MG ZS EV vs Toyota BZ4X

What's the difference?

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.

When the bZ4X first launched it was already late to the game and blended into the background too much. However, this update has dramatically improved its appeal.

Despite this, the electric mid-size SUV segment is incredibly fierce and it’s hard to not get caught up in glitzier rivals like the BYD Sealion 7, Tesla Model Y and Zeekr 7X.

It’ll be interesting to see whether the Australian public reacts to this update and if it draws in more punters.

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. 

There are some ergonomic issues with the high centre armrest and the raised seating position, too.

The exterior design of the bZ4X never really blew me away. It’s just sensible and not too out there. In saying that though, being sensible is no bad thing and can be seen as a positive for some buyers.

This facelift has brought Toyota’s new corporate look, including the hammerhead shark-like LED lighting signature. It already features on models like the C-HR, Camry and RAV4. In fact this update has made the bZ4X look more like an electric RAV4 than ever before.

I like the C-shaped daytime running lights but I’m not a fan of how the main headlight section is now separate. I prefer how they looked before.

The black wheel arch cladding is now also glossy and not matte. Sure, this looks great right now, but it likely won’t be long until it unfortunately gets scratched.

Inside, if you covered up the Toyota badge you could likely fool me into thinking this is a Lexus. The new 14.0-inch touchscreen is virtually identical to the one in models like the Lexus NX, RX and GX.

There are also plenty of premium-feeling soft-touch materials around the cabin. I’m not a huge fan of the grey and white two-tone interior, at least from a family-friendly standpoint, but thankfully you can get an all-black interior instead.

Another major design change with the interior is the new centre console. It now features two wireless chargers and a revised button layout. I particularly like it because it’s no longer covered in glossy piano black.

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. 

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.  

The front seats in the bZ4X are deliciously comfortable and supportive. They make long trips a breeze, plus the ventilation that’s standard on the AWD trim works well in the heat.

Despite this, I’m still not a huge fan of the driving position. You need to look over the steering wheel in order to view the almost windscreen-mounted digital instrument cluster. It’s a similar set-up to what Peugeot employs and is intended to reduce the amount you need to stray your eyes from the road.

I appreciate this but it just doesn’t work for everyone. Personally I need to jack the seat up more than I’d like in order to see the screen fully. When I do this my knees get in the way of the steering wheel no matter how I position it, which isn’t ideal.

The set-up in the related Solterra is a little better as it has a squared-off steering wheel instead of a traditional round steering wheel.

Going back to the digital instrument cluster, the content display on this is still rather limited. Thankfully, critical information like your current speed is displayed clearly, but having added customisation through more informative displays to toggle through or more themes would be a nice extra touch.

Moving across the larger touchscreen multimedia system is a welcome addition, but I didn’t think there was anything wrong with the old one. The user interface is still basic in a good way, meaning it’s hard to get lost.

A difference is the climate control features are now fully integrated into the touchscreen, save two physical dials that change the dual-zone climate control temperature.

While this means you need to press on the touchscreen to change certain climate control-related features now, a lot of these in the pre-update were touch-sensitive buttons on a panel under the touchscreen. Really, it makes no difference.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are still standard and work flawlessly with my iPhone 15 Pro Max. There are now also two wireless chargers, which is great if you want to charge your phone and your passenger’s phone.

However, they don’t work properly as they don’t offer any ventilation. They regularly make my phone overheat and stop charging, even on shorter trips. If you want to reliably top your phone’s battery up, it’s best to just plug into a USB port with a cable.

Looking elsewhere around the cabin, there is an adequate amount of storage, though some more would be nice. There are two decently sized cupholders, a small shelf under the centre console and a side-hinging centre console box. Like the pre-update version, there is still no proper glove box.

In the second row there’s plenty of legroom available for adults behind adults, though due to the placement of the high-voltage battery this leaves you with a knees-up feeling. This is common in a number of EVs, even some that are based on dedicated electric architectures, like the bZ4X.

Headroom also isn’t fantastic as the roof starts to taper back where your head is located. You wouldn’t want to be much taller than 180-odd centimetres back there. It’s also made worse when you recline the seat backrest.

Second-row amenities include air vents, heated outboard rear seats, USB-C ports, seatback map pockets, as well as a fold-down armrest with some cupholders and a tablet holder.

At the back there is a hands-free power tailgate which is rather slow to open and close and makes plenty of beeping while doing so. It's a classic Toyota on this front.

The bZ4X AWD offers 410L of boot space with the rear seats upright which is slightly less than the 2WD due to the added rear electric motor.

It’s a decent space but doesn’t stand out from the crowd. There’s some extra underfloor storage which is large enough to fit some cables and that’s about it. Unfortunately there’s no front boot.

Boot-related amenities include a cargo blind, a variety of hooks, as well as vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability using 220V/1500W AC inverter and a single household power socket. The latter allows you to power household appliances using the vehicle’s high-voltage battery.

Disappointingly there is no spare wheel, but this isn’t uncommon for EVs. You have to make do with a tyre repair kit, which is fine if you have a small air leak but pointless if you have a proper puncture.

There are still only two trim levels in the bZ4X line-up – 2WD and AWD, the latter on test here.

Compared to the pre-update version, pricing has been slashed by up to $10,000, depending on the variant.

The line-up now starts at $55,990, before on-road costs, for the 2WD and extends to $67,990, before on-road costs, for the AWD.

This top-spec bZ4X AWD now undercuts the corresponding Subaru Solterra AWD Touring by $2000. These two cars are twins under the skin and are built in the same Japanese facility.

It also undercuts the top-selling Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD by $1000, which is a major feat. However, certain rivals like the BYD Sealion 7 Performance and Zeekr 7X Long Range are still cheaper but not all of them offer all-wheel drive.

With this update there’s now a larger 14.0-inch multimedia touchscreen, two wireless phone chargers, vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, plus a hands-free power tailgate and heated steering wheel standard across the line-up.

This is above and beyond the standard LED headlights, roof rails, dual-zone climate control and heated front seats with electric adjustment in the 2WD.

The AWD brings larger 20-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic glass sunroof, a nine-speaker JBL sound system, digital rear-view mirror and ventilated front seats.

This is a lot of standard equipment and you can’t really complain because you’re getting all of this for less than before.

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. 

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.

While there have been a number of spec changes or additions with this update, even more tweaks have happened under the skin.

All versions of the bZ4X now make more power and torque. The AWD’s dual electric motor set-up now has a total system output of 252kW (+92kW) and 438Nm (+101Nm).

Like the pre-update version, the bZ4X AWD offers 'X-Mode' off-road drive modes, crawl control, as well as downhill assist control. However with 20-inch alloy wheels as standard, I doubt these will be taken off the beaten track very often, if at all.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

Another big under-the-skin change with this update is Toyota has fitted the bZ4X line-up with a larger 74.7kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

As a result this EV has more range. The AWD now offers up to 517km of WLTP claimed range (up from 411km) with an official energy consumption figure of 16.0kWh/100km.

During my largely urban testing over the Christmas break I saw an average energy consumption of 14.4kWh/100km. In fact, on one particular trip into the city with minimal traffic I saw an average energy consumption of 10.5kWh/100km. This is incredibly low for an all-wheel drive EV and almost Tesla-like.

Using my as-tested energy consumption figure, the bZ4X AWD has a theoretical total range of 518km.

The Type 2/CCS combination charge port remains on the left-hand front wheel arch which is fine because it’s kerbside, but at some public charging stations it can be hard to connect the cable without having it run up against the front bumper.

Speaking of charging, the maximum AC charging rate has now been upped all the way from 11kW to 22kW, which is a fantastic update. This now allows for a 10 to 100 per cent charge in 3.5 hours.

While peak DC fast-charging unfortunately is still capped at 150kW, Toyota claims it can remain at a higher charge rate for longer now thanks to reworked battery thermal technology.

A fast charge from 10 to 80 per cent is now meant to take 45 minutes. It would be good to see quicker charging because many of this car’s rivals are faster and this can make a world of a difference during long road trips.

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. 

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.

The bZ4X AWD was never a slow car to begin with but the added oomph is welcome.

While it's not overtly noticeable in everyday driving, when you mash the throttle at the lights you're pinned back in the seat a lot more than before.

Despite this, it still doesn’t feel like this car wants to be driven quickly. If you drive with a docile right foot, the bZ4X is a supremely comfortable vehicle that’s relaxing and easy to drive.

There are a number of regenerative braking modes to select from by using the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, but none of them offer a one-pedal driving mode. This means you need to use the brake pedal to come to a complete stop.

As a result, this car’s driving experience is more like a combustion or hybrid vehicle, like the RAV4. This can make the transition to an EV easier if you’ve never driven one before.

The steering feel in the bZ4X has a noticeable weight and heft to it which feels nice when you’re zipping around on urban streets. It also feels like the steering wheel is actually connected to the wheels rather than the overly assisted and light steering systems in some of its rivals.

Where the added steering heft can feel a touch annoying is when you’re doing a tight parking manoeuvre. This car is longer than you think, meaning you may need to do three-point turns more often.

Speaking of parking, the bZ4X’s surround-view camera system is detailed and high-resolution, which is a great peace of mind. The semi-autonomous park assist is also fantastic as it can detect and park the vehicle within painted lines, rather than just slot it between two parked vehicles.

Adding to the comfort factor is this car’s ride, which is a major highlight. Despite the large 20-inch alloy wheels, the suspension does a great job at softening bigger bumps and small road imperfections.

There is little that upsets the interior ambience in this car, making it a serene place to be regardless of where you’re travelling. For an EV you’d expect more tyre and wind noise given there’s no engine to drown the noise out, but Toyota has seemingly done a great job of insulating the cabin and choosing suitable tyres.

The updated bZ4X still has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted on the pre-update car by Euro NCAP.

Toyota has notably now made the full safety suite standard across the entire line-up. 

Previously the 2WD missed out on features like blind-spot monitoring and a surround-view camera, among others.

As standard there are eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, driver attention monitoring and traffic sign recognition.

There’s also connected services with SOS emergency calling, plus automatic collision notification, vehicle insights and charge station search available with a smartphone companion app.

All of the safety systems operate in a seamless manner and don’t interrupt the driving experience unless they actually need to. This is becoming increasingly uncommon.

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. 

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.

As standard there is a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty which is fine but does not stand out for the segment anymore.

However, if you service at one of Toyota’s 260+ dealers around Australia when required, warranty coverage for the high-voltage battery can be extended all the way out to 10 years.

Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first, and the first five services are capped at $180 each. While the pricing in classic Toyota fashion is competitive, the 12 month intervals aren’t (in the EV space). The standard is now closer to 24 months.

As part of the ownership package owners get Mode 2 and Mode 3 charging cables. The 'Toyota Go' loyalty programs also allows for the choice of a complimentary 7.0kW home charger or 12-month Chargefox subscription.