2021 MG ZS vs Geely Coolray Comparison: Spec Sheet Battle

Chinese branded car brands have steadily gained recognition in the ever-competitive local automotive market. And if you’re the observant type, you probably have noticed that most of these companies’ initial offerings consisted of crossovers.

For MG, they released the ZS back in 2018. Then in 2019, Geely Motors made its comeback in the Philippines.  

While the Geely Coolray is positioned to be more premium than the MG ZS, both car models have variants that have some overlap when it comes to pricing.

The MG ZS Alpha 1.5 AT top-spec variant can be had for Php 998,888, while the entry-level Coolray Comfort 1.5 DCT is priced at Php 978,000. Of note, that’s only a Php 20,888 difference.  

Which crossover is better on paper? Let's compare them to find out

The question now is, which of these two have the better specifications? Let’s find out.

When it comes to exteriors, both the MG ZS and the Geely Coolray come with roughly the same features. Both have halogen headlamps, halogen turn signal lamps with side repeaters, front fog lamps, a roof-mounted spoiler, LED taillights, and both even ride on 17-inch alloy wheels.

The only difference between the two when it comes to exterior features is that the MG ZS Alpha is equipped with roof rails, while the Geely Coolray Comfort lacks the said feature.

For you, which crossover looks better? Is it the MG ZS (left), or the Geely Coolray (right)?

Size-wise, the crossover from MG has a length of 4,314 mm, a width of 1,809 mm, and a height of 1,648 mm. It also has a ground clearance of 164 mm, and a wheelbase length of 2,585 mm.

In comparison, the Geely Coolray is 4,330 mm long, 1,795 mm wide, and 1,609 mm in height. It has a ground clearance of 196 mm, and a wheelbase length of 2,600 mm. 

While the MG branded crossover is wider, the Geely Coolray has a longer wheelbase and overall length. Of note, the latter is also shorter than the ZS, but it has more ground clearance.

Which crossover has the better-looking side profile? Is it the MG ZS (left) or the Geely Coolray (right)?

Being a top-spec variant, the MG ZS Alpha has a lot going for it. It has leather-clad seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, as well as a sunroof.

The Geely Coolray Comfort, on the other hand, has fabric-covered seats and no sunroof. Both do come with manual air-conditioning and manual adjustment for the front seats, but the Geely Coolray Comfort’s tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment is obviously more versatile than the MG ZS Alpha’s tilt-only steering wheel.

For on-board entertainment, the MG ZS Alpha gets an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, USB, and Bluetooth connectivity. It is then linked up to a six-piece speaker set.

Inside the MG ZS

>>> Related: Geely Coolray: How much do you need to earn to buy one?

Compare that to the Coolray Comfort’s 10.25-inch touchscreen, which uses the QDLink smartphone mirroring software. It works just as well as Android Auto, but there might be some connecting pains for iPhone users.

Apart from that, the said head unit can also connect via USB and Bluetooth. It does have fewer speakers than the MG ZS Alpha numbering at only four.

For the driver, both the MG ZS Alpha and the Geely Coolray Comfort are equipped with cruise control, and a push to start button. Geely branded crossover, however, offers more with its power-folding side mirrors and digital gauge cluster.

The MG ZS Alpha, on the other hand, lacks those two aforementioned features. 

The interior of the Geely Coolray (Sport variant shown)

And lastly, the MG ZS has a larger default cargo capacity of 448 liters, compared to the Geely Coolray’s 330 liters. Both, however, can fit up to five occupants.

>>> Related: MG SUVs Philippines: List of popular models, specs, price & more

Under the hood of the MG ZS Alpha is a 1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline engine, which is capable of making up to 112 horsepower and 150 Nm of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission.

Comparatively, the Geely Coolray Comfort uses an inline-3 engine with a 1.5-liter displacement. While having one less cylinder than the ZS’s engine, the Coolray’s inline-3 is turbocharged. As such, it makes more at 177 horsepower and 255 Nm of torque.

Power is sent to the front wheels through a dual-clutch seven-speed automatic transmission.

The Geely Coolray's engine bay

To sum it up, the Geely Coolray offers more power and torque. It also has more gears, which might mean that it might be able to reach a higher top speed than the ZS.

Both the ZS and the Coolray use a MacPherson strut front suspension, and a torsion beam rear suspension system. Both models also have disc brakes for the front and rear. The ZS uses a manual parking brake, while the Coolray has an electronic parking brake with an auto-brake hold feature.

To start with comparing their safety kits, both the MG ZS Alpha and the Geely Coolray Comfort come standard with a reverse camera, and parking sensors.

Both models also get six airbags, anti-lock braking with electronic brake-force distribution, speed-sensing door locks, as well as stability and traction control.

For security, these two come equipped with a security alarm and engine immobilizer. The Geely Coolray Comfort, however, lacks the hill start assist and tire pressure monitoring that’s available on the MG ZS Alpha.

If it isn’t obvious already, we compared the entry-level Geely Coolray Comfort with the top-spec MG ZS Alpha. This is because the MG branded model is priced only Php 20,888 more than Coolray.  

Despite being the most affordable variant, the Coolray Comfort obviously beats the ZS Alpha in terms of raw power. It also has more gears, and its paddle shifters are definitely sportier than the ZS Alpha’s lever-type manual mode. 

Do you like the MG ZS?

On the other side of the coin, the ZS, regardless of variants, offers more cargo space. For a very active professional or family-oriented person, every single liter will count. Also, the ZS has leather seats, which are much easier to clean than the Coolray Comfort’s fabric seats. Moreover, leather seats make the cabin more premium looking. But then again, you have to take note the ZS Alpha is a top-spec variant while the Coolray Comfort is an entry-level model.  

For safety, the ZS Alpha also gets points over the Coolray, since it comes with a hill start assist and a tire pressure monitoring system.  

Or do you prefer the Geely Coolray?

To sum it up, the Coolray Comfort might attract those wanting fun to drive crossover that comes with a dash of practicality. If usable cargo space is your concern though, the MG ZS Alpha might be more to your liking. 

For more comparison articles like this, keep reading here on Philkotse.com.