DFSK 500: we drive the Chinese SUV you can already buy for less than 18,500 euros

The compact SUV segment keeps on growing. And with the new DFSK 500 it grows from below, bringing to market a car that competes with the most affordable ones in the segment, namely the MG ZS and the Dacia Duster. If this model sounds familiar, you’re not far off: we once tested the DFSK Seres 3, which we can consider the electric version of the DFSK 500. Currently, in addition to the new DFSK 500 and the DFSK Seres 3 in the SUV-B segment, the DFSK range includes a mid-size SUV, the DFSK F5; and a seven-seat SUV, the DFSK 580. The brand’s future plans include new plug-in hybrid versions of all of them, and the marketing of Seres as an independent brand, positioned above DFSK in terms of luxury and price.

In case you didn’t know and are wondering, DFSK is one of the three giants of the automotive industry in China. In Spain it is part of the Invicta Motor Group, which also sells the Invicta Electric and SWM brands. The brand has 33 dealerships in our country, and the plan is to reach 45 by the end of 2023, with the goal of selling 700 units of this new model this year. To achieve this, the DFSK 500 plays a key card: the price.

The DFSK 500 and the price factor

Before referring to its main rivals, we first want to talk about what the DFSK 500 costs and what you get for that price. We are looking at an SUV measuring 4.38 metres with a very attractive design, which in terms of exterior size sits somewhere between small and compact SUVs; but its price leaves no doubt: it competes with the small ones.

It has an atmospheric 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine of Mitsubishi origin, delivering a maximum power of 106 CV and a maximum torque of 148 Nm, with the option of choosing the adaptation to run on LPG. This allows you to enjoy the advantages of the DGT’s ECO label, and an extended range, as it adds to the 50-litre petrol tank a 52-litre gas tank where the spare wheel would go. The range figure with the homologated consumption comfortably exceeds 1,000 km, although as you can imagine, in practice it is not easy to get close to it; but there is the possibility of covering kilometres much more cheaply with LPG. The LPG adaptation surcharge is around 2,200 euros.

Another feature of the DFSK 500 is that it comes standard with a CVT continuously variable automatic gearbox; there is no option of a manual gearbox. We will talk later about how it works, which clearly shapes the car’s dynamic behaviour. But it’s better to see it as a plus, especially since this does not prevent the DFSK 500 from remaining a car with a very competitive price: including the promotional discount and the brand’s financing campaign, you can get a DFSK from 18,495 euros (20,995 euros without financing), and from 20,719 with LPG and ECO label.

DFSK 500 equipment

What do I get for that price? A good-looking SUV on the outside and even with a certain sporty air inside, with a well-used cabin in which four adults will travel without space issues. The 318-litre boot capacity (whether or not the LPG option is chosen) is not so good in relation to the exterior size, but it’s not bad either, and there is always the option of folding down the split rear seatback.

The interior surprises with a very good visual appearance, with sporty seats, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, and a dashboard partially trimmed to match the seats…. It has details typical of a car at this price, as it could not be otherwise: the sound of the doors closing, hard plastics in certain areas, the feel of some controls, the sound of the radio, or the resolution of the multimedia system screen…

But overall, I dare say that the perceived quality and fit are better than I expected. And so is the equipment. Note what the entry-level Luxury trim includes as standard: light sensor, alloy wheels, leather steering wheel, synthetic leather upholstery, air conditioning, 7-inch touchscreen, rear camera and cruise control.

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The Intelligent versions cost 2,000 euros more, but look at what they add over the Luxury: LED daytime running lights, electric parking brake, rain sensor, climate control, electric sunroof, keyless entry and push-button start, front and rear parking sensors and electrically folding mirrors. You get a top-of-the-range DFSK 500 for 20,495 euros with all the offers, or for 22,719 euros with LPG and ECO label, including the financing campaign.

As options there are only metallic paint, with four colours to choose from (white, black, blue and red) for 615 euros, and the warranty extension from the standard 4 years to 7 years, for 900 euros.

Behind the wheel of the DFSK 500: for relaxed drivers

It’s a shame that the manual gearbox version of the DFSK 500 has not been homologated for the Spanish market, because the CVT automatic gearbox combined with an atmospheric engine that is not overly powerful or torquey conditions the sensations the DFSK 500 transmits through the steering wheel, which depend greatly on the driving style. The homologated performance figures are a top speed of 165 km/h, with 0 to 100 km/h acceleration in 8.9 seconds, within what is expected for the car’s size and the engine’s power.

The result is a car that performs well as long as you drive calmly. Yes, you can travel with it on the motorway, or tackle mountain roads. But you have to accept that if you need to accelerate, for example to overtake or not lose speed when the road climbs, the engine will rev very high -something characteristic of this type of variator automatic gearbox-, which hurts ride comfort and refinement, leaving it somewhat behind the MG ZS or the Duster in this respect.

In town, however, it works wonderfully. As for consumption, a realistic average will be between 8.5 and 9 l/100 km if you are careful with the right foot, which is how the car asks to be driven. Without doubt, it cries out to opt for the LPG-ready adaptation.

Really, the gearbox is the only aspect of the DFSK that requires some adaptation, and I recommend trying it if you have never driven a car with this type of gearbox. With this in mind, the car otherwise has acceptable comfort over bumps, with fairly soft suspension that nonetheless controls body movements well. Comfort is also helped by 205/65-16 tyres, with an aspect ratio unusual for what is common today, but which are a “life insurance” in the urban jungle, on poor-quality roads or when venturing onto tracks or country paths, where you can make the most of the 190 mm ground clearance and generous suspension travel.

DFSK 500 – Photo gallery