The Indian automotive space is going to see a lot of developments and changes this year. Apart from the implementation of new safety norms among other things, new brands like Kia and MG will also mark their entry this year. Talking of which, MG recently unveiled the name of their upcoming SUV as Hector.
Now, new reports suggest that the company will equip the SUV with several class leading features that include a huge panoramic sunroof along with gigantic touchscreen infotainment screen. That said, MG is aiming towards making Hector the most feature rich SUV in its class.
To be particular, the sunroof will be an all-electric unit and will come with both pop-up and slide function. The sunroof on Hector will measure 1460 mm X 832 mm, which makes it quite larger than the Jeep Compass’s panoramic sunroof. Apart from the upcoming Hector, only the Jeep Compass is currently the only car on sale in the segment with a panoramic sunroof which measures 1278 mm X 877 mm. The demand for sunroof equipped car is on a rise since sometime and having a huge sunroof definitely gives more appeal to a vehicle.
The touch infotainment system on the Hector will also be the best in class, measuring a hefty 10.4 inches. It will be a portrait-oriented unit. The unit will be the go-to control for the infotainment system as well as the climate control. The car is also expected to come equipped with a 360-degree camera along with a Harman Infinity audio system that will comprise four speakers, four tweeters, and a subwoofer. To let you know, the MG Hector SUV is based on the SAIC Boujon 530, which is available only in the Chinese market at the moment. The Indian-spec SUV will be heavily re-engineered to ensure that it suits the Indian roads and conditions.
The all-new Hector would be powered by a 2.0-litre Multijet Fiat diesel engine that also does the duty under the Jeep Compass and Tata Harrier. The engine churns out a good 138 Bhp of power along with 350 Nm of torque in the Harrier while the Jeep Compass gets 170 Bhp of power along with 350 Nm of torque. For the MG Hector, expect the power figure to be around 170 Bhp. A dual clutch transmission will also be offered with the upcoming Hector. Also, there would be a 1.5-litre petrol engine but the specifications and the output of the engine are not known.
MG Motor has set-up an assembly plant at Halol, Gujarat and the production of the SUV will start in the second quarter of 2019. The launch of the all-new SUV is expected to happen in around the May 2019. MG Motor aimed for 75% localisation for the Hector SUV, which would allow the brand to price their first SUV very competitively. Upon launching, the SUV will rival the likes of Jeep Compass and Tata Harrier as its main rivals.