MG Hector

Design

The MG Hector has always received polarising opinions when it comes to looks. To some, it may look like overkill, but we like the slim LED daytime running lamps along with the low-mounted LED headlamps and fog lamps and the big, trapezoidal grille with chrome border too. MG could have gon with less chrome, like in the Hector Plus, but the elements gel well with the overall design. But what do not go with the design are the small 17-inch wheels that look too small for those big square wheel arches. The rear is characterised by a LED tail lamps which remind you of the Audi Q3 and are connected with a reflective red strip. The rear bumper gets a silver skid plate and the tail pipe is not exactly good-looking.

Cabin

The first thing that draws your attention inside the cabin is the 10.4-inch touchscreen. It comes across as a refreshing change to see absolutely zero buttons on the dashboard, barring those on the steering wheel. The flat-bottomed steering wheel adds to the sportiness of the Hector and the premium feel is further upped by the stylish AC vents, particularly the vertical ones surrounding the touchscreen. Thanks to a flat floorboard, three passengers can sit comfortably and there is solid knee room too. The seats are well bolstered all around and offer good under thigh support as well.

The Hector also gets a full-fledged connected car technology, the i-Smart system, which offers more than 50 connectivity features like - emergency calling, geo-fencing, driver analytics, and vehicle status along with 100+ voice commands. The Hector also received over-the-air (OTA) updates from MG.

Drive Experience

MG offers a 1.5-litre petrol and a 2.0-litre diesel engine on the Hector. Both engines get a 6-speed manual transmission while the petrol also gets an optional 7-speed dual clutch gearbox. There is also a mild hybrid petrol variant with a 48-volt battery and an integrated starter generator on offer too. The petrol engine pumps out 141 bhp and 250 Nm of torque, while the diesel engine makes 168 bhp and 350 Nm. With the petrol engine, the power kicks in a bit late, but feels a lot engaging once it does, but it there is a bit of body-roll. The steering could have had better feedback though and a bit firmer, and the suspension is not the tautest. The diesel Hector comes across as the more fun to drive variant with loads of low end torque. It feels quicker off the line and has a sprightlier performance than the petrol. Of course, it is the noisier one too. The diesel clatter seeps through to the cabin and NVH levels could have been better. The 6-speed gearbox on both variants works well and feels precise even when shifting aggressively.

Safety

The MG Hector comes with six airbags while the 'Smart' gets four and the 'Style and 'Super' get two airbags as standard. Traction control, hill hold assist, and ABS are standard fitments on all variants. The top variant gets a 360-degree camera along with parking sensors as well.

Price

The MG Hector is offered in mainly 4 variants which are further divided into 16 iterations, which are priced between Rs. 12.83 lakh to Rs. 18.08 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Compared to its closest rival – Tata Harrier, which is priced at Rs. 13.84 lakh to Rs. 20.30 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) the Hector’s base trim is about Rs. 1 lakh cheaper, while the top-end trim is over Rs. 2.2 lakh cheaper than the Harrier. In fact, compared to it the Hector offers more features, gets multiple powertrain choices, over the Harrier’s diesel-only strategy, and it also gets a connected car system. However, the Hector is more expensive than the Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta.