MGI Zip Navigator AT vs MGI Zip X5

The Quick Verdict

Get the MGI Zip X5. At $600 less at list, it does almost everything the Navigator AT does — same battery range, same downhill control, same three-year warranty, even the same Zip fold — and it's lighter to lift into the trunk. The Navigator AT is worth the premium if you want a full directional remote with a gyroscope, four wheels instead of three, and you don't mind 37 lbs with the battery on your tailgate.

What They Have in Common

Both are MGI electric caddies with a Zip fold, swivelling front wheel, downhill speed control, a 24V lithium battery rated for up to 36 holes, and a three-year warranty. Both include a cup holder and umbrella holder. Neither publishes GPS or follow mode. The range figure is the same number, and MGI notes on both that it's an "up to" depending on conditions.

Where They Differ

Remote control — the biggest thing

The Navigator AT has a full directional remote with a patented gyroscope. The Zip X5 has no remote at all; MGI sells it as the non-remote model. That's not a subtle trim difference — it changes how you use the cart. With the Navigator AT, you send it ahead while you walk. With the Zip X5, you walk with it. If a remote is why you're buying an electric caddy in the first place, the Zip X5 isn't the cart for this comparison.

Wheels

The Navigator AT runs four wheels: dual swivelling fronts and all-terrain rear wheels, plus a foldable rear fifth wheel. The Zip X5 runs three wheels, with a lockable swivel front and a foldable rear fourth wheel. Four wheels against three is a different layout, though I won't tell you one handles better than the other — I haven't pushed either one up a wet fairway edge.

Weight

Without the battery, the Zip X5 is 5.1 lbs lighter than the Navigator AT. With batteries in, it's 30.57 lbs against the Navigator AT's 37 lbs. Six and a half pounds is something twice a round, loading and unloading a trunk. MGI publishes both figures for both carts, so the comparison is sound either way.

Brake

The Zip X5 has an electronic park brake. The Navigator AT — MGI doesn't publish a brake specification for it, so there's nothing to compare there.

Folded size and trunk fit

Folded, the Navigator AT goes 28 × 19 × 17 inches; the Zip X5 goes 27.55 × 18.5 × 16.5 inches. The X5 folds smaller by about 0.3 cubic feet. The longest dimension is 28 inches for the Navigator AT and 27.55 inches for the Zip X5. Measure your trunk. These are close, but the X5 is the smaller one on every side if clearance is tight.

Price

The Zip X5 lists at $1,099. The Navigator AT lists at $1,699. That's a $600 gap at list for the remote, the fourth wheel, and the all-terrain rear wheels.

Who Should Buy Which

Get the MGI Zip X5 if:

• You walk with the cart rather than send it ahead, and a remote isn't part of the picture
• Trunk weight matters — 30.57 lbs with the battery is a more manageable lift than 37 lbs
• You want an electronic park brake at a lower list price
• The $600 difference at list goes elsewhere in the bag setup

Get the MGI Zip Navigator AT if:

• The full directional remote with gyroscope is why you're here — that's the feature that separates these two
• You want four wheels and the all-terrain rear wheels MGI lists for it
• You want the remote to send the cart ahead while you walk and manage the game
• The extra weight at the tailgate is acceptable given what you're getting for it

The Bottom Line

The Zip X5 is the right call for most people shopping this comparison. Same range, same warranty, same fold, $600 less at list, and lighter to lift. The Navigator AT charges a real premium — $600 is real money — and what it buys you specifically is the full directional remote and a four-wheel all-terrain setup. If neither of those is the reason you're buying, you're paying for something you won't use.

Get the MGI Zip X5.