MG Motor India has announced today that its SUVs are going to feature Jio e-SIM for its infotainment systems. The e-SIM will be used for various functions such as connected car functions, voice commands, over the air updates and weather information. The upcoming Astor will also feature Jio e-SIM for its infotainment system. Set to launch in the coming months, the Astor will be the smallest SUV in MG’s lineup and will go up against the likes of Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos.
What we know so far
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 updated front looks slightly better than the outgoing model. The bumper is slightly revised too and now features larger air-intakes. To gel with the updated looks and new elements of the facelift, the bonnet has been redesigned too. When the ZS EV facelift shows its face to the world, expect it to sport slightly different design characteristics to make it stand apart from the other IC-engine powered variants.
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 centre 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-litre turbo with 126PS and 230 Nm. A six-speed manual and six-speed torque converter auto pair with these engines.