MG Hector

The MG Hector arrived in 2019, enjoying decent success since its launch in the country. The Hector has already won hearts with its butch design, spacious interiors, and a handsome list of features. 

How is the design? 

The MG Hector stands out for its unique design, although it may be polarizing for some. The Hector has a commanding road presence with a bold stance. The front fascia gets a chrome grille which adds a contemporary touch to the look. The chrome padding stands out like the previous version along with the gun-metal grey color for the skid plate. The split-lighting setup is attractive with the sophisticated DRLs on the top and the main headlamps below. The front fascia is always a head-turner with a few tweaks in the facelifted version. There are now 18-inch alloy wheels (dual-tone) for the SUV. The floating roof effect is nice, along with square-like wheel arches, and plastic cladding. The rear design has a skid plate in the same pattern as the back and there is a black tailgate garnish linking the tail lamps. 

How does it perform? 

Petrol (Turbo)	1.5 litre	143 PS	250 Nm
Petrol (mild-hybrid)	1.5 litre	143 PS	250 Nm
Diesel	2.0 litre	170 PS	350 Nm

The MG Hector has regular and mild-hybrid avatars of its petrol engine. This 1.5 litre engine performs well with its 6-speed manual gearbox counterpart while the turbo-petrol unit has an automatic option as well (missing with the diesel). The Hector petrol hybrid comes with a mild-hybrid 48V setup and performs well otherwise. The petrol engine is quite powerful with good refinement levels. However, the torque is lower than the diesel counterpart due to the lower kerb weight. The clutch and gearshift are smooth and easy to use as well. The mild-hybrid setup enhances overall fuel economy and efficiency while lowering overall CO2 emissions greatly. The CVT has Sport and Eco driving modes as well. The latter boosts fuel economy, while the former offers a sportier ride. The 6-speed DCT and CVT options are both great choices for buyers of the MG Hector. The diesel engine is the one from Fiat and does duty in the Tata Harrier and Jeep Compass alike. The engine has more refinement in the case of the MG Hector, running more quietly and smoothly, with decent power and torque figures. 

How’s the mileage? 

• Petrol Manual- 14.1 kmpl
• Diesel Manual- 17.4 kmpl
• Petrol CVT Automatic- 13.9 kmpl
• Hybrid Petrol- 15.8 kmpl
• Petrol Automatic (DCT)- 13.9 kmpl 

How’s the driving experience? 

The MG Hector offers a responsive and smooth ride overall. The power delivery feels more balanced for the diesel engine. The Hector smoothens out turbo lag while accelerating swiftly to 100 kmph in only 11.39 seconds. The gearbox is the same as the Compass and works smoothly. The gear ratios are on the taller side, enabling better highway cruising. However, you will need a lot of gear-shifting while on your city commutes. The petrol engine is smooth although it gets both manual and twin automatic options. The Hector otherwise handles well with good cornering abilities despite some body roll. It is planted and can take rough roads quite comfortably. 

What is the interior like? 

The Hector gets a dual-tone black and champagne interior theme with the vertical touch screen display and the massive MID positioned behind the steering wheel. There are silver inserts for the air conditioning vents, door pads, and steering wheel. More soft-touch plastic components, however, were the need of the hour for a premium touch inside the cabin. The MG Hector is one of the most spacious SUVs in its segment, offering excellent knee room, legroom, and headroom across both rows. The second row can seat three people in relative comfort. You can also recline the rear seat, enabling passengers to find a more comfortable seating position. The seats offer excellent support. The sunroof leads to an airy cabin. The hybrid versions have the battery below the passenger seats in front, leading to an issue for rear passengers in terms of stretching out their legs. The MG Hector has good boot space and split-folding rear seats as well. 

Tech and Infotainment 

The MG Hector gets several features including wireless phone charging, ventilated front seats, and auto-dimming for the rearview mirror. There is a voice assistant and voice control technology with processing for 30+ commands in English and Hindi. You can close/open the sunroof with voice commands or even adjust the climate control and take care of navigation requirements. The Hector also has a 10.4-inch portrait touch screen setup with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It also gets the iSMART connectivity suite with remote ignition, geo-fencing, navigation, speed limiter, and more. There are powered seats in front, along with the full-view camera, ambient lighting, a powered tailgate, and a panoramic sunroof. 

Safety Equipment 

There are several safety features including ABS with EBD, dual-front airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchorages, and rear parking sensors as standard offerings. There are curtain and side airbags along with electronic stability control, a 360-degree camera, hill hold control, fatigue reminder, and traction control. There is the Pulse Hub emergency feature along with the AI-based voice commands, and the vehicle collision alarm. 

Which variant to buy? 

The Hector comes in the Super, Style, Sharp, and Smart trims. It has 11 configurations in total, namely three petrol-manual hybrid options, four diesel-manual options, two petrol, and automatic configurations, and two petrol and manual combos. The entry-level Style variant gets several features including dual airbags, ESP, ABS with EBD, hill hold, and ORVMs with integrated LED-turn indicators, cooled glove box, fast-charging USB ports, and rear air conditioning vents as well. 

The Super variant offers good value with its 10.4 inch touch screen, cruise control, rear parking camera, fabric seats, LED headlights, and more. The Smart variant comes with an extra airbag, SIM-card-based internet connectivity, TPMS, 7-inch MID, and more. The top-end Sharp trim gets the panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, electrically adjustable co-driver’s seat, heated mirrors, and six airbags. The Super variant offers the highest value proposition at a more competitive price point. The Sharp variant offers a more premium experience if the budget is not an issue. 

Which cars compete in this segment? 

The MG Hector takes on the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Tata Harrier, and the Kia Seltos in its segment. The Creta and Seltos have the same engines with a few tweaks. The Harrier only has a diesel engine. The MG Hector has a slight advantage over its rivals due to its powerful diesel engine and petrol regular/hybrid engine options. However, the Hector is more of a chauffeur-driven vehicle as compared to its other rivals, which are better driver’s cars. The Hector is longer than the Seltos and Creta with the most spacious cabin and longest wheelbase. However, the smaller Seltos and Creta have better maneuverability in the city. The Harrier is slightly smaller than the Hector although bigger than the other rivals. The Seltos, Creta, and Hector are all excellently equipped in this segment while the Harrier has the basics in place, but lacks a few connected car technologies, wireless charging, and ventilated seats. The Creta is more affordable to start with, along with the Seltos, although the Harrier is in a higher segment and onwards. The Hector offers good value since it comes with more space and good features at a mid-point price. 

Verdict (Value for Money)

The MG Hector does tick all the boxes in terms of its power, space, refinement, features, and design. Yes, it is slightly cumbersome in the city or could have been done with better interior plastics. However, at its price point, it still makes for one of the best value propositions for SUV buyers. The SUV has already attained huge popularity in the segment and its success story is expected to continue in the near future.