2021 MG Hector Facelift Review (First Look): What's Changed & What's Not!

Updated: Friday, January 8, 2021, 14:22 [IST]

MG Motor launched the Hector SUV back in 2019. After the SUV was launched, it gained a decent amount of traction due to its design, pricing and features. Most car manufacturers come out with a facelifted version of any new vehicle post two years after it has launched. But, this new facelifted version of the Hector has been launched by the company within just 18 months from its first launch in India.

2021 MG Hector Facelift SUV (First Look)

Speaking about the pricing of the new 2021 MG Hector, the SUV carries a starting price of Rs 12,89,800 ex-showroom for the Style variant and Rs 18,32,800 ex-showroom for the top of the line Sharp diesel manual variant. Furthermore, there is a new Starry Blue Colour which was first introduced on the Hector Plus has now been added to the standard Hector model as well.

Exterior & Design

At first glance, when you see the SUV, the Hector facelift design has not changed at all. But, there are a couple of things all around the car that have been tweaked. Starting off with the front, the first noticeable change is the grille of the SUV. It gets a bold Thermo pressed front grille with chrome inserts and that gives the new Hector facelift an upmarket look.

It continues to feature LED DRLs with dynamic indicators and a full LED headlight setup that is located on the front bumper. Except that, nothing has changed at the front, but the grille definitely makes the SUV stand apart.

Moving onto the side, the Hector facelift gets a set of new bigger 18-inch alloy wheels that are finished in dual-tone. The design of the alloy looks like the one seen on the ZS EV. Since it's a big vehicle now the size of the wheels are going well with the overall size of the SUV. Rest of the side profile remains identical and they get a lot of chrome all around.

The SUV now also gets blackout ORVM, with an integrated indicator and a camera on each side for the 360-degree camera feature. Rest of the side profile remains identical and they get a lot of chrome all around.

Moving on to the rear end, there is only one noticeable change and that is the reflective strip that used to connect both the taillights, has been replaced by a dark rear tailgate garnish. You get the HECTOR badge on the lower left-hand side and the Internet Inside badge on the lower left. It also gets an electric tailgate and single side-mounted exhaust, again, surrounded by chrome.

Interior & Features

Step inside the car and you will be welcomed by a spacious cabin and because of the huge panoramic sunroof, the cabin looks really airy. This time around the Hector facelift gets luxurious champagne and black dual-tone themed interior options.

Other new features on the Hector Plus are front ventilated seat for both the driver and passenger, wireless charging, auto-dimming interior rear-view mirror and industry-first Hinglish voice commands (The internet SUV can now also understand & respond to 35+ Hinglish commands that control various in-car functions). Also, there has been a USB charging slot that has been added next to the co-passenger seat above the button to operate for the seat ventilation system.

The Hector facelift gets a dual-tone dashboard also and the infotainment system, instrument cluster and the steering wheel has been carried over from the pre-facelift version. The steering mounted controls are placed nicely and are easy to use. One thing that we did not like is the placement of the button for the ventilated seats, they could have been placed at a more accessible place.

The front seats are comfortable to sit and have a good back and under-thigh support. Though we did not get to drive the car, we can definitely tell you that the seat will not tire you out on a long journey. The second row is spacious and can easily accommodate three passengers. The SUV also has a flat floor that makes the person sitting in the centre sit comfortably.

Engine Options

The engine and transmission options on the MG Hector facelift will be the same as the outgoing model. It will continue to be offered with two engine options: a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine producing 143bhp and 250Nm of torque and a 2.0-litre diesel engine churns out 173bhp and 350Nm of torque.

The petrol engine is also offered with a 48V mild-hybrid variant, which offers better fuel efficiency and low-end grunt. All engine options come mated to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, while the non-hybrid petrol engine is offered with an optional DCT transmission unit.

DriveSpark Thinks!

The new 2021 Hector facelift looks good with all the new changes and has now become a better package. We feel that the switch for the ventilated seats should be moved to a better place, the passenger side should have a seat height adjuster and chrome can be deleted from some places.

Other than that, if you are looking to buy a family car that is not very expensive, is big and offers a lot of features, then you should check out the new Hector facelift. The MG Hector facelift will rival the upcoming Jeep Compass facelift, Tata Harrier, and the Nissan Kicks in the Indian market.