Category: Hot Hatchbacks 
Price Range: No data available
Entertaining and forgiving handling, smooth V6, comfortable ride, fair value
Messy, dated dashboard, poor rear room, ageing looks
Unexpectedly capable, with much to offer if you can live with its flaws
The Honda heritage pays off here - although some switches look like cheap add-ons, they're easy to find, while the major controls are light and easily manipulated. And the V6 ZS is easy to drive smoothly, unlike the early V6 Rover 45s, which were a jerky disappointment. The view out is relatively good unless you have the high rear wing, which does an excellent job of blotting out traffic in the rear-view mirror - including police cars. A fine performance, and an unexpected one. Of the three new MGs, the ZS is the easiest to drive hard, and the most forgiving if you make a mistake - its handling is very safe and can be highly entertaining. The V6 is the best of the pair, its creamy and potent power delivery matching the ZS's grip and high-speed composure well. It's easy to change gear and brake smoothly, it stops extremely well and generally makes pleasingly fluent progress across swiftly driven country roads. Which is not what people expected of this car.
The four-cylinder petrol engine isn't especially quick, but it's game for high-rev effort and can get about swiftly if you try. It's noisy, in the interests of a more exhilarating drive - which is fine, but not for long journeys. The V6 is altogether better - it's swifter, sounds pleasingly sweet and suits the car well. It, too, needs revving to give its best, but the experience is entirely pleasant. The diesels are the strongest and best all-rounders, however, in 101bhp or 115bhp guise.
