Chinese manufacturers are being shunned by Europe, which is putting obstacles in their way! Despite the obstacles, are the MG, Seres and XPeng models really good deals?
In recent years, models from Chinese brands, often cheaper, have made a spectacular breakthrough on the French car market, sowing panic among historic European manufacturers. For example, last year, the manufacturer MG, now under the Chinese flag, made a comeback in France with 33,374 registrations, ahead of brands such as Mini, DS or Seat. But the rules have become tougher for cars produced in the Middle Kingdom. Now, they no longer have plus the right to the ecological bonus. Worse still for them, a European surcharge of 17.4 to 38.1% now applies to models imported from China. To continue their sales growth, Chinese manufacturers are responding with discounts to compensate for the loss of revenue for future buyers. Enough to always make their vehicles good deals? This is what we will see, brand by brand.
Seres 3 a Xpeng G6
A brand of the Chinese Dongfeng (4th national manufacturer), Seres has arrived here with a small electric SUV, the Seres 3. Its 52.6 kWh battery gives it an average range of 290 km, a little tight in absolute terms, but correct for the category. It offers a good compromise between comfort and road holding and claims good habitability, but its trunk could be more spacious. Finally, the price/equipment ratio is good, but not exceptional, even if the 7-year warranty is reassuring. In the end, it is a small SUV with correct features for city use, offered at €33,990 and negotiable at €30,300.
A start-up founded just ten years ago, Xpeng is positioned rather at the top of the range. The G6 electric family SUV will be its spearhead in France. Very close in its dimensions to the Tesla Model Y, it sports like the latter a coupe SUV style with clean lines. The spacious interior, full of storage, is carefully finished. It receives a dashboard dominated by a 38 cm touch screen which groups together almost all the functions. The G6 still offers separate digital instrumentation.
On the technical side, all G6s adopt 800-volt batteries with fast charging (20 minutes to go from 10 to 80%). The top-of-the-range Performance version receives two motors and a large 87.5 kWh battery, for a power of 476 hp. Enough to claim excellent performance, even if the vague steering does not encourage sporty driving. And if the suspensions are a little firm, the soundproofing is neat and the sobriety seems promising. During our brief test, we noted a consumption of 15.4 kWh/100 km, which is better than the WLTP figures! The 550 km of autonomy announced therefore seem credible.
However, there is still room for improvement in ergonomics and correction of overly intrusive driving aids. Finally, the G6 is well positioned, with prices lower than those of the Model Y and a 7-year warranty as a bonus. The Performance version is priced at €52,000. In conclusion, this is a spacious, well-equipped SUV with good autonomy.
The MG3
A hybrid city car, like the Clio or Yaris, but which would display 195 hp without consuming more? This now exists with MG, which offers its MG3. It can be ordered from €19,900, or at least €3,500 less than the others, with a 7-year or 150,000 km warranty! This MG3 ticks a lot of boxes, and does so with a certain comfort for its chassis part. Both dynamic and efficient on dry roads, the MG3 does not sacrifice comfort. On the other hand, the 195 hp do not make this Chinese car a sports car. Depending on the speed and operating mode, the thermal and electric engines do not always work together. The electric is particularly predominant up to 80 km/h. Maximum power is only available in certain circumstances.
The philosophy of the car is to consume less than to push hard. It can still roar, but more in recovery than in pure acceleration. The appetite, estimated at 5.4 l/100 km on average by our lab, is barely higher than that claimed by the Clio and Yaris (5.3 l/100 km). However, it displays significantly higher performance. To top it all off, the equipment from the Standard finish at €19,900 is already provided. This is not a cut-price version, far from it. The price/performance ratio of the MG3 is unbeatable… for now. But the recent surcharge envisaged by the European Parliament will perhaps make this MG significantly less interesting…
Other MG models
As for the manufacturer’s other models, the MG4 now offers an “Extended Range” version, equipped with a larger battery. Enough to display a good range, including on the highway. However, the fast recharge times remain a little long. And that’s good, because the Chinese car is proving to be gifted for traveling, with very pleasant road handling and tolerant suspensions. As for the performance, it is excellent! Passengers will also benefit from rather generous rear seats. But the trunk lacks volume for the category. The finish is “cheap” and the ergonomics of the infotainment system frankly leaves something to be desired. However, even without bonuses, the MG compact still offers a very good price/performance ratio… coupled with a 7-year warranty. The MG4 is therefore a compact with neat features, at a reasonable price of €39,490, negotiable at €36,700.
For its family SUV, the MG Marvel R, the manufacturer takes care of its equipment and wants to reassure with its 7-year warranty. But the autonomy, especially on the highway, is lacking for its category. Another weak point, it does not recharge quickly. In addition, despite its imposing size, it lacks trunk and its rear habitability is just average. And if it claims correct performances, its steering would benefit from being more precise and its road behavior is clumsy. To make matters worse, the loss of the bonus makes it less financially interesting.
Source: www.autoplus.fr
