2024 MG ZS teased, hybrid confirmed for Australia

The next-generation of Australia’s favourite small SUV, the MG ZS, has been teased officially for the first time and will make its global debut on August 26 ahead of its introduction here in the fourth quarter of 2024.

A long time coming and arguably the most important model release of the year for the Chinese brand, MG has thus far released only a single image of the new ZS via its social media channels, showcasing the new model’s MG3-inspired front fascia and wings.

The preview leaves little to the imagination given we’ve already seen the rest of the body via covert spy imagery last month, however the big revelation here is the apparent confirmation of a hybrid powertrain for our market.

MG Motor Australia was one of the various global divisions to share the solitary image overnight and made no attempt to mask or obscure the numberplate, which reads: ‘ZS HEV’.

The local operation is yet to confirm anything to do with the new ZS officially but carsales understands the new-generation SUV will be offered here with the choice of petrol, hybrid and electric power, however the exact rollout is unclear for the time being.

Odds are the petrol and hybrid powertrains will be the same ones utilised by the MG3 hatch, pointing to approximate outputs of 81kW/142Nm and 155kW/250Nm respectively.

Government approval documents seen by carsales however suggest a small-capacity (1.5L) turbo-petrol set-up is also waiting in the wings, likely outputting around 119kW/250Nm, and potentially replacing the more upmarket ZST and its 1.3T in one fell swoop.

Given MG’s reputation for sharp pricing – and its newly announced 10-year/250,000km warranty – there’s a real chance the new ZS Hybrid+ (HEV) will become one of Australia’s most affordable hybrids and strike back against the updated GWM-Haval Jolion HEV to perhaps become the country’s cheapest electrified SUV.

Little else is known about the new ZS for now, but the previously mentioned spy imagery strongly implies the second-generation will be bigger than the first-gen offering, again pointing to the possible retirement of the current ZST, and there’s no doubt MG will have optimised the interior to be as roomy as possible.

All will be revealed next week.

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