Upon its arrival, the three-row MG Hector Plus will be pitted against the Toyota Innova Crysta, Mahindra XUV500, as well as the upcoming Tata Gravitas
Earlier this week, MG Motor India had started the production of its third product in the Indian market i.e. the Hector Plus. The three-row version of the Hector SUV first made its debut at the 2020 Auto Expo in February this year, and was set for a surprise launch in April.
But the manufacturer had to delay the market launch of the car because of unanticipated circumstances. However, MG is now finally set to launch the Hector Plus in the Indian market on July 1, 2020 as per dealer sources. Talking about the upcoming car, the Hector Plus is based on the five-seat Hector currently available in the Indian market, however, gets an additional row of seats over the latter.
The Hector Plus will initially be launched with a six-seat format, with captain seats in the middle row. MG could also go on to introduce a seven-seat version of the SUV, depending on the market response. The Hector has quickly gained a lot of popularity in the country, and MG feels that the three-row Hector Plus can take that success a step further.
Under the hood of the Hector Plus will likely be the same BS6-compliant petrol and diesel powertrains as the donor car – which includes a 1.5 litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 143 PS of max power and 250 Nm torque; a mild-hybrid version of the same engine; and an FCA-sourced 2.0-litre diesel mill which is rated at 170 PS/350 Nm.
Like the Hector, we expect the Hector Plus to be offered with a 6-speed manual transmission, as well as an optional DCT auto gearbox with the petrol powertrain. MG Motor recently teased the Hector Plus in a new ‘Starry Blue’ paint scheme, which is not offered with the Hector, and will be unique to the three-row SUV.
MG retails the five-seat Hector at a starting price of Rs 12.73 lakh, going up to Rs 17.72 lakh (ex-showroom), and the upcoming Hector Plus will likely command a premium of about Rs 1 lakh over that. Upon launch, the Hector Plus will go on to rival the likes of the Toyota Innova Crysta, Mahindra XUV500, as well as the upcoming Tata Gravitas.