MG ZS EV VS Kia Niro
MG ZS EV
Likes
- 440km range on a full charge
- Spacious with good storage
- Easy to drive
Dislikes
- Pricey compared to rivals
- No reach adjustment for steering wheel
- High driver's seat
Kia Niro
Likes
- Decent driving range
- Pleasant interior design
- Easy-to-use tech
Dislikes
- Rougher ride
- Doughy acceleration from a full stop
- Expensive compared to rivals
Summary
MG ZS EV
If, like just about everybody, you’re a bit concerned that an electric car might not be able to travel as far as you need to go, then the new MG ZS EV Long Range could be the small, fully-electric SUV for you.
We’ve tested the ZS EV Long Range here and can tell you how far you’ll get on a full charge and how much extra you’ll have to pay in price over the standard range version, along with what it’s like to drive, its features, practicality, ownership costs and of course its safety systems.
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Be sure to watch the video above, where I’ll take you for a ride and show you my Big Foot tattoo. Yes, seriously.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | — |
| Fuel Type | Electric |
| Fuel Efficiency | —L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Kia Niro
Kia has released the newly updated Niro, which is the smaller and less sporty sibling to Kia’s popular, EV6. As far as EVs go, it has a decent driving range and specs that should entice first-time electric vehicle owners to dip their toes into the EV pool.
However, the updated model does come with a price hike… which might not excite a budget-conscious buyer, especially with such affordable competitors like the MG ZS EV and Hyundai Kona Electric also available.
I’ve been hanging in it for a week with my family of three to see how it handles!
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | — |
| Fuel Type | Electric |
| Fuel Efficiency | —L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
MG ZS EV8/10
The MG ZS EV Long Range is a practical small SUV that's easy to drive and the 440km it can travel on a full charge makes it the better choice over the standard range ZS EV. The extra 120km offered by the Long Range version reduces anxiety and is truly useful in covering more ground between charging.
The asking price may seem expensive but electric vehicle batteries are extremely costly to produce and will remain so for years to come.
Remember, too, that the MG4 electric car has an even great range for the same money - the only catch is, it's a hatch and not an SUV.
Kia Niro7/10
The Kia Niro S Electric is a solid little SUV that has decent space inside and some nice specs, but it's more expensive than its nearest rivals. The EV powertrain can take a little getting used to and I would have liked a smoother ride, but the 460km driving range is good.
For first-time EV owners, this wouldn’t be a bad option if you wanted to dip your toes in the water but it will suit urban dwellers and smaller families, like mine, best. This gets a 7.5/10 from me.
My son wasn’t in love with this one. Not enough buttons for him to press and he did comment on how bumpy the ride was in the back. He gives it a 6.0/10.
Design
MG ZS EV
The ZS EV Long Range has a traditional SUV shape but with a very futuristic looking face thanks to its grille-less nose. That’s because with no radiator needed to cool a combustion engine there’s no need for an open vent or grille for air flow.
MG has used a textured plastic to subtly imitate an old-school grille to lessen the visual impact of a sheet of plastic between the headlights.
I think the effect works although the obvious charging flap could have been cleverly and seamlessly integrated into the nose, in the same way Genesis has done with the GV80 Electric. But the attempt has failed.
The ZS EV Long Range’s cabin looks premium with the sporty seats and red stitching, the landscape screen and digital driver display.
But, while the interior looks great, it feels a little low quality in places such as the vinyl upholstered seats.Â
There are some ergonomic issues with the high centre armrest and the raised seating position, too.
Kia Niro
It’s a compact SUV with a footprint that's 4420mm long, 1825mm wide and 1570mm tall. But while small, I wouldn’t call it cute. It’s boxier than its sibling and without any of the swoopy design elements that make the EV6 look cool.Â
I do like the way the two-tone body panelling, which is seen most prominently on the C-pillar, breaks up the ‘blocky-ness’ and creates areas of interest. As do the high-mounted rear LED lights.Â
Speaking of lights, the base model makes do with halogen headlights, which unfortunately stand out against the LED daytime-running lights. You’ll notice the dimmer light at night, too.
The 17-inch alloy wheels are thick for better aerodynamics but the clever two-tone colouring stops them from looking unfashionable.
The interior has a lot style cred with the curvature of the door panelling blending in almost seamlessly with the dashboard.
The gently sloping panelling that houses the multimedia systems and switchable touchscreen interface for the controls creates a very pleasing cabin space.
There are some harder plastics mixed in here but enough soft touchpoints that you won’t be bothered by them.Â
Practicality
MG ZS EV
The ZS EV Long Range is a practical small SUV and it fit my little family of four, although my kids are both under 10 years old and not at the lanky teenager point yet.
Space on board is good, offering ample legroom for even me (at 188cm) in the second row and adequate headroom back there, too.
I like the large door pockets, the wireless phone charger, and there are two USB ports for the back seats and another two up front.
The second row also has directional air vents and dark-tinted windows. I liked the panoramic sunroof's retractable shade, too.Â
SUVS like the MG ZS offer easier access than sedans and hatches thanks to the elevated ride height which means people of my height don’t need to crawl in and out on their knees.
Boot capacity is decent at 359 litres, but not enormous. Â
Kia Niro
It’s surprisingly roomy inside and all passengers will enjoy decent leg and headroom, but taller passengers will find the backseat cosier than the front.
As such, two child seats will fit best but you do have ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard positions and three top-tether points, if you need them.
The synthetic leather/cloth seat trim cleans well and is nice to touch. The seats themselves, front and rear, are well-padded and super comfortable.
The backs of the front seats can double as coat hangers and have hardened kickplates, which are always practical for little feet.
The front row gets the most amenities and tech. The 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system has clear graphics but is different to other Kia’s I’ve sampled recently. It seems to have been simplified but you’ll get used to it quickly.
There are plenty of charging options available, too, with a USB-A and C port, plus a 12-volt socket. Not needing a cable for the wireless Apple CarPlay is a bonus, too!
The front row also has the most storage space with two retractable cupholders, dedicated phone tray, glove box, middle console and skinny drink bottle holders in each door.
Back seat passengers enjoy two USB-C ports, reading lights, drink bottle holders in each door plus an armrest with two cupholders. As well as, a standard three-pin socket in case you need to run electrical gear or charge anything up on the go.
The windows are wide and offer good visibility but I really like the 150mm ground clearance. It was super easy for my six-year old to climb in and out, plus he got a good view this week!
The boot is good for this size SUV with 475L of capacity available. It does look more like a hatchback, because while you can readjust the floor to sit lower, the back still slopes up.
However, it was fine for my weekly grocery and school run. The 'frunk' storage is small at 20L, which is just big enough for a charging cable.
You don’t get a spare wheel but you do get a puncture repair kit. And being the base model, it’s not a powered tailgate but it’s not heavy to close.
Price and features
MG ZS EV
The MG ZS EV Long Range lists for $55,990 which is about $11,000 more than the standard range ZS in the Essence grade.
The features on this Long Range are almost identical to the Essence, too.
Coming standard are LED headlights and running lights, then there are those 17-inch alloy wheels (which have aerodynamic covers on them), proximity unlocking, roof rails, the rear spoiler and a panoramic sunroof with a retractable cover.
Inside, the seats are a combination of polyurethane and PVC, plus there’s a 10.1-inch media display with sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
You can see the battery status from the screen as well along with the energy efficiency.Â
Climate, phone and media are all accessed through the screen, but fortunately there are physical buttons for volume, temperature and fan speed.
There’s single-zone climate control and tinted rear windows.
A 360-degree camera view is also standard, but the quality of the picture is pretty murky.
How does that cost compare to rivals? Well, you could buy an MG4 electric vehicle for about the same price with 530km of range, but it’s not an SUV.Â
You can even get a Tesla Model 3 for about $61K, but again, that’s not an SUV. The Tesla Model Y is an SUV and lists for $69,300 and has 455km of range.
The closest competitor would be the BYD Atto 3 Extended Range which can travel 420km and lists for $51,011.
There are more affordable EVs coming from brands like BYD and GWM, too, and they’re all competing for your money.Â
Compared to the MG ZS EV Essence the Long Range has exactly the same features, apart from the tinted rear windows, but you’re paying $11,000 more. What you’re paying for is a bigger battery which will allow you to drive 120km further.
The MG4 Long Range offers more distance and represents better value, but it’s not an SUV and therefore not as practical as the ZS EV. Â
Kia Niro
There are two variants for the Niro, our base model, the S, and the range-topper GT-Line.
Despite being the base model, the Niro S will still set you back $65,300, before on-road costs. Which makes it about $5K dearer than the equivalent Kona Electric, and $20K more expensive than the ZS EV.
There is a hybrid Niro (also available in two grades), if you’re not quite ready to commit to a full EV life. The price isn’t as eye-watering, either, being just $44,380, before on-road costs.
The Niro is well-specified, though, and the driver will enjoy an electric seat with adjustable lumbar support while the passenger side remains manual.
The regenerative braking is customisable (levels 0-3), there’s an 'iPedal' function, a dual-zone climate system, reversing camera and the backs of the front seats even double as coat hangers.
The tech is also good, with an 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system, 10.25-inch digital instrument panel plus wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto all coming as standard equipment. More on the tech below.
Under the bonnet
MG ZS EV
The MG ZS EV has one electric motor driving the front wheels and it makes 115kW of power and 280Nm or torque.
That’s the same power as the petrol MG ZS, but more torque, so it accelerates faster. We’re talking 0-100km/h in 8.5 seconds.Â
Sure, that’s not Tesla quick, but being an electric car the acceleration is instantaneous with none of the lag petrol cars have due to turbos or changing gears.
How much can the ZS EV tow? Not much. The braked towing capacity of the ZS EV Long Range is 500kg. But think of it like this: a box trailer can weigh about 250kg and a fully grown Sumatran tiger can also weigh up to 250kg.
So an ZS EV Long range can tow a box trailer carrying a fully grown tiger. That sounds impressive.
For more on what the ZS EV Long Range is like to drive, keep reading.
Kia Niro
The Niro is a full EV and has a front-wheel drive drivetrain with a maximum output of 150kW/255Nm. It’s not as powerful as its stablemate and only has the single-motor which is powered by a 64.8kWh lithium-ion battery but going from 0-100km/h can still be achieved in 7.8 seconds. With specs like those, this is most suited for an urban setting.
Efficiency
MG ZS EV
The ZS EV Long Range has a larger battery than the standard range ZS EV and this gives it the ability to travel further on a full charge.Â
The regular version is fitted with a 51.1kWh battery and the Long Range has a 72.6kWh battery which is pretty big - and that gives this an official range of 440km.Â
The standard range ZS EV has a range of 320km. So the Long Range will get you 120km further which could make all the difference in whether you make it to your destination or not.
So, is 440km a lot compared to other electric cars? Well, it’s more range than the Nissan Leaf (385km) or Mini Electric (233km), but not as much as the Kia Niro (460km) and 50km less than the entry-grade Tesla Model 3 (491km).
Put it this way, the 320km offered by the standard ZS EV falls short of what I think is enough. But anything with more than 400km is truly useful and I find anything less than this can bring on range anxiety pretty quickly.
The ZS EV Long Range is fully electric and that means you’ll have to plug it in to charge it.Â
You can charge up using a household power point, but it’ll take more than 24 hours to get to 100 per cent. So, a much better idea is to use a fast public charger.
A 50kW charger will take the battery from empty to 80 percent in 63 minutes using a CCS Type 2 port/plug.
As for energy efficiency, MG says that after a combination of open and urban roads the ZS EV Long Range will use 17.7kWh/100km.
I drove our ZS EV Long Range every day and used it for school drop offs, city commutes and some motorway running. And while most of the 156km I travelled was urban-based the trip computer was reporting an average of 20.0kWh/100km.
Kia Niro
Such is the EV life but you can’t escape the charging.
The onboard DC charger has up to 85kW of capacity and that means on a 50kW fast charger station, you can get from 10 to 80 per cent in 65 minutes.
However, if plugged into a 350kW ultra-fast charger, you’ll only save 22 minutes because it can’t accept that faster speed.
On a 7.5kW system, you’ll go from 10 to 80 per cent in approximately nine hours, 25 minutes. On an 11kW, you’ll see that figure drop to six hours, 20 minutes.
The charging port is a Type 2 (CCS Combo2) and the car comes with an emergency charging cable that can plug into a standard three-pin domestic socket, if needed.
However, it’s slow going and you’re looking at a wait time of up to 27 hours, 30 minutes to get to a full charge. All other cables cost extra.
The official kWh/100km consumption is 16.2kWh and my average on-test figure was 14.3kWh after a mix of urban and open-road driving.
However, I did see figures getting closer to 20kWh on longer trips. Still, I would consider my average to be efficient.
The Niro S has a driving range of up to 460km (WLTP).
Driving
MG ZS EV
At first, the driver’s seat felt overly high and the lack of reach adjustment in the steering wheel made finding a good driving position harder.
But, the ZS EV Long Range is comfortable and easy to drive, while its size and ‘electric zippiness’ makes this little SUV perfect for narrow city streets and tight car spaces.Â
Some EVs have break-neck acceleration and minimalist cabin controls which can feel weird, but the ZS EV Long Range’s cabin looks just like a regular combustion engine car’s and the motor has the same power as a petrol ZS’s engine.
That said, the instant acceleration of their ZS EV Long Range is fun and great for moving quickly out of car space, merging and overtaking when needed.
As with all EVs, passengers who are prone to motion sickness might find the acceleration and heavy deceleration a bit much. My family didn’t complain but the photographer who filmed the video above found it a bit much while looking down at his screen.
Kia Niro
This is a pretty simple car to drive but it doesn’t feel as fun as some other EVs I’ve driven. It can even feel sluggish when you accelerate from a full stop and that makes it feel laggy in stop/start traffic.
Once you’re on your way, the acceleration is fairly responsive. You feel confident overtaking on the open road, too.
The car feels connected to the road with minimal shuddering through the steering wheel. The car responds in a timely manner when you have to make sudden moves, which I like.
Sometimes, the lane keeping aids make it feel jerky and I turned it off in some situations.
The regen braking delivers a big physical presence like the EV6 but isn’t as refined and can feel almost ‘bunny hoppy’ at times.
You can customise it up to four levels, zero being low regen and four being the iPedal. I’m not overly fond of the iPedal, so didn’t use it that much this week and kept it at level 3.
You do have to change up how you drive an EV, so this wasn’t that surprising and something I’m sure you’d get used to.
The ride comfort is pretty mixed. Around town, it’s good but there’s quite a bit of passenger movement in this. You kinda feel like you’re bobbing along sometimes, which is jolting.
You also feel the road but the seats are so comfortable, they stop it from feeling too rough.Â
Surprisingly, the cabin gets very loud with wind and road noise. You can still chat but you won’t forget that it’s there, which is a shame.
I didn’t notice much difference between the drive modes, so it was kept on 'Normal', too.Â
This is very easy to park! It’s a good size for even a tight car park with a 10.6m turning circle and the reversing camera is super clear, which is great.Â
However, I would have liked to have seen front parking sensors, as well as the rear sensors. You can get them on the GT-line though.
Safety
MG ZS EV
The ZS EV Long Range has yet to be given an ANCAP rating, but it is equipped with AEB, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping assistance and blind-spot warning. There are front and rear parking sensors and six airbags.
For child seats there are two ISOFIX points and three top tether anchor mounts across the second row.
Kia Niro
The Niro EV S has a good list of safety features, with the following being standard: LED daytime running lights, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a reversing camera (with dynamic guidelines), rear parking sensors, driver fatigue alert, check rear occupant alert and adaptive cruise control (with stop/go function).
It has auto emergency braking with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection as well as junction turning assist, which is operational from 5.0-85km/h.Â
The Niro was recently awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2022. It has eight airbags and that does include the newer front centre airbag.
There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the rear outboard seats and three top tethers, but two seats will fit best. And while there will be room for a 0-4 rearward facing child seat, it will encroach on front passenger comfort.
Ownership
MG ZS EV
The ZS EV Long Range is covered by MG’s seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. The battery is covered by a seven-year unlimited kilometre warranty, too.Â
Servicing is recommended by MG at 40,000km/24 month intervals.
According to MG the first service costs $295, then the next is $810, then $295 for the third, $810 for the next and so on. That’s about $233 a year over six years which is excellent value.
Kia Niro
The ongoing costs are great on the Niro. It comes with Kia’s ‘better-than-average-for-the-market’ seven-year/150,000km warranty, which also covers the battery.
You get a seven-year capped-price servicing plan and services average $250 per year, which is good.
Servicing intervals are more in line with a petrol car at every 12 months or 15,000km. It’s usual to see those intervals doubled on an EV but it’s still reasonable.