MG Hector SUV: Top five things that you should know

Team OD Updated: September 27, 2019, 05:30 PM IST

MG Motor India is gearing up to launch its first SUV, the Hector in India which will basically kick-start its innings in the country. MG Motor is a subsidiary of SAIC Motor UK that is owned by the Shanghai-based SAIC. They are the largest importers of Chinese made cars into the United Kingdom. Their international portfolio consists of popular cars like the ZS, HS SUVs, and also the MG3. Coming to their India plans, the MG Hector will arrive in the competitive SUV space that has been eyed by many domestic and international automobile manufacturers. MG Motor India had also announced that their second product in India will be an all-electric SUV based on the mid-size MG ZS. This one will be launched in 2020. However, for now, it is the MG Hector SUV that gets all our attention as it will be launched in India in mid-2019. Here are the top five facts that you should know.

1) Re-engineered version of the China-spec Baojun 530

Yup, that's right. 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 China-spec 530 SUV is a five-seater currently, but it is large enough to be able to accommodate a third row should the need arise. Just how large? It stands 4,655mm long, with a wheelbase of 2,750mm, which overshadows the Hyundai Tucson by 180mm in length, and 80mm in wheelbase. That almost puts it in the same league as the Skoda Kodiaq, at 4,697mm length and 2,791mm wheelbase.

2) Will be available in both petrol and diesel

The MG Hector will be available in both petrol and diesel engines. 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. While MG Motor has not revealed anything but a teaser video of a test mule being driven in Spiti, it is said that the performance of the MG Hector will be at par with its rivals.

3) Premium list of features

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.

4) Rivals

While its main rival will be the Hyundai Creta, the Hector will also come with class rivalling features like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink, panoramic sunroof, cruise control, traction control etc. to take on the likes of the Tata Harrier and the Jeep Compass.

5) Price and availability

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.