The MG Hector is doing rather well in the Indian market and like me, I’m sure that you must have seen quite a few of them on the road. Clearly, MG’s formula of giving a feature packed urban SUV at a stellar price point has won hearts and it goes to show that if you have the right product you can make massive inroads in the market – even if you are a new brand.
Building on the success of the Hector is the Hector Plus. Visually, the changes are subtle, as is the increase in length which is due to the revised bumper design, but they are there. The Hector Plus does have a bit more of a premium aura working for it thanks to the new front grille finished in a neat pattern with dashes of chrome. It sure looks classy and coupled with the new front bumper, the jazzy look of the Hector has been dialled down a bit to deliver a more premium appeal. On the rear hatch, MG has done away with the connecting strip between the lights and this makes it look a lot neater. The new rear bumper also gives this urban SUV more character. Sitting on 17-inch wheels, The Hector does carry an imposing stance, but we honestly would have liked to see 18’s on this to bring out that side profile better. Overall, it is a good looking machine that has a new-age feel to it.
The Hector Plus has been designed to cater to a more upmarket audience and possibly those who are looking at a cheaper alternative to the Toyota Innova. To give it this premium touch, the cabin has been finished in tan leatherette upholstery that looks really nice and boasts of a brilliant finish. The front seats remain amongst the best in the business and the 2nd row bench has been done away with and replaced with 2 captain seats that are quite comfortable. If you have plans of being chauffeured around town, this is the model that will suit you best! The third row is a bit of a tight fit and frankly will find use to carry around kids. With the 3rd row in place, you do get a bit of boot space to carry a couple of bags. It still remains quite practical if you ask me. The best thing is that MG hasn’t tried to market the 3rd row as seats for adults. They have clearly stated that it is for kids. I like the honesty. It goes a long way in winning customers.
Like the Hector, the Plus variant also boasts of being a connected car. It comes with an in-built e-Sim that offers you access to a plethora of features which include geofencing, vehicle status, driver analytics, vehicle locator, emergency call and 24×7 general assistance via the I-Call system. There are a total of 50+ features. In fact, the company has done away with a lot of buttons on the centre console and replaced them with voice commands! If required, you can use the large touchscreen as well, but to keep your hands on the wheel, it would be wise to remember all those commands that the MG Hector Plus responds to for a rather unique driving experience. How many commands are there exactly? Well, MG told me that there are over 110 commands that include volume control, window and sunroof operation as well as voice dialing!
MG is offering the Hector with a 1.5 litre petrol engine and 2.0 litre diesel. The 1.5 litre petrol engine delivers 143 PS of power and 250 Nm of torque. There is a version that gets a micro hybrid ISG which offers a torque boost and is rather fun to drive. The diesel version uses a Fiat-sourced unit that also does duty in the Jeep Compass and Tata Harrier. It is tuned to what the former offers with 170 PS of peak power and 350 Nm of torque. Both engines boast of an impressive level of refinement and they run smooth. Like the Hector, the Hector Plus is fun to drive and while we got to experience the powerful and refined diesel version for our drive, I know from experience that the petrol engine is equally peppy and offers a great drive experience as well.
The ride quality of the Hector Plus is quite good and it does a decent job of taking corners as well. It feels rather planted on the highway at high speeds and even while tackling the ghats, it was easy to keep in its line. Sure, it is an SUV at the end of the day and it has a narrow track, but despite that, body roll was at a minimum even under spirited driving conditions. On the whole, there really isn’t much to complain about with the way the Hector Plus drives. In terms of safety, you do get six airbags, ESC, auto headlamps and wipers, a tyre pressure monitoring system, and front and rear parking sensors, which is a big plus point on the Hector Plus!
MG Hector Plus prices start at about INR 14 lakh and top off close to INR 19 lakh. For that kind of money you are get a whole lot of SUV that comes with a ton of bells and whistles. India is a price sensitive market and the fine folks at MG India clearly have understood how to use this to their benefit and cater to that emotion. It stacks up well against the competition and if you hunt through the Internet for reviews and customer feedback you will find that it has a rather reliable name as well.