2022 MG ZS EV Facelift Review

MG Motor India made a bold move in 2020 when it introduced the ZS EV as its second model in India. It was arguably a brave step at the time when electric vehicles were just trying hard to make space in our market. But MG wanted to make a statement as it had the confidence that EVs would gain prominence sooner than later. Well! the ZS EV has already found more than 4000 takers in the last two years and the carmaker has now given it a proper mid-life update which should give the compact SUV a further shot in the arm.

Also Read: 2022 MG ZS EV Launched In India

In fact, this is the second time the MG ZS EV has received an update as the company did make some minor revisions in the model even last year. Though, the current facelift is comparatively more significant both in terms of looks and features which have been carried forward from its petrol sibling - the Astor compact SUV. That said, with this facelift, MG has also tried to address what is probably the most concerning issue when it comes to electric vehicles - range anxiety, which involves some technical upgrades.

Range And Performance

The new MG ZS EV gets a bigger 50.3 kWh battery pack and its range has improved to 461 km.

Yes! Courtesy its bigger and more powerful battery that MG says has passed the stringent safety standards, the car under ideal conditions can now go for up to 461 kms on a full charge. The battery pack is upgraded to a shade bigger 50.3 kWh unit that sends power to a synchronous electric motor, belting out a maximum 174 bhp and 280 Nm of peak torque. The car does the 0-100 kmph sprint in just about 8.5 seconds which is still quick for a car of this segment.

The new MG ZS EV feels quick behind the wheel and clocks triple digit speeds in 8.5 seconds.

The punch from the electric motor is more than enough for a car of this size and it always feels eager. There's always ample reserve of power for a quick overtake and it gets to higher triple-digit speeds in a jiffy once you switch to the sport mode, but that takes a toll on its drive range. Yes! It retains all three drive modes- Eco, Normal and Sport, and the claimed range of 461 km is possible only in Eco mode and when you're gentle with the throttle.

Ride & Handling

Ride quality has always been one of the core strengths of the MG ZS EV for Indian roads. In fact, it always comes across as a car that gives a good mix of ride and handling and we're happy to report that it continues with this new car as well. Though the suspension tuning is on the stiffer side, it doesn't feel overly stiff and you don't feel that sharp pinch in your back going over speed breakers or bumpy roads. At the same time, it isn't lumpy by any stretch of the imagination and body rolls are well contained even at higher speeds which is confidence inspiring when it comes to highway cruising.

Design & Exterior

Majority of the updates on the 2022 MG ZS EV are centred around its face that looks more angular and claims its EV status more handsomely now.

As the pictures tell you, the 2022 MG ZS EV also gets a healthy dose of modifications in its design giving it more of that "EV" flavour. Well, that's primarily due to this new enclosed grille which now comes in the same body colour and the charging socket now moves slightly towards the right of the MG logo, rather than being positioned behind it. The redesigned bumper too gives it a sharper and more angular look and the LED headlights too are slimmer and integrate new hawkeye shaped DRLs.

The 2022 MG ZS EV gets its new LED taillights from its petrol powered sibling- the MG Astor while the 17-inch alloy wheels gets new wheel cover. The charging socket too has been positioned slightly right from the MG logo.

At the rear, the Astor sense is quite inevitable especially because of the LED taillight motifs which again a carry forward and the rear bumper too has been revised with chrome and piano black inserts.

While profile of the new MG ZS EV remains identical to the predecessor, the rear looks fresh sporting a new bumper with piano and chrome inserts along with those new Astor sourced LED taillights.

The profile remains identical to the outgoing model save for the redesigned 17-inch alloy wheels that have a new 'tomahawk' plastic wheel cover over them showing some cost saving. There are four body colours to choose from including this new Ashen Silver.

Interior And Features

On the inside, the new MG ZS EV feels more premium while the textured pattern and red stritching on the all-black upholstery brings in a sense of sportiness.

It has always been a premium and sophisticated affair inside the MG ZS EV and the new model only builds up on it. Everything is well put together and the overall layout remains unchanged save for the slightly tweaked central console to accommodate the new and bigger 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system which again is a straight lift from the Astor.

Photo Credit: The 2022 MG ZS EV sources a bigger 10.1-inch touchscreen from the Astor that gives you access to all the connectivity and infotainment features while the new digital instrument cluster too looks sharp. It also gets USB and Type C ports both at the front and rear.

However, there is also a certain sense of sportiness in this all-black cabin, courtesy red stitching and textured pattern on the seat upholstery, dashboard and wherever there is soft touch on the surface. And speaking of it, you'll notice generous use of soft touch surfacing on the dash and door pads adding to its upmarket appeal. The new flat-bottom steering too builds up on that sporty feel and looks chunkier.

The seat uphostery of the MG ZS EV has been updated as well.

In typical MG fashion, the ZS EV is loaded with latest creature comforts and connected tech that's always been the magnum opus in MG cars. You can also talk to the ZS EV to access quite a few of those 75 connected features, and it now understands both English and vernacular voice commands. However, the little dashboard mounted AI assistant seen on the Astor is missing in this one and that would have been a nice gimmick to have.

At the rear the MG ZS EV gets centre armrest and the seats are generously cushioned.

The panoramic sunroof too is a size bigger and modern features like wireless charging, auto-climate control, a premium sound system with subwoofer, cooled storage area and both USB and Type C charging ports among others are available. That said, it still misses out on features like ventilated seats and auto-dimming mirrors which we expected it to have given that the updated MG Hector facelift already offers these features. Also, it still doesn't offer wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which most of the cars at this price do have. Here you still need to rely upon a USB cable to access Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

The MG ZS EV also gets a new flat bottom leather wrapped steering wheel with red stitching.

What's also new is that the iSmart system on the MG ZS EV has remote engine start-stop (you can also drive the car without a physical key) option using a Bluetooth key enabling you to pre-cool the car on a hot and sultry day while other features like geo-fencing, remote lock / un-lock and vehicle status check among others are standard. It also gets a new all-digital instrument cluster that gives you all the relevant info you want from an electric car including range and battery status and trip details. It does look cool compared to the previous mostly-analogue unit but we still wish it had a small navigation display screen on the MID.

Safety

The new ZS EV is also big on safety as many driver assistance features seen on the Astor have now made their way into this car. These include Blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert and lane change assist, all extremely useful in the urban environment. You also get features like TPMS, hill descent control, 360-degree camera view and as many as six airbags.

Verdict

The MG ZS EV feels more upmarket and modern than the outgoing model and impresses with its ride quality and dynamics.

Well! MG Motor India has done a good job for a mid-life update on the MG ZS EV, making it more modern and desirable. It comes as a sportier and more upmarket model even more so with the way the cabin has been put together and now claims its EV status more handsomely with the way it looks. Having said that, it still is priced on the higher side of the compact SUV segment with ex-showroom prices starting at Rs. 21.99 lakh for the base Excite segment and Rs. 25.88 lakh for the fully equipped Exclusive segment you see here. At present, MG has shared details and is accepting bookings only for the range-topping Exclusive trim while details of the Excite variant is expected to surface sometime in July which is when its bookings are expected to open.