Mahindra XUV700 vs Mg ZS

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Mahindra XUV700 in South Africa

Mahindra XUV700

AX7L BE Automatic Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 627,899 ex-showroom
⚡ 149 kW 🔧 380 Nm ⛽ 13 km/l
VS
Mg ZS in South Africa

Mg ZS

1.5L 4AT Luxury Petrol 4-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 309,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 84 kW 🔧 150 Nm ⛽ 14.08 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance XUV700
Fuel Economy ZS
🛡 Safety XUV700
📦 Practicality XUV700
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
ZS starts ZAR 205,299 cheaper XUV700 from ZAR 495,199 · ZS from ZAR 289,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec XUV700 ZS
Maximum Power 149 kW @ 5000 rpm 84 kW
Maximum Torque 380 Nm 150 Nm
Engine Size 1997 cc 1498 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 13 km/l 14.08 km/l
Ground Clearance 200 mm 175 mm
Boot / Load Bay 240 l 359 l
Airbags 7 6
Kerb Weight 2040 kg 1258 kg
Seating Capacity 7 seats 5 seats
Warranty 5 years / 150 000 km 7 years / 200,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

XUV700 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while ZS remains close.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance XUV700 +29 pts
Efficiency ZS +2 pts
Safety XUV700 +7 pts
Practicality XUV700 +15 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

XUV700

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

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?

XUV700

  • 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

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec XUV700 ZS
Model Introduced Year Not Available 2025
Generation Current local listing Current local value-positioned ZS compact SUV, sold alongside rather than replaced by the larger turbocharged ZS Pro.
Facelift History Not listed by current South African source page. Current South African ZS specification introduced with MG's market return in 2025.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2025
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV Five-door compact SUV
Model Year Current 2024
Production Status Active active
Segment SUV Compact SUV
Tare Mass Kg 2040 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec XUV700 ZS
Length 4695 mm 4314 mm
Width 1890 mm 1809 mm
Height 1755 mm 1624 mm
Wheelbase 2750 mm 2585 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 200 mm 175 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 60 l 48 l
Boot/Cargo Space 240 l 359 l
Kerb Weight 2040 kg 1258 kg
Seating Capacity 7 seats 5 seats
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - Not Officially Disclosed
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) - 1695 kg
Payload Capacity - 437 kg
Towing Capacity - 500 kg
Number of Rows - 2 rows
Doors - 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius - 5.6 m
Front Headroom - 1043 mm
Rear Headroom - 995 mm
Front Legroom - 1070 mm
Rear Legroom - 850 mm

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

XUV700 leads by 14 points

XUV700 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while ZS remains close.

Index leader 71 /100
Lead 14 points
Data 58% source coverage
71
#1 Index leader

XUV700

58% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 53
Performance 66
Efficiency 53
Safety 94
Practicality 67
Leads by 14 points
57
#2

ZS

73% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 87 Check Performance 37
Performance 37
Efficiency 55
Safety 87
Practicality 52
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance XUV700 +29 Efficiency ZS +2 Safety XUV700 +7 Practicality XUV700 +15

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

XUV700

Performance 66/100
Efficiency 53/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 67/100

ZS

Performance 37/100
Efficiency 55/100
Safety 87/100
Practicality 52/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Mahindra XUV700 leads the catalogue index with 71 pts vs 57 pts for ZS

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, XUV700 leads. However, ZS may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives 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.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This XUV700 and ZS comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: XUV700 66 vs ZS 37.

Efficiency index: XUV700 53 vs ZS 55.

Safety-equipment index: XUV700 94 vs ZS 87.

Practicality index: XUV700 67 vs ZS 52.

Ownership-cover index: XUV700 not separately scored vs ZS 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.