MG ZS: new Nissan Juke rival spotted

[Titan ;x]

MG insiders confirm next year’s Nissan Juke rival will be called MG ZS, and we've spotted it testing on the road

This is our best look yet at MG's new baby SUV. The follow-up act to the Qashqai-sized MG GS, the smaller SUV will be called the ZS and go head-to-head with the Nissan Juke when it arrives. 

Spied wearing a production body for the first time, the new MG SUV will be based on a shortened version of the platform from the GS. Over the MG3 hatchback the ride height has clearly been raised, while the headlamps appear to be more raked back than they are on the larger GS. 

A number plate check on previous test mules also uncovered that MG was trailing a 1.0-litre petrol motor - an engine MG does currently not have in its range. If MG is developing a small three-cylinder turbo unit itself it could appear in other models within MG's lineup. 

• Best crossovers to buy now

According to a high-ranking MG insider, the new car will be badged MG ZS. The model will mark the revival of the nameplate last used to denote MG’s version of the Rover 45, a saloon and hatchback axed in 2005.

Plus, MG's head of marketing Matthew Cheyne said that the explosion in po[CENSORED]rity of SUVs and crossovers has meant it’s a market the brand cannot ignore. Based on the GS platform also means  the smaller ZS may also get the same 1.5-litre petrol engine and 6-speed manual gearbox from the larger crossover, as well as the 1.0-litre mentioned above. There's also a 7-speed DCT automatic in the GS, which could also appear on the smaller car.

The platform also supports larger cars, which means we could see a seven-seater rival for the Nissan X-Trail in the MG line-up in the future - but hardcore fans of MG won't be pleased to learn that MG’s new focus on SUVs has come at the cost of a new MG two-seater roadster.

Although the ZS’ styling will borrow heavily from the British-designed MG GS, the final look will be influenced by the MG Icon concept, first shown at Beijing Motor Show in 2012. That car featured clear styling links to the MGB GT of the 1960s but in a pumped-up crossover package, and was penned by Brit Anthony Williams-Kenny and his team at parent company's SAIC's HQ in Shanghai.

Fuel economy of over 50mpg is likely in the lighter Juke rival, but the headline figure will be the price. With the GS starting at more than £3,500 less than the Qashqai, we expect MG's Juke to cost from around £12,000 - significantly less than the Nissan.