BARGAIN HUNT

The new Dacia Duster and MC ZS are the UK's cheapest small SUVs. Which makes more sense in hybrid form?

DACIA DUSTER vs MG ZS

Value-focused SUVs have never promised so much for so little

"ALL the car you ever need" is something of a cliche, but at the same time it's a phrase that raises a very pertinent question, given the current landscape of the UK market. Vast SUVS with six-figure price tags, and plug-in hybrids that struggle to deliver better efficiency than regular hybrids make you wonder if there's a simpler way.

Well here's a pair of new SUVs with hybrid assistance. Neither takes up much space on the road, nor will they make a big dent in your bank account. The first is from Dacia, a brand that has long stood for value for money, and while the latest Duster aims a little higher in terms of its social standing by displaying a more rugged, adventurous side, it's still something of a bargain, with even the topspec model weighing in at under £27,000.

Up against it is a brand with a familiar name that has waded into the same bargainpriced space that Dacia has occupied almost exclusively for years. The first MG ZS was a cheap family car that ticked many boxes, but its internal-combustion powertrain options were limited. Now MG hopes that a fresh model with a new hybrid powertrain will lift it fully into Dacia's territory.

CONTENDERS

Dacia Duster

DACIA wants to pitch itself as an outdoorsy, lifestyle brand, and the Duster is the car in its line-up that fits that bill best of all.

The third generation of the compact SUV has a more chunky look than its predecessor; it hasn't just gained some brawn, but also some brains courtesy of a new hybrid powertrain and much-improved in-car tech, too. The Hybrid model kicks off from £24,245, but a base petrol/LPG version, badged Bi-Fuel, with a manual gearbox, is cheaper still, at £18,745.

MG ZS