MG Hector Spied Undisguised; India Launch Soon

• Bold DRLs flank a large grill at the front.
• Gets a clean side profile with a sharp shoulder line and tough looking wheel arches.
• Has Audi-like tail lamps which are expected to get LED elements.
• Will rival the Tata Harrier, Jeep Compass and the Hyundai Tucson.
• Likely to be unveiled in May, it will hit showrooms in June this year

It’s no news that MG Motor will be bringing the Hector to our shores soon. And now, with the launch date inching closer, the midsize SUV was spotted undisguised for the first time on an ad shoot in the UK. The all-new MG Hector is set to make its official debut in the month of May, followed by a launch in June.

The MG Hector gets a large honeycomb grille at the front, dominated by a huge MG Logo. DRLs that double up as turn indicators are located above the headlights (a la Harrier). The headlamps and the fog lamps sit lower down in the bumper. Expect both of them to be LED units.

In profile, the Hector looks clean with only a sharp shoulder line running across its length. The squared wheel arches with black cladding though, add some toughness. All the pillars are blacked out on the SUV to give the roof a floating effect. The Hector also gets a set of dual-tone alloy wheels which look a bit small for an SUV this size.

Move over to the rear and you’ll spot some similarity with the Audi Q7, especially the tail lamps which are expected to get LED elements. The rear bumper with the black cladding and silver skid plate liven things up with a beefy look.

Though the interior of the Hector hasn’t been spotted yet, expect it to get a first-in-class 10.4-inch infotainment screen (like the ones seen in Volvo cars). The Hector also gets a 7 inch instrument cluster that displays various information like tyre pressure monitoring system and a distance to empty readout. Expect the Hector to be packed with features like a panoramic sunroof, cruise control, leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors and a first-in-class 360 degree camera. In terms of safety, expect the Hector to be at par with the segment with six airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability program and hill hold control on offer.

Also, the MG Hector will be the first connected vehicle to be launched in India. It will be equipped with an embedded SIM card that will be linked to MG servers in India. This will help MG to add various features and assistance systems like vehicle health status and turn by turn navigation, among others. In the near future, the Hector will also get over the air updates.

As far as engine options are concerned, the Hector will get a 2.0-litre Fiat-sourced diesel producing a healthy 173PS and 350Nm torque, same as the Jeep Compass. The petrol variant will be powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged unit producing 143PS and 250Nm. The former is expected to be available with a 6-speed MT only, whereas the latter is expected to be available with a 6-speed MT and a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic as well.

The MG Hector is expected to be priced from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom). At this price point, it will be facing stiff competition from the recently launched Tata Harrier, Jeep Compass and the Hyundai Tucson. MG will have 45 dealerships cum service centres ready before the Hector’s launch.

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