MG has improved its compact ZS all-electric SUV by adding a larger battery to give it a range of up to 273 miles.

The latest model has also been given a facelift to keep it fresh along with improvements to the infotainment system.

The ZS is also more than decent looking and carries a useful seven-year warranty and a reasonable price tag.

Available in three trim levels starting from £28,495, going up to £30,995 before finishing at £31,495 for the top of the range Trophy Connect model I sampled after the Government £1,500 grant has been deducted.

The ZS proved to be a good companion in town and on open roads while it also cruised comfortably at motorway speeds. As usual when you travel at higher speeds in an electric vehicle the range drops rather quickly.

The electric powertrain provides instant and smooth acceleration and with regenerative braking it is possible to drive with just one pedal.

You can tackle the sprint to 62mph in just 8.4 seconds before going on to a top speed of 108mph and the 72kw battery pack delivers 154bhp and stacks of torque. The longer range means it is more practical than ever and three driving modes called Eco, Normal and Sport can change the cars sharpness.

The steering could feel a little light at times but the ZS always felt stable and the suspension dealt with most surfaces. There was little roll even on tight corners and enough grip to make things fun.

Equipment on this top model includes an all-new 10,1 inch infotainment system which has decent graphics and is apparently faster than its predecessor. It was a bit confusing at times but I suppose that if you had the car for longer than a few days you would get used to it.

The wireless phone charger is a bonus along with the DAB radio and full AppleCarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. There are also lots of additional charging ports.

Owners can download and access an iSmart app which means the car can be pre-heated or cooled via a phone. The user can pre-set charging times, find the vehicle in a busy car park, unlock it and also perform health checks.

While the design changes have improved the MG's looks the interior has also been upgraded.

There is room for four adults to travel in comfort and the cabin now has lots of soft-touch surfaces, a power adjustable driver's seat, heated seats, a panoramic sunroof, Bluetooth, satnav and plenty more.

The ZS can also be ordered in nice bright colours and there is also a selection of alloy wheels.

The boot that can take up to 470 litres of luggage, increasing to 1,100 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat. There is also an adjustable boot floor and nets to stop items rolling around and stacks of storage space inside the cabin.

There is a long list of safety features including active emergency braking with pedestrian and bicycle detection, intelligent high beam assist, blind spot detection with lane change assist, lane keep assist and lane departure warning and rear cross traffic alert.

The MG ZS EV takes 10.5 hours to charge on a standard home wallbox or 42 minutes via a fast charger if you can find one that works in your area.

With zero carbon emissions, the ZS EV is exempt from any Congestion Charge or low emission fees.

The ZS certainly offers all-electric motoring at a lower price than many of its rivals and an even cheaper model is due to arrive later this year but as always make sure that changing to electric will fit into your lifestyle and local.

£31,495 (after the Plug-in Car Grant)

154bhp/72.6kw electric motor driving front wheels via automatic gearbox

108mph

8.2sec

273miles

21

0 g/km

1%

7yrs/80,000 miles