Lexus NX vs MG ZS Pro

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Lexus NX in South Africa

Lexus NX

NX 350 F SPORT Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,276,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
VS
MG ZS Pro in South Africa

MG ZS Pro

1.5T CVT Luxury Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 431,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 125 kW 🔧 275 Nm ⛽ 14.5 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Lexus NX vs MG ZS Pro: the short answer

NX has a modest catalogue-index lead, while ZS Pro remains close.

ZS Pro starts ZAR 676,600 cheaper NX from ZAR 1,074,200 · ZS Pro from ZAR 397,600

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification NX ZS Pro
Maximum Power NX205 kW @ 6000 rpm ZS Pro125 kW
Maximum Torque NX430 Nm ZS Pro275 Nm
Engine Size NX2400 cc ZS Pro1496 cc
Combined Fuel Economy NX12.3 km/l ZS Pro14.5 km/l
Ground Clearance NX195 mm ZS Pro161 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

NX

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

ZS Pro

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

NX

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

ZS Pro

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec NX ZS Pro
Model Introduced Year 2023 2025
Generation Second-generation Lexus NX mid-size luxury SUV Current South African ZS Pro compact SUV with a 1.5-litre turbo engine, CVT and two-grade matrix.
Facelift History Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives Launched locally in 2025 while the value-led ZS remained current.
Facelift Launched Since Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives 2025
Facelift Version Ending Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17 Current
Body Style SUV Five-door compact SUV
Model Year 2026 2025
Production Status published active
Segment Luxury SUV Compact SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1760-1860 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec NX ZS Pro
Length 4660 mm 4430 mm
Width 1865 mm 1818 mm
Height 1670 mm 1635 mm
Wheelbase 2690 mm 2610 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 195 mm 161 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 520 l 443 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2370 kg 1840 kg
Towing Capacity 1000 kg 500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.8 m Not Officially Disclosed
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - Not Officially Disclosed
Kerb Weight - 1390 kg
Payload Capacity - 450 kg
Number of Rows - 2 rows
Front Headroom - 875 mm
Rear Headroom - 865 mm
Front Legroom - 1060 mm
Rear Legroom - Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This NX and ZS Pro comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: NX 86 vs ZS Pro 56.

Efficiency index: NX 49 vs ZS Pro 58.

Safety-equipment index: NX 93 vs ZS Pro 91.

Practicality index: NX 65 vs ZS Pro 55.

Ownership-cover index: NX not separately scored vs ZS Pro not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

NX leads by 10 points

NX has a modest catalogue-index lead, while ZS Pro remains close.

Evidence leader 75 /100
Lead 10 points
Data 70% source coverage
75
#1 Evidence leader

NX

70% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 86
Efficiency 49
Safety 93
Practicality 65
Leads by 10 points
65
#2

ZS Pro

80% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Practicality 55
Performance 56
Efficiency 58
Safety 91
Practicality 55
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance NX +30 Efficiency ZS Pro +9 Safety NX +2 Practicality NX +10

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

NX

Performance 86/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 65/100

ZS Pro

Performance 56/100
Efficiency 58/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 55/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Lexus NX leads the specification evidence index with 75 pts vs 65 pts for ZS Pro

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, NX leads. However, ZS Pro may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

NX vs ZS Pro questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.