MG ZS EV Long Range Review: $10,000 worth of reasons this compact electric SUV should be back on your shopping list

Money talks and when it comes to the 2024 MG ZS EV Long Range electric compact SUV, it talks very loudly.

What was $51,990 plus on-road costs just a few weeks ago has now been slashed to $46,990 drive-away, a saving of up to $10,000 in some states. More on that here.

There’s no change to equipment or technical specification, but who needs that when the hip pocket nerve is being caressed so pleasantly?

2024 MG ZS EV Long Range price and equipment

The Long Range is not the cheapest member of the ZS EV line-up, but it is the one with the 72.6kWh NMC battery and 440km claimed WLTP range.

The ZS EV Excite ($39,990 drive-away) and Essence ($44,990 drive-away) have also dropped in price, but they come with a smaller 51.1kWh LFP battery pack and a 320km range.

Curiously though, the Long Range does extract less power from its front-mounted e-motor than the other two – 115kW versus 130kW – while all three make the same 280Nm.

In equipment terms the Long Range matches up with the Essence apart from the bigger battery and rear privacy glass.

Key features they share include a panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charging, six-speaker audio (up from four speakers in the Excite), synthetic leather seat trim, front seat heating and driver’s seat power adjust.

All three include 17-inch alloy wheels, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, FM and digital radio, a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen, single-zone air-con, push button start, a vehicle-to-load charging facility and a smartphone app.

There’s no AM radio band and no spare tyre.

And there is no ANCAP rating, although the pre-facelift ZS EV got five stars based on 2019 protocols. Autonomous emergency braking, six airbags, lane keeping and a 360 degree camera are standard.

MG offers solid backing for the ZS EV range. A seven-year unlimited km warranty includes the high-voltage battery and there’s seven years roadside assist. Long 20,000km/24 months service intervals reflect this is an ICE-free EV.

Capped price servicing averages out at $501 for each of the first five visits – not cheap.

2024 MG ZS EV Long Range: What we think

No-one except the most ardent fan would suggest the 2024 MG ZS EV Long Range is cutting edge. Its two obvious competitors – the BYD Atto 3 and Hyundai Kona Electric – are better vehicles.

But they cost plenty more, so the Long Range leaps straight back into the heart of the sales debate.

This vehicle’s primary asset is that as an urban family car it does have a big enough battery and therefore range to mean you can safely indulge in normal runabout motoring without experiencing range anxiety.

It has a claimed 17.7kWh/100km consumption rate (WLTP) which isn’t especially efficient. But you’ll get closer to it around town than on the open road where from our experience 20kWh/100km or more on average and a range around 300-320km is the likely outcome.

Then when – if? – you find a DC fast-charger, exceeding 70kW will be a good result.

So keep the trips sensible and plug in your 240V when you get home each night and you should do just fine. Or you can instal an AC wall charger if you feel the need for more speed.

Speaking of speed, the ZS EV Long Range isn’t. Speedy that is. It claims an 8.5 sec 0-100km/h dawdle and that feels a bit optimistic. However, there’s still good e-motor shove from a standstill, although it’s obviously torque-limited to stop the front wheels chirruping.

That low-speed surge is also great for the ’burbs. And so is a suspension tune set for comfort rather than sportiness. With light steering thrown in and decent visibility this is a carpark special.

Final big point in favour of the MG ZS EV Long Range as an urban chariot? Interior space. Yep, there’s no shortage of room for taller people 180cm and beyond in the back seat. Boot space is a bit limited at just 359 litres, but with overall length capped at 4.3m something has to give.

Okay, so that’s the good stuff. What’s not so good? Open road driving behaviour is pretty average. On bumps the ZS EV Long Range loses composure, there’s plenty of roll and the front-end pushes pretty easily in corners. It feels a bit under-tyred.

And the lane keeping assist is too intrusive – but very easy to switch off.

The ergonomics are a bit annoying too. Yep, they‘re better than the ZS EV boasted pre-facelift, but there’s still too much drilling into the infotainment screen to deal with basic functions like air-con and audio.

2024 MG ZS EV Long Range: Verdict

As a vehicle assessed on it fundamental capabilities as a drive, the 2024 MG ZS EV Long Range is at best a 3/5. It’s pretty basic.

But the long equipment list, interior usability, the backing provided by MG and that huge price cut lift it higher.

If you’re shopping for a compact electric SUV then the ZS EV Long Range very loudly demands to be considered on the basis of its appealing cost of admission alone.

SCORE: 3.8/5

2024 MG ZS EV Long Range specifications:

Price: $46,990 (drive-away)

Basics: EV, 5 seats, 5 doors, compact SUV

Range: 440km (WLTP)

Battery capacity: 72.6kWh lithium-ion

Battery warranty: 7 years/unlimited km

Energy consumption: 17.7kWh/100km (WLTP)

Motors: 1 front synchronous, 115kW/280Nm

AC charging: 11kW, Type 2 plug

DC charging: 94kW, CCS combo plug

0-100km/h: 8.5 seconds