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Marton Pettendy6 Feb 2021
REVIEW

MG ZST v Volkswagen T-Cross 2021 Comparison

The newest small SUVs from China and Europe go head-to-head
Review Type
Comparison
Review Location
Gold Coast, Queensland

Why are we comparing these two?

Australia’s new-vehicle market might have shrunk last year, when demand for traditional passenger cars plunged by 30 per cent, but the SUV segment declined the least – thanks almost entirely to the increasing popularity of light and small SUVs.

The smallest SUV segment grew the most, courtesy of new models like the Ford Puma, Hyundai Venue, Nissan JUKE, Toyota Yaris Cross and the Volkswagen T-Cross, which arrived Down Under in May.

Despite being on sale for little over half the year, the T-Cross surged to third in the segment, behind the evergreen Mazda CX-3 and Hyundai Venue.

The small SUV segment grew too, led by new arrivals like the Kia Seltos, (facelifted) Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, Skoda Kamiq, Volkswagen T-Roc and the MG ZST, although the aged Mitsubishi ASX and soon-to-be-updated Hyundai Kona remained the big sellers here.

That said, the MG ZS on which the new ZST is based, was one of the fastest-growing in the small SUV segment, and (alongside the aged but top-selling MG3 light hatch) helped the Chinese brand to a meteoric rise locally in 2020, when its sales boomed by a staggering 83 per cent to more than 15,000 units.

Volkswagen T-Cross is technically a light SUV

The MG ZS first arrived here in November 2017, and was joined by the facelifted and upgraded ZST flagship – available in both entry-level Excite form from $28,490 plus on-road costs and premium Essence guise tested here – in September 2020. The standard ZS also forms the basis of MG’s first electric car, the ZS EV.

Similarly, the Volkswagen T-Cross 85TSI can be had as the base Life variant tested here, and high-spec Style guise priced from $33,490 drive-away, with a more powerful 110TSI Style flagship version to follow.

So while the T-Cross is technically a light SUV and the ZST a small SUV, both vehicles ride on a similar-sized footprint, drive their front wheels with a small three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, come standard with an automatic transmission, weigh less than 1300kg and are priced within $3000 of each other.

MG ZST is based on the ZS which first arrived here in November 2017

Priced and specced to please

The entry-level Volkswagen T-Cross 85TSI Life has copped a $400 list price hike since launch (now $28,390 plus ORCs), but its $29,990 drive-away sticker remains unchanged and represents solid value for money.

The standard equipment list extends to 16-inch alloy wheels, black roof rails, air-conditioning, a leather-clad multifunction steering wheel, tyre pressure monitoring, automatic headlights and wipers and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror.

But the MG ZST, especially in top-shelf Essence form listed at $31,490 plus on-road costs (or $32,990 drive-away), is packed with even more standard equipment, bringing even better value.

The Chinese-made MG steps ahead of the Spanish-built Volkswagen with keyless entry and starting (yes, you have to insert and turn the key in the base T-Cross), synthetic leather interior trim with contrast stitching (all T-Cross variants come with cloth trim), climate control, front centre armrest, 17-inch two-tone machined alloy wheels (T-Cross Life gets 16s) and red brake callipers.

T-Cross interior is very Volkswagen

It also looks more upmarket with LED headlights and tail-lights, a panoramic sunroof, six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, five USB ports (one more than the T-Cross) and a high-gloss black treatment for the ‘Exclusive’ grille, fog light surrounds, door mirrors (with integrated turn signals), side sill extensions and rear diffuser.

Indeed, while the MG is slightly bigger in all directions and has a stylish, cheeky exterior design with a recognisable badge, the VW is a bit more conservative and looks a lot like a jacked-up Polo hatch, which it effectively is.

Indeed, while the MG is slightly bigger in all directions and has a stylish, cheeky exterior design with a recognisable badge, the VW is a bit more conservative and looks a lot like a jacked-up Polo hatch, which it effectively is.

A look inside the MG ZST

Safe and high-tech

The MG ZST tops the Volkswagen T-Cross Life in this area too, with technologies the German-designed car can’t match.

This includes a 10.1-inch colour infotainment touch-screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – versus 8.0-inch for the VW, which lacks in-built navigation – plus a customisable digital instrument cluster and 360-degree surround-view camera.

The only real let-downs here are the silly digital tacho, the lack of volume control on the touch-screen and some lost-in-translation system phrases like ‘wind level’ rather than fan speed.

In terms of safety, both cars score six airbags, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, auto headlights and wipers, low-speed autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane keeping and lane departure warning, and both driver safety suites work very effectively – but the MG Pilot system is far more intrusive.

And it should be noted that while the Spanish-built T-Cross achieved a full five-star safety rating under ANCAP’s latest testing protocols in 2019, the ZST carries over the four-star rating awarded to the ZS back in 2017.

A reversing camera is available on both cars

Volkswagen wins more points with AEB pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, driver fatigue detection, rear ‘manoeuvre braking’ (we tested it and it works very well, up to 10km/h), front parking sensors and wireless smartphone charging.

However, it lacks the MG’s adaptive cruise control, intelligent cruise assist, traffic jam assist, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, auto door locking and speed sign recognition.

That said, if safety is important to you – and it should be – the T-Cross Life is available with two option packs that include the key safety and infotainment technology advantages of the ZST Essence, making its total price about the same as the MG’s.

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The $1200 Driver Assistance Package brings adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring with rear traffic alert, park assist and proactive occupant protection, while the $1900 Sound & Vision Package adds a digital cockpit, Discover Media and 300W Beats premium sound.

Together, they bring the Volkswagen’s price to $33,090 drive-away – just $100 more than the MG. But note that VW charges $600 extra for metallic and pearl-effect paint, which is free with the MG.

Alternatively, for another $400, the top-spec T-Cross 85TSI Style adds all of those safety features as standard, plus 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, paddle shifters, carpet mats, chrome roof rails, park assist and sports front seats.

When it comes to aftersales provisions, the MG has a longer warranty (seven years versus five years for the VW, also with no mileage limit) and lower service costs ($1504 over five years versus $2445, or $1800 if you pay up front), despite similar service intervals – 12-month/10,000km for the MG, 12-month/15,000km for the VW.

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Peppy turbo triples

Both the MG ZST and Volkswagen T-Cross come with puny three-cylinder turbo-petrol engines – displacing 1.3 litres in the MG and just 1.0 litre in the VW – but both deliver a surprising level of performance.

As you’d expect, the MG delivers a fair bit more power and torque (115kW/230Nm versus 85kW/200Nm for the VW), but thanks to the T-Cross’ lower kerb weight (1249kg versus 1295kg for the MG), the German brand’s small SUV feels punchier at all revs and is more efficient.

Both models require 95 RON premium unleaded and both used about half a litre more fuel per 100km than claimed (5.4L/100km for the VW; 7.1L/100km for the MG).

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The ZST’s turbo triple is not only noisier when the revs rise, its conventional (torque-converter) six-speed auto makes it feel less willing than the VW’s and is slower to downshift when you need it to.

Then again, while the Volkswagen’s three-pot chugs away with more, dare we say, character and punches well above its weight in the midrange, the same seven-speed dual-clutch auto that makes it feel sportier everywhere can also be jerkier at low speeds without gentle throttle inputs.

Overall though, the extra performance and efficiency of the Volkswagen’s litre-mill give it an easy win here.

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On the road

Likewise, both these compact SUVs ride and handle far better than you’d expect for such small vehicles with solid (torsion beam) rear axles, whether it’s on a winding mountain road or the school run.

Despite riding taller than a traditional hatchback, both cars remain surprisingly flat even during hard cornering, have agile steering with decent feedback and offer genuine ride comfort on all surfaces.

And except for some tyre noise on rough roads, both interiors are whisper-quiet at all speeds.

But the Volkswagen steers a little more sharply, is more stable under hard braking, quicker to settle over big bumps and its body is more resistant to shocks from potholes and the like.

Riding on the Volkswagen Group’s ubiquitous MQB platform, the T-Cross is a fair bit smaller than the ZST in all key dimensions including length (4108 v 4323mm), width (1760 v 1809mm) and height (1583 v 1653mm), but a similar wheelbase (2563 v 2585mm), overall footprint and interior dimensions reveals its smarter packaging.

Plenty of legroom in the back of the MG ZST

Inside, the ZST has more rear legroom, but the tardis-like T-Cross has similar headroom and shoulder room front and back, a bigger boot (455 v 359 litres), more total cargo space (1285 v 1187 litres) and a full-size spare.

Both driver’s seats are comfortable, both cockpits ergonomic and both interiors very well appointed at this price, including a pair of rear USB outlets in both cars.

Sadly, however, neither model offers face-level rear air-vents and the ZST also lacks telescopic steering wheel adjustment.

The MG compensates somewhat with soft-touch surfaces everywhere except the upper door trims, and its cool red stitching and carbon-look inlays make for a sportier look than the more classically styled VW cabin.

T-Cross has more space overall

So which one wins?

There’s no question the MG ZST is the best small SUV we’ve seen from the world’s most populous nation so far.

The heavily upgraded, more upmarket version of the popular MG ZS is a very accomplished vehicle with plenty of substance to go with its sizzle, and a prime example of why MG sales are soaring and why even more Aussies will flock to the next generation of Chinese cars.

The MG ZST delivers more power, equipment, luxury and legroom than the Volkswagen T-Cross Life and it’s backed by a more generous warranty and lower service costs.

Its shortfall in dynamics, ride comfort and refinement aren’t as big as you might expect, so for many it will come down to the value equation presented by its many bells and whistles.

Drumroll... the winner is Volkswagen T-Cross

But neither model is what you’d call cheap for a small SUV and the ZST’s value advantage all but evaporates alongside an optioned-up T-Cross Life or the standard T-Cross Style for around the same price.

Throw in the Volkswagen’s superior engine and chassis performance, efficiency, packaging and safety credentials, and – for now at least – the German car-maker’s smallest SUV outguns the MG ZST in the areas that matter most.

How much does the 2021 MG ZST Essence cost?
Price: $32,990 (drive-away)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.3-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 115kW/230Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 162g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Four-star (ANCAP 2017)

How much does the 2021 Volkswagen T-Cross 85TSI Life cost?
Price: $29,990 (drive-away)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 85kW/200Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 5.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 123g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)

Related: MG ZST 2020 Review
Related: Classy new MG ZST launched
Related: Volkswagen T-Cross 85TSI Life 2020 2021 Review
Related: Volkswagen T-Cross priced from under $28K

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