MG Motor is expected to launch the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour rivalling Maxus D90 SUV by end of next year
2019 is going to be an exciting year for the Indian Automobile industry. A couple of first-time manufacturers like the iconic British brand MG Motor has started their India innings at a promising note. The Hector SUV has turned out to be a great success for the brand with more than 12000 units booked till now.
With the launch of the Hector premium SUV, MG has already announced to bring one new product every six months till they have a total of five SUVs in India. The next product in the line is the all-electric e-ZS SUV.
Other products are a seven-seater Hector (only the five-seater SUV is launched for now), a compact SUV and a full-size SUV challenging Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour. Known as the MG Maxus D90 elsewhere, the full-size 7-seater SUV will be launched in India by 2020, more specifically by the end of next year.
The Maxus D90 is built on a light truck platform and has a bulky looking design for the road presence just like its rivals. For the Indian market, we can expect a lot of chrome treatment. The international spec Maxus has dimensions bigger than most of the rivals – 5,005 mm length, 1,932 mm width, 1,875 mm height, 2,950 mm wheelbase and a ground clearance of 210 mm.
The Maxus D90 in India will have a large touchscreen in the central console with an embedded e-SIM. Other features may include cooled/heated seats, sunroof, a 360-degree camera and more. The cabin will have more space than rival brands. In terms of safety, six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP, autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist and automatic parking can be expected.
In terms of engine, China-spec Maxus D90 is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine producing 224 hp and 360 Nm of peak torque. The engine is mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic gearbox. In India, a diesel-powered variant will be offered too. Also, like Hector, the petrol engine can get a mild hybrid version. The MG Maxus D90 is expected to get a price tag of Rs 22-25 Lakh (ex-showroom).