MG Shield: Best-In-Class Premium At Best-In-Class Ownership Cost

A little over a year after its debut in India, MG Motor has become a byword for premium in every segment it has entered. More importantly, the premium factor has not come at the cost of affordability. For instance, not only is the MG Hector accessibly priced but it also offers best-in-class ownership costs. A major part of the credit for the latter goes to MG Shield, a unique maintenance package that helps keep your Hector’s running costs low. 

A little over a year is also enough time to evaluate the running costs of a vehicle, as borne out by these first-person accounts of MG Hector owners from all over India. Read on to know what is MG Shield and how it has helped Hector owners enjoy best-in-class premium at best-in-class ownership costs.  

5 Years/Unlimited Kilometres Warranty

A long warranty period, apart from protecting you from unplanned costs, is a sign of the manufacturer’s confidence in its product’s quality and endurance. The Hector fares well on this count as it comes with an industry-first 5-year comprehensive warranty that is valid for unlimited kilometres. If your Hector does commercial duty, the warranty stands for 5 years and 1.5 lakh kilometres, whichever comes first. 

With MG Shield, the Hector’s battery and tyre get a 1-year warranty cover as well while the segment-topping premium 10.4-inch infotainment system gets a 3-year coverage.

5 Years/Unlimited Kilometres Roadside Assistance

Accessing these warranty features while on the move is made easy with the Hector’s 5-year/unlimited kilometres roadside assistance. You can access it 24x7 through MG’s Pulse Hub and call for on-the-spot repairs by trained technicians, towing assistance, and even medical help. 

There’s also a courtesy car programme to ensure you’re not left stranded even if your Hector isn’t immediately ready. It lets you avail of an alternate car from your nearest MG dealership (subject to availability), until your Hector is up and running again. 

MG’s focus on a premium experience extends to its roadside assistance feature as well. For instance, it can help you with problems such as running out of fuel while on the road, starting troubles because of a dead battery, and even losing your Hector’s keys. 

Five Labour Free Services

Labour charges make up a significant part of the total servicing cost and can add up to a hefty figure after a few services. But that’s not the case with the MG Hector, as Father Roy Mathew from Varanasi found out to his surprise. He says, “My MG Hector had completed 14,500km when I took it for its third servicing. As it is the best SUV car in its segment, I assumed the service cost would be high. Naturally, I was surprised to receive a bill of only Rs 6,000.”

Father Mathew’s joy at the featherweight bill is thanks to the five labour free services MG offers with the Hector. This ensures you do not pay anything towards labour charges during your Hector’s first five scheduled services. 

Reduce Maintenance Costs with MG’s Protect Plans

Labour free services are just one aspect of reducing the servicing cost of your MG Hector. The British carmaker also offers Protect Plans designed to guard your wallet against high-maintenance costs that may arise after the warranty period of your Hector ends. 

Known as Classic and Premium, these two plans are available only for private owners of the Hector and cover different maintenance costs for different durations. Refer to the table below for the cost, duration, and mileage details of each plan. 

Choosing the Classic plan saves you from all scheduled maintenance costs while the Premium plan offers additional protection from costs due to wear and tear. However, note that neither plan covers costs related to tyre wear, battery degradation, and damage from collisions. 

Best-In-Segment Total Cost of Ownership

The aggregate effect of MG Shield’s features and the SUV’s excellent fuel efficiency helps Hector owners flaunt a total ownership cost that is the lowest in its class. Ramesh Varma, a proud MG Hector owner from Vijaywada, says, “After receiving my MG Hector early-last year, I travelled all over the country covering 24,000km. I was ready to pay a hefty sum but the servicing cost was only Rs. 0.49/km! Buying the Hector was one of the best decisions of my life.”

While Mr Varma’s Hector had a diesel heart, you can enjoy an even lower total cost of ownership with the petrol variant. That’s because the cost of owning and maintaining a petrol Hector can be as low as Rs 0.45/km. This makes the Hector the most affordable SUV in its class to own and maintain. 

MG Shield – Making Premium Affordable

When it arrived on Indian shores a little over a year ago, the MG Hector promised to bridge the gap between the Indian car buyer’s desire for a premium feel and long-term affordability. Going by the number of happy homes the SUV has found all over India since launch and the beaming owners who swear by it, it’s safe to say that promise has been fulfilled.