2026 MG ZS Essence Hybrid+ review

You're looking at the most expensive version of one of Australia's cheapest new models.

It is, of course, the 2026 MG ZS Essence Hybrid+, which is one of two hybrid variants of MG's smallest SUV currently on sale. Its relatively steep price is somewhat indicative of recent trends for the ZS.

The introduction of the current-generation ZS in late 2024 brought price increases across the board, pushing the model slightly out of its previous bargain-basement market position. That was offset by the addition of the incredibly cheap non-turbo Vibe, and ZS sales remain strong.

In the first six months of 2026, MG delivered nearly 9000 examples of the ZS locally, down slightly from the 10,100-odd it sold in the same period last year, though it remains among Australia's most popular small SUVs. However, those sales aren't broken down by variant, so its sales figures could be skewed by its cheaper trim levels.

The flagship variant on test here is supposedly the best the ZS can be, but is it the best demonstration of its economy-car values?

How much does the MG ZS cost?

The Essence Hybrid+ is the most expensive MG ZS currently available, priced at $34,490 drive-away.

The most direct rival to the MG ZS Hybrid+ is the Tiggo 4 Hybrid from fellow Chinese brand Chery. In top-spec Ultimate trim, that small SUV costs $34,990 drive-away.

Other competitors include the Toyota Yaris Cross, priced between $31,790 and $39,930 plus on-roads, and the Hyundai Kona Hybrid, priced between $36,950 and $48,950 plus ORCs.

There are current deals in place, with MG offering $1000 cashback and Chery offering $2000 cashback. Both are applicable until the end of August 2026.

To see how the MG ZS stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

What is the MG ZS like on the inside?

Given the price, the MG ZS looks and feels rather nice inside. It isn't luxurious, but it isn't bargain-basement, either.

It appears there has been some effort to make the cabin of this budget SUV a more enjoyable place to be, and it's had a good effect. There are plenty of soft-touch surfaces to offset the swathes of hard plastic, the main shapes are interesting enough, and the key touchpoints all feel decent in quality.

A real highlight is the steering wheel. It errs on the larger side for a vehicle of the ZS's stature, though its flattened top and bottom make it feel vaguely sporty. It's also nicely proportioned, and the perforated leather wrap adds a bit of flair.

You'll find more leather on the large, T-bar-style gear selector, and while the seats look like they're finished in much the same material, MG unashamedly lists 'PVC' as the upholstery in higher-spec ZS trims. Not that that's an issue, though.

Now, this is a top-spec model grade, so the inclusion of such niceties is pretty much non-negotiable. But we do appreciate that it doesn't feel like every other Chinese SUV inside.

There are flaws, though. For one, we could hear a cacophony of relays ticking within the dashboard, and the steering wheel couldn't be pulled out far enough to create my ideal driving position. Those are irksome issues, but I had a far bigger issue with the seats.

The driver's seat head restraint seems positioned too far forward, which had me craning my neck to keep it from constantly bumping the back of my head. I adjusted for this by reclining further than usual, but that didn't do anything for the seat's firm cushioning or the fact it feels weirdly small.

It's simply made for a body type I don't have. That's a shame, too, because the cabin is otherwise a pleasant place to spend time.

The MG's in-car tech supports this. The 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen is by no means flashy, but it's easy enough to navigate and understand, and there's plenty of functionality in the native apps, including a well-sorted satellite navigation system.

Finally, MG has fitted wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to its small SUV. Its wired-only connectivity was previously always a sticking point, so this is a welcome change. The climate system is, unfortunately, still entirely digital, save for just three basic buttons beneath the screen.

ZS grades from the Excite Turbo and above get a 12.3-inch digital instrument display. We can see there's been some attempt at graphical identity here, but it does look a little tacky. At least the large text and numbers are clearly legible.

Storage-wise, the ZS is also fairly basic. There are two cupholders on the centre console – with a movable divider between them – along with a couple of trays, bottle holders in the doors, a passenger-side glovebox, and a small central box.

Your only charging options are a pair of USB ports or a 12V outlet ahead of the gear selector; there's no wireless phone charger here. We'll also point out the annoying amount of glossy black plastic, which is a bad choice for high-touch areas like the centre console.

The second row, meanwhile, is workable, but will be cramped for fully grown adults. This is to be expected of a small SUV, but it doesn't mean it's not generous with headroom or legroom.

Aside from the decent but sometimes slippery upholstery and firm-ish bench seat, there are also very few amenities. MG has still been kind enough to fit two rear-facing air vents and a USB-A port, but there's no fold-down armrest, which means no beverage holders beyond the door cards.

There is 443 litres of space in the boot, which is enough to comfortably pack weekly groceries or a handful of small suitcases. It's among the largest boots in the small SUV class, comparable to that of the Volkswagen T-Roc, and the top-spec ZS Essence also comes with a power tailgate.

Unfortunately, however, all hybrid variants come with only a tyre repair kit, not a space-saver spare wheel, let alone a full-size spare.

To see how the MG ZS stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

What's under the bonnet?

Powering the MG ZS Hybrid+ is a 1.5-litre non-turbo four-cylinder petrol engine mated with a single electric motor. Combined system outputs are quoted at 158kW of power and 465Nm of torque.

It's worth noting that all ZS grades require premium 95-octane petrol, except the base Vibe, which drinks 91 RON. The 'Hybrid Transmission' of the Hybrid+ is also a three-speed automatic.

Our week with the car primarily involved highway commuting, though there was some suburban errand-running thrown in. Yet the fuel economy number we ended with was impressively low.

To see how the MG ZS stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

How does the MG ZS drive?

The ZS's driving experience is where you'll be reminded that this is a cheap SUV.

There are the typical safety-system issues, though the simplified safety gear makes them slightly more palatable than before. The most obnoxious of them is the speed-limit warning, which beeps constantly and has to be turned off every time you start the car.

There's also the lane-keep assist, which will often tug at the wheel when it isn't necessary. The driver-attention monitor and lane-centring functions are at least well-calibrated and commendably functional.

But it's arguably the behaviour of the hybrid drivetrain that could do with a bit of finessing. The most obvious flaw is that the transmission can be a bit stumbly, which is odd, given it only has three speeds and doesn't need to shift all that often.

Further, the limited range of the gearbox ratios makes it easy to get caught between gears. 60km/h seems to fall right between the first two gears, which means you're either rolling through town at excessive RPM, or bogging down without the punchiness you'd otherwise expect. The same can happen on hills.

An additional quirk can occur if you're driving on electric power, because the engine will sometimes fire up and sit at 3000rpm for no apparent reason. None of these issues makes the ZS undriveable, but they are worth considering – at least the old power-cut issue at low battery charge didn't crop up here.

Furthermore, the 2026 updates appear to have resulted in a slight improvement in cabin insulation. It certainly isn't silent inside, but the engine isn't quite as grating as it was before at higher RPM. Road and wind noise are still fairly intrusive.

As for outright performance, the ZS Hybrid+ is appropriately zippy. It'll shoot a gap on the freeway with little issue, and the throttle is fairly responsive – at least more responsive than several Chery and GWM hybrid models we’ve driven.

The only thing is that you need to be gentle on acceleration from a standstill, because it's very easy to break traction with the driven wheels. This results in some torque steer when accelerating while turning, as you would at an intersection.

But when everything's working as intended, the ZS Hybrid+ proves easy to drive. That's helped by sensible steering, which is a little numb but weighted appropriately for an economy SUV such as this.

Ride comfort is also decent without being outstanding, as is handling – at least around the city. It'll happily dart through intersections and tight carparks, but don’t expect too much if you push it hard on a winding road. There's still a fair bit of body roll, and the seats aren't great at keeping you in place.

Of course, if you want a little more pep, you can flick over to Sport mode. This won't stiffen the suspension, but it will give you sharper throttle response and slightly heavier steering.

Overall, the ZS is a competent little commuter. The only real downside is the small handful of safety-related annoyances, because everything else is more or less competitive.

To see how the MG ZS stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

What do you get?

The MG ZS range comprises five variants spread across three trim levels.

2026 MG ZS Vibe equipment highlights:

• 16-inch alloy wheels
• Space-saver spare tyre
• Auto halogen headlights
• LED tail-lights
• Heated side mirrors
• Plastic steering wheel
• Cloth upholstery
• 6-way manual driver's seat
• 4-way manual front passenger seat
• 3.3-inch TFT instrument cluster display
• 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• DAB+ digital radio
• Bluetooth
• Satellite navigation
• 4-speaker sound system
• 2 x front USB ports
• Air conditioning

MG ZS Excite adds:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Tyre repair kit (hybrid only)
• Auto LED headlights
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Power-folding, heated side mirrors
• Silver roof rails
• 12.3-inch digital instrument display
• 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• 6-speaker sound system
• 1 x rear USB port
• Rear air vent
• Keyless entry
• Drive mode button
• 3 drive modes:
• • Eco
  • Normal
  • Sport
• 3 energy regeneration modes (hybrid only)

MG ZS Essence adds:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• PVC upholstery
• 6-way power driver's seat with manual lumbar
• Heated front seats
• 12.3-inch digital instrument display
• Drive mode button
• Panoramic sunroof
• Power tailgate

To see how the MG ZS stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

Is the MG ZS safe?

The MG ZS has a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2025.

Standard safety equipment highlights:

• 7 airbags, incl:
• • Front
  • Side
  • Far-side
  • Curtain
• Adaptive cruise control
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Lane departure warning
• Lane-keep assist
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Safe-exit assist
• Tyre pressure monitoring

The Excite Hybrid+ and Essence grades add a surround-view monitor.

To see how the MG ZS stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

How much does the MG ZS cost to run?

MG Australia backs its range with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty as standard. This can be extended to 10 years – and up to 250,000km – if the vehicle is serviced exclusively by MG dealerships.

MG Australia's individual service costs are detailed below:

The first five services for the Chery Tiggo 4 Hybrid are capped at $299 each, totalling $1495 over five years. For context, it's a similar story with the Yaris Cross, though its first five services are slightly cheaper at $275 each, totalling $1375.

In contrast, five years of servicing for the Hyundai Kona Hybrid will cost you $3176.

To see how the MG ZS stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

CarExpert's Take on the MG ZS Hybrid+ Essence

The MG ZS is already a fairly capable commuter, and the addition of a hybrid powertrain gives you a bit more pep and tangible fuel economy improvements.

It isn't perfect, however. I didn't gel with the seats, and there are still a few safety bugs lurking behind the scenes. But as a model at the affordable end of Australia’s new-vehicle market, the ZS does everything it needs to remain relevant.

The only thing is you don't really need to spring for the top-spec hybrid we're reviewing here.

That's because the Excite Hybrid+ offers everything most buyers need, while an entry-level Yaris Cross is arguably a more sensible purchase at around the same price. The ZS still isn't as cheap as it used to be, either.

And so, while the ZS Hybrid+ is a solid little car, it is harder to recommend alongside similarly priced alternatives from more established brands.

CarExpert can save you thousands on a new MG ZS. Click here to get a great deal.

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MORE: Explore the MG ZS showroom