MG ZS vs Renault Duster

What's the difference?

MG is far more popular as a Chinese-owned brand than it was as a British sports car maker.

The company now makes cars that appeal to a wider range of people, especially those looking for an affordable way into electric vehicles. As part of that broad appeal the company also makes regular petrol cars like the one tested here - the MG ZS Essence.

That’s right, we’re not testing the electric version of the MG ZS, nor the hybrid variant. Not even the one with the turbo. Our ZS is the ordinary petrol version in the mid-level Essence grade. Could it be the pick of the lot? Well… you’ll know soon.

First, who are the ZS’s rivals? The ZS is a small SUV and competes against the likes of the GWM Haval Jolion, Kia Seltos and Mazda CX-30. Having tested all of them we can say the ZS does some things better but also struggles to match a few of the other qualities of its rivals.

Oh, and don’t confuse the MG ZS with the MG HS. The HS is bigger and a mid-sized SUV, while the ZS is a small SUV. Got it?

Read on and we’ll take you through the strengths and weaknesses of the ZS Essence.

@carsguide.com.au New-gen MG ZS petrol tested! #MG #ZS #car #carsguide #fyp ♬ original sound - CarsGuide.com.au

The Dacia Duster, a well-liked small SUV in Europe, has been available in overseas markets for about 15 years and it’s now here, albeit rebadged as the Renault Duster.

At a time when people increasingly want to escape the modern-day rat race, vehicles such as the Duster offer a family- and budget-friendly way of achieving just that.

A new small 4x4 that actually might be somewhat capable off-road and with a manual gearbox? How refreshing.

But is the Duster a legitimate rival for something like the Suzuki Jimny?

Read on.