MG Hector Review: The Bold, New Age Internet SUV!

MG Hector Review: The Bold, New Age Internet SUV!

Just during the IPL tournament season,  the Indian auto consumers got the first glimpse of MG or Morris Garages, the iconic auto brand, in a very effective campaign which introduced itself as a trustworthy legacy brand which will soon be entering the Indian market. Just a few weeks after that MG Hector is here!  Bold looks, attractive and solid road presence and roomy spacious interiors are what first strike you. 

The front and bonnet of the car have stylish detailing and is similar to the current trend of having headlight cluster placed down at bumper level with the LED DRLs placed above them. The humongous grille, which you just can’t miss, feels bold and gives an SUV look. 

There’s a bit too much of chrome around in the front. The car does get a macho look because of the detailing in its front, but the tyres could have been larger.  The 215/60 tyres and 17-inch wheels and  4,655mm length, 1760mm height look a bit miss-proportional. The rear exterior of the car is very stylish and gives you the feel of a classy SUV. The tail lights look elegant and the rear of the car really has a premium look.

If there is anything missing in the exterior of the car, you quickly forget it when you step inside the car. Hector’s spacious cabin provides a great feel. The differentiator is the 10.4-inch touchscreen, which is the biggest, just not in its segment, but also among all the cars in the entire Indian market. 

So let’s talk about the screen first. Everything from infotainment to navigation and even the air-con settings are all housed in this massive touchscreen. The only physical buttons are for the volume control and the front and rear defoggers.

For the first time in India, this car has a dedicated and permanently mounted SIM card that allows your phone to communicate with the car through MG’s iSMART app. If you are worried about the security of your car all the time, you can keep a tab on where the car is, if its speeding or if it has strayed beyond the boundary, which can be set to a 100km radius.

The touch screen is multipurpose, almost of the quality of the glass cockpit screens offered in modern day aircraft. It's signature “Hello MG” greeting would surely excite you.

You can control many things in the car with just the screen and even remotely control the features using the device that comes with the Hector. This is a big differentiator for MG and shall definitely give this SUV a head-start in an altogether new category.  

Watch what Hector's screen can do!

The space and legroom in the rear is also a big winner for MG Hector. Legroom is huge and the massive panoramic sunroof, which along with huge windows, elevates the feeling of space. You can also recline the backrest for more comfort which is a  huge plus.

The Hector’s 2.0-litre diesel engine produces 170hp and 350Nm, which are identical to the figures of the Jeep Compass. However, the way the power and torque are delivered is quite different. There’s still a fair bit of turbo lag in the Hector, especially below 2,000rpm.  Hector gets the same Fiat C635 6-speed manual gearbox but MG has opted for a slightly taller set of ratios in the interest of fuel efficiency, which, at 17.41kpl, is the best in class and good for relaxed highway driving. The clutch could have been smoother. It is a little hard and so is the gear shift. The reverse gear makes you use your forearm with full strength and this could be a little problematic for female drivers.

The 1.5-litre petrol-hybrid engine makes 143hp and 250Nm, with an extra 20Nm coming from the 48V battery housed under the passenger seat. The belt-starter generator battery is for an additional boost on acceleration and self-charging upon braking.

MG have not revealed the price of the Hector, which should be out by the end of June. The price is going to be a deciding factor for the car which takes on the Jeep Compass and Tata Harrier. If priced right, the MG Hector could be a winner as it offers a completely different set of features which the competitors have not even thought of yet. 

Hector seems a very attractive and stylish package for those looking at acquiring a news age SUV this season.  

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