5.
A rising shoulder line and slightly sloped roof combine to give a sportier look. The back end of the ZS looks like it copied the CX-3 and the Mazda2. Both of those are fine-looking cars, so MG has a winning design on its hands.
The now Chinese car company boasts the ZS has "natural semantic technology," which allows you to close sunroof, play music and adjust the temperature using voice commands. Speaking of the sunroof, it's massive, measuring 1365mm long and 870mm wide. Beat that, Nissan Juke!
Reports suggest the platform is a shorter version of the GS mid-size SUV launched a year ago. As for the engines, the base unit is called NetBlue 16T, and it's a 1-liter with direct injection and turbocharging that delivers 120 hp and 170 Nm of torque. Didn't SAIC have a deal with GM (as in Opel)?
Two 1.5-liter engines might be added to the range, one with 120 hp and the other packing 165 hp. You can't sell an underpowered car in the land of free fuel. The ZS is likely to be offered with either a six-speed manual or a twin-clutch gearbox.
“The younger, Millennial generation, born in the 80s and 90s, grew up with the internet in the information era. For them, a car is more than just a means of transport. Therefore it was a logical next step for MG to create a model which meets the needs of our younger generation while staying true to the key offerings of our MG models. We are confident that the MG ZS will be well received in the Middle East, a region passionate about the latest advances in technology’," said Sun Guang, an MG regional manager.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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