Wishlist/'must haves' for next version of the ZS EV?

[Topeka]

If there was a major redesign of the ZS EV, what features and improvements would you like?

I've written up my list below, feel free to add more suggestions:

(features in bold are absolute no brainer must haves)

Exterior:

• Either a small 'sharkfin'-style aerial or no visible aerial
• Improved design to rear end
• Different rear light clusters
• Actual alloy wheels instead of the aero cover option
• Privacy glass for rear windows as standard
• A full single panoramic glass roof pane instead of the split pane
• Less bare plastic on show (e.g painted wheel arches)

Interior:

• Interior mood lighting and customisation options in the UI
• Improvements to some interior components - better quality plastics or upgrade to different materials
• Proper central armrest for driver and front passenger
• Larger boot capacity
• Better central console design e.g removal of that unused button space next to the parking brake

User Inferface:

• Much improved cameras with much higher resolution and clarity, especially rear parking camera
• Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
• Ability to view full service history and schedule through UI
• Improved CarPlay/Android Auto integration so certain UI elements can be viewed in driver cockpit (e.g satnav)
• Smoother UI with improved menu screen designs
• Heads up display (as a paid option)
• The ability to set a default drive mode instead of having it always reset back to 'Normal' - same with brake regen strength
• Less software bugs when it comes to starting and parking the car

Driver experience

• True all-season 300+ mile range/'Extended Range' version
• Higher ride height
• Base model to offer real world all-season range of at least 250 miles
• Improved ride quality and suspension
• Less torque steer under heavy acceleration
• More efficient de-misting without driver intervention
• Compatibility with best rate tariffs from energy suppliers (e.g Octopus Intelligent Go)

 

[Tim Green]

Maybe buy a different, more expensive car?

 

[Topeka]

Maybe buy a different, more expensive car?

Did you actually read the list? Hardly asking for a Bentley here am I Tim?

The ZS EV is mostly great and ticks most boxes for me, it's just a wishlist of things that would make it just that little bit better.

I mean come on...a sharkfin or no visible aerial isn't the definition of luxury, even a Ford Focus has one.

 

[Ruislip Resident]

Heated seats in the back. Cooled seats in both the front and the back.

 

[fred12345]

Did you actually read the list? Hardly asking for a Bentley here am I Tim?

The ZS EV is mostly great and ticks most boxes for me, it's just a wishlist of things that would make it just that little bit better.

I mean come on...a sharkfin or no visible aerial isn't the definition of luxury, even a Ford Focus has one.

Guess it's a question of personal taste and costs... Painted wheel arches would cost a touch more, sharkfin a bit more... Looks wise ZS would not be my first choice but it's ticking a lot of boxes overall and, being new to MG and EV, so far I'm happy with it although I would like a few extra bits on it too...

Heated seats in the back. Cooled seats in both the front and the back.

Alternative option in the meantime

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[Tim Green]

Adding items and improvements add to the cost in a compound fashion. You have listed 27 items which would all add value but, to a greater or lesser degree, cost more.
It's the same with any car, just see how the price rockets as you add extras from the list. When I looked at the ZS gen1 that we have, I thought it offered a good package for the price, so we bought it. (Strongly influenced by it being the cheapest proper car ev available at the time). You can be more selective and look for the cars with the particular extras you like, but this is easier with second-hand more mature products. When looking for our Merc E class, I had a list of the extras I wanted, and bought one that had them all. (As we share driving, my wife and I particularly wanted memory seats, for instance).

 

[Susanna]

It’s really easy and cheap to replace the aerial with a shark fin one. I think I paid less than £8 on Aliexpress, and fitted it in 10 minutes.

 

[Jerry]

Faster charging 200+Kw
Much improved App. There is so much more that could be included
Tesla'esk pro active pre heating of battery before you get to the charging station
Tesla'esk navigation to take you recommended charging stations rather than relying on 3rd party Apps
A slightly wider and longer car (could fit a bigger battery) = more range
All these would have to come at a cost so 'value' diminishes
Retain the manual buttons!

 

[fred12345]

It’s really easy and cheap to replace the aerial with a shark fin one. I think I paid less than £8 on Aliexpress, and fitted it in 10 minutes.

I've seen your post somewhere earlier, could you please share the link again? Was it in accessories thread? Might try it ...

 

[Susanna]

Sorry, I don’t know how to do that! It was in the ‘accessories’ section - someone was asking whether a shark fin from another type of MG would fit.
Looking at the one I bought (from the ’my orders’ list), it says it’s not compatible with the ZS EV - very strange. It was listed as a ‘super shark fin’, so I guess it’s necessary to check the dimensions and see if it will fit.
Sorry I can’t be any more help.

 

[Andrew Sinclair]

Proper quality control?

 

[CoolDudePT]

One simple thing: have cruise control reduce speed via regen instead of friction brakes. In essence change a few lines of code that came from the ICE platform. That’s it, a better electric car right there.

 

[pollenface]

Brighter reverse lights, can't see backing out of my driveway at night.

 

[PaulC82]

A courtesy light in the back, for rear passengers. Actual functioning speakers in the back doors. Faster than 38kW charging in the winter. Not much to ask, really.

 

[chowbenter]

A big yes for the shark fin aerial, The Gen ll SR trophy I picked up in January still had the long antenna style aerial, They make a horrendous noise on the up & over garage door when backing in, I changed it out for a stubby aerial off the ebay.

 

[Tim Green]

That's curious. My gen1 doesn't seem to have a visible aerial at all....

 

[chowbenter]

This is the one I got to replace the antenna one on my Gen 1 also. Fitted a short aftermarket aerial for £4.74

 

[Zoe2ZSEV]

I did convert my first car, the Nissan Qashqai+2 to a shark fin aerial but it did reduce the signal strength a lot (maybe +60% channels gone) but that was long time ago so maybe they can make better ones now? Anyway I end up using a stubby one instead of the long low roof car park pipeline drumming musical one from the original manufacturer.

 

[Kayged]

Brighter reverse lights, can't see backing out of my driveway at night.

Totally agree with you on that one. Although the Mk2 ZS is far better than the Mk1 in so many ways apart from the rear reversing lights/camera. We have got both models so we did a side by side test rather than from memory.

 

[Luckyrobp]

Quick link to the heated seat switch without having to go through 4 screens.
Memory seats, my wife & I share this car so it’s a pain having slow to adjust electric seats that end up in the wrong place a lot.
My old second gen Range Rover had key fob memory so each fob changed it to a seperate setting for the seat & mirrors.