Upon its launch, ZS Petrol will rival the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Renault Duster and Nissan Kicks
MG Motor has had a decent outing in the Indian market ever since it set foot on our soil a year and a half back with its mid-size SUV Hector. Since then, the British-origin carmaker has been systematically strengthening its profile by introducing attractive offerings such as MG Hector Plus and Gloster.
At the last edition of AutoExpo held earlier this year, MG Motor presented an array of upcoming products under its pavilion. This included ZS Petrol, the conventional IC engine-powered version of its electric crossover ZS EV. Post its maiden appearance in India, the UV has been spotted testing on numerous occasions.
Now, another set of images have cropped up on the internet which shows a test mule of ZS Petrol under heavy wraps. It is also the first time that images of its interiors have been spied in detail. Images are credit to automotive enthusiasts Shantanu Jain and Tijo Thomas, who shared their spy shots on Rushlane Spylane.
Design Updates
ZS Petrol will be based on the facelifted ZS available in international markets whereas its electrified version is based on the pre-facelift model. Therefore, one can notice subtle differences between this model and its EV compatriot.
The overall silhouette of ZS Petrol is very much identical to the battery-powered ZS EV. Even under a heavy wrapping, some elements of the crossover can be distinctly identified. For starters, it receives angular LED projector lamps which are sleeker than those seen in ZS EV and give a sharper look to its front end.
Another major highlight is the addition of a honeycomb mesh grille instead of the 3-D spoked grille in ZS EV. It also gets similarly designed air intakes below the radiator grille. Once can also see the RADAR modules in the front, most likely for ADAS features.
In this spy shots, the rear flaunted angular LED taillights similar to the ones shown at the AutoExpo earlier this year. MG’s signature octagonal logo also made its presence felt both at the front grille and tailgate. Unlike previous occasions, the rear bumper did not carry a diffuser with it.
Interior & Features
Coming to its interiors, the cabin of ZS Petrol looks fairly spacious even with all-black interiors. It receives a slightly different dashboard layout with the highlight being a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
The dash also receives soft-touch material which in addition to light coloured inserts around AC vents and door pads which provide a nice contrast. It was also equipped with a semi-digital instrument cluster.
Powertrain Options
Speaking of its powertrain, it is expected to be offered with two petrol engine options. The first being a 1.5-litre VTi naturally aspirated petrol engine which produces 120 bhp and 150 Nm of peak torque. The second option is a more spirited 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine which kicks out 161 bhp and 230 Nm of peak torque.
A diesel powertrain is unlikely to part of the lineup, at least initially. Both manual and automatic transmission units will be on offer. Our sources indicate that the MG ZS petrol SUV is expected to be launched in India sometime around Diwali 2021.
