Confirmed: MG Hector SUV to be unveiled in India on May 15

Aditya Chatterjee Updated: September 27, 2019, 05:28 PM IST

MG Motors India has now sent an official confirmation of the Hector unveiling that is scheduled to take place on May 15, 2019. 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. 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 Hector will have a similar footprint to that of cars like the Tata Harrier and the Hyundai Tuscon, but is expected to sport an aggressive price tag. Initially, only a five seater will be available, priced expectedly around the Rs 16 to 20 lakh mark when it launches sometime within the next three months. The styling is as expected, it shares much with Baojun 530 from China but with an MG-specific grille and mildly reworked headlamps. The MG Hector SUV gets a honeycomb grille and an air dam up front. The headlamps are projector units which are set low in the bumper, whereas the LED DRLs are positioned higher, close to the hood. Overall, the car looks quite imposing with an angular, boxy theme. There is some prominent sculpting along the side while the rear follows into a set of quite sharp creases, dominated by large rectangular lamps. As these pictures show, the Hector's tail lamps are connected by a red reflector band, unlike on the Baojun.

At the heart of the technology is a 10.4-inch vertically oriented touchscreen, which carries the natively developed iSmart interface. Apart from the expected levels of smartphone integration, with Apple and Android connectivity, the infotainment also offers a few segment-firsts which have been tailor-made for the Indian market. The onboard SIM card, which is 5G ready, provides network connectivity to all the peripheral functions, such as the real-time navigation, internet based entertainment and music apps, and the voice assist system

The MG Hector SUV will get three engines at launch, two petrols and a diesel. One petrol will be a 1.5 litre turbocharged unit with 143PS and 250Nm while the other will add a 48V mild hybrid system to the mix. This will possibly allow for it to feature a start-stop system, regenerative braking and add torque fill functionality. The diesel engine will be the 2.0-litre FCA Multijet unit as seen on the Jeep Compass and Tata Harrier. The Hector will get it in the 173PS and 350Nm guise. Gearbox options are expected to be a six-speed manual and DCT.