Ford Everest vs MG ZS

What's the difference?

The Ford Everest has always been an impressive 4WD wagon, with useful day-to-day driveability and real off-road capability.

As standard, it has a lot going for it. It’s quiet and refined on-road, very capable off-road and it’s packed with features.

The 2.0-litre single-turbo Active is a solid entry-point into the Everest line-up and, though it lacks the polish of its higher-spec stablemates and doesn’t yield the kind of improvement in fuel economy you might have hoped for, it makes a strong case as a touring vehicle with plenty of aftermarket-build potential.

The MG ZS Essence Turbo has a lot going for it. It’s keenly priced, well equipped, spacious and comfortable with good performance, refinement and safety. On the downside, it’s thirstier than it should be, despite a stonking 10-year warranty servicing is relatively pricey and there are some low-level quality concerns. But should it be on your $30-35K small SUV shopping list. One hundred per cent, yes.

In terms of design, the Everest’s exterior and interior remain largely unchanged although some minor trim elements have been made darker in colour, and there are some new alloy wheel designs and exterior paint options on higher-spec variants.

Otherwise the Everest retains its chunky presence and recognisable profile. At 4914mm long (without the tow receiver installed), 2207mm wide (with its wing mirrors out), and 1876mm high, the Everest is not an insubstantial 4WD wagon but it manages to avoid being showy about it.

The cabin is a clear, well-laid out space and in design terms it errs more towards function than fashion – more about that soon.

Inside and out, the Everest is familiar in a good way and outshines many of its rivals.

From its narrow, acutely angled headlights to the deep gill-like inlets sitting either side of its large grille, the MG ZS conforms to the currently popular 'make it look a bit like a shark’ school of front-end car design.

From the nose back, this five-seater’s overall proportions follow a familiar small SUV template, without any significant pulse-quickening deviations.

And by the time you get to the back, the rear door and tail-light treatment is borderline generic. Replace the MG octagon with any number of other mass market automotive logos and you wouldn’t look twice.

That said, the shape is well balanced, the standard 18-inch rims fill the wheel arches nicely and our test car’s rich and lustrous ‘Diamond Red Metallic’ paint finish drew multiple compliments during our time behind the wheel.

The interior is simple with some cool touches thrown in, like the aero-style geometric vents with a bright, brushed finish around their leading edge, a neatly integrated 12.3-inch media touchscreen in the centre of the dash and another of the same size in front of the driver for instrumentation.

There’s a sensible mix of physical and digital controls for major functions and the steering wheel is flat on the bottom and the top. It adjusts for height, but disappointingly, not reach.

Materials around the dash and doors are soft-touch, which is nice, and the synthetic leather seat trim, with lighter contrast stitching and perforated centre panels looks and feels good.

The Active, being the entry-level Everest, has a well-laid out cabin and, as mentioned earlier, it errs more towards function than fashion.

If you’ve spent any time in an Everest cabin you’ll know.

Being the base variant the Active misses out on leather everything – though the seats are 'leather accented' – and most other things I would consider frippery are absent, but you do get all the things you actually need in a car.

Of note here is the fact the Active is a five-seater as standard but can be optioned up with seven seats; our test vehicle having the extra two-seat option.

There are plenty of storage spaces throughout the cabin (cupholders everywhere you’d expect, as well as map pockets and bottle holders in the doors) and charging points (USB-A, USB-C and 12-volt ports) and everything is easy to find, access and use.

The large portrait-style touchscreen takes pride of place upfront and can be used to control pretty much everything onboard, except your obnoxious teenagers.

All seats are comfortable, with that level of comfort – as well as space – dropping marginally as you move from the front seats to the second row and on to the less-spacious back row.

All rows have adjustable air vents. The second row has ISOFIX child-seat anchors in the two outboard seats, and three top-tether points. The third row has two top-tether points.

In terms of cargo space, with all seven seats in use, there is a claimed 259 litres. With the third row stowed away, there is 898 litres, and with the second and third row stowed away, there is a listed 1823L of room for your luggage.

Payload is 855kg in the Active and that’s the MY2026.50 Everest line-up’s biggest payload.

At just over 4.4m long, a fraction more than 1.8m wide and a little over 1.6m tall the MG ZS is a little larger than the small SUV norm, but conversely its 2610mm wheelbase is shorter than average.

That doesn’t appear to impact interior packaging, however, with plenty of room up front and more than adequate breathing space between driver and co-pilot.

For storage, there’s a medium-size lidded box (which doubles as an armrest) between the front seats as well as a pair of cupholders in the broad centre console, with a bay for wireless device charging near the gear-shift.

The glove box is generous, there are bins in the doors with room for decent size bottles and a drop-down sunglasses holder sits overhead.

In the back there’s heaps of head and legroom for me (at 183cm) sitting behind the driver’s seat set to my position.

Three full-size adults will be getting a little too up close and personal for anything other than short-ish trips, although a trio of up to mid-teenage kids will be right at home.

Big tick for adjustable air vents at the back of the front centre console and storage options include map pockets on the front seatbacks and bins in the doors with room for up to medium-size bottles.

No fold-down centre armrest in the back is a miss given one would typically feature a pair of cupholders.

Power and connectivity options in the front console include a USB-A plug (for power and media connectivity), a USB-C socket (power only) and a 12-volt outlet. Points, too, for a USB-A near the rear view mirror for a dashcam and another for back seaters. But no 12V in the boot (which can be handy when camping or picnicking).

What the boot does have, however, is a class-competitive volume of 443 litres with the 60/40 split-folding rear seat upright. Enough to swallow the large (124L) and medium (95L) suitcases from our three-piece set.

Remove the cargo tray and the smallest (36L) case will find a home, too. Boot space expands to 1457L with the rear backrest lowered.

The space is well lit, there are tie-down anchors to help secure loose loads and handy wells behind the rear wheel tubs on both sides. A space-saver spare sits under the floor.

And if you’re keen on towing, you might want to think twice about the ZS as it’s limited to a 500kg trailer (braked or not).

Cost of entry for the MG ZS Essence Turbo is $31,990, drive-away, which is a pretty sharp price in one of the most hotly contested segments in the Australian market. Worth noting the sizeable gap to its Essence Hybrid+ stablemate at $40,217, drive-away.   

That low-$30K positioning puts the Essence Turbo up against a swag of well-credentialled rivals including the GWM Haval Jolion Premium Hybrid 2WD ($32,990, drive-away), Hyundai Kona 2WD ($32,500), Kia Seltos Sport FWD ($33,050), Mazda CX-30 G20 Pure FWD ($33,940), Mitsubishi ASX LS ($30,490), Nissan Qashqai ST FWD ($34,665), Subaru Crosstrek 2.0L ($34,990) and Toyota Corolla Cross GX 2WD ($33,980). All prices before on-road costs unless otherwise noted.

To grab a value-for-money edge against this challenging field the MG needs more than just an attractive price tag. And the ZS Essence Turbo boasts an impressive standard features list.

Over and above the safety and performance tech we’ll get to shortly, included are 18-inch alloy wheels, climate control air, multiple drive modes, a 12.3-inch multimedia screen and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, keyless entry and start, a panoramic sunroof, synthetic leather trim, six-way power adjustment for the driver’s seat, six-speaker audio, rain-sensing wipers, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth connectivity as well as digital radio.

There’s also auto LED headlights (as well as LED DRLs and tail-lights), a leather-trimmed steering wheel, built-in sat nav, adaptive cruise control, a hi-def 360-degree camera view, a reversing camera and auto-fold exterior mirrors. 

At the MG’s price point - drive-away, remember - that’s a strong basket of standard fruit.

The big news here is that the single-turbo has replaced the twin-turbo and power and torque figures are down as a result.

The new engine – developed to improve fuel economy – produces 125kW at 3500rpm and 405Nm at 1750-2500rpm, compared to the 154kW and 500Nm that the outgoing Ford 'Bi-Turbo' engine produces.

There’s no discernible difference in the two engines in general daily driving, although there is some lag under foot with initial acceleration.

The 10-speed automatic transmission is now standard across the Everest range.

The Active’s 4WD system offers 2WD, 4WD high-range, and 4WD low-range – it does not have '4Auto', which means you can’t drive this vehicle in 4WD on high-traction surfaces, as you can in some higher-spec variants.

Selectable Drive Modes – including Normal, Eco, Tow / Haul, Slippery, Mud / Ruts, and Sand – all adjust engine outputs, throttle, transmission, braking, traction and stability controls to best suit the driving conditions.

The Active misses out on the Rock/Crawl drive mode that the higher-grade Tremor V6 gets, but it does have a rear diff lock.

As its name implies, the ZS Essence Turbo is powered by a 1.5-litre, turbo-petrol, four-cylinder engine sending 125kW (at 6000rpm) and 275Nm (at 4500rpm) to the front wheels via a continuously variable auto transmission (CVT). 

It’s an all-alloy unit, featuring direct fuel-injection as well as variable valve timing on the intake and exhaust side which helps optimise engine response.

Official fuel consumption for the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is 7.1L/100km and our fuel consumption on this test was 8.9L/100km.

The Everest has an 80-litre fuel tank so, going by those figures, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 900km out of a full tank.

Worth noting this Everest will need an AdBlue top-up (18.5-litre tank) every few thousand kilometres.

The ZS Essence Turbo’s official fuel consumption figure on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is 6.9L/100km, the 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder engine emitting 161g/km of C02 in the process.

Over a combination of city, suburban and some freeway running we saw an average of 9.6L/100km, which is getting up there for a small SUV. And bear in mind you’re looking at a minimum fuel requirement of 95 RON premium unleaded.

Worth noting its roughly 25 per cent more expensive ($40,217, drive-away) ZS Essence Hybrid+ sibling is not only far more powerful, but significantly more frugal, with an official combined cycle figure of 4.7L/100km. Mind you, it would take a while for that economy to make up for the more than $8K purchase price difference.

Based on the car’s 55-litre fuel tank, theoretical range between refills is close to 800km, which drops to just over 570km using our real-world test consumption number.

The Everest hasn't lost a step on road. It’s still very refined and very comfortable.

It is a large 4WD wagon, but never feels too cumbersome to manoeuvre, mostly due to its well-weighted steering.

The front seats are manually adjustable, as is the reach- and rake-adjustable steering wheel, so as a driver you can precisely dial-in your preferred position.

Though the engine loses out on some power and torque, you don't notice that during general driving, although there is a bit of lag under the right foot from pressure down to take off, but it's merely noticeable at times, not terrible.

Otherwise, this single-turbo engine is as capable as its twin-turbo predecessor of delivering smooth and sustained power and torque at low and high speeds.

Good news is the 10-speed auto works well here. And in even more good news the Active gets a proper auto shifter not Ford's 'e-Shifter', which is kind of an overgrown toggle switch.

As mentioned, the Everest offers a smooth and refined drive for myriad reasons, other than the engine and auto.

The suspension set-up, including coil springs all-round, helps smooth out road- or track-surface bumps, resulting in sure-footed ride and handling.

And well managed NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) levels mean it’s quiet in the cabin, with the intrusion of few noises other than low-level wind-rush around the sizeable wing mirrors.

There is one crucial difference between the Everest Active and some higher-spec variants. This base-spec vehicle misses out on 4Auto, which allows vehicles equipped with it to be driven in what is essentially 4H even on sealed surfaces without any risk of transmission wind-up. And that affords vehicle occupants a little more safety and security in, for example, the rain when the road or track surface may be slippery.

As for 4WDing, well… the Everest has always had ample potential as an off-road touring platform and, in Active spec, it loses none of the range’s efficacy on rough terrain, but does away with some of the frills and keeps the functionality.

The Everest has always been an impressive off-roader, whether it's been powered by a 2.0-litre twin-turbo or a V6 – and this 2.0-litre single-turbo engine is perfectly adequate. It gives you the ability to truck along through light to moderate off-roading and even on the fringe of more difficult 4WDing.

There is plenty of low-down torque on tap here, and the driver-assist tech and 4WD mechanicals are an effective combination.

The Active’s off-road- and touring-related drive modes – including Tow/Haul and Slippery – tweak throttle response, transmission, and traction controls to match the task and the prevailing driving conditions. It has a locking rear differential for when the terrain requires it.

The Everest has a listed length of 4914mm (with a 2900mm wheelbase), a width of 2015mm, and a height of 1876mm. It has a turning circle of 11.8m and an official kerb weight is 2245kg.

So, while it feels highly manoeuvrable, even on narrow overgrown tracks, it still requires the driver’s full and sustained attention.

Approach angle is 30.4 degrees, departure angle is 25.3 degrees, and ramp break-over is 22.2 degrees. The Everest has a long wheelbase so its undercarriage is vulnerable to hitting the ground on more severe terrain, so to avoid belly-scraping and sidestep run-ins with rocks, tree stumps or exposed tree roots, keep that in mind. Ford has put solid steel underbody protection on all 4×4 variants, so the vehicle is able to cop a knock or two.

The standard Active gets bush-suitable 18-inch alloys and all-season tyres, although 18-inchers on Goodyear Wrangler Territory (255/65R18) all-terrain tyres are an option, as per our test vehicle.

Off-road angles could be boosted with a mild lift and, while the tyres are good enough, you could always opt for more aggressive light-truck construction all-terrains with gnarlier tread and shoulder block bite.

The Everest is rated to tow a 750kg unbraked trailer, and 3500kg braked. Gross vehicle mass (GVM) is 3100kg and GCM (gross combined mass) is 6250kg.

Stand-out qualities once behind the wheel of the ZS Essence Turbo are its comfy ride, responsive throttle and low noise levels.

Although MG doesn’t quote a 0-100km/h acceleration time, you can expect triple figures to come up in around eight seconds, which is rapid enough for the cut and thrust of city traffic.

And power delivery is satisfyingly linear. There are no laggy clues that a turbo engine resides under the bonnet, although maximum pulling power doesn’t arrive until 4500rpm, which is unusually high for a forced induction engine.

But there’s still plenty of oomph low down and the CVT auto is one of the better examples, keeping the engine on the boil nicely without any engine droning drama. Freeway cruising is a breeze.

That said, a pair of steering wheel paddles for stepped manual ‘gear’ changes would be a nice addition to take maximum advantage of the engine’s willing nature.

But you have to be realistic in terms of standard mechanical spec at a low-$30K price point. If you're in the mood, the switch to ‘Sport’ mode revs things up, though.

Suspension is by struts at the front and torsion beam at the rear, the car remaining well balanced during quick lane changes or through sharp corners.

Tyres are 225/50 Giti ‘GitiComfort’ on 18-inch alloy rims and despite that sizeable wheel diameter (for the class), a relatively cushy tyre sidewall height also helps with overall refinement.

The front seats are comfortable and supportive enough, although the small gap between the headrest and my noggin meant I was constantly bumping against it. Kind of annoying but it may have more to do with my XXXL melon than the restraint design.

The electrically assisted steering is accurate and road feel is fair, although the squared-off wheel design takes a bit of getting used to and its adjustment is stuck in 1994, shifting for height but not reach.

Braking is by discs all around (ventilated front) and they wash off speed effectively with a progressive pedal action.

An 11.2m turning circle isn’t exactly tiny, although all around vision is clear, and parking, assisted by the 360-degree camera view, reversing camera and rear parking sensors, is straight forward.

Niggles? The handbrake has to be applied manually, which may sound like a classic first-world problem, but the majority of new cars now apply it automatically when parked.

A ‘bing-bong’ overspeed warning, related to the traffic sign recognition function, is infuriating, as is the need to shuffle through multiple menus every time you drive the car to turn it off. Hyundai and Kia have recently minimised this issue with a short-cut button, which we suggest MG takes a close look at.

And one misty morning I noticed the bottom four rows of the rear screen demister had gone out on strike, which doesn’t feel great from a quality point-of-view.

In a similar vein, I recently spent time in the ZS Hybrid+ and thought one of the suspending cords on the rear parcel shelf hadn’t been properly fixed. Turns out the small plastic fitting holding the string had pulled out of the tailgate door and wouldn’t stay put when pushed back in. Awkward.

ANCAP has assessed the MG ZS but only hybrid variants. So, even though that resulted in a maximum five-star score, this turbo model is technically untested.

No surprise then that the car is equipped with a full suite of active (crash-avoidance) tech including auto emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, lane change and lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, driver attention alert, forward and rear collision alert, rear cross-traffic alert, tyre pressure monitoring, a 360-degree camera view and more.

And it’s important to note these systems are well calibrated in that any micro corrections they make are only sporadic and relatively subtle, even in adaptive cruise mode where less refined systems are often found out.

Then, if despite all that, a crash is unavoidable there are six airbags onboard - dual front, front side and full-length curtain. Would be nice to see the increasingly common front centre bag but it’s MIA for the time being.

There are three top tether points for child seats across the second row with ISOFIX anchors on the two outer positions.

The Everest is covered by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and comes with 12 months of roadside assistance, which is extended every time your Everest is serviced at a Ford dealership for up to seven years.

Service is scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km and costs a reasonable $399 per workshop visit.

Ford Australia has more than 180 dealerships around the country.

MG covers the ZS with a 10-year/250,000 km warranty which is way ahead of the mainstream market norm of five years/unlimited km. 

Roadside assistance is complimentary for the first 12 months and automatically extended for an additional year after each annual service at an authorised MG dealer, for the duration of the warranty. Nice.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/10,000km, the latter measure a little short of the more common 15,000km distance.

MG’s ‘Precise Price’ program sets out maintenance pricing for the duration of the warranty, the lowest cost over that 10-year period being $302 and the highest $1463, for an annual average of $686.60. 

Pricey when you consider a similarly specified Toyota Corolla Cross averages $398.68 per service over the same period.