Need buying advice: MG ZS EV vs Tata Nexon EV

I think it's better to go for an electric vehicle as my running costs will be low and maintenance will also be lower than conventional cars.

BHPian AutoV recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Introduction:

Hi petrolheads,

Please help me choose the right car for me and my family.

A little background about me. I'm a 23-year-old engineer and I'm planning to start my own construction company in the coming month. My first project site will be at a distance of 30 kms from my house and I need to visit the site daily until it is finished. We currently have a 2019 Hyundai Venue which my dad uses for this office and a 2014 Ford Endeavour 3.0 ltr. The Endeavour gives an average of about 7-8 kms in the city. So, I've decided to buy an electric vehicle. With daily usage of 60-90 kms, I think it's better to go for an electric vehicle as my running costs will be low and maintenance will also be lower than conventional cars. My sisters might also use the car sometimes. The range is not really a concern as I'm planning to use it only in the city and any range above 200 kms is fine.

Cars in consideration:

• MG ZS EV.
• Tata Nexon EV.

MG ZS EV:

I took an extended test drive of the ZS EV for 3 days and checked if the vehicle suits the daily needs and if it can really substitute a conventional car. The dealership support was very good they offered to give the vehicle for 3 days and had kept in touch and the advisor called me daily for those 3 days to know my feedback.

Positives:

• It drove really well the ride quality was great.
• It has got disc breaks all around was impressed by the stopping power.
• Large boot space of 470litres (I can use the space to stuff some material for the construction site).
• NVH levels were good.
• Panoramic sunroof.
• 10 inch infotainment screen (on 2022 model).
• 6 Airbags, 5 star NCAP, ESP, ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Hill Descent, Hill-start and ABS with EBD.
• Front seats felt supportive and three people can sit at the back.

Negatives:

• Poor headlights (2022 model is set to come with an LED setup).
• No proper cabin light at the back.
• The charging port location. It could easily damage if there's a front end collision even with a bike.
• Plastic quality at some places was not great.
• High price compared to the Nexon.

Tata Nexon EV:

I haven't taken a test drive of the car yet. The vehicle was not available at my nearest dealer. But from what I've seen and read here on the forum Here are my views on the car.

Positives:

5 star NCAP rating.

More decent ride than Nexon diesel, but MG has a superior ride quality.

Best VFM product when compared to MG.

Negatives:

• Low boot space compared to the MG.
• Low cabin space and higher floor pan at the back.
• Low range compared to MG.
• Tyres have low grip.
• NVH is not up to the mark.
• Online horror stories about vehicle breakdowns and issues.

I'm planning to keep the vehicle for 5-7 years and need a reliable car with good after-sales service. Tata's service centres are not easy to deal with and I'm not too confident about MG too, as they are relatively new.

The Nexon EV LUX variant is priced at an on-road price of 18.41L in Hyderabad. The long-range version is expected to come soon and might cost 1-2L more making it in between 18-20L.

The MG ZS EV Exclusive is 26L on-road and the 2022 version might be 1-2lakhs costlier making it 27-28L.

I'm really confused about which car to buy as buying the Nexon EV might save me 8L which I can invest in my company but I'm not sure and scared about the issues the Nexon EV had. I need trouble-free ownership and a reliable car. BHPians please help me out here.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

I think it's very clear. If you can afford the ZS EV, go for it as it is clearly the superior EV. I have spent some time with the car and it is way more sorted, and mature as an electric car than the Nexon EV. It's evident from your list of negatives which aren't really negatives at all. The facelift / update launch is happening anytime now.

Main downside of the ZS EV = it's expensive. If you want to save a couple of lakhs, choose the Nexon EV. It is also a very good car. Just that the ZS EV is a more polished electric car.

This decision is purely driven by how much you want to spend.

Here's what BHPian Shreyans_Jain had to say on the matter:

ZS EV is by all means the superior car. If you have the budget, just go for it. Between the much better appointed cabin and the 40% bigger battery, it is worth it. Just that, I will strongly suggest you go for the facelifted model which is just a few weeks from launch.

Here's what BHPian raghupro had to say on the matter:

Sailed in a similar boat in in same city as you hail from. Test driven the MG ZS EV first and then the Nexon EV. As others say, the ZS is a superior car to the Nexon if you can afford those extra few lakhs.

I pre-booked the ZS 2022 version and willing to wait few months for it.

The issues I had with the Nexon was the not so convenient ride position, the default KERS levels that needs some getting used to, smaller cabin space and sub-par range on highways for my requirement.

Compare the Nexon top end with base variant of ZS, which are fairly comparable sans some features, the price difference is just around 4 lakhs which makes it worth it for the ZS.

As of now I reserved the base variant but quite tempted to upgrade to the higher variant. Will consider once the 2022 version is launched, features and price revealed.

Here's what BHPian ron178 had to say on the matter:

The EV version does not share the NCAP rating of the petrol car. The EV version is a different car altogether, not just a variant of the Nexon. Since it is such a popular car in its class, the GNCAP is very likely to pick it up anonymously at a dealer and test it from FIA/Bloomberg funds sometime. Tata's communication stating that the car is built on a '5-star Nexon platform' does not imply that the EV version shares the same NCAP rating.

The Indian version of the ZS EV does not have a valid NCAP rating either. However, with side and curtain airbags and ESC, if you are factoring safety into your purchase decision then that's the one I would recommend if you are willing to stretch.

Good luck with your purchase and please keep us posted. Looking forward to an ownership review.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.