MG Hector premium SUV will be launched in India by the middle of this year; will rival Jeep Compass, Hyundai Tucson, Tata Harrier & Honda CR-V
A few weeks ago, MG Motor revealed the name of its upcoming SUV that it will debut with in India. Dubbed the Hector, it is a premium SUV that has been sought after for many months ever since the brand officially announced its arrival for this year. Having already been spotted testing alongside Hyundai Tucson and Honda CR-V, the Hector is expected to make a good initial impression for the brand among customers.
The MG Hector’s spy shots do give us some brief details and the production model is based on the Baojun 530. The exterior comes fitted with large honeycomb front grille, sharp headlamps with LED Daytime Running Lamps positioned above, 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels, a rather compact rear end, squared wheel arches, tall pillars, and sporty bumpers up front and rear.
The SAIC-owned MG brand seems to have concentrated on providing a roomy cabin for occupants as well as the driver since comfort and convenient factors are important in that segment. It is expected to be taller than the CR-V and will be heavily localised at the British company’s Halol plant in Gujarat to carry an appealing price range.
The cabin should also feature upmarket finishes, soft-touch dashboard, multi-functional steering wheel with integrated controls, premium dials and buttons, a large touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity along with an assortment of driver assistance and safety features.
We can expect equipment like TFT multi-information display, heads up display, automatic climate control, powered seats with memory function, panoramic sunroof, rear air conditioning vents, rear armrest, adjustable headrests, cooled glovebox, multiple driving modes and so on.
The Hector is widely reported to be offered with both petrol and diesel engine choices. The 2.0-litre FCA sourced four-cylinder diesel engine producing around 170 horsepower can also be found in one of its chief competitors Jeep Compass. Transmission duties must be handled by either a six-speed manual or an automatic unit.