Dongfeng is the last to enter the UAE automobile market among the four state-owned biggies from China. Among the four models they showcase, Dongfeng Mage is the most popular – a practical 5-seater designed to please.
The Dongfeng brand legacy
Dongfeng Motor Corporation is one of the four major automotive manufacturers owned by the People’s Republic of China – the other three beings SAIC Motors (we are familiar with the MG brand), Changan Automobile and FAW Group. Like the Jeep and Defender, Dongfeng also has an origin story linked to the battlefield. The company was envisaged as a manufacturer of light military trucks during the Korean war in the early fifties. But it wasn’t until 1969 that Dongfeng came into being. Initially focusing on commercial vehicles, the majority of the company’s production shifted to passenger cars by the turn of the century. Under the Dongfeng umbrella, there are many automotive sub-divisions – two of them are familiar to us – M-Hero, the recently arrived brand in luxury off-roading and Forthing, which is occasionally seen on UAE roads. Then there is Aeolus, which is the brand Mage belongs to. We can simply go on to call this car ‘Dongfeng Mage’ but now you won’t be wondering why the name Aeolus is spread across its bonnet.
Mage, the 5-seater midsize SUV
Like many of the Chinese midsize cars that come in their own convenient size, the Mage is 4.65 m long, quite similar to its major rivals, Geely Starray and Jetour Dashing. When it comes to design, Mage isn’t keeping its admiration of Porsche design a secret, but brings to mind the Peugeot 3008 in the facia. The Tesla-styled hidden door handles and large alloy wheels add to the aerodynamic, low-profile design. Finding inspiration in the right places seem to be a modern virtue in automotive.
Cabin comforts
The interiors impressed me for two reasons rolled into one – being bold and subtle at the same time (is that even possible?)! The stark, orange leather seats live up to the sporty profile of the crossover, which otherwise makes no claim of being sporty or adventurous – it is rather a cool, urban crossover.
The plastics and other synthetic material are made to look classy with intriguing patterns marking the dashboard. Complementing this is the exceptionally clean console bridge design – but for a small gear switch lever, there is hardly anything to disturb its peace!
Even without the superfluous luxury of dual-zone AC, Dongfeng Mage comes with rear AC vents – good enough to keep a cool head. The mid-seat is flat and comfortably seats an adult. The Mage makes space for comfort and convenience from the boot to the cabin. Besides the seatback pouches, there are seat-side pouches too. The console deck has space for two phones and there is a lower deck for quick storage, but it might be helpful to get those cheap grip-pads over them. The armrest storage has the clever addition of a blower vent, so as to double up as a cool-box.
Cabin tech
The six speakers in the cabin streamed enjoyable music from my phone. But that is all I get to enjoy now, as there is no radio in the Mage – looks like from where the Mage comes from, unlike the UAE, people stick to their own playlists and don’t care much for radio. It is equipped to receive DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) which incidentally is not a ubiquitous presence in our region. So, radio wisdom seems to have dawned late for the Mage but the good news is that Dongfeng has assured to bring it in a couple of months. Two out of their four models already have it.
The driver info screen is 10.2” wide while a 13.2” tablet leans onto the dashboard. Wireless charger is present only in the top trim but charging by wire is rather quick. The Mirror Link App allows your phone screen to be reflected wirelessly for navigation and other features.
Safety
The base trim has 4 airbags while the top trim gets two curtain airbags, too. A 360-degree camera with top angle and transparent chassis view (shows obstacles underneath) is standard. The top variant is equipped with Advanced Driver Assist features, ranging from Adaptive Cruise Control and Blind Spot Monitoring to Lane Keep Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. Even without the tech, blind spot was still absent in the left side mirror and brief in the right, which is simply resolved by a quick shoulder check, recommended standard practice anyway. The relatively high placement of the rear windscreen helps to avoid view compromise from headrests but could eschew the road space immediately behind the car.
The Drive
Dongfeng Mage is driven by a 1.5L Turbo engine but its 202 hp and 305 Nm of torque, delivered smoothly and seamlessly, wouldn’t let you believe this! However, the drive isn’t sporty in the way enthusiasts speak of it. Rather, Mage has an easy going, loose-on-the-leash sort of drive, which seems to be preferred by most young drivers. For those who wish for a more stringent steering feel, settings can be adjusted. As for driving modes, there are two – Sport and Standard.
Dongfeng Mage is one of the few in the segment that strikes a balance between power and fuel economy. The promise of over 14 km was often fulfilled on long drives while achieving over 11km on average.
For a change, I drove the base trim and was still left impressed!
Dong Feng Mage comes in two trims – I tested the basic which still spelt so much value with its 19” wheels, 6-way electric driver’s seat, the dashboard tablet and the 360-degree camera. The top model has all the trappings of luxury we have come to expect from economical cars including an Advanced Driver Assistance System, two extra airbags, 20” wheels, automatic high-beam assist and 4-way electric seats for the front passenger. All for just AED 7000 more.
The essential Dongfeng Mage
The model is priced at AED 89,900 and AED 96,900, which is a few thousands less than its obvious rivals. The desirable co-existence of striking yet clean design and a powerful yet economical drive makes Dongfeng Mage a youthful choice with practical comforts for families.