Now, in India, many carmakers are focussing on launching their own battery electric vehicles to grab this fresh piece of the market. Carmakers are putting their kith and kin to develop new BEVs and also making the existing EVs even better. The Tata and MG are the two carmakers that have given their BEVs in the country a makeover or update. Both of which have a significant share of the market, with the former having a larger pie. That said, as of now, the latest offering from the respective brands are the Tata Nexon EV MAX and the MG ZS V 2022.
Now with the Nexon EV MAX just breaking the Rs. 20 Lakh market, it competes in a completely new ball game. This is where the MG ZS EV entered. Taking the prices into account, the top-end trim of the Tata Nexon EV MAX costs Rs. 19.24 (ex-showroom). And the MG ZS EV will retail at about Rs. 25.88 (ex-showroom).
Now, as the pricing difference is relative, many people might be tempted to upgrade to the ZS EV than buy a Nexon EV MAX. But is the MG ZS EV worth the extra cash over the Tata Nexon EV MAX? Or should you save a little with the Tata Nexon EV? Let’s find out.
Tata Nexon EV MAX vs. MG ZS EV | Exterior Dimensions
One thing is for sure, that MG ZS EV does, is the size. Tata Nexon has comparatively smaller in size than the MG ZS EV, for which it is a subcompact SUV, and the ZS EV is a compact SUV. Taking the dimensions into perspective, MG ZS EV is 330mm longer and has an 83mm longer wheelbase. And the thing to note is that both have almost the same width, with Nexon acing the ZS EV with just 2mm.
Dimensions
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| Tata Nexon EV MAX | MG ZS EV | |
| Length (mm) | 3993 | 4323 |
| Width (mm) | 1811 | 1809 |
| Height (mm) | 1616 | 1649 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 2498 | 2581 |
| Ground Clearance (mm) | 190 | – |
| Kerb Weight (Kg) | 1400 | – |
Which SUV has a better Interior?
Like the exterior, other SUVs take a completely different approach to the interior. But both the vehicles share the same interior as their IC engine counterparts. But it is the MG that has better quality and a more spacious interior.
As there is a price difference, so are the features on offer of both the vehicles.
Features
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| Tata Nexon EV MAX | MG ZS EV | |
| Infotainment System | 7 Inch | 10.1 inch |
| No. of speakers | 4 speaker+2 tweeters | 4 speaker+2 tweeters |
| Ventilated Seats |  |
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| Sunroof | |
Panoramic |
| Instrument Cluster | Part Digital | All-digital |
| Air purifier | |
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| Powered Seats | |
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| Auto-Dimming IRVM | |
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| No. of Airbags | 2 | 6 |
| 360-degree Camera | |
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Clearly, both the cars are neck and neck when it comes to features. Now, this narrows down to the fact that, which are the features you necessarily want in your vehicle and the ones that you are ready to compromise on.
Which vehicles offer a better range?
Be it Tata Nexon EV MAX or MG ZS EV 2022, and both cars have one thing in common. Both the battery electric vehicles have better range and more power than their previous models. That said, although both the car have a different battery capacity, on paper, they have a similar range. But the range on paper can say something different than what it is in real life.
Battery and Motor
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| Tata Nexon EV MAX | MG ZS EV | |
| Battery | 40.5 kWh Li-Ion | 50.5kWh |
| Motor Power | 143ps | 176.5ps |
| Torque | 250Nm | 280Nm |
| 0-100 Acceleration Time | Under 9 Sec | 8.5 Sec |
| Claimed Range | 437km (ARAI) | 461km |
| Actual Range (in Eco)* | 263kms | 350kms |
| Charging Time with 50kW Charger | 56 Minutes | 60Minutes |
*The test numbers are as per the Autocar India standards.
On paper, it is the MG ZS EV that is ahead but not by a considerable margin. Nevertheless, when it comes to real-life range, again, it is the MG ZS EV that is triumphant and by quite a margin.
Price and Rivals
The two cars compared are the top-end trims of both vehicles. This means the money they ask for is also on top. That said, as of now, MG has not launched the base trim of the ZS EV; hence, we took the top-end trims of both the vehicles.
The prices for Tata Nexon EV MAX start at Rs. 17.74 Lakh for the base XZ Plus trim and goes all the way up to Rs. 19.24 Lakh for the ZX Plus LUX trim. As of now, the top-end exclusive trim of the MG ZS EV is priced at Rs. 25.44 Lakh. However, MG will launch its base Excite trim in July at Rs. 21.99 Lakh.
Is the MG ZS EV worth the extra money?
Now the answer to this is somewhat subjective and depends on the use of the vehicle. This means, that if the majority of the travel is in the City, Nexon EV has got you covered. Talking about the Nexon EV MAX, on average, it gives about 50kms more range than the standard Nexon EV. Which is more but not that significant.
Coming to MG ZS EV, it is elegant, bold, and offers the right package for the money, including better range and better performance. So, if it is the long drive that you’ll be using your car for, MG is the way to go. Otherwise, the non-MAX trim of the Nexon EV will better suit as a city car.
Let us know in the comment section, which vehicle seems more promising? Also, is it the right time to buy an EV?
