Dacia Duster and Chinese competitors. Who travels better? I checked the price

Gone are the days when the Dacia Duster was essentially uncompetitive. The French and Romanian brand now has to deal with new arrivals from China. Although they don’t inspire much confidence yet, they have great advantages in terms of price and satisfactory equipment. And this is something that has always been Dacia’s domain. In addition, here too, years were needed to build a suitable image in the market.

So, does the new generation Duster make a smooth entry into the market? Not amust. In times when every penny is worth its weight in gold, people start looking not for badges, but for what they get for the money they spend.

Dacia Duster, MG ZS, BAIC Beijing 3. How do these cars compare when we compare them?

The choice of these three models is not accidental. First of all, their starting prices are very close to each other. Second, they play in the same league. All this means that the group of affordable crossovers has become more crowded than ever.

The new Dacia Duster is 4,343 mm long, 1,813 mm wide and has a wheelbase of 2,658 mm. The MG ZS is 4,323 mm long (so it’s only 2 cm shorter), 1,809 mm wide and has a 2,580 mm wheelbase. Therefore, a large difference is an important place, because about 8 cm affects the dimensions of the interior.

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BAIC Beijing 3 has a length of 4,325 mm, a width of 1,830 mm and a wheelbase of 2,570 mm. So we can say that they go head to head with the ZS, slightly inferior to the new Dacia.

Duster wins not only for the amount of space in the cabin, but above all with the trunk – it offers 458 liters to use. In MG ZS it is 448 liters, and in BAIC – 390 liters.

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Duster, ZS, Beijing 3 – what can we find under the hood in these cars?

Here we have three completely different concepts. The new Dacia Duster in the basic Essential version uses a 1.0 ECO-G engine, producing 100 HP. It is not powerful, but it has one powerful advantage – it comes with gas installation from the factory. This means that the operation will be cheaper, especially with the current price of oil.

The base version of the MG ZS has a 1.5 liter engine (naturally aspirated) with 106 HP. So it is more powerful, but needs to be “twisted” to get good performance. BAIC Beijing 3 also has a 1.5-liter engine, but with up to 136 HP. Therefore, it is theoretically the strongest and fastest in this ranking.

Equipment is important. Dacia Duster, MG ZS and BAIC Beijing 3 – who offers more for less?

It’s time for an important issue, namely comparing devices. Here, let’s start with Dacia, which offers a lot in the Essential version. To be honest, it’s more than I originally expected.

As usual, we get reversing sensors, air conditioning, all the necessary assistance systems and cruise control. No… multimedia here. At least not the classic ones. You will get 4 speakers, Bluetooth and a USB-C connector. There is also a smartphone holder. It is supposed to be the “entertainment center” in the car. Simple, isn’t it?

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MG ZS is the best in this regard. It has manual air conditioning and electronic multimedia control. 10.1-inch infotainment screen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto support, a set of useful assistance systems, reversing sensors and cruise control. The steering wheel is covered in leather, and there are 17-inch alloy wheels in the wheel arches. So it looks “rich” compared to Dacia, which rides on steel wheels without hubcaps.

BAIC Beijing 3 offers more or less what MG does. We have semi-automatic air conditioning, multimedia (but without Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support), driver assistance systems and reversing sensors. However, you won’t get a leather steering wheel (in fact, there is only one version on the market).

So we can safely say that Dacia is the most spartan in this list, but it is certainly not completely naked. The BAIC Beijing 3 is in the middle, while the MG ZS reigns supreme when it comes to equipment.

And here we come to the price. How much do these models cost?

The basic range prices are as follows.

• Dacia Duster Essential: PLN 79,900
• MG ZS Energize: PLN 79,800
• BAIC Beijing 3 Luxury: PLN 78,900

So the difference is slight. BAIC does not offer any options, and the metallic color costs PLN 2,900. In MG we also pay extra only for selected shades (PLN 2,250). Duster in the Essential version offers only two shades as an option (PLN 2,700). You will not add any additional equipment here.

So which of these cars is the best choice?

I will surprise you with the answer, but … there is no winner here, because each car will appeal to a different customer base. What is it about? I’m explaining it to you now.

Dacia Duster Essential It may be cheaper, but it will be part of the selling point of this model. All customers will choose the best variant of the Expression, and the most demanding people will choose the Journey/Extreme Models. These three versions are more expensive, but they also offer more as usual.

This product also has a good reputation in Poland, a large service network and refined service after sales. And these are arguments that are important to customers.

MG, on the other hand, can attract attention with the basic version of the ZS model, as it offers a lot for a little. Here, many people can trust the brand because it is supported by the largest business groups in Poland, the showrooms are visible, and the 7-year warranty is a strong argument.

In my opinion, BAIC is a little different from a company. I had the opportunity to see the Beijing 3 model first hand and it is clearly a simple and budget model. Moreover, here the showrooms are not very visible and the promotional campaign does not come out of the fridge.

The conclusion is simple: perhaps these models have the same specifications and starting price. However, the new Dacia Duster will meet the taste of a different customer and, in fact, will not compete with these cars. Maybe some of the existing Dacia buyers will think about the ZS when they see what they can get for PLN 79,800 (compared to the Duster, even in the Expression version).

BAIC has more things to do. In addition, it is clear that this brand is paying close attention to the Beijing 5 model in Poland, seeing it as the strongest player on the market.