- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.3T, 3 cyl.
- Engine Power
115kW, 230Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 7.1L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
7 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
4/5 star (2017)
2023 MG ZST Essence review
If you buy the most expensive version of a low-priced small SUV, do you end up with a true top-tier product, or are you adrift somewhere between budget-basic and first-rate flagship?
- Generous passenger space front and rear
- Standard equipment shames almost any other small SUV at this price
- Backed by a strong seven-year warranty
- The infotainment system feels a bit clunky and out of date
- Seat and steering wheel position are a bit compromised
- Uses fuel like a much larger car
2023 MG ZST Essence
Come one, come all. With a variety of different models, varied powertrains, and a range of price points, the MG ZS might be one of Australia's most versatile small SUVs.
The line-up may be a little baffling. Between the basic ZS, more up-to-date ZST, or the ZS EV ranges, MG's small SUV looks after value-conscious shoppers and spans a price span from $23,990 drive-away for the entry-level up to the mid-$53,000 mark (depending on location) for a fully-loaded long-range EV.
Within the petrol line-up the ZST offers the broadest choice, and in top-shelf ZST Essence guise offers a sharp drive-away price and a full swag of equipment that makes small SUV rivals look a little out of touch in comparison.
With a perky turbocharged 1.3-litre engine under the bonnet, space for up to five occupants, and dimensions that feel right at home in the city, the MG ZST shows that MG understands what buyers want. The ZS's position as the strongest-selling small SUV in Australia – by a considerable margin – further backs that up.
So that must mean the ZST is good, right? Over 25,000 buyers across the ZS ranges to the end of October 2023 agree, but what's the MG ZST really like?
How much does the MG ZST cost in Australia?
If you're interested in an MG ZST, there are a few things to consider.
The cheaper Core and Vibe models come with a non-turbo 1.5-litre engine and CVT automatic. Not the most performance-skewed combo, with 84kW and 150Nm – just 2kW less than the smaller, lighter MG 3 hatch. Pricing from $26,990 might be sharp, but that's about all that is.
Most buyers might find the ZST Excite and Essence models a bit more useful for the cut and thrust of traffic, with a 1.3-litre three-cylinder turbo engine under the bonnet, and 115kW/230Nm to play with. The Excite is a $31,990 proposition, while the Essence shown here starts from $33,990 – all drive-away.
No MG ZS model offers all-wheel drive, but in the Essence you will find features like 17-inch alloy wheels, front seat heating, a powered driver's seat, a panoramic sunroof, and a fully digital instrument cluster.
That's on top of features found in other models, like faux-leather interior trim, a 10.1-inch infotainment system, keyless entry and start, 360-degree camera, and a long list of safety and driver assist features like adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and more.
The only extra-cost option is metallic paint, at $700.
Looking at competitors, fellow budget brand GWM offers the similarly equipped Haval Jolion from $33,990 drive-away, Mitsubishi offers the ageing but still popular ASX LS and GSR priced either side of the ZST Essence, but newer small SUVs like the Hyundai Kona and Nissan Qashqai both feature entry-level pricing higher than the most expensive ZST model (but in the case of Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Hyundai your drive-away price will vary by location).
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Key details | 2023 MG ZST Essence |
Price | $33,990 drive-away |
Colour of test car | Horizon Orange |
Options | Metallic paint – $700 |
Price as tested | $34,690 drive-away |
Rivals | GWM Haval Jolion | Kia Seltos | Mitsubishi ASX |
How much space does the MG ZST have inside?
MG is reasonably generous with internal dimensions in the ZST, but as you might expect there are some compromises.
The seats themselves offer plenty of room, in both the first- and second-row. Up front, the seats feel quite high, and for the driver the combination of high front seat and low steering wheel (which only adjusts for tilt, not reach) means finding the right seating position can be difficult.
The front seats don't offer much in the way of lateral or lumbar support and are clearly set up for short drives, rather than long-distance comfort. The list of interior features is plump, though, with a power-adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, one-touch up/down windows on all four doors, and an opening panoramic sunroof with powered blind.
The steering wheel is listed as leather-trimmed, but the seats are only leather-look, trimmed in synthetic substitutes.
In the rear seats things are interesting. There's a generous amount of leg room and there's a trio of seatbelts... but only two headrests. This means an adult in the middle has no whiplash protection in the event of a collision, making for a dangerous omission.
The rear seats lack a few touches found elsewhere in the segment. There are no air vents in the rear, no centre armrest and no cupholders. The rear pillar can encroach on entry and egress, and the tapered roof line doesn't offer a lot of space for tall adults.
The rear seat has a 60:40 split, allowing the 359-litre boot to open up to 1187L, but the boot feels a touch narrow, with a lot of space taken up by the rear wheel wells. The boot has a two-position floor, so you can create a level floor with the seats folded, or just use it as a second storage tier.
2023 MG ZST Essence | |
Seats | Five |
Boot volume | 359L seats up 1187L seats folded |
Length | 4323mm |
Width | 1809mm (incl. mirrors) |
Height | 1653mm |
Wheelbase | 2585mm |
Does the MG ZST have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
MG was early to adopt a big, colourful 10.1-inch infotainment display, but hasn't kept rolling out updates, so the ZST's infotainment feels a little bit laggy compared to other brands with newer, snappier systems. It can fail to respond to user inputs, requiring multiple taps, and the screen lacks the brightness to cope with bright sunny days.
The onscreen menu layout is fairly simple, and a row of shortcut keys allows you to jump between key functions. While there's a screen for what looks like climate control, you're really only operating manual air conditioning and ventilation with a digital display. There's no temperature dial (just a colder or hotter slider) and no set-and-forget 'auto' mode.
The ZST does provide plenty of device connectivity with a pair of front USB-A ports, one of which is for the wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone mirroring. There's another up front for your dash cam, next to the rear-view mirror, and two more in the rear for rear-seat passengers.
Alongside phone mirroring there's Bluetooth connectivity, satellite navigation, and AM/FM radio. The navigation system is handy to have, but it's also slow to load and a bit dated in its mapping layout, you'll have a better time using Waze, Apple Maps, or Google Maps via your phone. There's no external connectivity via a smartphone companion app for the ZST, unlike some other MG models.
The Essence is the only ZST model to get a 'virtual instrument cluster', but rather than being able to pick and choose what you'd like to see, there's a handful of trip computer displays, and every time you start the car or engage cruise control, the system defaults to the MG Pilot driver-assist screen, which can be annoying.
Is the MG ZST a safe car?
The entire petrol-powered MG ZS range carries a four-star safety rating awarded in 2017. This rating was conducted before the better-equipped ZST range went on sale, so was conducted before features like autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane-keep assist were added.
In 2019, the ZS EV was given a five-star score, and features a range of safety systems more closely aligned with that of the ZST, though because of potential differences in weight distribution and construction, the ZS EV's five-star score doesn't automatically carry across to the ZST.
2023 MG ZST Essence | |
ANCAP rating | Four stars (tested 2017) |
Safety report | Link to ANCAP report |
What safety technology does the MG ZST have?
MG uses the term MG Pilot to describe its safety suite, and all ZST models include features like forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning, blind spot and rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, 360-degree camera, and intelligent speed recognition.
The safety suite looks good on paper, but can be a bit of a boy who cried wolf, with chimes and notifications for events you probably don't need to know about. Each time there's a break in road markings or you drop below 50km/h you'll get a 'lane keep assist quit' warning, and other times you'll get beeped at with no clear distinction what for.
The adaptive cruise control system is easy enough to live with, but there are some smarter, more fluent versions of this tech in rival small SUVs. I'm not a big fan of the hidden cruise-control stalk when clearer on-wheel controls are found elsewhere, but once you're familiar it shouldn't pose a problem.
MG could fine-tune this system further (and it has done so in other newer models in its range), but the ZST's price point may be holding it back here.
How much does the MG ZST cost to maintain?
MG owners can keep an eye on upcoming service pricing via the MG website, with a nationwide capped-price service program. Each service is set at 12-month or 10,000km intervals (just a little under the Australian travel average per year) and each service has a different price (unlike some brands that even out pricing each year). Stand by to pay up to $547 for the four-year/40,000km visit, but other services are more wallet-friendly. Over three years you'll pay $896, and over five years service costs tally up to $1708.
MG offers a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty for privately owned and used cars across its vehicle range. Vehicles used for rideshare, delivery, or other commercial purposes at any stage in the first seven years have a 160,000km limit applied, which still lets you cover up to just under 23,000km per year.
Roadside assistance also spans the warranty period and covers things like changing a flat tyre, jump-starting a flat battery, conducting basic roadside repairs – or where not possible, towing your car to an MG service centre.
While the buy-in price may be low, an annual insurance quote for the ZST Essence came in at $1482 based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.
Our ZST quote was less than that of a GWM Haval Jolion ($1580) but higher than an ASX ($1246).
At a glance | 2023 MG ZST Essence |
Warranty | Seven years, unlimited km |
Service intervals | 12 months or 10,000km |
Servicing costs | $896 (3 years) $1708 (5 years) |
Is the MG ZST fuel-efficient?
The MG ZST carries an official fuel consumption claim of 7.3 litres per 100 kilometres for the 1.3-litre turbo engine – on a combined highway-city cycle. On the urban cycle, the ZST carries a 9.2L/100km rating, and on the highway cycle a 6.2L/100km claim. For a compact SUV that's a touch heavy, and in a week of mixed driving we used an average of 9.5L/100km – a figure more like what you'd expect to see from a larger, more powerful SUV.
The ZST can run on regular unleaded, with no need for premium, which may help ease the pain at the pump a little.
Fuel Consumption - brought to you by bp
Fuel Useage | Fuel Stats |
Fuel cons. (claimed) | 7.3L/100km |
Fuel cons. (on test) | 9.5L/100km |
Fuel type | 91-octane unleaded |
Fuel tank size | 45L |
What is the MG ZST like to drive?
While the equipment list of the ZST Essence is generous, some of the corner-cutting to deliver that amount of content and keep the price low reveals itself on the road. While the ZST isn't terrible to drive, it is a little off the pace in a few areas – but for anyone seeking simple A-to-B transport, those issues may not even matter.
With a turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 115kW and 230Nm doing the heavy lifting, the ZST is competitive with other cars in its class. Better still, the nature of a modern turbo engine, and its low-down torque, means that the ZST feels robust around town – if not particularly swift.
With drive sent to the front wheels via a traditional six-speed automatic, power is fed in predictably and smoothly. It's easy to creep forward or backward slowly as you park, and if you need to push harder, to get up to freeway speed, there's no droning. Setting off from a stop into traffic revealed a bit of a pause-and-stumble action to get underway, not perfect, but not too concerning.
The steering is nice and light, but you don't get a connected feel for what the front wheels are doing. It's a bit more like a video game experience. I found the steering a little light on freeway cruises, though it is variable, being lighter at parking speeds and slightly heavier at high speed. It's not darty or twitchy, though.
On country roads, it handles just fine, but again, without top marks. It can put up with a series of corners, and doesn't stumble too badly over bumps and potholes, but ask it to fend off mid-corner bumps or deal with a series of successive undulations and you can feel the suspension struggle to keep up, with the front and rear wheels feeling out of sync.
It is quiet enough for longer trips, and settled enough so as not to alarm the driver or passengers – just don't expect it to set any new benchmarks for the segment.
Key details | 2023 MG ZST Essence |
Engine | 1.3-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol |
Power | 115kW @ 5200–5600rpm |
Torque | 230Nm @ 1800–4400rpm |
Drive type | Front-wheel drive |
Transmission | 6-speed torque converter automatic |
Power-to-weight ratio | 88.8kW/t |
Weight (tare) | 1295kg |
Spare tyre type | Space-saver |
Tow rating | 500kg braked 500kg unbraked |
Should I buy an MG ZST?
If you go in with your eyes open, and realise that buying a small SUV with a relatively small price tag won't necessarily get you a five-star experience, then the MG ZST may be for you.
It puts forward a good enough drive, an attractive level of standard equipment, and a drivetrain that's very much capable, without over-delivering.
This is not my first week with a ZST, and the first time around I came away pleased that MG had done as good a job as it had, but very aware that elsewhere in the segment you can do a little better. On the other hand, you may also have to pay more for that privilege.
On balance, the ZST Essence has a little room for improvement (don't we all?), but certainly doesn't necessarily under-deliver for buyers who put value for money front and centre.
How do I buy an MG ZST – next steps?
While we drove the ZST Essence for this review, you can also find the same powertrain in the slightly cheaper ZST Excite (from $31,990 drive-away), but for the extra $2000 to step up to the Essence, you get a panoramic sunroof, heated front seats, a powered driver's seat, and a digital instrument display, plus a handful of other small styling details that make it look like solid value.
We'd recommend sticking with these two top-spec models, as other variants in the range switch to a less-powerful non-turbo engine and CVT automatic that aren't as useful in real-world driving situations.
There's no shortage of stock at MG dealers around the country, so delivery delays aren't likely to be an issue. You can check out new and near-new MG ZSTs listed for sale at Drive.com.au/cars-for-sale, or you can locate your nearest dealer here.
If you want to keep up to date on the latest MG news, keep an eye on the Drive news desk at this link.