Market response to the MG Hector, which is all set to be launched later this month, will dictate the Chinese-owned British automaker’s future course in India. With every single one of its primary rivals being well established, the Hector has a challenging task at hand but it does come with a lot of bells and whistles to make a strong case for itself.
At the media drive event, MG Motors revealed kerb weights of the Hector variants. Though Hector is the longest SUV in the segment by a fair margin, it is not the heaviest. To be offered in four trim levels – Style, Super, Smart and Sharp – the MG Hector petrol variants weigh between 1,554 kg to 1,644 kg while the diesel variants weigh between 1,633 kg to 1,700 kg.
The Hector which is essentially a rebadged and reconfigured China-spec Baojun 530 comes with a 1.5-liter petrol engine with optional mild hybrid system (Integrated Start Generator with torque assist) and a 2.0-liter diesel engine. The petrol motor is capable of 143 hp and 250 Nm of torque and can be had either with a 6-MT or DCT. The diesel engine puts out 170 hp and 350 Nm of torque and comes with a standard 6-MT.
The premium SUV is being made at SAIC’s Halol plant (previously owned by GM India) in Rajasthan. MG Motors will kick start operations with 120 outlets (70 dealerships and 50 service centers) across the country and the numbers will be increased to 250 outlets by September 2019.
MG Hector’s USP is its lengthy equipment list. The fully loaded Sharp variant offers LED headlights, 6-airbags, ABS, EBD, BA, 360-degree camera, 17-inch alloy wheels, 10.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a whole host of connectivity features, a built-in 5G-ready sim card, 8 speakers with sub-woofer, leather seats, powered front seats, voice commands, etc.
On the sidelines of the media drive event, MG Motors hinted that it has received impressive amount of bookings (to be revealed on the day of launch). The new automaker in the market is also aiming to undercut Tata Harrier in terms of pricing. If MG could achieve that, the Hector will have a tempting VFM quotient that the Indian customers would find hard to overlook.
