MG ZS 110 FIVE DOOR

A Tight Budget Neednt Preclude You From A Little Fun In The Medium Range Hatch Sector. Andy Enright Takes A Look At MGs ZS 110 Five-Door Model.

Theres a copy of Motor magazine dated from 1983 knocking about our office at the moment. Peering through its yellowing pages is a revelation, MG at that time selling the badge engineered Metro and Maestro models. Fast forward twenty years and youd be forgiven a case of déjà vu, as MG are once again selling rebadged and refettled versions of mainstream models. With cars like the MG ZS110 five-door, however, we should count our blessings.

Retailing at £11,195 in standard form, this car marks a new entry-level point into the MG ZS range. Back in 1983, £11,000 would have bought you some pretty serious kit. A Lancia Montecarlo Spyder was only £9,240 and a TVR Tasmin convertible retailed at £9,985. An entry-level MG Maestro retailed at £6,245.

Build
Comfort
Depreciation
Economy
Equipment
Handling
Insurance
Performance
Styling
Value

Therefore, over the course of twenty years, the broadly equivalent MG model has less than doubled in price, whereas cars like the Range Rover, entry level Porsches, Ferraris and flagship sporty Ford hatches have more than trebled in price. If one is going to accuse the MG ZS of being in any way old fashioned, its certainly guilty when it comes to pricing. The ZS110 also serves up another ingredient that has largely fallen by the wayside in the po-faced Noughties: fun. With just 108bhp on tap, this might not seem particularly likely but the performance data is surprising. The ZS110 will sprint to 60mph in 9.8 seconds and hit a top speed of 119mph and unlike many of its ultra refined rivals, the ZS feels every bit as quick.

With weighty steering full and a firm ride, the ZS110 feels like a throwback, albeit a hugely enjoyable one. In other respects its well up to date. It will return an average of over 40mpg and emit 168g/km of CO2, making it a reasonably responsible citizen. Even around town, youll see fuel consumption the affordable side of 30mpg.

This amalgam of old and new has a lot to be said for it and whilst there may be some who grumble about the ZS models roots, which date back to the Rover 400, the crew at MG have done a great job turning a rather dull hatch into a car with genuine driver appeal. The 1.6-litre K-series engine doesnt sound particularly sporty when you first turn the key, settling down into a distant whirr, but give the throttle a blip and the needle zips up and down the tachometer with almost no flywheel effect. Straight away you realise this is a car that is going to be very light on its feet.

And so it proves. Youll need to rev the engine to get the best out of it, as maximum torque is plugged at a heady 4,500rpm and maximum power even higher at 6,000rpm, but its not a powerplant that punishes you for doing so. That meaty steering feel and chunky ride quality let you know within the first ten yards that even with its £11,195 price tag, the MG ZS110 is a drivers car to be reckoned with.

"Straight away you realise this is a car that is going to be very light on its feet"

The latest revisions have brought the ZS further up to date styling wise. The lights are the most prominent difference, theyre now of a twin lens configuration thats not a million miles away from BMWs current styling direction. The grille has been completely overhauled as has the bumper and the boot lip now curls up into a spoiler at the rear. The 180 bodykit thats optional on this model but standard on the quick 180 variant further emphasises the cars sporting intentions.

Extended wheelarches, fender vents and side sills are all added along with larger alloy wheels. Tick the box and your £11,000 hatch could look like a real powerhouse. The interior has come in for a little resprucing too. Its nothing too radical but the Technical Grey dash inserts are tidy and unobtrusive.

The fascia has been updated with four circular air vents finished in chrome. A number of convenience features have also been introduced. The ZS 110 features 15" alloy wheels as standard but make the step up to the + trim level and air-conditioning, a Kenwood CD player and a leather steering wheel put in an appearance. Its out on the open road that it all gels beautifully. The steering feels perfectly weighted for flinging the car down a twisty back road, and the suspension is firm without becoming unduly crashy or harsh. Even the gearbox is sweet and slick, whilst the brakes have a punchiness about them that inspires enormous confidence.

If this is the end result of some mild reworking, it makes you want to resample a Rover 45 in order to see how far the MG ZS has come. The MG ZS110 may not be at the cutting edge of new car development, but when this much fun is on the agenda, its difficult to care. The latest styling update does a good job of keeping things looking current too. Its a car that repays its modest asking price by painting a huge smile on your face every time it sees a corner coming and one which is mechanically tough and reasonably inexpensive to run.

If youve never driven an MG ZS before, your scepticism is probably well founded. The MG ZS110 isnt overburdened with brake horsepower but it when it comes to the power to convert the doubters, a short drive is all it takes.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: MG ZS110 five-door
PRICES: £11,195 - £12,295 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 9
CO2 EMISSIONS: 168g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 9.8s / Max Speed 119mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 30.1mpg (extra urban) 50.1mpg (combined) 29.7mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 3910/1780/1270