MG launches new ZST compact SUV

Wednesday, 2 September 2020

MG has launched its latest SUV offering, the compact ZST.

The British-Chinese brand took the covers off the new SUV yesterday in Australia, ahead of confirming the ZST will go on sale here in September.

MG has given the ZST a fresh look based on the styling of the MG HS from earlier in the year. The front grille has a new black grille and restyled bumper, flanked by new smoked LED headlights, which have 21 individual lighting units in each pod. The rear bumper has been given a similar styling treatment, as have the rear lights, which have eight LED units.

The MG ZST gets styling cues from the HS SUV and it looks rather sharp.

Inside, MG says, is “superior shoulder, hip and headroom throughout the cabin.” There are high-quality soft-touch materials everywhere, including synthetic leather upholstery and seats, a leather-wrapped perforated steering wheel and gear selector, front leatherette centre armrest and two rear ISOFIX attachment points.

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Around back is a similarly edgy look, with slick new taillights.

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Like the exterior, it looks like the interior of the ZST has been largely lifted from the HS. Not a bad thing, mind, because the HS has a surprisingly high-quality cabin.

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Two variants will be offered, the Excite and the Essence, both using a 1.3-litre turbocharged engine paired with a six-speed transmission. Power is rated at 115kW with 230Nm of torque, a sizeable jump over the existing 1.0-litre’s output of 82kW/160Nm. Fuel usage is a claimed 7.1L/100km.

Both ZSTs get the MG Pilot safety suite, which includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, rear-cross traffic alert and lane-keep.

Also coming as standard is a 360-degree camera with integrated parking monitor to help navigate those trickier parking spots.

The Excite model kicks off the ZST range, starting at $30,990, while the Essence adds a panoramic sunroof, fully digital instrument cluster, heated front seats and redesigned wheels for a starting price of $33,990.

Both will dot down in New Zealand in September with a five year unlimited-kilometre warranty and five-year roadside assist package.

Additionally, MG is expected to launch a fully electric version of the ZS this year. Keep your eyes peeled for that.