MG Hector SUV is expected to launch sometime during the second half of 2019 and will compete against the likes of Tata Harrier and Mahindra XUV 500.
MG Motors is all set to make their official debut in India with the launch of an all-new premium SUV. Named as the Hector, this compact utility vehicle is expected to fall in-between the price range of INR 12 lakh to INR 18 lakh. As a result of this, its primary competition will include the likes of Tata Harrier and the Mahindra XUV 500. Due to its clever pricing, the Hector is also going to compete with the likes of Hyundai Creta and Nissan Kicks at one end and with the Jeep Compass and the Hyundai Tucson at the other.
The MG Hector is expected to launch in India petrol as well as diesel engine derivatives. The petrol engine is likely to be a 1.4-litre, 4-cylinder unit sourced from Fiat. While the diesel engine is going to be a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder unit sourced from the Italian brand itself. The petrol engine will churn out 162 BHP of power along with 250 Nm of peak torque. The diesel engine, on the other hand, is good for 170 BHP and 350 Nm of peak torque.
Also Read: MG Motors planning to launch a smaller sibling of Hector in India?
A recent report published in Autocar India states that the MG hector is going to get manual as well as automatic transmission options in its line-up. The manual gearbox will be a 6-speed unit. While the automatic gearbox, interestingly, is going to be a 6-speed dual-clutch unit. This gearbox is likely to be available on the petrol as well as the diesel engine offerings for this SUV.
With the dual-clutch transmission option, the MG Hector will only be the second such vehicle in the premium compact SUV segment to offer the same in India. The other being the Jeep Compass which offers a DCT with its 1.4-litre petrol engine. Its immediate competition, the Tata Harrier currently does not offer an automatic transmission option but is expected to get a 6-speed torque converter unit by mid-2019. The Mahindra XUV 500 and Hyundai Tucson offer torque converter units.
However, it is not just the case of a dual-clutch transmission where the MG Hector is going to have an edge over the competition. From what information we have at the moment, the Hector is going to have several segment first features such as a panoramic sunroof and a vertical infotainment system.
What are your expectations from the MG Hector? Do let us know in the comment section below!
