MG has created a lot of hype for the upcoming Astor more so after revealing the raft of autonomous driving tech that it is going to offer! Set to be unveiled on 15th September, the Astor is ready to take on the Korean and German rivals. Let’s take a quick look at what we know about the Astor:
MG Astor: a quick recap
The Astor is basically the facelifted version of the ZS which was unveiled last year globally and it looks like MG is bringing in the latest ZS petrol or the Astor to India which is commendable because many other brands bring a generation or two old cars to India. Coming to the looks up front, the 2020 MG ZS features a revised profile. A new hexagonal grille and full-LED headlamps with LED DRLs highlight the visuals upfront. The cabin, however, has received substantial updates. The facelift version now features a 10.1-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system, replacing the 8-inch unit found on the outgoing model.
This system is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SUV also gets revised piano-style control buttons on the center console for audio and air-conditioning. The higher-spec models get a digital instrument console, 360-degree camera, and navigation system. The regular MG ZS, which the MG Astor will be derived from, can be had with three engine options in international markets. This is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol with 115PS/150 Nm. Two turbo petrol engines are on offer as well, there is a 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit with 112PS/160 Nm and a 1.3-liter turbo with 126PS and 230 Nm. A six-speed manual and six-speed torque converter auto pair with these engines. However, the main USP of the Astor will be its AI assistant and autonomous level 2 capability.
Also read: MG Astor To Become The First SUV In Its Segment With Level 2 Autonomous Tech And AI Assistant
The assistant is basically a droid placed on the 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! Some of the key features of its autonomous level 2 capability are adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, speed assist system, blind-spot detection, and forward-collision warning.