While MG already has a five-seat mid-size SUV in its line-up – the Hector, Astor will be a direct rival to the likes of segment leaders Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos
MG Motor has unveiled the Astor, its new mid-size SUV that is set to take on the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and Skoda Kushaq. The Astor is MG’s fourth SUV in India, and will sit just below the Hector in the carmaker’s portfolio. Pricing for the MG Astor will likely be revealed later this month, which a launch expected next month.
In order to give competition to the Korean cousins, the MG Astor will have to excel in every aspect, and it looks like the ‘features and safety’ department certainly won’t be a problem for the upcoming MG SUV. Just like its siblings, the Astor will also be packed up to the brim with tons of equipment including class-leading technology as well as safety features that will help it become the most feature-loaded car in the segment.
Ahead of its expected launch next month, we have put together a list of the 7 first-in-segment features that will be offered with the MG Astor, take a look –
1. Level 2 ADAS Features
The MG Astor will go on to become the first car in India to boast Level 2 ADAS (Advanced Driver Assist System), which aids driving and ensures safety. With level 2, the system is capable of not only performing acceleration and braking functions, while it can also activate steering control to assist the driving.
The list of first-in-segment autonomous level 2 features include Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Departure Prevention, Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Automatic Emergency Braking – Pedestrian, Speed Assist System with Speed Warning, Manual mode and Intelligent mode, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Change Assist, Blind Spot Detection and Intelligent Headlamp Control.
2. AI-based Personal Assistant
This MG Astor gets a cute little personal voice assistant which has white “eyes” built inside the display that will allow it to simulate humanised interactions to express emotions and look at the person giving the commands. The digital assistant is capable to provide real-time traffic, weather, driving updates, while it can also source information from Wikipedia, crack jokes and will wish you on festivals.
3. Jio e-SIM
MG has partnered on the Internet of Things (IoT) with Jio to provide the mid-size SUV with an embedded Jio SIM (e-SIM), and thanks to that, it gets 80 internet-based features.
4. i-Smart Hub
MG has also tied up with three other companies, namely MapMyIndia, Park+ and Koinearth. As a part of these partnerships, you will be able to navigate with AI-powered maps, discover, book and reserve parking from within the car before even reaching the destination. Do note that all of these are subscription-based.
5. Digital Passport
The partnership with homegrown blockchain firm Koinearth helps the system on your Astor assess your driving as well as store service records in something called a “Digital Passport”. This can earn you a lower insurance premium or a higher resale value.
6. Digital Key with Bluetooth
The MG Astor gets a first-in-segment Bluetooth-operated digital key for locking, unlocking as well as starting the car. As the owner approaches the Astor carrying their smartphone equipped with Bluetooth, the car will unlock itself, and similarly lock it as the owner walks away.
7. Three Cabin Colour Options
The MG Astor gets three different interior colour schemes, including Sangria Red, dual-tone Iconic Ivory, as well as Tuxedo Black. This will make it the only car in the mid-size SUV segment to offer more than two interior colour options.