Driven: The 2017 MG ZS

MG is on the comeback trail. OK, it’s far from the firm’s heyday, but plans are still afoot for the Chinese-owned brand to double its sales in the UK. And the car that will help it achieve this is now in showrooms – the MG ZS compact SUV, a rival to the Nissan Juke and Mazda CX-3.

It’s very affordable. The range opens with the Explore model, which costs £12,495. That’s over £2000 cheaper than the cheapest Juke. Even the range-topping Exclusive we’re testing here only costs £15,495, despite having an 8.0in infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, and seats that look like leather, even if they’re not. A seven-year warranty is thrown in too.

Styling is neat, although not the design revolution MG is claiming. It’s decent enough inside as well, with soft-touch materials and good levels of space, although there are omissions, such as reach adjustment for the steering wheel. Hopefully a cavernous 448-litre boot will take your mind off this; it’s the biggest in its class.

Unlike most rivals, MG doesn’t offer a diesel; some would argue it’s being far-sighted here. Choose from either a 105bhp 1.5-litre engine, or a 109bhp 1.0-litre turbo engine. The larger motor is a four-cylinder, the smaller has three, and while the bigger engine comes with a five-speed manual, you can only get the 1.0-litre with a six-speed auto.

That’s why it’s £2000 pricier, but it’s money well spent. The little engine has much more torque and is sweeter in action; the 1.5 lacks power at speed and it’s raucous when revved. Neither variant has four-wheel drive, note; this is another SUV that’s strictly front-wheel drive only.

It’s one that drives quite nicely, though. MG says it’s been tuned to cope with our unique roads, and it does this well. The ride, while perhaps a little firm, is decent over potholes, and it handles well, with controlled body roll and an unobtrusive battery of electronic aids should you get over-eager.

MG does make a big play of the fact it has three different steering modes, called Urban, Normal and Dynamic. In reality, you’re likely to switch between them just once, before settling for the perfectly fine default, Normal.

Which is fitting, really. This is a perfectly normal car, one that’s not the most outstanding to drive, but certainly one of the most impressive value propositions in its sector. It’s not going to worry the class best, but stands a very good chance of successfully doubling MG sales; the firm will consider that a job well done.

MG ZS 1.5 DOHC VTI-tech Excite