My MG has 20k miles (35000km) in 1 year and it's absolutely perfect for what it is. I don't hear the motor whine you complain about, but do hear the AC. The driver aids for me replace the driver alert warnings. It always keeps me somewhat engaged in the driving. As for charge time, it will display it after a minute as it calculates the rate. I use it as my primary car as my country is tiny and I can reach just about anywhere with the range.
"... and I forgot to bring the dead cat that goes on the mic." I *love* it! Great reveiw Kate, thank you. Driving a "pre-stressed" rental may actually be a fine idea.
A great seller in the UK, for the money the specs and warranty are really good and I feel the updated version really did correct a lot of concerns that owners mentioned about the older model. For the UK and EU roads I think MG have done really well with their EV range.
While I realise you did this as a rental, you now really need to do the 2022 version to see how well they addressed your concerns in the update… and whether it’s worth the extra cost.
You're dead right about "who this car is for" - me, apparently. Decided to switch from ICE to EV and this was the cheapest one that seats a family of four. That it's a decently specced car is a bonus. Just a shame that SAIC can't actually build them anywhere close to the rate at which they're selling them.
Cudos on the camera work! I really enjoyed some of the angles offered by the wide angle lenses, such as at 4:26 - really quite an arresting image on that small windy road with all the windows!
I've had my ZS for 3 years and bought it as a second car to a Model X which is too big for rural Scottish roads. Both my wife and I prefer the MG over the Tesla and our previous 5 year old S Class. I think if you got the latest version you would find it very quiet and very practical.
It's great to see someone with the means to own something more expensive buy, own and like something that just fits the bill. The next step though, if you dare, is to bring reusable bags from Lidl/Aldi to Waitrose!
@@davidellis4031 I have paid the finance on the model X and my MG costs £240 a month. More than I would spend on diesel. I only shop at Aldi and all my clothes are second hand on ethical grounds.
A lot of the switch-gear and interior is classic VAG supply, as SAIC make VW and Audi, in China. Golf steering wheel and stalks, Audi air vents, recognisable gear selector etc. The driver assistance is a basic industry standard Bosch system as fitted to many brands, but not well integrated. I use Android auto as the inbuilt Infotainment is dire, but as a value proposition it stands up.
Don't be gentle, it's a rental. So sad that people don't respect equipment they don't own. Reminds me of the time I drove a rental from Cleveland, OH to Niagra falls. When I left Cleveland, the range estimate showed me that I would run empty 100 miles before returning the car. By the time I dropped it off, I still had 150 miles remaining, without refueling. I think that the MG is still an important car in making BEVs affordable. Great value for money. A bit like Dacia. And it's a car we need to keep reminding people about that it exists and certainly isn't the worst BEV out there. I do wonder, how was the experience charging it at Tesla?
You should have reviewed the current model, if you are still in the UK I'm sure you can get one to review via MG UK. They may also let you look at the new MG4.
The revised version corrects everyone of the faults in this car and makes it an excellent car, very comfortable with a beautiful infotainment screen. Hope you get to try it.👍
We own one and it does indeed become easier over time to judge when you need to charge. Most of the time we don't need to charge but we've done a few long journeys (1000+ miles) which it handles quite well. That said, we were used to a 24kWh Leaf (and learned how to gage it's charging needs over 1000+ journeys as well) before this so to us this feels like a big upgrade. I can imagine that if you come in with a different experience the car might well feel different.
I thought this was a re-upload..... phew 'MG' seem to be knocking it out the park with the value on this and the MG5. Where did you get that digital t-shirt ? .....is it OG or a reproduction ?
I like the 'Kate at large vibe of the video. Also the idea of reviews including used EVs and getting those from rental companies. A) there's no press office to keep on the good(ish) side of and B) not everyone can(or will) buy new cars (also buyers of new EVs wil want a good resale market etc). C) it's good to see what selection/value of cars rental companies have on offer. How good a car is with 2k on the clock is only part of the picture. Hertz, Europcar,Enterprise - give these ladies access to some of your EVs.
For future refence there is Toro in the UK and various UK EV groups on facebook from which you could ask to borrow an EV. Also in the UK there is sort term car insurance providers on the internet so you can do so while being fully insured just like a rental. Hope this helps with your future videos :)
@@bellshooter your reply is meaningless. They went to the UK and did this review. Nicky is from the UK. All of these options are available and can be done.
There are also various UK EV TH-camrs that you could do a collaboration with. Some even sell EVs like Nicolas Raimo and would be happy to help you find a EV for review.
@@shoestringsev4529 What? They clearly just happened to be here on a personal visit and did an off the cuff review as they could. Just because it is possible to expend money and fossil fuel to just make a video, doesn't mean you should.
I want one. I'm 68 and drove MGAs and MGBs. You were meant to feel the road. Unrefined is what made them sport cars. I just experienced a trip from San Francisco to Williamsburg Va., with my son in his Polestar 2. It was great. But I still want the MG.
Really enjoy the whole team’s videos, but Kate is my fave 😁 The new MG 4 goes on sale in the UK next month. I’d be interested to see you do a review on that 👍
I haven't seen any OTA updates for this vehicle but MG does offer limited OTA function updates for the headunit as things stand in some models. I've not had any answer to my "do you plan to enter the US market" question. To be fair it's press department hasn't answered any of my emails. ^Katr
Had my money down when it came out but withdrew as finance dictated. Then yesterday withdrew from buying the ZSev refresh which I’d been waiting for since December. How all in on the MG4. 24k in the bank plus my 2016 leaf.
I rented the Opel version of this car, the Moka EV in France last June. It was a good car. A larger battery and motor would help, and I agree that the overall car was more than adequate.
Boy would you notice the difference in the new updated model, everything you complained about has been corrected. I only wish I could order one as MG have had to close the order books, because they can’t build them that fast. Bob Blood Kent England.
I paid GB£24,500 for mine, with the metallic paint option, and at that price was a bargain. I use android auto, almost never used the satnav. Radio is OK. It's been built down to a price, but I think there were reasonable compromises.
A bit of searching turns up Open Vehicle Monitoring System (OVMS), a £200 OBD port dongle and app which apparently provides the missing info such as battery % and charge time needed (even for the pre-refresh 2020 ZS)...
@@Hans-gb4mv Sure. My point was that nowadays poor info display within cars can be overcome via apps. Plenty of very cheap OBD dongles out there (and the OVMS app, which I believe is free, may work with some of these), but most OBD software is 100% ICE-centric. As I understand it (and all I've done is a quick search and a minute's reading - I have no 1st hand experience) the charge is for the dongle. I agree that this seems very high, but value is in the eye of the beholder. From the screenshots I saw, this looked like a very polished turnkey solution for a 100% non-tech-savy ZS owner.
The comment section is always a good place to learn more. Thanks for the review but ALSO thanks to everyone giving valuable info. The back and firth can be awkward but in the end it's all good. I am storing info on the cheaper cars. I tried and almost bought a Dacia Spring, but now am leaning towards the Sonos when my present ice car dies.... But who knows what used options might be available at that time. I've never bought a new car..... Why should I start now?
If you enter the driving mode at a charger you can scroll down to the energy screen which gives the current and voltage, negative current = charge amps. Just use a calculator?
Great review, who is it for? Well me, a medium user, maybe 6/7000 miles per year, with easy access for those of limited mobility . (knackered back and knees) And a great uplift from my Leaf 30. 😎👍
seems like a pallet cleanser after that Mazda 😃
Looks like a smaller CX5. Mazda could add their badges and bring it to the states.
My MG has 20k miles (35000km) in 1 year and it's absolutely perfect for what it is.
I don't hear the motor whine you complain about, but do hear the AC.
The driver aids for me replace the driver alert warnings. It always keeps me somewhat engaged in the driving.
As for charge time, it will display it after a minute as it calculates the rate.
I use it as my primary car as my country is tiny and I can reach just about anywhere with the range.
I love the whine. It is not loud and I like the noise of a motor.
@@FalkinerTim my first reaction to the sound was "oh, it makes spaceship noises"
"... and I forgot to bring the dead cat that goes on the mic." I *love* it! Great reveiw Kate, thank you. Driving a "pre-stressed" rental may actually be a fine idea.
A great seller in the UK, for the money the specs and warranty are really good and I feel the updated version really did correct a lot of concerns that owners mentioned about the older model. For the UK and EU roads I think MG have done really well with their EV range.
While I realise you did this as a rental, you now really need to do the 2022 version to see how well they addressed your concerns in the update… and whether it’s worth the extra cost.
2023 MG5 is quite good too
They live in US so no access to MG. They review what they can access!
@@bellshooter This was recorded in the UK
@@storm4710 on a family visit, a rare occurrence!
@@bellshooter I realise that. I’m just pointing out the obvious issue with reviewing a model that has been superceded.
You're dead right about "who this car is for" - me, apparently. Decided to switch from ICE to EV and this was the cheapest one that seats a family of four. That it's a decently specced car is a bonus. Just a shame that SAIC can't actually build them anywhere close to the rate at which they're selling them.
Cudos on the camera work! I really enjoyed some of the angles offered by the wide angle lenses, such as at 4:26 - really quite an arresting image on that small windy road with all the windows!
I've had my ZS for 3 years and bought it as a second car to a Model X which is too big for rural Scottish roads. Both my wife and I prefer the MG over the Tesla and our previous 5 year old S Class. I think if you got the latest version you would find it very quiet and very practical.
It's great to see someone with the means to own something more expensive buy, own and like something that just fits the bill. The next step though, if you dare, is to bring reusable bags from Lidl/Aldi to Waitrose!
@@davidellis4031 I have paid the finance on the model X and my MG costs £240 a month. More than I would spend on diesel. I only shop at Aldi and all my clothes are second hand on ethical grounds.
A lot of the switch-gear and interior is classic VAG supply, as SAIC make VW and Audi, in China. Golf steering wheel and stalks, Audi air vents, recognisable gear selector etc. The driver assistance is a basic industry standard Bosch system as fitted to many brands, but not well integrated. I use Android auto as the inbuilt Infotainment is dire, but as a value proposition it stands up.
Don't be gentle, it's a rental.
So sad that people don't respect equipment they don't own. Reminds me of the time I drove a rental from Cleveland, OH to Niagra falls. When I left Cleveland, the range estimate showed me that I would run empty 100 miles before returning the car. By the time I dropped it off, I still had 150 miles remaining, without refueling.
I think that the MG is still an important car in making BEVs affordable. Great value for money. A bit like Dacia. And it's a car we need to keep reminding people about that it exists and certainly isn't the worst BEV out there. I do wonder, how was the experience charging it at Tesla?
You should have reviewed the current model, if you are still in the UK I'm sure you can get one to review via MG UK.
They may also let you look at the new MG4.
I fear that, so far, MG UK have not responded to our messages.
^Kate
Just wondering if the car has an app which would answer some of those ‘state of charge’ questions?
The revised version corrects everyone of the faults in this car and makes it an excellent car, very comfortable with a beautiful infotainment screen. Hope you get to try it.👍
We own one and it does indeed become easier over time to judge when you need to charge. Most of the time we don't need to charge but we've done a few long journeys (1000+ miles) which it handles quite well. That said, we were used to a 24kWh Leaf (and learned how to gage it's charging needs over 1000+ journeys as well) before this so to us this feels like a big upgrade. I can imagine that if you come in with a different experience the car might well feel different.
I thought this was a re-upload..... phew
'MG' seem to be knocking it out the park with the value on this and the MG5.
Where did you get that digital t-shirt ? .....is it OG or a reproduction ?
I'm afraid it's repro. But a pretty good replica :)
^Kate
@@transportevolved Pretty dam good reproduction.
Sounds like a perfectly competent budget EV; a market that is severely underrepresented in the US since everyone thinks they need 500 miles of range.
I like the 'Kate at large vibe of the video. Also the idea of reviews including used EVs and getting those from rental companies. A) there's no press office to keep on the good(ish) side of and B) not everyone can(or will) buy new cars (also buyers of new EVs wil want a good resale market etc). C) it's good to see what selection/value of cars rental companies have on offer. How good a car is with 2k on the clock is only part of the picture. Hertz, Europcar,Enterprise - give these ladies access to some of your EVs.
For future refence there is Toro in the UK and various UK EV groups on facebook from which you could ask to borrow an EV. Also in the UK there is sort term car insurance providers on the internet so you can do so while being fully insured just like a rental. Hope this helps with your future videos :)
Not really they are US based...
@@bellshooter your reply is meaningless. They went to the UK and did this review. Nicky is from the UK. All of these options are available and can be done.
There are also various UK EV TH-camrs that you could do a collaboration with. Some even sell EVs like Nicolas Raimo and would be happy to help you find a EV for review.
@@shoestringsev4529 What? They clearly just happened to be here on a personal visit and did an off the cuff review as they could. Just because it is possible to expend money and fossil fuel to just make a video, doesn't mean you should.
I want one. I'm 68 and drove MGAs and MGBs. You were meant to feel the road. Unrefined is what made them sport cars. I just experienced a trip from San Francisco to Williamsburg Va., with my son in his Polestar 2. It was great. But I still want the MG.
Some beautiful countryside.
Right!?!?! This 🇺🇸 would love more views of the scenery. 😍
Really enjoy the whole team’s videos, but Kate is my fave 😁 The new MG 4 goes on sale in the UK next month. I’d be interested to see you do a review on that 👍
Well they can review it but they don't come to UK or Europe often so expect their review in months to a year or two.
Do they offer OTA updates? Are they eventually coming here to the USA? Do they have a press department?
I haven't seen any OTA updates for this vehicle but MG does offer limited OTA function updates for the headunit as things stand in some models.
I've not had any answer to my "do you plan to enter the US market" question. To be fair it's press department hasn't answered any of my emails.
^Katr
Had my money down when it came out but withdrew as finance dictated. Then yesterday withdrew from buying the ZSev refresh which I’d been waiting for since December. How all in on the MG4. 24k in the bank plus my 2016 leaf.
I rented the Opel version of this car, the Moka EV in France last June. It was a good car. A larger battery and motor would help, and I agree that the overall car was more than adequate.
Boy would you notice the difference in the new updated model, everything you complained about has been corrected. I only wish I could order one as MG have had to close the order books, because they can’t build them that fast. Bob Blood Kent England.
Nice review Kate - gives hope more affordable EVs can be done. Not everyone wants or needs all the bells and whistles and a 300 mile range.
Another fine edition, thanks
Would the lane keeping assist aid a left hand drive owner driving a right hand drive car in the UK?
Hope you enjoyed Cornwall, wish I could have seen you around. Keep on keeping on.
I paid GB£24,500 for mine, with the metallic paint option, and at that price was a bargain. I use android auto, almost never used the satnav. Radio is OK. It's been built down to a price, but I think there were reasonable compromises.
Love the Tesla charging scenes !! So will upset the fan boys
A bit of searching turns up Open Vehicle Monitoring System (OVMS), a £200 OBD port dongle and app which apparently provides the missing info such as battery % and charge time needed (even for the pre-refresh 2020 ZS)...
And I'm willing to bet some other apps could provide you that information for free or a lot less money.
@@Hans-gb4mv Sure. My point was that nowadays poor info display within cars can be overcome via apps. Plenty of very cheap OBD dongles out there (and the OVMS app, which I believe is free, may work with some of these), but most OBD software is 100% ICE-centric. As I understand it (and all I've done is a quick search and a minute's reading - I have no 1st hand experience) the charge is for the dongle. I agree that this seems very high, but value is in the eye of the beholder. From the screenshots I saw, this looked like a very polished turnkey solution for a 100% non-tech-savy ZS owner.
The comment section is always a good place to learn more. Thanks for the review but ALSO thanks to everyone giving valuable info. The back and firth can be awkward but in the end it's all good. I am storing info on the cheaper cars. I tried and almost bought a Dacia Spring, but now am leaning towards the Sonos when my present ice car dies.... But who knows what used options might be available at that time. I've never bought a new car..... Why should I start now?
If you enter the driving mode at a charger you can scroll down to the energy screen which gives the current and voltage, negative current = charge amps. Just use a calculator?
The car won't charge at a steady current, so you also have to factor in the charge curve to get an idea of time to full... Or to 80%...
^Kate
This intro cracks me up each time 😂😂
Poor Michael.
Great review, who is it for? Well me, a medium user, maybe 6/7000 miles per year, with easy access for those of limited mobility . (knackered back and knees) And a great uplift from my Leaf 30. 😎👍
The software was the worst part of the car in all honesty.
The 22 car is much better
Good review, but is the ugliest excuse for an MG that I was disappointed to see. What a disappointment! But good thorough review
Great if you want to give your money directly to the chinese government which own MG/SAIC. I try to avoid that myself.