MG Motor India’s Hector Plus, the three-row Hector variant, was showcased at Auto Expo 2020 in early February
SAIC-owned British-origin automaker MG Motor India has commenced production of the new Hector Plus three-row six-seater SUV (technically a crossover with MUV characteristics), at its manufacturing facility in Halol, Gujarat. The 2020MY MG Hector Plus will be launched in India next month. Prices are expected to start at around Rs 14 lakh ex-showroom. It will be a fitting rival to Tata Motors’ upcoming Gravitas (three-row Harrier) and maybe Jeep’s Project 598.
The new MG Hector Plus, already showcased at Auto Expo 2020, is more than just a regular Hector with extra seating. It features improved aesthetics such as new lighting clusters, bumpers, front grille and added equipment. According to the automaker, the 2020 MG Hector Plus offers “best-in-class comfort” for middle-row passengers and a third row of seating “to suit family needs”. It was only recently that we shared a few spy shots of the new Hector Plus whilst doing a TVC shoot in the UK.
Manish Manek, Chief Plant Officer of MG Motor India, stated that the Hector Plus is aimed to address specific family needs with captain seats in the middle and convenient space for teenagers at the very rear — thus increasing the overall length by 65mm despite having the same wheelbase. He added that the MG Hector Plus would stand apart from the usuals thanks to advanced technology, class-leading safety and unparallel comfort. Production and other operations at MG Motor India’s Halol plant follow all recommended safety guidelines issued by the Indian medical department.
Being an internet-enabled vehicle, MG Motor India’s third product (second being the ZS EV) boasts of the capability to receive OTA (Over The Air) updates for the infotainment system. OTA updates are becoming a common feature in global automotive industries and electric vehicles enjoy the best of it. Purely in terms of features, the MG Hector Plus remains a compelling value-for-money proposition like its five-seater sibling. The regular MG Hector mechanically rivals the Tata Harrier and Jeep Compass while its pricing goes up against that of the Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta and Nissan Kicks.
The MG Hector Plus offers the same powertrain choices as its regular alternatives. However, the output could be slightly different to make up for the extra weight. For the MG Hector BS6, there are two engine options: 1.5-litre turbo petrol and 2.0-litre diesel. The former is available in a mild-hybrid format as well, with no change in output. It makes 141bhp and 250Nm as against the diesel variant’s 168bhp and 350Nm of torque. Only the petrol variant gets an automatic transmission option.
Globally, the MG Hector is available in a prime example of badge engineering. It is available in three avatars depending on the market: Baojun 530 (original base), Wuling Almaz and Chevrolet Captiva.
