MG ZS Long Range – What Can It Tow?

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With the MG ZS Long Range we have the cheapest electric tow car to date with a starting price of just £28,495. Now don’t get too excited, the MG ZS Long Range only has a rated towing capacity of 500kg, hence small cargo trailers and maybe a small teardrop caravan. However, at this price point, there is no other electric car on the market which is rated to tow anything at all, so its something. So let’s look more into the capabilities/features of the MG ZS in terms of its real-world range and maximum DC rapid charging speed.

MG ZS Long Range
The MG ZS Long Range has a maximum towing capacity of 500kg: Image MG.co.uk

Key MG ZS Long Range Specs

  • Official Towing Capacity – 500 kg
  • Availability – Now
  • Price – Starting £28,495
  • Range (EV Database) – 230 miles
  • Estimated Towing Range (50%) – 115 miles
  • Maximum DC Charge Rate – 92kW
  • Rapid Charge 10% to 80% – 40 min
  • Check Used MG ZS Specs

MG ZS Long Range HP & Torque

  • FWD with 154 HP and 201 lb-ft of torque

MG ZS Long Range Towing Capabilities

So the first thing I need to note is that the MG ZS Long Range is the second iteration of the MG ZS. The original MG ZS first launched in 2019 and had a much smaller battery and a real-world range of only 135 miles. Most importantly for readers of this website, the original MG ZS also had no official towing capacity.

This revised version of the MG ZS branded as the Long Range has a much larger battery than the original car with a usable capacity of just over 68 kWh. Hence, the MG ZS has a pretty respectable real-world range for a compact SUV at 230 miles.

Now, when it comes to towing capacity, a 500kg limit is not going to meet many peoples needs, but it will indeed meet the needs of some people. If you have read my articles on cars such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E, BMW iX3, Jaguar I-Pace and Mercedes EQA you will know I berate those cars for their 750kg maximum towing capacities.

Therefore, do I intend to place that same criticism onto the MG ZS? Nope, because you could nearly purchase two MG ZS Long Range for the price of one of those other vehicles. So while sure, a larger towing capacity would be welcome, no one else is currently offering better at this price point.

MG ZS Long Range Review

As of writing this article the only review from the automotive press I can reference on the MG ZS Long Range is from DrivingElectric. While its a relatively short review compared to many of the others I typically include in my articles, its sufficient to get the point across. The MG ZS is currently one of the best value EVs when it comes to how far it can go per pound spent.

The DrivingElectric review of the MG ZS Long Range

The ride quality and refinement appear reasonable for an electric car in this price bracket along with a good level interior spec, including Andriod Auto and Apple Car Play support. The review concludes the MG ZS EV overall to have an ‘unremarkable’ driving experience, but as noted in the review for this car and its price point that’s not actually a bad thing.

I should note, in the review, the maximum DC charging speed is referenced to be 72kW. However, the latest specs I can find states the MG ZS can actually charge at up to 92kW. The 10% to 80% DC rapid charging speed of around 40 min is by no means market leading, but again, by comparison, this is a cheap EV.

My Thoughts On The MG ZS Long Range…

The MG ZS Long Range is set up as a front-wheel-drive (FWD) electric car. In my articles on the Polestar 2 and the Volvo XC40 Recharge, I criticise their choice of FWD, as when it comes to towing, its easy to lose traction when pulling away from junctions etc.

However, the Polestar 2 and Volvo XC40 Recharge are rated to tow 1,500kg, and they’re expensive. When we’re talking about the MG ZS at its much cheaper price point and much lower 500kg tow rating its a completely different scenario. With the MG you cannot legally tow a trailer heavy enough where the loss of traction with the FWD system would be an issue.

This is a much shorter article than most of my posts, the reason being, I don’t currently have any other electric tow cars at this price point to compare the MG ZS Long Range against. Therefore, if you are looking for an affordable EV to tow a trailer to go to the tip or a small camping trailer the MG ZS is obviously worth considering.

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