Nissan LEAF vs MG ZS

What's the difference?

Here in 2021, it finally seems like Australia is ready to adopt electric cars, with interest on the rise and many, many new models of various shapes and sizes on the horizon.

Nissan, though, has been quietly chipping away at the EV market with its Leaf, which first launched in Australia way back in 2012 and was then refreshed with a new-gen model in mid-2019.

But even the latest Leaf is beginning to look a little dated compared to the likes of the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, so what is Nissan to do?

Introduce the new Leaf e+ of course, which features a larger battery for increased driving range, as well as a more potent electric motor for peppier performance.

But is the Nissan Leaf e+ the electric car to buy?

The MG ZS stands as a firm favourite with Aussie small SUV buyers, in a close-fought arm wrestle with the Hyundai Kona and Mitsubishi ASX for supremacy in a cut-throat competitive part of the new-car market.

Launched here in late 2017, and updated in 2020, MG subsequently added the ZS EV before launching this new-gen version in late 2024. It has initially been offered in hybrid and naturally aspirated petrol versions to maintain its position at the pointy end of the sales race. However, there’s nothing like a turbo model to add some extra spice to your compact SUV line-up. 

And that’s what we have here, the ZS Essence Turbo, a punchy, keenly-priced addition to MG’s local range. Stay with us to see if it has enough boost pressure to muscle its way onto your new-car short list.