MG ZS EV versus BYD ATTO 3 - Which is Better? We find out!

The BYD ATTO 3 and the MG ZS EV are two of New Zealand's best value electric vehicles and kiwi families are eagerly adopting both models - but which is better value?
To find out, Gav put both vehicles head-to-head in the ultimate showdown, where only one vehicle can be victorious...

And if you're keen on minimising your footprint on our planet's fragile ecosystem, why not switch to using 100% renewable electricity? With Ecotricity you can do that right now.

[nakulanand]

Got zs ev last month as atto 3 is just launched over here in India, byd too is fairly new company in the country. Already at about 1800 kms in a month and really happy with the car.

[maelong]

You have become my favorite EV reviewer, and it's fantastic that you happen to be a local reviewer as well. Thank you so much for the insightful comparison.

[peterjackson]

At last! Someone who genuinely knows about the mechanics of cars! So many EV reviews are done by people who know absolutely nothing. I'm an avid fan of EVs, I own a 2022 MG ZS EV as it was the only EV in the UK that came anywhere near my budget.

When I showed it to my colleagues at work, one of them went out and bought the MG 5!

The BYD does look fantastic, I hear that they're coming to the UK in 2023.

I've got three children, 11, 10 and 7. I use to have an MPV which fitted the children perfectly. I'm desperate to get another MPV, but I'm making do until they're reasonably priced and not based on a van.

[TalismanPHX]

The MG is an overwhelming value. Especially with the unlimited mileage warranty. Well done Gavin.

[hartoz]

I went through the same process myself in Australia and I agree, and bought the Atto 3.

[sydjaguar]

What a great review. You kiwis are so far ahead in the EV race compared to Australia

[lizzam]

Charging port location is a localized preference. Australians might love to forward park, but there are many Asian cars that prefers reverse parking. Some locations also require reverse parking only for safety reasons. therefore a side-mounted charging caters for both forward and reverse charge.

[CulinarySpy]

In the BYD it helps in the daytime if you switch the screen to daytime mode, then you can easily see the numbers etc on the screen. You seem to drive around with the screen in night mode, not a good idea if you want to read it.

[davideurenius]

Love the Potato test! Game changer in car reviews. Thanks for this. 👌

[kidsentertainment]

The Byd regen braking is also used with the brake pedal, if you look at the regen value whilst pushing on the break peddle it increases the negative value

[itsmeammai]

What a great review. I think BYD is best with all features and it gives the best mileage.

[wrquattro]

I really enjoy your reviews, keep up the good work. However one of my gripes about EV reviews in general is that battery chemistry is rarely discussed and virtually never mentioned as a reason to buy a particular model. Here we have the BYD Atto 3 with an LFP battery. The benefits from this chemistry over Lithium ion are considerable
- no rare metals being extracted using child labour
- 3 times the cycle life
- lower degredation with use
- likes to be charged to 100%
- no issues with thermal runaway so it won't catch fire
I can't help but feel that these advantages need to be mentioned. If we are buying EV's to lower our carbon footprint then a battery that lasts 3 times as long makes a huge difference to the carbon footprint of the vehicle over its lifetime.

[asap]

‘Seated heats’ was the feature I was looking for 😩

[stephenodonohue]

Hi Gavin, ove the show. The problem you're having with the Byd's cruise control is it's set at 30 automatically. If you click up, it starts at 30kph. However, if you click down, it will start at the speed you're travelling at. As with you, I was quite nervous every time I set it. A comment on a phone call to BYD (about tyres) set me straight. A big relief.

P.S. any chance of doing a piece on EV tyres. I'm finding it impossible to find out choices in OZ (the Atlas tyres on my Atto 3 seem fine, however a named brand might be quieter, more comfortable and give me more confidence when we get to winter). 10 different tyre retailers and not a single informed reply. It seems that no-one in OZ knows. NZ seems much further advanced in EV's than us... so maybe you'll have better luck.

[jaredneaves]

I think there is a misconception with the BYD regen braking. I test drove a BYD and it appears the regen increases with the brake pedal. It is set up to add more regen when you press the pedal and far before it engages the actual brakes. I might be totally wrong on this but I think this is just the way they designed it to integrate with the brakes and not be set up for single pedal driving.
You can see the regen amount increase as you touch the brake pedal to test this.

[colddiesel]

One I believe, has a heat pump, the other does not. The absence can significantly reduce range in cold weather conditions.

[bricksbymcfly]

Everywhere else in the world the MG ZS EV has 470 liters..with the floor at the lowest point 👌

[martinharrington]

I like your “seated heats” comment. Great review.

[antoniopalmero]

Off the bat I like the BYD best, but choosing between them isn’t easy at all .

[PatriciaFreddy]

BYD is the winner, it just looks so much better especially the interior. A bit more expensive, but a whole lot more value.