MG ZS 1.5 AT Alpha: The beauty queen of crossovers

For a new player in the crossover segment, the MG (Morris Garages) ZS (pronounced "zed es") came in all suited up.

Surprisingly stylish on the outside and well-appointed on the inside, it presents a very desirable package right off the bat.

Looking good from any angle — top, bottom, front, back, and side — it’s a beauty, which is why the title “Official Car of Miss Universe Philippines 2020” comes as no surprise.

Exterior

Even with a somewhat common nose shape, there’s a certain something I can’t quite put my finger on that lets that façade still stand out. Maybe it’s the luxurious thick shiny strip bordering the "Stardust" grille, or the understated octagon-shaped brand logo right in the middle.

With UK roots that go back to 1924, it takes the modern Britain’s London Eye as inspiration for the special design of the headlamps.

The sheet metal is finely shaped, and the lines are clearly visible, starting from the hood and fenders. These flow along the sides before gently sloping up by the rear quarter panel.

Clearly, a good amount of time was spent thinking about how to make the exterior more expressive without going over the top.

But MG didn’t stop there and still shaped the rear well enough to match the rest of the vehicle — you’d be surprised at how some automakers don’t even bother — and even named the taillight design "plough." It will make sense when the lights are on.

Discreetly designed on the rear badge itself is the latch for the rear hatch. It keeps the tail appear clean and clutter free.

On the roof are silver roof rails, while the ZS shoes are five-spoke 17-inch wheels. Judging by the wheel well, 18s may also comfortably and stylishly fit in.

Interior

For a top trim, I expected to not have to click the keyfob to unlock but alas, it wasn’t the case. I hope an upgrade makes that possible because the ZS already uses a start/stop button for ignition.

The first thing I notice in the cabin is that it’s pretty plush.

Leather seats have visible white stitching, and there are soft-touch materials on the dashboard’s top, metallic accents on the flat panels, and faux carbon fiber trim around the eight-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay (via the two USB ports in front) and Bluetooth connectivity.

Fit and finish aren’t at luxury car level yet but certainly a lot more than your money’s worth for its P998,888 tag price.

Even though the vehicle is China-made, seats are very comfortable and fit the body very well. You’d be surprised at how that’s not so common among vehicles, even with some popular brands.

A leather-wrapped steering wheel has controls for audio on the left and the instrument panel on right. Behind the steering wheel, on the left, is the cruise control stalk.

Engine

The 1.5-liter engine puts out 114ps and 150Nm of torque straight to a four-speed AT with manual function.

Power definitely doesn’t fall short of city standards but the Aisin transmission must be improved in the near future. With only four gears, it has a much wider ratio and this is most evident between first and second.

Unlike vehicles with more gears and closer ratios, the ZS will stay a little longer in first before it shifts to second, and sometimes gets confused in traffic as it figures out where to shift during the incessant stop and go.

Performance gets better as you go higher up the gears.

It Hill Hold Control for when you’re going forward and it works fine, but when you’re backing up on an incline from basement parking, you’d have to do it continuously and at speed because if lose momentum, it has a tendency to slide forward.

Ride and handling

The drive isn’t as refined just yet. NVH levels are not yet where they should be as a crossover, which means the cabin is quiet if the roads are good, but you’ll feel a bit of it once it gets rough.

It has to work on its balance as well as quick turns may make it feel at times unsettled.

Steering is almost weightless, which is good if you like the feel of a light vehicle. The drawback is it numbs the driving experience as it does not provide a lot of feedback.

Overall comfort, especially if you’re just riding, is more than satisfactory though. Cabin is roomy enough for five and the rear torsion beam suspension does well enough to catch all the weight and keep the ride soft.

The package isn’t perfect, and it could be better but remember that Korean brands were in this same pickle not too long ago.

Verdict

MG is now owned by China’s SAIC Motor Corporation Limited and while they have a good foundation with this unit, there’s a steep learning curve ahead of them as well.

It is decked-out, specced-out, and undercuts the majority of the competition’s entry-level model by a few hundred thousand pesos. That alone is reason enough to give the MG ZS 1.5L AT a long hard look.

Distributed by MG Philippines, which is managed by The Covenant Car Company, Inc. (the same people behind Chevrolet Philippines), has assured the market that it will have the resources necessary to make ownership and aftersales service hassle-free and painless.

Photos by Eric Tipan