Aiming to strengthen its position in the fast-growing SUV space, MG Motor India has launched Hector Plus at a starting price of Rs 13.49 lakh
Hector Plus is the company’s third product in the Indian market, following the launch of Hector last year and MG ZS EV in January 2020. Both products have gotten off to a good start and MG Motor will be aiming to achieve similar results with Hector Plus.
A premium version of standard Hector, the Hector Plus SUV comes in a six seat configuration including two captain seats in the second row. It also gets some additional features. To understand its potential, here’s a quick comparison between MG Hector Plus vs Toyota Innova vs Mahindra XUV500.
Design and styling
As compared to standard Hector, Hector Plus comes with subtle changes such as reworked front and rear bumpers, a clutter-free front fascia, and new headlamp design. Hector is already a good looking SUV, so major changes were not expected. Some key features include chrome front grille, LED headlamps, floating light turn indicators, LED DRLs, dual tone machined alloys, LED tail lamps and shark fin antenna. Colour options include Starry Sky Blue, Glaze Red, Burgundy Red, Starry Black, Candy White and Aurora Silver.
The new Mahindra XUV500 features a bold, captivating design, as evident in its striking front grille with chrome inserts, LED DRLs, unique L-shaped fog lamp housing, diamond-cut alloy wheels, rugged side cladding with chrome accent, split tail lamps, and sporty twin exhausts. Just like its predecessors, new XUV500 continues to dominate the roads with its beefy profile. Colour options include Crimson Red, Mystic Copper, Opulent Purple, Volcano Black, Lake-Side Brown, Pearl White and Moondust Silver.
Toyota Innova Crysta utilizes a combination of bold and elegant design, which ensures a commanding presence on the streets. Key features include trapezoidal front grille, LED projector headlamps, sporty alloy wheels, chrome window lining, chrome finished ORVMs, and inverted rear lights. Colour options include Garnet Red, White Pearl Crystal Shine, Avant-Garde Bronze, Silver, Grey and Super White.
Interiors
Hector Plus features plush interiors with captain seats being one of the main attractions. These come with slide and recline function and have individual armrests. The opulence and comfort is further enhanced with the exclusive handcrafted smoked sepia brown leather seats. Other key features include 8-colour ambient lighting, leather wrapped steering wheel, front and rear reading lights, 10.4 inch touchscreen infotainment system, Infinity sound system, panoramic sunroof and powered front seats.
XUV500 interiors have a premium look and feel, as is evident in the quilted, tan leather seats, piano black centre console, electric sunroof with anti-pinch, 6-way power adjustable driver seat, sporty twin pod instrument cluster and 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Innova Crysta has polished interiors, featuring a flowing dashboard design and wood inserts. Other key features include ergonomically designed premium leather seats, ambient illumination, 8-way power adjustable driver seat, and wood finish on interior panels.
Engine Specs
Hector and Hector Plus share the same engine options. The 1.5 litre turbocharged petrol engine makes 143 ps / 250 Nm whereas the diesel variant churns out 170 ps / 350 Nm. The 48V petrol hybrid has the same power and torque output as the petrol variant. While 6-speed manual transmission is common across variants, the petrol variant comes with additional DCT option.
Mahindra XUV500 is available with only diesel option. The 2.2 litre mHawk unit produces 155 ps / 360 Nm and is mated to a 6-speed synchromesh manual transmission. Toyota Innova Crysta has been equipped with new petrol and diesel engine options. The 2.7 litre petrol unit makes 166 ps / 245 Nm and is mated to either a 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic with sequential shift transmission. The 2.4 litre diesel unit makes 150 ps and 343 Nm (Manual) and 360 Nm (Automatic). Transmission options are the same as petrol variant.
Safety
Hector Plus is equipped with more than 25 standard safety features that include 6 airbags, 360° camera view, front parking sensors, electronic stability program (ESP), traction control system (TCS), rear disc brakes, hill hold control, ABS with EBD and brake assist, electric parking brake and tyre pressure monitoring system. Hector Plus is designed to be safer on the roads with the use of high strength steel, thick door panels, hot stamped B pillar and roll-formed tubular steel door beams. Rivals XUV500 and Innova Crysta also offer a range of standard safety features, many of which are the same as Hector Plus.
Price
Hector Plus petrol variants are priced in the range of Rs 13.48 lakh to Rs 18.2 lakh. The petrol hybrid is offered in Sharp MT variant, priced at Rs 17.29 lakh. Hector Plus diesel variants are priced in the range of Rs 14.43 lakh to Rs 18.59 lakh.
Mahindra XUV500 is priced in the range of Rs 16.78 lakh to Rs 22.38 lakh. Toyota Innova Crysta petrol variants are priced in the range of Rs 15.67 lakh to Rs 22.47 lakh while diesel variants are available from Rs 16.45 lakh to Rs 24.68 lakh.
Verdict – Which is a better choice?
MG Hector Plus gets top marks in terms of features, especially the 55+ connected car features. It is also cheaper, as compared to rivals. However, one also needs to consider various other factors such as engine performance, durability, resale value, etc. In these areas, XUV500 and Innova Crysta would be preferred, as Hector Plus is a relatively new product in the Indian market. However, with standard Hector getting good reviews from users, there shouldn’t be any doubts about its performance and durability issues. Your decision would eventually depend on features you value most, design and styling and the brand you prefer.
