MG Astor SUV India Launch: What To Expect

MG Motor India will announce the prices of the Astor compact SUV in the country tomorrow. It was last month when the Chinese-owned British carmaker officially pulled the wraps off the compact SUV. It will be the brand's fifth product in the Indian market after the Hector, Hector Plus, Gloster and the ZS EV. We have already driven the Astor and you can read our detailed review here. It's essentially a petrol-powered version of the ZS EV, and here's what you should expect from the all-new MG Astor.

Also Read: Upcoming MG Astor SUV: 9 Things We Know So Far

The upcoming MG Astor is the company's first model to feature an AI-based personal assistant and Level 2 autonomous tech with ADAS functions. MG is expected to offer the compact SUV in eight variants with a choice of two petrol engines. It employs a new concept of Car-as-a-Platform (CAAP), under which MG plans to offer a range of technology-driven services to its customer using the Astor as a platform.

The MG Astor borrows its design cues from the ZS facelift that was introduced in the UK last year. The SUV sports a new bold celestial pattern grille, full LED hawkeye projector headlamps with boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights and a new bumper. It also gets new 17-inch turbine-inspired machined alloy wheels, heated ORVMs, and roof rails. At the rear, the SUV comes with new LED taillamps, and a new rear bumper with a chrome accentuated dual exhaust design. It will be offered in five exterior colours - Spiced Orange, Aurora Silver, Glaze Red, Candy White, Starry Black.

The MG Astor compact SUV will come with 3 interior theme options

The cabin of the Astor looks similar to its electric counterpart, the ZS EV and gets three interior theme options. It also comes equipped with a 10.1-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 7-inch instrument cluster, a multi-functional steering wheel with chrome inserts, power-adjustable front seats, auto climate control, 360-degree camera view, air-purifier, electric parking brake and a panoramic sunroof. It also comes with a customised AI assistant, which understands natural language and supports up to 35 Hinglish voice commands. The new system offers over 80 internet features, including Wikipedia, jokes, news, festival GIFS, navigation, online music streaming, in-car control and critical in-car warning. As for safety, the SUV comes 6 airbags, ISOFIX mounts, TPMS, ESP, traction control, hill descent control, and all 4 disc brakes.

The MG Astor gets two engine options- 1.4-litre turbo petrol and 1.5-litre petrol.

As for mechanicals, the Astor SUV will be offered with two engine options. The former will be a 1.4-litre, four-cylinder turbo petrol engine that makes 138 bhp at 5600 rpm and 220 Nm at 3600 rpm of power figures, while mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The latter is a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol unit that comes mated to either a manual gearbox or an eight-step CVT gearbox. The mill is tuned to make 108 bhp at 6000 rpm and 144 Nm at 4400 rpm of peak torque