New SUV to rival Toyota Corolla Cross, GWM Haval Jolion Pro and Chery Tiggo Cross.
Already-spoiled buyers in the compact SUV segment will have to further lengthen their shopping lists with the arrival of the MG ZS Pro.
The MG ZS Pro is effectively the replacement for the aging ZS. It is bigger, more modern and boasts more tech and power. The Chinese-owned British marque will sell the two alongside each other with the ZS offering an affordable option and the ZS Pro a more upmarket product underneath the flagship HS mid-sized SUV.
Fellow Chinese manufacturers Chery and GWM follow similar strategies locally. The older Haval Jolion became the Jolion City alongside the new Jolion Pro, while the older Chery Tiggo 4 Pro has been kept underneath its new version, the Tiggo Cross.
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Two-pronged ZS strategy
“The ZS will eventually run out, but definitely not for at least six months. We have access to stock and for as long as we do, we will continue selling them,” says Christo Valentyn, head of marketing MG Motor South Africa.
The two-derivative ZS Pro line-up starts with the Comfort at R397 600, which is R87 700 above the flagship ZS Luxury. The top-of-the-range MG ZS Pro Luxury costs R431 500.
In a big upgrade from the ZS, the Pro swaps out the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine for the same turbocharged 1.5-litre mill that features in the HS. The result is a power bump of 41kW and 125Nm for a total of 125kW/275Nm. This is sent to the front wheels via extremely CVT instead of the HS’s seven-speed dual-clutch configuration.
MG claims it will sprint from 0 to 100km/h in a very respectable 8.5 seconds and sip only 6.9 litres per 100km/h.
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Striking new looks
Dimensionally, the ZS Pro is at 4 340mm 45mm longer than the ZS and 20mm wider at 1 818mm. The wheelbase increased from 2 590mm to 2 610mm.
The MG ZS Pro looks a lot more modern than its Zs sibling. At the front it gets a solid wide-frame grille and “Predator Eye” Led headlights, while geometric LED taillights and a sporty spoiler feature at the rear. Silver roof rails come standard along with integrated indicator lamps on the body-colour side mirrors. The Comfort rides on 17-inch “tele-dial” alloy wheels and the Luxury on 18-inch turbine-style black and silver rims.
The colour palette consists of York White, Pearl Black, Blade Silver, Flare Red, Hamstead Grey and St Moritz Blue. A distinctive green hue is reserved for a specific model which could be added to the local portfolio later.
MG ZS Pro plush inside
Climbing inside, there is no doubt that the Pro is a more upmarket offering from its sibling. A soft-touch dashboard, door trims with contrast stitching and perforated simulated leather seats offer a very plush and dare we say premium finish.
There is plenty of head and leg room in the rear, with boot space going up from 359 to 443 litres.
Standard features include: 7-inch part-digital instrument cluster, 10.25-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Bluetooth connectivity, electronic parking brake, rear parking sensors and reverse camera.
In addition, the Luxury grade features electric driver seat adjustment with including lumbar support, heated front seats, 12.3-inch dual display and panoramic electric sunroof with curtain.
Safe as a house
Safety in the Comfort comes in the form of four airbags, electronic stability program, hill-hold control and tyre pressure monitoring system.
The MG ZS Pro Luxury has six airbags and MG Pilot advanced driver assistance features such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and 360-degree camera.
We were very impressed with the behaviour of the CVT transmission during The Citizen Motoring’s launch drive in the Comfort derivative from Lanseria Airport to Magaliesburg. It behaved extremely well. In fact, so well that we did not even notice it is a CVT, which is always a good thing.
Solid on the road
A drive selector offers you a choice of Eco, Normal and Sport modes, which we didn’t really need on our route. Even in Normal mode, the power delivery is more than enough, even when you need to overtake.
The handling felt good and the suspension plush on imperfect surfaces. It makes the MG ZS Pro a very solid compact SUV which is up against the Chery Tiggo Cross, Toyota Corolla Cross and Haval Jolion Pro.
MG’s sales have been booming since its return and they have also just opened their 48th dealership in Fourways. With products like the ZS Pro, their growth will continue.
“Buyers are spoiled for choice. It is our job to make the product as enticing as possible and we believe we have done that by offering good value in a hotly contested segment,” concludes Valentyn.
MG ZS Pro pricing
- ZS Pro 1.5T Comfort – R397 600
- ZS Pro 1.5T Luxury – R431 500
*Pricing includes seven-year/200 000km warranty and five-year/60 000km service plan.
