Check out our on-paper comparison of the soon-to-launch MG Astor with one of its closest rivals in the Indian market, Skoda Kushaq
MG officially unveiled its upcoming midsize SUV in the Indian market, the Astor, earlier this month. MG Astor is scheduled to go on sale next month, and will come loaded with a lot of features and tech, a lot of which will be segment-firsts. The competition in this segment is extremely stiff though, and MG will have to work hard to grab buyers’ attention.
Here, we have compared the forthcoming MG Astor with Skoda Kushaq (which was launched only a few months ago) in terms of design, features, specifications, etc.
MG Astor Vs Skoda Kushaq – Exterior Comparison
The Astor is essentially the MG ZS available in a few international markets, which is a facelifted, petrol-powered version of the ZS EV we have in India. It gets a beautiful front grille, flanked by sharp-looking LED headlamps. At the sides, we see a set of 17-inch machine-cut alloy wheels, along with thin black cladding at the bottom and on the wheelarches. It also gets LED taillamps and a pair of roof rails.
Skoda Kushaq has an extremely handsome design as well. At the front, it gets vertically split headlights and the signature Skoda grille. The side profile is boxier than its rivals, and the rear section is adorned by inverted L-shaped LED lights. It also gets 17-inch dual-tone alloy wheels and black plastic cladding all around. Silver-finished faux bash plates on the bumpers and roof rails are also present on this SUV.
| Dimensions | MG Astor | Skoda Kushaq |
| Length | 4,323 mm | 4,225 mm |
| Width | 1,809 mm | 1,760 mm |
| Height | 1,650 mm | 1,612 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,585 mm | 2,651 mm |
MG Astor is larger than Skoda Kushaq in terms of length, width, and height. However, the wheelbase of the latter is the longest in its segment, while that of the MG is the shortest. In terms of road presence, both SUVs fare equally well, thanks to their handsome yet rugged styling.
MG Astor Vs Skoda Kushaq – Interior Comparison
MG Astor has an extremely premium interior design, with plenty of features on offer. It gets a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 7-inch full-digital instrument cluster, panoramic sunroof, keyless entry and go, electrically-adjustable driver seat, power-operated ORVMs (heated and auto-folding), 360-degree camera, i-Smart connected car tech, etc.
Also, the Astor gets level-2 ADAS, including autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, lane assists, adaptive cruise control, and automatic headlamps. It gets an AI personal assistant as well, which can respond to multiple commands in Hindi/English/Hinglish.
Skoda Kushaq also has an extremely premium cabin, along with a long list of features. It gets a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, MySkoda Connect (connected car tech), sunroof, ventilated front seats, cruise control, touch-enabled HVAC controls, etc.
Other features on offer include TPMS, traction control, stability control, rear parking camera, and a 3.5-inch MID in the instrument cluster. It doesn’t get a full-digital instrument cluster, unlike its cousin, the upcoming VW Taigun.
MG Astor Vs Skoda Kushaq – Technical Specifications
Both the Astor and Kushaq miss out on diesel options. On the MG, the engine choices include a 1.5L NA petrol unit (110 PS) and a 1.3L turbo-petrol unit (140 PS). The smaller motor can be had with either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a CVT, while the larger one comes mated to a 6-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.
| MG Astor specifications | ||
| Engine size | 1.5-litre | 1.3-litre |
| Engine type | Naturally aspirated, inline-4 | Turbocharged, inline-3 |
| Max. power | 110 PS | 140 PS |
| Max. torque | 144 Nm | 220 Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT/CVT | 6-speed AT |
Skoda Kushaq gets two turbocharged petrol engine options, 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre in size. The former is good for 115 PS, while the latter belts out 140 PS. A 6-speed manual gearbox comes standard on both, and automatic transmission choices include a 6-speed torque-converter on the smaller engine and a 7-speed dual-clutch on the larger one.
| Skoda Kushaq specifications | ||
| Engine size | 1.0-litre | 1.5-litre |
| Engine type | Turbocharged, inline-3 | Turbocharged, inline-4 |
| Max. power | 115 PS | 140 PS |
| Max. torque | 178 Nm | 220 Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed MT/6-speed AT | 6-speed MT/7-speed DCT |
MG Astor Vs Skoda Kushaq – Price
MG is yet to announce the prices of the Astor, but considering all the things it has on offer, we expect it to be an expensive package. MG will likely aim for the premium end of this segment with the Astor, but we’ll have to wait till its launch to know for sure. As for Skoda Kushaq, its price currently ranges from Rs. 10.49 lakh to Rs. 17.59 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi).