MG ZS facelift here in the third quarter

MG Australia is getting ready to breathe fresh life into the ZS SUV, with a facelifted model set to touch down in the coming months.

The updated Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-3-rivalling ZS has been on sale in China since earlier this year, and packs a new look and a more comprehensive suite of active safety systems dubbed MG Pilot.

The suite includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, lane change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert.

MG Australia hasn’t yet confirmed whether MG Pilot will be standard across the range, however CarExpert understands it may be reserved for higher-spec models.

The current MG ZS was launched in Australia during 2017, and is the brand’s second-best-selling model to date in 2020 with 1704 reported registrations.

The updated ZS packs new head- and tail lights on the outside, along with revised bumpers designed to bring it more closely into line with the new HS SUV.

Inside, the car features a new 10.1-inch infotainment screen. There’s also a new digital driver display in top-spec cars, and MG is promising more soft-touch materials on the dashboard.

Power in the base ZS currently comes from a naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre four cylinder petrol engine making 84kW and 150Nm. It’s mated exclusively to a four-speed automatictransmission.

Excite Plus and Essence models use a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine with 82kW and 160Nm mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The facelifted ZS puts MG in a tricky position with the pure-electric ZS EV, set to arrive in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Although it’s the most advanced MG ZS model under the skin, the electric SUV will wear the same face as the pre-facelift internal combustion model. It will also have the older interior, with an 8.0-inch touchscreen.

MG has been accepting orders for the ZS EV SUV since November, and has priced the first 100 units at $46,990 before on-road costs.

The front-wheel drive ZS EV is powered by a 105kW/353Nm electric motor mated to a 44.5kWh lithium-ion battery.

Total electric range is a claimed 262km, while the ZS EV can be charged to 80 per cent in just 40 minutes using a 50kW rapid charging point.