MG ZS: The Subcompact SUV That Became the Brand's Best Seller Abroad

The MG ZS is a subcompact SUV that SAIC Motor builds for the British MG marque, and it has become the brand's biggest seller in international markets. Launched in China in 2017, it went on to gain a 2019 facelift, a battery electric EZS and ZS EV, and a second generation in 2024.

What is the MG ZS?

The MG ZS is a subcompact SUV from SAIC Motor, sold under the British MG marque. Announced at the 2016 Guangzhou Auto Show, it was the second SUV from the marque after the MG GS and sits below the larger HS.

The ZS sits above the MG 3 hatchback in the range. Its Chinese launch came in March 2017, after a reveal at the 2017 Auto Shanghai Motor Show, and the car was then shown at the 2017 London Motor Show for British buyers.

The name revives one used by the MG Rover ZS small family car, which was produced between 2001 and 2005. MG had first considered calling the car the XS in the UK, but that change was reversed soon after launch.

Sales in China ended after the 2022 model year, while exports carried on. As of December 2023 global cumulative sales had reached 999,612 units, including petrol and electric versions.

A revived MG name that became the brand's best seller in international markets.

How did the facelift change the ZS?

The facelifted ZS was revealed in China at the Chengdu Motor Show in September 2019, with a new front fascia, reshaped headlamps, a redesigned rear bumper and taillamps. Inside, a larger 10.1 inch infotainment screen and a full LCD cluster arrived.

The mechanical parking brake gave way to an electronic one, and the new Zebra 3.0 software ran the infotainment. Optional Level 2 autonomous safety features, including lane-keeping aid and lane departure prevention, were offered alongside an updated engine and transmission line-up.

The facelift reached Thailand on 24 March 2020 with a 1.5-litre SAIC NetBlue Blue Core Power Technology four, an eight-speed CVT, six airbags and a 360-degree view monitor. In the UK it went on sale on 3 July 2020 with a revised grille, new LED headlights, a sportier front bumper and new front fog lights.

MG launched the facelift in Australia as the ZST in September 2020, adding a new 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine. India received it as the MG Astor in September 2021, with a redesigned grille for the local market.

What engines did the ZS use?

The ZS used a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre called NSE Plus, a development of the MG3 engine, and later a turbocharged three-cylinder. Each market tuned the petrol engine to its own emissions rules, so output varied from country to country, and the UK tune was the most restrained.

In China the NSE Plus produces 120 PS (118 hp; 88 kW) and 150 N-m (111 lb-ft) of torque. In the United Kingdom, where emissions rules are stricter, it makes 106 PS (105 hp; 78 kW), and its torque is 141 N-m (104 lb-ft).

The turbocharged three-cylinder was developed by SAIC in conjunction with General Motors. The same family looks different across the border: the China tune makes 125 PS (123 hp; 92 kW), along with 175 N-m (129 lb-ft), while Britain gets 111 PS (109 hp; 82 kW), with torque of 160 N-m (118 lb-ft).

In the UK facelift, the 1.5-litre with a five-speed manual took 10.4 seconds to reach 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h), with a top speed of 109 mph (175 km/h).

How did the ZS EV work?

The battery electric ZS EV, called EZS in China, debuted at the 2018 Guangzhou Auto Show with a 44.5 kWh battery and a front-mounted motor. Its facelift added a larger 72.6 kWh battery, and some markets later took a smaller 51 kWh LFP version.

The first EZS motor produced 143 PS (141 hp; 105 kW) or 150 PS (148 hp; 110 kW), with 350 N-m (258 lb-ft) of torque sent to the front wheels. Markets included Britain and parts of Europe, plus Thailand, China, India, New Zealand, Australia and Pakistan.

Australia revealed the car in November 2020 as the cheapest electric car on the market at the time, and MG Australia set a sales target of 3,000 units for the 2021 model year. The EZS was discontinued in China later in 2019, while exports carried on.

MG began its European roll-out in Norway in October 2019 with the ZS EV, after UK sales had started in September 2019. The ZS EV has since appeared in India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Mexico.

How did the ZS sell in Australia?

The ZS launched in Australia on 23 November 2017 with Core, Soul and Essence trims, and it was the best-selling small SUV in the country in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Core and Soul were later renamed Excite and Excite Plus, and the ZST followed on 1 September 2020.

In October 2021 the petrol range was reduced to the sole Excite trim. Engine options were a 1.5-litre petrol and a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol, while the ZST came in Core, Vibe, Excite and Essence trims.

The electric ZS EV arrived in Australia on 10 November 2020 as the cheapest electric vehicle at the time, with a 44.5 battery pack in its first version. The facelifted ZS EV debuted in September 2022 and used a 51.1 or 72.6 battery pack.

Which other markets sold the ZS?

The ZS reached Asia, Europe, Mexico, the Middle East and South Africa, with launch dates running from the GCC in January 2018 to South Africa in December 2024. Trim levels and engines varied by market, and the 1.3-litre turbo appeared in some markets only.

Indonesia was the first market where MG sold a car through its local subsidiary, MG Motor Indonesia. The ZS was introduced on 5 March 2020 and went on sale on 24 March 2020, imported from Thailand with the Excite and Ignite variants.

Indonesia then received limited editions: the Liverpool FC Limited Edition with 200 units in November 2021, the Dark Midnight Edition with 100 units in February 2023, and the XPower with 100 units in August 2023.

The Philippines saw MG return on 18 October 2018 under The Covenant Car Company Incorporated. In Mexico the ZS went on sale on 22 October 2020 alongside the MG 5 and HS, marking MG's return after 15 years with Style and Excite trims.

South Africa received the ZS on 17 December 2024, after an 8-year gap, with Comfort and Luxury trims and a 1.5-litre petrol engine paired to a four-speed automatic.

How did the first ZS launch in Thailand, Vietnam and the UK?

The ZS reached Thailand on 27 November 2017, and the facelift debuted there in March 2020 with four trims: C+, D, X and V. Vietnam followed on 17 July 2020 with Standard, Comfort and Luxury trims, and the Standard was dropped when the facelift arrived in January 2021.

In the UK the ZS went on sale in November 2017 with Explore, Excite and Exclusive trims. Engines on offer were a 1.5-litre petrol with a five-speed manual, and a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol with a six-speed manual or automatic.

The UK facelift went on sale in July 2020, and the base Explore trim was dropped at that point. The Middle East followed in January 2018 in the GCC countries, with STD, MID and LUX trims on the 1.5-litre petrol, and the facelift arrived as the ZST in October 2020 with the 1.3-litre turbo joining the LUX trim.

How did the ZS EV spread across markets?

The EV reached Thailand in June 2019, two years after the petrol ZS, and it was launched in Singapore on 13 January 2020 at the 2020 Singapore Motor Show. Its facelift appeared in Singapore on 16 January 2023 alongside the MG 4 introduction.

Indonesia's ZS EV went on sale on 10 January 2024 in facelifted form, first shown in August 2023 at the 30th Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show. It is built at the SAIC-GM-Wuling plant in Cikarang, Bekasi Regency, where production started in February 2024.

Malaysia received the EV on 27 March 2024, the Philippines on 5 April 2024, and Mexico on 18 October 2023 as the first battery electric vehicle sold by the MG marque there. New Zealand launched it on 10 November 2020 as the first sub-$50k electric vehicle on sale.

In Thailand the EV uses a 51.1 kWh battery pack with D and X trims. The Middle East EV launched in November 2019 with the 44.5 kWh pack, and its facelift in August 2023 brought the 51.1 kWh LFP pack.

What did the second generation bring to other markets?

The second generation reached the Middle East on 25 February 2025, Mexico on 21 April 2025 and the Philippines on 3 July 2025. Argentina followed on 20 September 2025 with distributor Eximar, and Brunei on 13 February 2026. Each market used its own trims and powertrains.

Mexico offers Excite and Elegance trims, with either a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol or the Hybrid+ powertrain. The Philippines range has four variants: Comfort, Luxury, Turbo Sport and Hybrid+, with 1.5-litre petrol, 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol and Hybrid+ options.

In Australia the second generation launched on 15 November 2024 with Excite and Essence trims, initially as a Hybrid+. Non-hybrid petrol and turbo variants were added in January 2025, and in October 2025 the entry Excite was renamed Vibe.

What is the MG VS hybrid?

The MG VS HEV is a hybrid model that sits alongside the ZS in the MG line-up. It was released in Thailand in July 2022 with a system rating of 177 PS (175 hp; 130 kW) in its Thai form, and it reached Indonesia on 21 March 2024, where it became the least expensive hybrid on sale.

The VS has a redesigned front fascia and an updated dashboard adapted from the Chinese Roewe Lomemo. Thailand offers two trims, D and X, while the Indonesian car came in a sole variant imported from Thailand.

What is the second-generation ZS?

The second-generation ZS was unveiled on 28 August 2024. In many markets, including Europe, it is only sold as the ZS Hybrid+. Its electric motor is rated at 100 kW (136 PS; 134 hp), supported by a 1.8 kWh battery and a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.

The Hybrid+ has a total system output of 196 PS (193 hp; 144 kW). The electric variant was dropped, and MG replaced it with the MGS5 EV, which uses the Modular Scalable Platform shared with the MG4 EV.

Indonesia received the second generation most recently, on 29 July 2026 at the 33rd Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show, as a sole Hybrid+ line-up.

In South Africa the second generation arrived on 29 August 2025 as the ZS Pro, while the first-generation ZS stayed on sale as an entry-level crossover option.

What are the MG ZS specifications?