MG ZS VS Nissan Juke
MG ZS
Likes
- Efficient hybrid engine
- Exterior styling more unique
- Good value
Dislikes
- Some confusing switchgear
- Interior styling still a bit derivative
- No reach adjustment for steering column
Nissan Juke
Likes
- Funky looks
- Decent interior space and boot
- Full safety equipment
Dislikes
- Frustrating dual clutch auto
- Missing a few tech items rivals get
- Could do with a hybrid version
Summary
MG ZS
I’m going to admit something personal here - I was not a very good student. I didn’t really like school, I was only interested in cars and school didn’t have enough car-related lessons to keep me interested.
The team at MG, on the other hand, appear to be very good students. They learn fast and adapt quickly and, most importantly, test well.
Let me explain.
Read more about
- Next-gen cut-price hybrid SUV here very soon: Here's when you can get into the new Hyundai Kona and Toyota Corolla Cross rivalling 2025 MG ZS small SUV and what to expect from its overhauled range
- Bargain electric car to return? 2025 MG ZS EV replacement price confirmed in China in a boost for new BYD Atto 3 and Hyundai Kona Electric rival: Report
- MG won't follow in Toyota's footsteps and go hybrid and electric only in Australia
When the brand re-entered the Australian market under Chinese ownership just over a decade ago (2013) its cars were, to be blunt, not very good. They were underpowered, had derivative designs and drove poorly.
Fast forward to 2024 and MG is among the most popular brands in Australia and the ZS is the country's best-selling small SUV. Its rapid change in fortunes is a direct result of its ability to learn quickly what the market expects and deliver a new model that meets those needs.
But perhaps MG’s greatest strength was to do that without charging a premium for rapidly developed new models. In fact, MG’s popularity is linked to its cut-price deals - it offers a reasonable package compared to its rivals for less money.Â
Now, having learnt that Australians know their products and like them, MG is applying new lessons to introduce the second-generation ZS, starting with an all-new hybrid model.
| Safety rating | — |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.5L |
| Fuel Type | Petrol-electric Hybrid |
| Fuel Efficiency | 4.7L/100km |
| Seating | — |
Nissan Juke
The Nissan Juke was meant to herald a new era for Nissan in Australia.
It was the first in a slew of new-generation SUVs and has now been joined by the Qashqai, X-Trail, and Pathfinder as part of a new-look Nissan.
Unlike those others, though, the Juke hasn’t quite resonated with buyers. Since arriving to what Nissan probably expected to be fanfare back in 2020, the new Juke has since sunk to the bottom of its compact SUV segment, outselling only a handful of other models.
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So, what went wrong? Is the quirky styling of the Juke too much? Are there too many appealing choices in the compact SUV space? Alternatively, could the Juke be an underrated gem worth checking out?
I find myself in an upper mid-spec ST-L to find out.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 5.8L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
MG ZS7.1/10
So is the MG ZS Hybrid+ another test passed for the company and its fast-learning team? Or is it a rare failing grade?
While there is still clearly some work to be done in certain areas to compete on quality, design and dynamics, the overall package offered by the ZS Hybrid+ is a strong one. It offers a frugal engine, a spacious cabin, inoffensive design and plenty of equipment (including safety) for a very sharp price.
There’s no reason MG shouldn’t stay top of the class in the small SUV segment once the range is completed in 2025.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.
Nissan Juke6.9/10
The Juke is a fun little car. It looks cool, it packs most of the important features and safety equipment, but while it can be fun to drive, it’s also a little clunky around town.
It’s so frustrating, because there is a great car in there somewhere, and it would take only small tweaks and enhancements to bring it out.
Design
MG ZS
One of the obvious criticisms you could level at the outgoing ZS was the design was derivative of rival models and lacked any unique ‘MG’ traits. That’s less of a problem for this new-generation ZS, at least on the outside, which features a new design, adopting MG’s new ‘family face’ as already seen on the new HS and MG3.
It’s still not the boldest SUV in the segment, but MG is clearly looking for broad appeal and doesn’t want anything polarising.
However, it still feels a bit derivative on the inside and despite upgraded technology (a pair of 12.3-inch digital screens for the instrument display and infotainment system) it lacks visual impact. There’s elements of other rivals that are noticeable, specifically the hexagonal theme around the air-vents, which remind me of the Mazda CX-5.Â
It’s a perfectly fine interior, there’s nothing ‘wrong’ or ‘bad’ about it, but it does feel like MG likes to play it safe on design when it could have made some bolder choices.
Nissan Juke
Urban style is clearly what the Juke is about. It’s always been about this, but the original incarnation, while unusual, was a bit bulbous and awkward. The current version is a razor-sharp re-interpretation of the original.
Ugly duckling no more, the Juke blends the elements of Nissan’s current design language with its own unique take, in a clever way.
The roofline and bulbous face of the original car, complete with its ‘eye’ headlights are all maintained, but this time they look more contemporary with a splash of chrome and gunmetal plastic in the face, offset by gloss blacks running down the doorline.
The new light fittings look great and the curviness is also gently off-set with some sharp angles. The massive 19-inch wheels finished in a two-tone gloss black and aluminium brush keep this car looking like a concept come to life. Just don’t crash them into the curb. It would be very easy to.
The cool elements continue inside, with rotary air vents, a blend of textures, including a gloss grey for the vent claddings, with white stitching for the wheel, seat, and into the door cards, too.
There are touches of chrome about the place, and an ambient red LED light surrounding the shifter, which sits on its own little pedestal thing.
It’s quirky and punches above its weight when it comes to soft trims in the doors. Like most higher-grade Nissans the seats are pretty comfy, too, clad in a hard-wearing synthetic leather material.
But it won’t be for everyone, and it’s not without its downsides. The abundance of grey plastic down the centre console is a bit cheap, and the tech offering doesn’t match the youthful style.
The centre screen is adequate, but compared to many rivals it’s a bit small and dull, and the Juke is still missing a digital overhaul for its instrument cluster.
The black headlining, usually reserved for sportier cars, makes the cabin feel smaller than it is.
Practicality
MG ZS
This is an all-new model, according to the company, sitting on a new, larger platform that adds 107mm to the length, 25mm to the wheelbase and also makes it 9mm wider. That makes for a more spacious cabin, with noticeably more room in the second row. It’s still a small SUV but it probably borders on mid-size in some regards, especially around knee room in the back.
There’s plenty of small item storage space too, with a small tray ahead of the gear selector, a pair of cup holders in the front, good size door pockets, the centre lidded box and a new small shelf on the dashboard, in front of the passenger.
In terms of boot space, MG has packaged the battery underneath the rear seats and opted for a tyre repair kit instead of a spare, so there is a sizeable boot with 443 litres of luggage room.
The twin 12.3-inch screens take care of most functions but MG was quick to point out they have retained several physical buttons for some functions; ‘home’, volume for the stereo, the windscreen demister and an on-off for the air-conditioning.
While physical buttons are a clear positive in terms of usability and safety, the decision to put the demister instead of say, air-con temp or fan speed doesn’t make a lot of sense (surely they’d be more useful every day?).
MG counters that the steering wheel buttons/toggles can be programmed for different functions, including air-con controls but that is an added layer of complexity to what should be a simple function.
More surprising and disappointing is the steering wheel has no reach adjustment, only height, which is almost unheard of these days in modern passenger cars. It smacks of saving money when developing what is claimed to be an ‘all-new’ model, and is an important element to skimp on as it directly impacts how comfortable you feel in the car.
Nissan Juke
The Juke is a small SUV in the true sense of the word, sitting below the Qashqai which is more like a mid-sizer these days in terms of dimensions.
However, it’s quite cleverly packaged on the inside and is more useful than it first appears.
The front seats, for example, offer heaps of headroom and a surprising amount of width, and while the seats are manual, they’re pretty adjustable. I was able to find a great seating position.
There are big pockets in the doors with an integrated bottle holder suitable for even the largest bottles, although the centre console area is a bit less versatile, choosing its funky design over additional storage.
It features two good bottle holders, but a tiny armrest box and a shallow tray with one 12V socket and a USB-A outlet, as well as an auxiliary audio input under the climate controls.
On the topic of climate controls, I love the fact the Juke maintains a dedicated ventilation panel complete with buttons and dials for all the core functions. No touchscreen nonsense here.
The media screen, as mentioned, is a tad small, and falls victim to glare easily.
The stock Nissan software is a massive upgrade on the brand’s previous-generation products, but while it’s functional it’s far from the prettiest or the fastest on the market.
The back seat offers more space than you might assume, but it’s not as well thought-out as the front of the cabin. At 182cm tall I fit behind my own driving position with just enough space for my knees and just enough headroom.
There are decent bottle holders in the doors, and a further two small ones in the drop-down armrest. The backs of the front seats are clad in that synthetic leather material, which is nice, and have soft pockets, too.
The back of the front centre console offers just a single USB-A outlet and a small cubby. There are no adjustable air vents for rear passengers. It also feels a little claustrophobic back there thanks to the black trim on everything and smaller windows.
Boot capacity for the Juke is impressive for an SUV in this class, with 422 litres on offer, which is close to the volume we’d expect from something a size-bracket up, and 1305L with the second row folded down. There is a space-saver spare under the boot floor.
Price and features
MG ZS
The ZS Hybrid+ is launching with two variants, Excite and Essence, priced from $33,990 and $36,990 respectively. Those prices are both manufacturer list price and drive-away at the time of launch.
In terms of price though, that’s a big step up for the brand and the model. The outgoing ZST Excite was priced from $29,490 and the Essence from $30,490, drive-away. For comparison, the Hyundai Kona hybrid range begins at $36,500 and stretches to $46,500, the Toyota Corolla Cross is priced from $36,480 to $50,030 and the Kia Niro hybrid models start at $45,000. So while the Hybrid+ is more expensive than before, it still represents good value in the small hybrid SUV market.
It’s also important to note at this point that there will be non-hybrid versions of the new ZS, which will almost certainly be cheaper and closer to the old model, but they won’t arrive until 2025.
As for what you get for the money, standard equipment on the Excite includes 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, two 12.3-inch digital screens for the instruments and multimedia, as well as navigation, a 360-degree camera and the MG Pilot active safety suite.
The Essence adds 18-inch alloys, a panoramic sunroof, PVC seats, six-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Nissan Juke
The Juke range kicks off from just $28,390 which gets you into a base ST and reaches to $36,890 for the top-spec Ti.
We’re driving the $34,440 (before on-road costs) ST-L which is the upper mid-grade car.
It scores concept-style 19-inch alloy wheels, synthetic leather interior trim, an 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a 7.0-inch digital screen between the analog dials, a surround camera system, single-zone climate, keyless entry and push-start ignition, and LED headlights.Â
The quite attractive ‘Magnetic Blue’ paint our car wears is a $700 option. For an additional $1133 you can also step up to the ST-L+ grade which adds alternate two-tone seat trim, chrome and black highlights and a 10-speaker Bose audio system.
While this ST-L grade gets the lion’s share of Juke equipment without the price-hike to the Ti (and is therefore the pick of the range) there are some notable items missing at this price.
For example, there’s no wireless phone charging, no head-up display, no fully digital instrument cluster, and no electrical adjustment for the seats. The 8.0-inch multimedia screen is starting to look a bit dated, too.
Still, it looks trendy and those massive wheels are well above the standard for a car at this size or price. So, if you’re going for style over equipment there is a choice to be made here.
Nissan also hasn’t cheaped out on safety equipment, with most active stuff coming standard, even on the base ST. More on this later.
Pricing is about line-ball with its most direct competitors. It’s a tad cheaper than some like the outgoing similarly-styled Toyota C-HR (Koba 2WD - $35,695), or slightly more expensive than others like the current equivalent Ford Puma (ST-Line - $33,190) or Mazda CX-3 (Touring SP - $34,300) although it is also ever so slightly larger than those last two by width, height, and wheelbase.
Under the bonnet
MG ZS
The ZS Hybrid+ is powered by a 75kW/128Nm 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine with a 100kW/250Nm electric motor, with MG claiming a combined output of 150kW/465Nm.
The electric motor draws power from a 1.83kWh NCM (nickel-cobalt-magnesium) battery and is paired to a three-speed hybrid automatic transmission.
Nissan Juke
In the Juke’s messy engine bay lies a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine which sends 84kW/180Nm to the front wheels.
Nissan has its own 'HR10DET' engine code for this unit but it’s actually a Renault 'H5Dt' engine as evidenced by Renault logos all over the place.
Power is communicated by a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic which has been a source of strife for this car since it arrived. This very European engine and transmission combination is one which the Juke shares with its Renault Captur cousin.
I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but I would prefer a continuously variable transmission (CVT) which Nissan uses elsewhere in its range. It would solve maybe the main issue with this car, which we’ll explore up next in the driving section of this review
Efficiency
MG ZS
MG claims the system delivers an average fuel consumption of 4.7L/100km. While it’s a good return for an SUV of this size, it is higher than both of its key rivals, with the Corolla Cross offering a 4.3L/100km claim and the Kona Hybrid managing 3.9L/100km.
With its 41-litre fuel tank it has a theoretical driving range of more than 870km.
Nissan Juke
One of the reasons this car comes equipped with a dual-clutch automatic is to chase fuel efficiency as well as emissions output. On paper DCT autos don’t suffer the inherent losses of a traditional torque converter transmission.
The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 5.8L/100km. My week of driving, weighted slightly more towards freeway conditions, produced a marginally higher average of 6.8L/100km. It’s not the claim, but it’s pretty good.
This little engine requires mid-shelf 95RON unleaded fuel, and the Juke has a 46-litre fuel tank, suggesting a driving range of 793km using the official fuel consumption number.
Driving
MG ZS
Nobody has ever bought a modern MG because of its dynamic handling or pampering ride. The ZS may have led the segment in price but it hasn’t ever had a class-leading driving experience. Nor was it bad, but clearly there was some work to do because MG says the suspension has been redesigned for improved ride comfort, handling and reduced noise.
It feels like an improvement based on our initial drive, with the ZS feeling more comfortable, riding with more composure than the old model. But the brand still has work to do in terms of ride and steering tuning, especially for Australia’s unique conditions, if it wants to compete with the best-in-class.
As for the powertrain, it does a very good job, it feels smooth and quiet and offers adequate performance for a small SUV. Its real-world fuel economy after a drive through urban, open road and some freeway ended at 4.9L/100km, which is a solid return. More urban driving, which would emphasise the role of the electric motor, would likely bring that figure down.
Nissan Juke
The Juke can be fun to drive, and I wanted to like it more, but the transmission its peppy little engine is paired with is frustrating.
Outputs of 84kW/180Nm doesn’t sound like a lot, but power isn’t the problem. The little engine has a fun turbo-surge which pairs with the Juke's light frame to make for a car which is quite athletic when you push it.
The issue is a mountain of turbo-lag conspires with the clunky dual-clutch automatic to make it far too sluggish off the line.
There’s a full second (or two, at times) to wait for any power to arrive, which simply isn’t good enough at T-junctions and roundabouts, the kind of situations a little urban SUV like this will constantly be encountering.
Nissan says the transmission software was even updated after the Juke’s launch, but it’s still not where it should be.
It has good traits, too. When you’re out on the open road, it has quick, snappy and well-defined shifts, and the engine is much better when it’s being properly pushed, too.
It has a gruff, entertaining tone, and the Juke’s light frame, firm ride, and comparatively heavy steering make it a joy to throw into some corners.
The long wheelbase for such a small SUV, paired with a decent set of tyres, also keeps it confident when its predecessor was a little clumsy.
Again, though, the reasonably hard ride, not helped by the very large wheels, isn't its best trait in an urban environment. The Juke is by no means uncomfortable, it just seems like the priorities for this little SUV aren’t in the right place.
I’ve said this before but there’s a great car in here somewhere. The Juke is fun to drive in the right environment, it’s just this environment is not where most prospective buyers will primarily be looking to use it.
What could fix this issue? A different transmission perhaps. Better yet, an e-Power hybrid powertrain.
Safety
MG ZS
While MG’s efforts to keep its models affordable has created some safety headlines in the past (such as the MG5’s poor ANCAP score), the company has made a concerted effort to ensure the new ZS doesn’t suffer the same fate.
As mentioned earlier, the MG Pilot system is included as standard on both variants of the ZS Hybrid+. This brings a broad line-up of active safety features including autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, lane change assist, speed assistance system, front collision warning, blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert and adaptive cruise control.
There’s also the 360-degree surround-view cameras so you can see what’s around when you’re parking or manoeuvring slowly.
The new ZS Hybrid+ hasn’t been crash tested yet and it’s impossible to speculate on its score with any certainty. The previous generation ZS received a four-star ANCAP rating but the recently launched HS managed five stars, so MG is capable of building models to get top marks.
Nissan Juke
The Juke's standard active safety features include freeway-speed auto emergency braking, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition.
Last time I reviewed this car I complained about the way it vibrates the steering wheel when the lane keep function decides you’re going out of your lane. But having since experienced so many more invasive lane keep systems, this one seems comparatively low-key.
Elsewhere, the Juke gets the standard array of six airbags (dual front, side, and curtain) and wears a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating to the 2019 standards.
Ownership
MG ZS
MG Australia offers what it calls a ‘Precise Price’ servicing plan, so you’ll know what you’re paying for the first five years. Service intervals are every 12 months/15,000km and vary from $144 for a minor visit up to $432 for your four year/60,000km check-up. The total cost is $1232 over the five year span.
Like all MG models the ZS Hybrid+ is covered by the brand’s 10-year/250,000km warranty.
Nissan Juke
Nissan offers the Juke with a five-year, unlimited km warranty, with five-years of roadside assist included.
It requires servicing every 12 months or 20,000km and the cost is subject to a capped price servicing program for the first six years.
This averages $651.33 annually, which is not cheap for a small SUV in this class.
However, there is also the option of a pre-paid five-year service plan which brings the annual cost over five years down to a more reasonable $429.60.
But, notably, it does not include the pricy $1521 sixth-year interval. It’s worth asking yourself how long you’ll own the car for before splurging on it.