Should I buy a 2023 MG ZS EV or a 2023 BYD Atto 3?

For roughly two years, the MG ZS EV – an electric small SUV from Chinese-owned MG Motor that arrived in 2020 – has been sitting comfortably atop the pile of affordable EVs in Australia.

But almost three years later, its perch atop the pile is starting to wobble.

While affordable electric car options are still thin on the ground, MG now faces some very real competition from fellow Chinese brand BYD, which launched its 2023 BYD Atto 3 medium SUV into Australia in October 2022.

The facelifted 2023 MG ZS EV has managed to cling onto its "most affordable" title (courtesy of a drive-away pricing technicality), but only a few thousand dollars separate it from its new rival in price.

And although the MG ZS EV is slightly cheaper to buy, the Atto 3 is an appealing on-paper offering, with the promise of more interior space, more electric range and more performance.

In this comparison, we'll investigate whether BYD's new kid on the block poses a credible threat to the MG ZS EV's more established reputation.

In doing so, we'll put the entry-level MG ZS EV Excite up against the longer-range Byd Atto 3 Extended variant. Let the games begin.

The MG ZS EV is keen to hang on to its mantle as Australia’s ‘most affordable electric vehicle’. And with a driveaway price of $44,990 for the entry-level Excite variant, the ZS EV’s status, in its own words, as the country’s ‘best value electric vehicle’ remains intact.

BYD launched the Atto 3 small SUV for an identical $44,990 driveway, but with a catch. The Atto 3 claims to be priced from $44,990 drive-away – however, differences in government stamp duty and registration charges between states means this only applies in Tasmania.

In other states, the drive-away price for the entry-level variant is as high as $47,931. The price before on-road costs and government charges – which applies nationwide – is $44,381.85.

That leaves the MG ZS EV’s nationwide driveaway pricing at the top of the ‘affordable EV tree’. For now.

Standard equipment highlights include 17-inch alloy wheels, LED head- and tail-lights, a 10.1-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a decent, if not complete, suite of active safety technologies.

A second variant – range-topping – has been added to the line-up, the $47,990 driveaway Essence, which adds a panoramic roof, a six-speaker sound system, wireless phone charging, faux leather heated front seats – power-adjustable for the driver – and power-folding mirrors. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert complete MG’s suite of safety tech.

There have been some question marks around BYD's introduction and rollout into Australia. The local importer made headlines with bold claims of low prices and high sales volumes, but the rollout of BYD vehicles into Australia has been both delayed and protracted.

However, we're finally seeing passenger vehicles go into the hands of consumers.

The BYD Atto 3 is priced from $44,381 before on-road costs, but our test vehicle, the 2023 BYD Atto 3 Superior Extended Range – is fitted with the larger 60kWh battery pack – and is priced from $48,081 before on-road costs.

This includes the $3000 premium for the larger battery and $700 for the optional Surf Blue paint.

Beyond battery size, there is only one specification level available: Superior. It's quite a well-specced model as well, with things like a rotating 12.8-inch infotainment display, 5.0-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless charging pad, imitation leather upholstery with electric front seat adjustment, panoramic sunroof, keyless entry, push-button start and 18-inch alloy wheels. One notable omission is rain-sensing wipers.

In terms of powertrain, BYD's lithium-ion phosphate 'blade' battery feeds power to a single electric motor up front, which has 150kW/310Nm. This brings a claimed driving range of 420km (for the long-range model, according to the WLTP cycle). Our as-tested driving range was quite different however, more on that later.

The cabin of the MG ZS EV is a pleasant place to spend time in. In the entry-level Excite model, the seats are trimmed in cloth with a pleasing pattern that breaks up the monotony.

Soft-touch materials abound, although the inclusion of harder plastics is also evident, especially on the door cards.

Everything is laid out nicely, the rotary dialler for drive selection falling easily to hand while the location of the touchscreen requires minimal body movement.

There are elements of the cabin design that appear familiar, most notably the Audi-esque air vents and overall design of the dash. That’s no bad thing.

Storage amounts to a pair of cupholders up front and some generous door pockets capable of swallowing bottles.

The steering wheel feels nice in hand, and its multi-function controls are easy to intuit and use.

The second row is surprisingly spacious. Behind my own 173cm driving position, toe, knee and leg room were in abundance while headroom also proved generous.

The MG ZS EV loses some points for not having any cupholders in the second row, although new-for-this-update air vents are a welcome addition. The second row seats proved comfy too, not always a given in every vehicle we drive.

Stepping into the top-spec Essence model brings some niceties like a huge panoramic roof and faux leather seats contrasted with racy red stitching. The overall feeling is pleasing, like money well spent.

Boot space is rated at 359 litres with the second row in use. Those back seats fold away in 60:40 split-fashion to reveal a decent 1187 litres of load-lugging capacity. The boot floor too, can be shifted into a lower position to allow for easier carriage of bigger items.

There's no doubting that the interior of the BYD Atto 3 won't be confused with anything else on the market. It could even be called unique, choosing to clearly march to the beat of its own drum instead of following the design cues from other established players. And from that point of view, it feels like a breath of fresh air.

However, it won't be to everyone's taste. It's a bit out there, that's for sure. There are plenty of interesting design elements going on, including the twanging elastic cords over the door bins, oddly designed air vents, foamy, cream-coloured and muscular-looking dashboard centrepiece, and door handles mounted atop the speaker pods.

But beyond all of that (and don't forget the interesting upholstery colours), there are good things to report on.

Along with a standard-fit wireless charging pad, the Atto 3 has USB-A, USB-C and 12V power up front. This is all located underneath the centre console, gear shifter and twin cupholders, which works well for storage. You'll also find a micro-SD port in here, which can store footage from the built-in dash cam recorder.

There's room for bottles in the door cards (behind those guitar-like elastic strings) and decent storage in the centre console. However, we note with sadness that the inbuilt karaoke microphone didn't make it to this Australian-delivered model.

However, having customisable ambient lighting – with a rainbow function – is another cool party trick.

The seats are comfortable and feel well made, with electric adjustment and heating on offer. They're quite a sporty design with an integrated headrest, but my passenger (my wife) didn't find the seats particularly comfortable.

Overall build quality seems to be quite good and solid, without any loose bits of trim or rattles to note.

The second row benefits from a completely flat floor (EV things), and there is plenty of space on offer for occupants. The seats don't slide and don't tilt either. But in their set position, they are comfortable enough with good levels of legroom and headroom on offer, even with a big panoramic sunroof.

There are air vents, USB-A and USB-C power outlets for the second row, and those red twangin' cords continue with space for bottles in the door cards. And don't forget about the cupholders in the fold-down central armrest.

The boot of the Atto 3 seems to be slightly small (when compared to a medium-sized SUV, for example), but it's big enough for most uses at 440L. The floor can be set at two points depending on whether you want a shallow load lip or deeper load space. Underneath is a tyre repair kit (in lieu of a proper spare wheel), which is a shame because a space-saving spare looks like it would fit.

And while rural buyers might be a little more recalcitrant about electric vehicle ownership, I'd wager that a full-size spare would fit with the floor in its highest position. That's not a bad thing for those who want to take an occasional run on rougher and more remote roads, but BYD Australia is yet to offer a full-size (or space-saver spare) as an option or accessory.

A new 10.1-inch touchscreen, nicely integrated into the dash, anchors the MG’s infotainment system. It features in-built satellite navigation as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring. DAB+ radio is standard too.

The operating system has been vastly improved, with sharp graphics and an intuitive menu structure that’s easy to operate on the move.

We found Apple CarPlay quick to integrate and switching between smartphone mirroring and the ZS EV’s native system was equally as seamless.

While the screen resolution remained crystal clear and sharp, the same can’t be said for the rear-view and 360-degree cameras which, while serviceable enough, offered grainy images. It’s a small letdown of an otherwise decent infotainment setup.

The entry-level Excite variant makes do with a four-speaker sound system, the top grade Essence model scoring a couple of extra speakers. Despite the meagre speaker count, both systems provided decent enough sound.

The new digital driver display provides a nice array of information – tyre pressure monitoring, trip data, energy consumption as well as energy flow (whether from the battery or back into it), all in a beautifully rich graphic display whose resolution and crispness mirrors that of the infotainment system.

Of course, a digital speedo and a power-meter, which again, displays whether you’re expending or harvesting energy, feature prominently. The top-spec Essence model scores wireless phone charging while a single USB Type A is joined by a USB Type C plug in the centre console. We like that MG is hedging its bets by offering both types of connections. Nice one.

In a word, no. Although the 12.8-inch infotainment display is mightily impressive in size, and and has a trick rotating function, it's somewhat lacking in terms of functionality in comparison to other infotainment systems. Although, this situation changed during our test time, and it might also change further in the future (according to BYD).

Standard inclusions of AM/FM radio, digital radio, dash cam-style recorder system and a few other basic features. Although, the system was augmented through an over-the-air update (on the day the car was to be returned, unfortunately) to include Spotify integration and navigation.

BYD's local importer EVDirect has also previously said that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be available by the end of the year, and will be installed as an over-the-air update, without any need to visit the dealership.

Australia’s safety body, ANCAP, awarded the MG ZS EV a five-star safety rating back in 2019. However, that score does not carry over to this 2023 face-lifted model, although an MG Motor spokesperson told Drive at the launch the manufacturer remained in ongoing discussions with ANCAP.

Back in 2019, ANCAP scored the electric SUV 90 per cent for adult occupant protection, 84 per cent child occupant, 64 per cent vulnerable road user and 71 per cent for its safety assist systems.

There are a few things about the BYD Atto 3 that aren't as straightforward as other makes and models out there, and one of those things is the safety of the vehicle.

The BYD Atto 3 was recently awarded a five-star safety rating by ANCAP and Euro NCAP, but the catch is that it doesn't yet apply to Australian-delivered vehicles, only New Zealand delivered cars. This is because of concerns surrounding the Atto 3's compliance for Australian roads, and an ongoing review by federal regulators.

Which is a shame, because the Atto 3 otherwise scored well in the testing. ANCAP noted a 91 per cent score for adult occupants, while child occupant protection rates at 84 per cent. Vulnerable road users (pedestrians) rated at 69 per cent, while the safety assist systems scored 80 per cent.

MG’s suite of active safety technologies – dubbed MG Pilot – is comprehensive although only the top-spec Essence scores the entire catalogue.

Both models are equipped with autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist with lane departure warning, automatic high beam headlights, and traffic sign recognition.

But, only the Essence comes with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, the entry-level Excite missing out. That’s a bit of a mis-step in our book, where we believe potentially life-saving technologies should be standard across the range.

While we couldn’t fully explore the MG ZS EV’s full suite of safety tech over our short launch route, we did note the lane-keep alert was a touch trigger happy, flashing its warnings onto the driver display if you so much as even hinted at nearing the lane markings. Thankfully, alerts can be switched off, but that kind of negates the purpose of them in the first place.

Six airbags cover both rows of occupants.

There are seven airbags inside the Atto 3, including front, side and curtain airbags, along with a front centre (also known as a far-side) airbag between front occupants.

It also features autonomous emergency braking, forward and rear collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and rear cross-traffic alert with braking function.

Also included are tyre pressure monitoring, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, 360-degree camera (which has a good image quality), front and rear parking sensors, and an imperfect speed sign recognition system.

There’s no doubt the MG ZS EV represents decent value, certainly in the context of electric vehicles.

Of its other main rivals aside from the BYD Atto 3, the Hyundai Kona Electric starts at $57,429 driveaway while, if you can get your hands on one, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 gets underway at $71,900 before on-road costs.

That makes the MG ZS EV a bit of a bargain in the ever-expanding world of available electric vehicles in Australia.

MG Motor covers the MG ZS EV with a seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, including the battery, while service intervals are a generous every 20,000km or 24 months, whichever comes first. The first three scheduled visit to the workshop will set you back $268 each while the fourth – 80,000km and eight years – asks for $807. Additional scheduled services, thereafter, are priced at $268 per visit.

Comprehensive insurance runs to $1955.97 per annum on a comparative quote from one of Australia’s leading insurers and based on a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW – insurance estimates may vary based on your location and driving history.

The warranty of the Atto 3 doesn't seem to be as straightforward as other manufacturers. While there is an overarching six-year, 150,000km warranty for the vehicle, there are lots of exclusions to consider. Only the battery and motor get extensions, while other components – some of them big-ticket items – get reduced coverage.

The table below outlines all of these changes, but things like the multimedia system, shock absorbers, wheel bearings and charging infrastructure having only three years and 60,000km of coverage is concerning.

Servicing costs have been reduced by EVDirect – the local importer of BYD – following a strong public backlash from the initial costs. It now costs $748 for three years and $1384 for five years, which pins it at being noticeably more expensive than arch-rival MG ZS EV. This is mostly because the MG has 24-month and 20,000km service intervals instead of 12-month/20,000km for the BYD.

Insuring a BYD Atto 3 Superior Extended Range costs $1704.95 per year based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

MG claims the ZS EV will expend 17.3kWh of energy per 100km. That’s an improvement over the older model which was listed at 18.6kWh.

Our test loop at launch returned indicated consumption numbers of 16.8kWh (Excite) and 13.6kWh (Essence). That’s a decent return against MG’s claim and to be sure, we weren’t hypermiling by any stretch, and the conditions included city traffic, a bit of highway motoring and tootling around some suburban backstreets.

MG says the ZS EV can be recharged to 80 per cent on a 50kWh public charger in around 54 minutes while a 7kW home wallbox can do the job from 0-100 per cent in around eight hours. MG supplies wallboxes for the home – priced at $1990 for 7kW and $2090 for an 11kW charger, both prices excluding installation costs.

In our time with the vehicle, we saw averages that ranged between 16.4 and 21kWh/100km in the Atto 3. The big variety came from highway driving, which was less efficient, while more town driving balanced things better.

These figures pin the Atto 3 at being a little less efficient than a Kia Niro EV and MG ZS EV, but similar to a Nissan Leaf and better than a Kia EV6 (according to recent Drive garage reviews).

We also struggled to match the 420km claimed range in the vehicle. We would bank on around 350km of range between recharges for town driving, while highway driving blunts that range even more: as little as 280km.

With a new 50.3kWh battery array powering a single synchronous electric motor sending drive to the front wheels, the MG ZS EV’s numbers add up to 130kW and 280Nm.

That’s good enough to propel the small SUV from 0-100km/h in a claimed 8.2 seconds. Our test launch didn’t allow for a proper acceleration test, but there’s no denying the ZS EV feels light and nimble.

Moving away from standstill is pleasingly brisk, while on-the-move acceleration is also typically responsive.

Three drive modes alter energy consumption and driving characteristics while also messing about with range. Eco is the most frugal yet by the seat of the pants, doesn’t affect around town performance one iota. Normal is as a Normal does while Sport adds just a hint of zing from behind the wheel.

We spent the bulk of our time in Normal, a pleasing and unflustered tune that is at once spritely yet comfortably easy to live with.

MG Motor claims it has refined its suspension tune with revised spring rates and dampers. The result is a ride that is pleasingly supple without being overly soft. It is, in a word, comfortable, with minor road rash proving no obstacle while larger hits – such as speed humps – do little to upset the ZS EV, the small SUV settling back on to its haunches with poise and purpose.

Road noise too is kept to a minimum. MG Motor says it has improved the acoustic deadening with this updated model and it certainly remained quiet and comfortable in the cabin. A bit of wind noise at higher speed is to be expected and without an internal combustion engine burbling away to help mitigate the passage of air, it’s amplified a touch in the cabin. But, it remains at a level that is comfortable and acceptable.

Three levels of energy harvesting feed electrons back into the battery pack. From mild to aggressive, the system begins to harvest energy as soon as your foot comes off the accelerator. But, even in its most aggressive, this is no single-pedal driving machine, a touch of the brakes needed to come to a complete stop.

Still, it works well in maintain battery charge as evidenced by our launch drive where battery levels were maintained, or even increased, depending on the driving conditions.

Overall, our launch drive proved reasonably frugal on energy, as evidenced by our consumption figures which proved better than MG Motor’s claim.

One important positive about the Atto 3 is the ride quality.

You can feel the weight of the vehicle over the bumps. Often it’s in a positive way, seemingly crushing things down with its weight. But it's also sometimes not so positive, without any ability to skip over bigger stuff easily.

It’s nicely tuned overall, with the suspension set up to absorb the sort of imperfections that you regularly come across. But with larger hits and wallows, the weight can also get a little bit out of control at times. That 1750kg of kerb mass – not a small amount for a vehicle of this size – does begin to betray the suspension’s performance.

That weight inhibits any kind of sporting performance, as the Atto 3 doesn't feel comfortable or capable when starting to be pushed through corners.

The tyres aren't helping in this regard. While the unimpressive Chaoyang tyres of our first taste have been replaced, the Atlas Batman tyres on this right-hand-drive model don't seem to advance the cause much either. They seem to lack outright grip through acceleration and cornering, especially when roads are damp.

Drive has seen reports of Atto 3 owners replacing their factory rubber with aftermarket options from other brands with good success, and we'd suggest it's a good option to consider.

With 150kW and 310Nm going through the front wheels, the Atto 3 gets along well enough for the application. It's not one of those mind-bogglingly fast electric cars like we see from Tesla, Mercedes-Benz and others. Instead, it uses that instant torque to give enough shove to get into and through traffic well enough. However, the overall performance can be capped by the tyres, which seem to squirm and squeal at the first signs of pressure.

When you consider how fit for purpose this Atto 3 is against the intended usage, it's hard to level any major criticism against it. Except for those tyres.

The MG ZS EV has held onto its most affordable mantle in the pricing stakes and, according to our testing, it can still best the challenger BYD Atto 3 on most other fronts too.

In fact, the only area where the BYD Atto 3 can truly claim the upper hand is in comfort and packaging, with its quirky interior affording more space than the ZS EV, courtesy of a longer wheelbase.

Much like its interior design, the Atto 3's infotainment system also offers more 'wow' factor than the one offered in the ZS EV, but our experience with using the BYD's rotating screen suggests functionality could be better.

Both cars lack a current ANCAP safety rating courtesy, and although the BYD provides the more comprehensive standard safety technology offering, it has been held back by compliance issues with the Australian Design Rules, which has seen customer deliveries halted.

On the road, both cars ride well and are quick and nimble from a standstill. But although the BYD Atto 3 has the slightly higher outputs on paper, its heavier kerb weight and average tyres, which lack grip, compromise its performance and give the MG the upper hand again. 

Despite having the marginally higher servicing and insurance costs, the MG edges ahead in terms of ownership with its more clear-cut warranty terms and less-regular servicing intervals.

Finally, while the BYD Atto 3 can claim the longer electric range (345km in the standard range model, 420km in the extended range model, compared with 320km in the MG ZS EV), our real-world testing suggested this can be cut down by freeway driving, and energy consumption crept higher than what we saw in the MG ZS EV.

Of course, the BYD Atto 3's time in Australia is only just beginning and there's plenty of time, and room, to improve.

But for shoppers on the hunt for an affordable EV, the MG ZS EV remains the big fish in a very, very small pond... at least for the time being.