Among the best small SUVs 2025 welcomes a new champion – with The Wheel Award for Best Small SUV being won by MG ZS Hybrid+ in a hotly competitive category boasting dozens of rivals coming up every year. It’s not just another award; it’s a symbol marking how far the formerly British, now Chinese brand has come, from being a cut-price alternative to providing the class that shaped the segment.
A True Market Disruptor
Australia’s small SUV segment has been one of the most hotly contested automotive battlegrounds to have emerged in recent memory, with most car-makers fighting it out for market supremacy. However, despite this increasingly hard fought environment, the MG ZS has graduated to become Australia’s top selling small SUV, a position it has held for the past couple of years. Now, with this newest generation and its hybrid powertrain, MG has not only built on its market share but also escalated the ownership proposition as a whole.
The Wheels Best Small SUV 2064 honors the MG ZS Hybrid+ for its “hugely appealing combination of efficient but powerful hybrid AWD drivetrain, spacious cabin, long list of standard equipment and accessibly low pricing. “On those scores it’s very much the full deal in the compact SUV currently for sale in Australia,” writes Wheels.
Technology Not Just For Evolutionary Design
The new MG ZS Hybrid+ has made great strides beyond its predecessor. The next generation is the same, but bigger, for more practicality and interior space without sacrificing the remarkable legibility of the familiar compact SUV. At just over 4.4 meters, the car is almost 11cm longer, and wider as well as having a longer wheelbase, giving the new car more road presence a more roomsy interior.
What really makes the model unique though is MG’s forward-thinking Hybrid+ powertrain technology. Unlike regular hybrids, the ZS has “a clever system that sees a 101bhp 1.5-litre four-cylinder Atkinson cycle petrol engine pay drive to the front wheels via a three-speed planetary automatic gearbox, paired with a 134bhp electric motor”. But in reality, “a lot of the time the electric motor is doing the driving all on its own,” while the combustion engine is more or less “exclusively used to power the generator that’s feeding the current to the electrical system.”
The combination results in a driving experience that reminds us quite a bit of an electric car, especially around town. The way in which the electric and petrol flow together and the smoothness of the electric generators give you a feeling of sophistication more commonly felt from the premium brands without the price point (or ecology approach) of many mainstream alternatives.
The Most Unique Value Proposition
At a time when car prices are on the rise, the MG ZS Hybrid+ is excellent value for money. For a drive-away cost of $32,990 it may not be the cheapest small hybrid SUV out there, but it instead offers ‘the best value for money because of its long standard equipment list’. That includes a big 12.3-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic climate control with rear air vents, and a complete complement of safety tech.
For just over $3,000 extra, the Essence trim level brings luxury items like bigger 18-inch wheels, synthetic leather upholstery with heated front seats, power driver’s seat adjustment, and a panoramic sunroof. As Wheels points out, “there’s more to a car’s value than stuffing it full of features: the ZS also drives like a much more expensive car.”
Real brilliance for the EverydaY.
Today’s SUV customers want practicality above all and the ZS Hybrid+ doesn’t disappoint. There’s also plenty of room in the cabin, where cargo space grows from 443L (larger than that of rivals the Hyundai Kona and Haval Jolion) to 1457L with the rear seats stowed. This flexibility means it’s perfect for commuting neverTired and crushing bike paths on the weekend.
The interior is well considered for utility and comfort with a dash that boasts a heady twin 12.3-inch display in the Essence. Reclining rear seats receive air vents and USB charging to keep the kids/content.
Surprising and Delightful Driving Characteristics
But perhaps the most surprising thing about the way the ZS Hybrid+ drives. Wheels in particular liked its “ride quality, for example, is compliant and well judged, while it’s a reasonable handler too”. Such a level of agility flies in the face of expectations of cheaper, Chinese cars, and bursting the bubble of the expectations such cars cultivate demonstrates that MG has worked hard to make this a likeable car to drive.
The ZS feels overwhelmingly electric in low-speed town driving – “you’ll hardly notice the engine kicking in unless you boot your right foot down to join a motorway or for a bit of extra oomph up a hill.” It’s the punchiest offering in its class, too, kicking out 194bhp and sprinting from 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds, which is faster than many of its rivals.
Today’s Drivers Need the Latest Friendly Technology and Fast Connectivity
Consumers nowadays want their digital lives to be as integrated into their car as their home and the ZS Hybrid+ won’t disappoint. Both ZS models include 12 months of free iSmart connectivity, which lets drivers check on the car’s fuel level and location and remotely manipulate its locks and climate settings via an app, among other connected services.
The infotainment system is easy to use and quick to respond, unlike the lag and difficulty that plagues some rivals’ systems. The truck comes standard with regular Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to support nearly any smartphone, and built-in navigation is standard on all trims.
Safety First Approach
Today’s families expect the highest levels of safety, and MG supplies so much more with active and passive safety features that ensure your family’s well-being. Although Euro NCAP tests were ongoing at launch, MG did fit the ZS with equipment such as automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance.
Ownership Peace of Mind
As well as the sensational up-front value, ZS Hybrid+ comes with outstanding ongoing ownership benefits. With MG’s excellent 10-year/250,000km warranty as well as the cheap $1232 five-year/75,000km service price that “makes for a compelling case to reason why it should earn Wheels Best Small SUV 2025”. This is a long-term investment in customer satisfaction, and should address any residual doubts about reliability or longevity.
The Competition Left Behind
The Wheels award is no easy one to win, and follows exhaustive comparisons to its segment rivals. More traditional class leaders such as the “the best car in this class to drive” Ford Puma as well as the Renault Captur were outpointed by the MG’s more rounded package. So, while the opposition might beat the ZS in one or two areas, none deliver the all-round package of the ZS Hybrid+.
A New Standard is Established
The MG ZS Hybrid+ winning Wheels Best Small SUV 2025 is much more than a product is now selling well.It is a turning point for the way this country approaches the value end of the market, and the rivals seeking to sell cars in this space. And it’s not just about the cachet of a marquee; makers long in the tooth no longer have standing to ask for the benefit of the doubt on technology, value and drive.
“On value, features, fuel economy, practicality and all-round drive, we reckon the MG ZS Hybrid+ is this year’s best buy in the small SUV space,” Wheels summed up. It’s one that buyers do not seem to disagree with either, with MG now firmly not only a value alternative, but genuine segment leader in the Australian automotive industry.
As we journey to electric, ZS Hybrid+ sees that there are plenty of the benefits of electric driving to be enjoyed today, without the range anxiety and charging infrastructure worries that some people might have switching to full electric. And for a good number of Australian drivers, it could be just the right step on the road to a wholly electric future – and at a price that makes that future achievable for today.