2021 MG ZS vs 2020 Renault Kangoo

What's the difference?

The biggest barrier to entry for electric vehicles in Australia is the up-front cost.

You might well be surprised by how many new car buyers are not only interested in electric vehicles, but really want their next car to be a full EV. It's something motoring journalists get asked about all the time. The problems putting people off are not necessarily the range or charging issues, as you might expect. No, according to the data, it’s simply because they are too expensive compared to their internal-combustion competitors.

Re-invigorated MG, now such a budget-buyer-friendly brand that it recently made the list of Australia’s top 10 sellers, is calling out to the EV curious with this latest electrified version of its successful ZS small SUV.

The ZS is Australia’s cheapest mainstream electric car by some margin, and proof that China-based SAIC-owned MG can do more than just affordable combustion vehicles. At a cost of $43,990 drive-away, is the ZS EV the masterstroke that could get more Australians behind the wheel of a full electric model than ever before? Let’s find out.

The Renault Kangoo is the closest competitor to Volkswagen’s top-selling Caddy in Australia’s small van segment (under-2.5 tonne GVM). In 2020 the enduringly popular German light commercial holds a commanding 72 per cent share of this market, compared to the Kangoo’s 21 per cent.

However, such a big imbalance in sales doesn't always reflect a similar disparity in vehicle design and performance. Fact is, after spending a working week in the Kangoo, the gap between VW’s runaway sales leader and its closest competitor is not as large as those sales figures might suggest.