MG’s next-generation ZS small SUV has been spied again in Australia, and this time we’ve gotten a good look at its almost completely undisguised interior.
A CarExpert reader submitted these photos of this camouflaged MG ZS prototype, parked in Alexandria, Sydney. It appears to be the same car as what we saw in Victoria earlier this month.
It’s understood the new MG ZS will first launch in Australia during the fourth quarter of 2024 (October to December) with petrol power, before electric and hybrid variants follow at a later date.
The new car looks significantly different from the current model inside, adopting a squared-off steering wheel, a T-bar shifter, and separated air vents above a larger infotainment touchscreen.
The amount of physical switchgear has also been reduced, with just one row of buttons on the centre stack and another by the shifter.
Unfortunately we can’t see if the instrument cluster is now a fully digital display, or if it retains any analogue gauges.
Rear seat occupants will also benefit from what seems to be a larger rear pillar window and a taller roof, providing additional headroom.
It appears this version of the MG ZS is petrol-powered, as it doesn’t have any electric vehicle (EV) triangle stickers on its numberplate, a requirement for all cars with a high-voltage battery including hybrids.
MG hasn’t yet detailed drivetrain specifications for the new ZS, however it could share powertrains with the new MG 3 hatchback.
The MG 3 is offered with two 1.5-litre four-cylinder engines. One produces 81kW of power and 142Nm of torque, while the second has just 75kW/128Nm but is paired with a 100kW electric motor to produce up to 155kW.
Despite the current-generation MG ZS being almost eight years old, it remains the best-selling small SUV in Australia.
In the first half of 2024, MG sold 11,809 examples of the ZS in Australia, accounting for almost half of the brand’s sales and making it by far the best-selling small SUV.
That sales tally includes not only the price-leader ZS, but also its electric version (the ZS EV) and a facelifted version (the ZST).
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