Wuling Almaz Hybrid is priced at IDR 470,000,000, which roughly translates into INR 24.5 lakhs
MG Hector which is sold in India is a global product and is retailed in multiple countries under different brand names. SAIC – the parent company of MG Motor also sells the same product in Indonesia, under its Wuling brand and the SUV is called Almaz.
After showing the Hector strong hybrid as a concept, Wuling has now launched the same in Indonesia. This possibly gives us an indication as to what to expect from MG’s stable in India.
MG Hector Strong Hybrid Launch
Wuling Almaz in Indonesia is already offered with the same petrol 1.5 liter turbo engine, just like the MG Hector in India. Power output as well as transmission options are also the same. But unlike India, where Hector does not have an ADAS option yet, Wuling offers it via Almaz RS. MG Motor India is getting ready to launch updated Hector in India, which will get ADAS features.
Ahead of Hector ADAS launch in India, Wuling Indonesia have gone a step further and launched Almaz Hybrid SUV. It is powered by a 2 litre petrol motor which has been coupled to an electric motor, and together they transmit power to wheels via an e-CVT.
MG Hector strong hybrid petrol motor comes with a rating of 125 PS and 168 Nm of peak torque, which might not sound very exciting. But thanks to the electric motor addition, the max power output is at 174 hp while torque output is at 320 Nm. Almaz will be getting 3 drive modes, EV only, Series Hybrid and a Parallel Hybrid drive option. In India, Hector gets 3 powertrain options, a diesel, a pure petrol and a mild hybrid petrol combo.
Visual Updates
Aesthetically, Almaz Hybrid also gets design elements which help it to look distinct versus the standard model. Wuling’s designers have added a ‘Hybrid’ badge on the boot and multiple blue accents across the model to help it stand-out from a non-hybrid variant. Four colour options are on offer with Hector strong hybrid. These are White, Silver, Red, Black.
In terms of seating capacity, the Indonesian model comes with a 3-row seating configuration which can accommodate up to 7 occupants. In India, we call this iteration of the model with a seating configuration for 6/7 as MG Hector Plus.
Talking about interiors, Wuling has provided beige leather upholstery, which gets complimented by black panels across the cabin. As far as features are concerned, the model gets a large panoramic sunroof, connected car tech, a 10.4 inch touchscreen infotainment system and an ADAS suite (Advanced Driver Assistance System) and much more. Some key highlights of its ADAS suite include Lane Keep Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control and Automatic Emergency Braking.
Wuling Almaz / MG Hector Strong Hybrid Prices
Price of MG Hector in Indonesia ranges from IDR 273.5 million (Rs 14.25 lakh) for the base manual EX variant and goes all the way to IDR 470 million (Rs 24.5 lakh) for the top of the line strong hybrid option. When we compare Indonesian Hector prices to Indian Hector, they are more or less very similar. One will not be wrong to expect the Hector Hybrid India launch price to be around Rs 25 lakhs.
Back home in India, MG has already confirmed that it is going to introduce a yet another facelift of Hector sometime soon. As of now, there is no news if MG will bring in Strong Hybrid tech on the Hector or it won’t. However, considering that manufacturers like Maruti, Toyota and Honda have started to introduce strong Hybrid models, it won’t be a surprise if MG too brings in a Strong Hybrid variant of the Hector to the country soon. In terms of competition, MG Hector (and Hector Plus) compete with a long list of rivals, including Mahindra XUV700, Tata Safari and Harrier.