MG ZS 2022 range shrinks despite explosive sales growth

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MG Motor has confirmed the ZS small SUV will drop its turbo 1.0-lire powered grades in a range reshuffle for 2022 that will hope to capitalise on its recent sales growth.

The change means the core ZS range will only consist of the entry-level Excite grade with the mid-spec Excite Plus and range-topping Essence grades now dropped, though some stock remains for buyers keen on the turbo engine.

With a price of $21,990 driveaway the ZS Excite is one of the cheapest SUVs in Australia and is only outpriced by the Suzuki Ignis at $20,990 driveaway when equipped with a manual transmission.

Unlike most vehicles that are replaced by their direct successor, the ZS is sold alongside its facelifted version known as the ZST that brings a more modern appearance, newer technology and a slew of safety features not found on the regular model – but at the cost of a slightly higher price.

MG also offers an electric version, known as the ZS EV, that will be updated in the second half of 2022 with a restyled appearance, bigger batteries and more range.

What does the ZS Excite include? 

The ZS Excite is paired with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine developing 84kW of power and 150Nm of torque, with grunt sent through a standard four-speed automatic to the front wheels only.

MG includes a slew of features including an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and bluetooth compatibility combined with an eight-speaker Yamaha sound system.

Buyers also benefit from synthetic leather seats paired with a full-grain leather-covered steering wheel while on the outside MG has fitted 17-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights and projector-style automatic headlights.

The ZS Excite was given a four-star safety rating in 2017 under ANCAP’s less stringent testing protocol though it does include some safety features such as its six airbags, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors. 

MG ZS sales explode in Australia

The iconic British brand that is now owned by Chinese conglomerate SAIC Motor has seen significant success with the ZS in Australia that was first introduced in 2017.

As of September, the ZS range, which encompasses the core ZS, ZST and ZS EV models, has sold 13,740 units in 2021, making it the best-selling small SUV in Australia.

In the same month last year, MG had only sold 2,817 units of the ZS reflecting a 388 percent increase in sales within just one year.