India-spec MG Hector SUV spied without camouflage, to rival Tata Harrier, Mahindra XUV500 and Jeep Compass

Team OD Updated: September 27, 2019, 05:29 PM IST

MG Motor India is gearing up to launch its first ever SUV, the Hector in the country. The SUV has been spotted being tested at various parts of the country. And now images of the SUV without any camouflage have surfaced online during what looks like a promotional shoot featuring British actor Benedict Cumberbatch. The MG Hector SUV will be based on the China-spec Baojun 530. However, it has been confirmed, that the MG Motor version will be heavily re-engineered to make sure it withstands Indian driving conditions. The platform is expected to remain largely similar to the Baojun 530.

The MG Hector will come with a choice of petrol and diesel engines, the specifics of which haven't been shared - though in China it gets a NA 1.8-litre petrol, or a 1.5-litre turbo petrol, mated to an in-house developed six speed DCT. MG Motor will have its work cut out for itself with the ZS given the established competition it will have to face in this segment. While the diesel engine is the 2.0-litre that also does duty in the Jeep Compass and the Tata Harrier, the state of tune in the MG Hector will vary. We expect it to be more powerful than the one in the Harrier. The petrol engine could be an all-new unit that will debut in the Hector SUV. The company can counter this by providing Indian buyers with a quality product at a price undercutting the competition. MG Motor India has been clear about the positioning of the Hector SUV which will be a premium offering in the compact SUV space.

The latest crop of MGs offer slick all-digital instrumentation on a 12.1-inch screen, with a 10.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment, apart from the signature turbine-shaped air-conditioning vents on the far edges of the dashboard. The launch of the Hector has been confirmed to take place in Mid 2019, which could be in June 2019. MG will have 100 sales and service touchpoints in place by May 2019. MG will localise the components heavily, 75 per cent to be precise to price the Hector aggressively against the competition. We believe the pricing of Hector could start at Rs 15 lakh onward.