This Chinese VW California competitor is under £30,000

Watch out for the Chinese in the camper segment

Maxus RG20 camper china cheap

By: Fernando Moreno

Published by: Brian Potter

Apr 1, 2024 at 6:32am ET

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We have been warning the traditional brands for a long time. The Chinese car manufacturers are already here and can sweep away everything that has been established thanks to their respectable quality and low prices. The same thing is going to happen in the camper market.

The most obvious example is the Maxus RG20, which could be described as the Chinese Volkswagen California. It is a camper van with a more than adequate conversion that costs less than £35,000 (approx. £30,000) in its home country. From our European perspective, it is a real bargain.

If this rate were to be maintained for the UK, you'd be getting a motor home for the price of a 'simple' compact SUV, albeit a well-equipped one. Moreover, this is not a vehicle for two-person trips, but for family trips, as it has four sleeping places thanks to the pop-up roof.

Gallery: Maxus RG20

Maxus RG20

Maxus RG20 Maxxus RG20

The camper also has an outside burner and a fridge so you don't have to rely on restaurants and can cook cheaply at your chosen destination. An outdoor shower is also handy on hot days to wash up after a day of sport or hiking.

If you don't want to rely on a campsite for 'evacuation' either, the RG20 comes with a portable chemical toilet. And for in-cab living, the four-seater dinette, with leather seating and extendable table, is the perfect place to eat, chat or play a game of cards, for example.

In the Chinese market, Maxus offers the RG20 in various interior configurations to suit the personal taste and needs of each customer. Depending on the desired configuration, the outlay can be increased.

Look at these other camper vans:

The £8,500 Dacia camper van that many people are dreaming of

Spacious, well-equipped camper van for £46,300 - perfect for travelling?

McLouis camper van for £44,000: The cheapest possible

A well-equipped camper: Fiat base, at a good price and up to 180 PS

The truth is that we would only change one thing about the Maxus RG20 and that is its engine, as we would prefer a diesel block to the 224 PS 2-litre turbocharged petrol that it uses, for the sake of lower fuel consumption.

What do you think?

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At least there's no shortage of performance and it works with a ZF automatic transmission, the same eight-speed torque converter used by BMW, Alfa Romeo and Land Rover.

Take a look at the attached photos to see that this Chinese camper would not be bluffing its way into the UK and would take a lot of sales away from historic and established brands. Just look at MG as an example.

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