MG Hector

MG Hector - Strengths

• Another option in the mid-size SUV space with a fresh styling and good road presence
• Several segment-first features like a panoramic sunroof, app-based car lock/unlock and AC on/off, electric opening/closing for the tailgate
• Familiar and torquey 2.0-litre, Fiat-sourced diesel engine
• Over-the-air software updates add some convenience to the package
• Lower variants offer good value for money

MG Hector - Weaknesses

• MG’s Chinese roots could be a cause for concern for some of you
• Small sales and service network
• Long term reliability of MG’s petrol engines is unknown
• Hybrid variant doesn’t offer enough improvement in fuel efficiency to justify the price increase
• Non-hybrid turbo petrol engine with a manual transmission not available in higher variants
• Higher variants are overpriced for what they offer; diesel variants get disproportionately more expensive with higher variants
• Automatic transmission not available with the diesel engine
• No knee airbag, auto-dimming inside mirror and dual-zone automatic AC

MG Hector Launch

The MG Hector launched on June 27, 2019.

MG Hector - Price Range

MG Hector SUV’s price range starts from Rs. 12.48 lakh and goes up to Rs. 17.28 lakh. The Hector petrol variants are priced between Rs. 12.48 lakh and Rs. 17.18 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The diesel range starts from Rs. 13.48 lakh and goes up to Rs. 17.28 lakh.

Dimensions of Hector

MG Hector - Variants

The MG Hector mid-size SUV is available for sale in 4 trim levels, namely - Style, Super, Smart and Sharp.

MG Hector - Engine and Transmission

The Hector is available with 2 petrol and 1 diesel engine options. The Hector’s 1.5-litre normal turbo petrol engine and 1.5-litre hybrid turbo petrol engine, both make a 143PS of power at 5000rpm and 250Nm of torque between 1600 and 3600rpm. The normal turbo petrol engine is available with a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The hybrid turbo petrol engine is only available with a 6-speed manual transmission.

The 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine makes 170PS of power at 3750rpm and a meaty 350Nm of torque between 1750 and 2500rpm. The diesel engine is only available with a 6-speed manual transmission.

MG Hector - Fuel Efficiency

The MG Hector’s normal turbo petrol engine delivers a claimed 14.16kmpl with the manual transmission and 13.96kmpl with the automatic. The hybrid turbo petrol engine’s fuel efficiency figure stands at 15.8kmpl, which is 1.65kmpl higher than the comparable non-hybrid petrol engine. The diesel variants of the Hector promise a fuel efficiency figure of 17.4kmpl.

MG Hector Features - Hits

The MG Hector is packed to the brim with features and the new tech. The tech side of MG is visible with features like 10.4-inch touchscreen infotainment, app-based remote car lock/unlock, AC on/off, sunroof open/close, lights flashing and honking, voice commands compatible with Indian accents and a 360-degree camera.

There’s also electrically-opening/closing boot lid, electrically adjustable front occupants seats, heated and electrically adjustable and foldable outside mirrors, automatic wipers, AC and headlights, 8-speaker Infinity sound system and tyre pressure monitoring system.

MG Hector Features - Misses

For a vehicle costing around Rs. 20.0 lakh on-road, auto-dimming inside mirror, dual-zone automatic AC and knee airbag come across as glaring omissions. While the lower variants are reasonably equipped, they miss out on certain features that we’ve come to expect at this price point. For example, tyre pressure monitoring system, power-folding outside mirrors are only available in the top two variants. Automatic AC and even something as basic as a sunglass holder is reserved for the top variant.

MG Hector - Competitors

The MG Hector competes with SUVs like Tata Harrier, Mahindra XUV500 and Jeep Compass. Because of the price overlap, it also has to fight it out with some higher variants of Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos.

Who Should Buy the MG Hector?

If you’re not satisfied with the options currently available in the mid-size SUV segment and want something unique to stand out with a more imposing stance, then you should consider the MG Hector.

If you’re hungry for a tech-laden SUV, then the MG Hector again impresses with its features. The higher variants of the Hector get electrically-opening/closing boot lid, app-based connectivity features, large 10.4-inch touchscreen, 8-speaker Infinity music system, electrically-adjustable front seats, etc.

If you also expect the vehicle to be fairly reliable, then you should consider the Hector with the 2.0-litre diesel. The Fiat-sourced engine is also offered in the Jeep Compass. Fiat also generally makes pretty reliable diesel engines and many other cars in India have used Fiat’s diesel engines.

The MG Hector’s petrol engines though are new for India and it’s difficult to predict how they’ll fare in the long term. If you only intend to keep the Hector in your garage until the warranty expires, then the petrol engines are a reasonably safe bet too. Hector’s maintenance packages are also fairly-priced and you should definitely take it up when you buy the Hector. They’re a must-buy especially if you drive a lot.

MG Hector - Background

Morris Garages, commonly known as MG Motor is a British carmaker currently operating under the Chinese SAIC Motor. The MG Hector is the rebadged version of the Chinese crossover named Baojun 530. It is available as a 5 to 7-seater crossover in China and other markets since 2018. It is also available rebadged as the 2nd generation Chevrolet Capita in some South American car markets. The model launched in India in June 2019, as the MG Hector, which is the first car launched by MG Motor India. Given the MG Hector’s Chinese R&D and engineering roots, it’s safe to say that this is a Chinese wine with a British label. While that may not necessarily be a bad thing as their quality control has improved drastically over the last decade, it has the potential to turn off some potential buyers.