MG Motor launches the 2021 Hector and Hector Plus in India

MG Motor has just launched the facelift of the Hector and the Hector Plus. Now both the SUVs get more features than before and some cosmetic upgrades so that they look fresh while they compete in the tough SUV segment. The prices of both the SUVs have also been increased. So, the MG Hector now starts from Rs. 12.89 lakhs ex-showroom and goes up to Rs. 18.32 lakhs ex-showroom. The Hector Plus now starts from Rs. 13.14 lakhs ex-showroom for the 7-seater variant and goes up to Rs. 18.32 lakhs ex-showroom. The Hector Plus 6-seater now starts from Rs. 15.99 lakhs ex-showroom and the top-end variant will cost you Rs. 19.12 lakhs ex-showroom. There are no mechanical upgrades done to any of the SUVs. So, both the SUVs continue to offer the same 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine and the 2.0-litre Fiat-sourced diesel engine. The transmission options also remain the same.

The Hector gets a new tweaked front fascia while the Hector Plus retains its front styling. This could have been done because Hector was launched before, whereas the Hector Plus was launched in the Indian market previous year only. So, the Hector now gets a bolder, more aggressive front grille and it also gets front and rear faux skid plates finished in Gunmetal colour.

Also read: MG Hector Facelift to be launched in 2021

At the rear, the red reflective garnish that connected both the tail lamps is now replaced with a glossy black coloured garnish. Both the SUVs get metallic scuff plates for the front and rear door sills and 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels which we consider a big addition because the original alloys wheels looked a tad bit smaller on the Hector. The new alloy wheels really help in improving the stance of the SUVs while filling the wheel wells better. The Hector will now also be offered with a Starry Sky Blue colour which was only available with the Hector Plus till now. The Hector Plus now gets some dual-tone exterior colours such as Red plus black roof and White plus black roof. The interior colour of the Hector has also been changed to dual-tone champagne and black colour. This will give the cabin a more premium look and a sense of airiness to the cabin.

The feature list of both the SUVs has also gone up. Both of them now get a wireless charger, front ventilated seats and auto-dimming interior rearview mirror. The Hector on other hand now comes with the Wifi option with the infotainment system, voice search in the Gaana application, 5 days of the weather forecast in Accuweather, Apple watch connectivity, engine start alarm, speed alert customization option in the i-Smart application, door auto lock and unlock and voice alert for low tyre pressure. MG has also extended the thigh support for the rear seat which should help in a more comfortable ride for the rear occupants. Hector now also gets more than 35 Hinglish voice commands. So, now you can give voice commands such as ‘Radio Chalao’, ‘Sunroof Kholo’, ‘Petrol Pump Dhundho’ and much more. These new voice commands will help people to use the voice command feature more as they won’t have to remember specific commands in English.

Both the SUVs are offered with the same set of BS6 compliant engines. The 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine produces 143 PS and 250 Nm. It is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox or a Dual-Clutch Automatic gearbox. If you opt for the 48V mild-hybrid system, you can only get the 6-speed manual gearbox. The 2.0-litre diesel engine produces 170 PS and 350 Nm. It is only offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox. MG Motor is also working on an all-wheel-drive variant for the Hector Plus which will also offer ADAS or Advanced Driver Assistance System features.

These advanced driver aids are currently only offered with the MG Gloster and soon will be making its way to the Hector Plus. This will make the Hector Plus, the cheapest vehicle in India to offer Level 1 autonomous driving technology. If you would like to know more about it, you can click here. MG Hector will compete with the likes of Kia Seltos, Tata Harrier, upcoming Mahindra Scorpio and Hyundai Creta. The Hector Plus will compete against the upcoming 2021 Mahindra XUV500, Toyota Innova Crysta and, upcoming Hyundai Creta 7-seater and the Tata Safari (previously known as Gravitas).

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