MG ZS SUV interior, tech and comfort
How is the quality and layout?
- Interior materials feel cheap
- But it’s all relatively solidly built
- Responsive infotainment touchscreen
Get into the MG ZS and it’s immediately apparent what compromises have been made for the car’s low list price. There are some soft-touch materials on upper surfaces, but the rest of the interior is filled with hard, dark plastics.
Not the end of the world given the price, but nowhere near high-quality enough to feel like the premium product the ZS is trying to be. By contrast, the cheaper still Dacia Duster actually has a more pleasant interior. It’s filled with even more hard plastic, but we feel there’s an honesty, a purpose to the Duster that the ZS lacks.
At least the layout of the ZS’s interior is easy to get to grips with. There’s a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment display in the middle of the dashboard, a row of shortcut keys below and a smattering of buttons on the steering wheel.
Infotainment and tech
The ZS facelift included an upgraded infotainment system, the touchscreen display growing from 8.0- to 10.1-inches. It’s easy to use and responds to inputs promptly, the menus are thoughtfully colour coded and easy to identify on the move. We think the graphics looks dated now, but the system does at least have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Functions such as air conditioning have a shortcut key that takes you to the relevant menu screen – not ideal in our opinion. All ZS models also have Bluetooth and cruise control; top-grade Exclusive models add satnav and a surround-sound stereo.
Comfort
- Surprisingly comfortable seats
- High levels of road and wind noise
- Steering wheel lacks reach adjustment
The seats in the MG ZS give a nice, commanding view of the road – good for both the driver and passengers. They’re surprisingly comfortable, too; we heard no reports of aches or pains in our testing. Top-spec Exclusive models have electrically adjustable, heated front seats covered in faux leather that feels rather plasticky.
The car is comfortable enough on the move, however road noise is very noticeable over most surfaces, while wind noise is rather loud when travelling at speed. The 1.0-litre engine is fairly vocal, but it’s still quieter than the 1.5 which becomes overbearing when worked hard.
