You Can Now Have A Look At The MG Astor In The Flesh At Dealerships

• Separates itself from the ZS EV with different styling for the front grille, headlights, tail lights and alloy wheels.

• Gets segment-first features such as ADAS, and AI assistance.

• Other features include a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment, connected car tech, a panoramic sunroof, and wireless charging.

• Is powered by 1.5-litre naturally aspirated and 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engines with manual and automatic transmission options.

• Prices likely to start from Rs 10 lakh.

Those interested in seeing MG Motor’s latest offering, the Astor in the flesh, will now be able to have a look at it at MG showrooms around the country. What’s more, you’ll soon be able to book this new compact SUV ahead of its slated launch in October, 2021.  

The Astor was recently revealed as MG Motor’s fourth product for the Indian market, and it is known as the facelifted ZS abroad. While the overall silhouette is largely similar to it's all-electric counterpart, the ZS EV, the Astor gets its own identity in the form of a different front grille featuring a spider-web-like mesh. It also comes with a different set of LED headlights, taillights, and alloy wheels. 

The real party trick in the Astor is inside, thanks to a small AI assistant robot on the dashboard. It reacts to you with emotions, and you can also ask for status updates on ongoing cricket matches via simple voice commands. That aside, it also has segment-first features in the form of ADAS, which includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot detection, and lane-keep/departure assist.

Other niceties in the Astor include a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, i-Smart connected car tech, a digital driver’s display,  panoramic sunroof, keyless entry with push-button start, rain-sensing wipers, wireless phone charging, three steering modes ( Normal, Urban, Dynamic) and a PM 2.5 air filter. 

Safety kit comprises six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP, brake assist, a 360-degree camera, hill hold/descent control, traction control, disc brakes on all wheels, and ISOFIX child mounts.

The MG Astor can be specced with either a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine or a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol motor. The former makes 110PS/144Nm, while the latter produces 140PS/220Nm. As for the transmission options on offer, the 1.5-litre option gets a 6-speed manual and a 8-step CVT to play with. The latter can only be paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

MG Motor India will offer the Astor in five body shades : Spiced Orange, Aurora Silver, Glaze Red, Candy White, and Starry Black. It is expected to be priced from Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) onwards and will rival the likes of the Skoda Kushaq, Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta, and the upcoming VW Taigun.