Bulk savings

The promise of a lot of metal for a modest amount of money is hard to resist, and these family SUVs deliver just that. We find out if either is a genuine bargain - or simply an economy too far.

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YOU CAN BUY pretty much anything from Amazon these days, but if you want similar gear at bargain basement prices, you go to apps like Shein and Temu. The idea of huge hauls for minimal outlay clearly resonates with consumers; these retail platforms have enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity in recent years.

When we're used to paying through the nose for utilities, insurance and even food these days, it's great to find instances where our money can stretch a little farther. And that's where the new Dacia Bigster might help.

This is a family SUV - the size of a Volkswagen Tiguan - that you can buy for less than you'll pay for a smaller Volkswagen T-Roc.

In fact, the Bigster that we have here undercuts almost all of its direct rivals, even in well-equipped Journey trim and featuring a hybrid engine that should help to save on running costs.

Dacia isn't the only player in the 'a lot for a little' game, though. Like those discount apps, the MG HS is the Shein to Dacia's Temu. It, too, is a hefty five-seat SUV, and while it doesn't have any hybrid tech to cut fuel consumption, you can buy it in top-spec Trophy trim for not much more than the price of our Bigster. That means a list of kit you'd pay a small fortune for if you were to go for a Tiguan.

And as if the Bigster wasn't being sufficiently kept on its toes already, we named the pricier MG HS PHEV as our 2025 Plug-in Hybrid of the Year - a promising start for the regular petrol version that we've lined up here.

So, in this battle of value for money, let's find out if the Bigster or the HS is more deserving of your hard-earned cash.