2025 MG ZS comparison: Old v New TechTricks365

If you’re shopping for an affordable, family-friendly small SUV, chances are the MG ZS has popped up on your radar.

The original MG ZS earned a solid reputation – and enough new owners to make it Australia’s most popular small SUV for several years – for being a no-fuss, budget-conscious option that ticked a lot of boxes for growing families.

Now, with the launch of the second-generation 2025 MG ZS, the Chinese brand has renewed its popular compact crossover – but is it a real step forward, or just a shinier version of what we already had?

So let’s see how far the MG ZS has progressed from generation to generation.

How much?

This time last year, the MG ZS model range consisted of eight variants across three powertrain options and four trim levels, starting at $22,990 drive-away for the entry-level Excite we have here – the only variant offered with a naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine.

You could spend a little more for the entry-level ZST with a turbo engine, which was essentially a upgraded ZS and started at $25,490 drive-away for the most affordable Core variant, and topped out at $30,490 for the flagship Essence trim.

Or could drop almost double the cash down on the fully-electric ZS EV, which cost from $39,990 for the Excite and maxxed out at $49,990 for the Long Range.

Today, MG still has remaining stock of the previous-generation ZST and the ZS EV in dealerships, with a revised model lineup and pricing structure.

But it recently introduced the second-generation ZS with the option of a hybrid powertrain for the first time and, soon, a battery-electric version to replace the old ZS EV, called the ZS S5 EV.

The new MG ZS model range now starts at $26,990 drive-away for the base petrol-powered Excite and tops out at $40,217 drive-away for the Essence Hybrid.

Here’s the full rundown of the 2025 MG ZS lineup.

If you want to see how the MG ZS compares against its rivals, be sure to check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

The on-paper specifications between the original and new MG ZS don’t tell the full story.

Even at its base level, the 2024 MG ZS Excite was reasonably well specced with synthetic leather trim, climate control air-conditioning, power windows, and an 8.0-inch colour infotainment display with Bluetooth, six-speaker audio and smartphone mirroring for Apple and Android devices.

The Essence grade added embedded sat-nav, keyless entry and push-button start, as well as a glass sunroof. But the new ZS has switched around a few key specifications.

The entry-level Excite replaces the synthetic leather with cloth trim and only has a four-speaker audio system, but it picks up sat-nav as standard, along with push-button start, a larger 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a more comprehensive suite of active safety systems (which we will dig into more detail later).

Step up to the Essence, and it brings more goodies with twin 12.3-inch digital screens including and instrument cluster for the driver, keyless entry, high-res 360-degree camera display, larger 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a sunroof, six-way electric adjustment for the driver’s seat and an extra two speakers for the audio system.

If you want to see how the MG ZS compares against its rivals, be sure to check out our comparison tool

What are they like inside?

It’s only when you get to experience the pair side-by-side that the generational change becomes more obvious.

For starters, the new ZS looks much sharper on the outside and highlights that MG’s design team are starting to find their own language. There’s more expression in its face, detail in its profile and a sleeker overall silhouette, whereas its predecessor looks far more generic, particularly in the base trim with its smaller 16-inch alloys.

The new ZS is also physically larger in almost every dimension, except overall height, which not only lends itself to looking sportier on the outside but also provides more space inside the cabin, and additional cargo carrying capacity in the boot.

That’s not to say the previous MG ZS was short on practicality. It offers a spacious cabin with excellent headroom, comfortable front seats, plenty of convenient storage solutions and a generous amount of rear legroom – enough for two adults to travel in relative comfort in the back.

The boot is also pretty decent with a deep well and storage nets to keep smaller items secure on either side, but there’s no rear latches to drop the 60:40-split folding rear seatback down when loading larger items in the back, and the seats don’t fold fully flat either.

It also misses out on rear vents and a USB outlet for rear-seat passengers, but there are large bottle holders in each door, cupholders in the centre console, and a small tray big enough (just) for a mobile phone in front of the gear lever.

While there are some neat design cues, such as the Audi-esque rotating air vents on the far side of the dashboard, the quality of materials leave a lot to be desired, with a mix of hard plastics, piano black highlights and tacky faux carbon-fibre trim elements.

In stark comparison, the new MG ZS looks and feels light years ahead of its predecessor. The cabin design is more modern – especially in our Turbo Essence test car – with its twin digital screen set-up, four consistent air vents across the top of the dash and the clever arrangement of the centre console.

It features an electronic gear shifter in front of a rubberised mat that’s next to the start/stop button, electric hand brake switch and drive mode toggles. It’s a pity the mat doesn’t have a proper non-slip surface as my phone often fell back into the cupholders under acceleration.

Not only does it look better, the quality of materials is significantly improved with a nice mix of soft-touch plastics and brushed black alloy highlights. In fact, you could remove the badge from the steering wheel and easily assume the ZS comes from a premium brand.

There’s a fraction more legroom in the back than the older model, and also more luxuries with a single rear vent and USB port on the back of the console.

The boot isn’t as deep, but it is longer and the release handles are more easily accessible for the back seats, which fold down a little further to better accommodate larger loads.

If you want to see how the MG ZS compares against its rivals, be sure to check out our comparison tool

Are they safe?

Here’s where the older MG ZS really shows it age.

Yes, it was okay for its time, scoring a four-star ANCAP rating when it was first tested in 2017, even though it featured a comprehensive array of active driver assist systems under the banner of MG Pilot.

This includes automated emergency braking, lane keep assistance, adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection and forward collision warning.

The new ZS also has a four-star ANCAP rating, but this was achieved under much stricter protocols in 2024.

It builds on its predecessor’s suite of active systems with additional functions such as lane change assistance, unsteady driver warning, speed limit assist, door opening warning and a 360-degree high-resolution reversing camera.

If you want to see how the MG ZS compares against its rivals, be sure to check out our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

There’s an element of comparing an apple to a pear here with our two test vehicles.

The older MG ZS is the base model powered by a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine linked to a four-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels, while our newer ZS has a turbocharged version of the same engine with a CVT automatic transmission.

Whatever the case, the turbo engine is well worth the extra spend. Its outputs of 125kW and 275Nm are almost 40 per cent and 45 per cent higher respectively than the atmo version, which not only makes it feel more athletic through the bends but also more effortless to drive in town.

There’s a bit of delay under initial acceleration as the turbo builds boost and the CVT finds the engine’s sweet spot, which should be tuned better to make it feel more responsive. But, once underway, the turbo motor is smooth, gutsy and nicely refined.

The non-turbo motor in the older ZS, on the other hand, feels wheezy and needs to be worked harder to keep up with traffic. While it only requires standard unleaded, compared to premium for the turbo, it uses more of it and has a shorter overall driving range with a smaller fuel tank.

If you want to see how the MG ZS compares against its rivals, be sure to check out our comparison tool

How do they drive?

The improvements to the MG ZS go far beyond how it looks and the new tech.

There is a substantial upshift in the quality of its driving dynamics and the overall finesse of its on-road character, no matter whether you’re tootling through town or stretching its legs on a country road.

Where the older ZS is acceptable in terms of it ride quality, steering and general comfort, the new ZS is remarkably more refined.

The suspension is well tuned and irons out most road irregularities without crashing them through to the cabin, the steering feels better weighted and reacts more positively, and the overall noise suppression is significantly improved. It genuinely feels a level, or three, ahead of its predecessor in every conceivable way.

However, while most of the additional safety systems like the lane keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control are well calibrated, the speed sign recognition incessantly bings and bongs, even if you’re only a kay or two over the limit and particularly through school zones even when they aren’t active, which can be a bit annoying.

It can be disabled, but you have to do it each time you start the car, and rifle through the menu on the screen to do it.

If you want to see how the MG ZS compares against its rivals, be sure to check out our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Pick

If there is one thing that’s just as certain as death and taxes, it’s generational improvement in cars.

But the new MG ZS genuinely feels as though it has leapfrogged further in one bound than many others, not just because it features more up-to-the-minute technology but because of its massive steps forward in terms of quality, refinement, design and driving dynamics.

Interested in buying a MG ZS? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here

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