MG Astor will be offered with two petrol engines; first midsize SUV to gain Level 2 autonomous based safety features and technologies
MG Motor India debuted in the domestic market via the Hector midsize SUV and expanded its range with the arrival of the ZS EV. To further strengthen its local portfolio, MG has today unveiled the petrol-powered version of the ZS dubbed the Astor. The Astor will go on sale next month in India and it has already started reaching showrooms across the country.
The MG Astor will compete directly against Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Nissan Kicks, Renault Duster, Skoda Kushaq, upcoming VW Taigun, and others in the highly competitive midsize SUV segment as it measures an overall length of around 4.3 metres and it will be positioned below the Hector. Compared to its electric sibling, the IC-engined Astor gets a host of visual updates as well to differentiate itself.
It boasts a hexagonal chrome front grille with unique inserts, sleek LED headlamps with integrated boomerang-shaped LED Daytime Running Lights, a sporty bumper section with wide central air intake, wraparound LED tail lamps, grey roof rails, slightly sloping roofline, faux skid plate, and dual exhaust tips, 17-inch newly designed diamond-cut alloy wheels and so on. To distinguish the Astor from the competition, MG has added a slew of advanced features and tech.
| MG Astor Performance | Specs |
| Engine | 1.5L NA Petrol/1.3L Turbo Petrol |
| Power | 110 hp/140 hp |
| Torque | 144 Nm/220 Nm |
| Transmission | Six-Speed MT & CVT/ Six-Speed AT |
The equipment list comes with Level 2 ADAS-based technologies such as autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, lane departure prevention and speed assist, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and so on. The Astor will become the first midsize SUV to offer radar-based safety and assistive features in India and they could make it stand out.
The cabin gets a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Jio e-sim connectivity and an artificial intelligence-based personal assistant that can offer voice commands and answer queries from online sources. It also gains a panoramic sunroof, heated wing mirrors, digital key, automatic climate control system, seven-inch digital instrumentation, six-way electrically adjustable driver seat, rain-sensing wipers, and leather set upholstery.
| MG Astor Dimensions | Units |
| Length | 4,323 mm |
| Width | 1,809 mm |
| Height | 1,650 mm |
The MG Astor will be sold in a total of three interior themes namely a two-tone Sangria red, a two-tone Iconic Ivory, and Tuxedo black. The midsize five-seater SUV derives power from two petrol engines – one is 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol and the other is 1.3-litre turbo petrol.
The former develops around 110 horsepower and 144 Nm of peak torque while the latter kicks out 140 horsepower and 220 Nm. The NA petrol can be had with a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-step CVT while the turbo mill can be bought with a six-speed AT. The price range of the Astor could hover around Rs. 10.5 lakh to Rs. 17 lakh (ex-showroom).
