MG Motor India recently took everyone by surprise when it revealed some of the features that its upcoming 5-seater SUV Astor is bound to get. Some of the noteworthy additions include Level 2 ADAS, a virtual assistant driven by AI and MG’s iSmart-Hub. Once launched, the Astor is touted to become the only SUV in its segment to offer above mentioned features. Ahead of its launch, it is being assumed that MG could lend Hector the same set of features to make it even more competitive than it already is!
The Astor will be positioned slightly below the Hector. Currently, the Gloster is the only SUV in MG India’s portfolio that gets Level 1 ADAS so it is only logical to assume that MG won’t be leaving out on one of its most popular offerings.
ADAS in Hector
For the uninitiated, the Indonesia-spec Hector that goes by the name Wuling Almaz (pictured below) already gets ADAS with features such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, and a 360-degree camera.
The same features, along with high-beam assist and blind-spot detection, could be offered on the India-spec Hector.
Personal assistant
ADAS won’t be the only thing that Hector could get as MG could decide to lend Astor’s personal AI assistant to Hector as well. It is basically a droid placed on Astor’s dashboard that can interact with you. Perform certain functions and it can also change its expressions! Think of it .as MG’s version of the ‘OK Google!’ voice assistance that we have on our Android smartphones but giving it a separate physical entity is one cool move!
Powertrain options
The Hector is currently being offered with three engine options and we don’t expect that to change with the next update. The 1.5L-turbo petrol which produces 141 bhp and 250 Nm torque is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. The second option is the same 1.5L turbo petrol engine which is mated to a 6-speed CVT with manual override. For diesel lovers, there’s the same 2.0L turbo diesel engine that puts out 168 bhp and 350 Nm torque mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.
Also read: MG Motor India To Invest INR 2,500 Crore To Ramp Up Its Production Capacity
It is worth noting here that if the Hector indeed gets the features mentioned above, it will definitely command a premium over its current pricing. It is currently priced between Rs 13.49 lakh to Rs 19.20 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).