MG Hector : A car that's launching an entire brand in India

MG Hector is one of the most awaited launches of 2019. It's making an entry into a very crowded compact SUV segment at a very reasonable ex-showroom price of ₹13,18,000*.

Hector has managed to garner a lot of curiosity with its entire marketing campaign focused on the best in class i-Smart features based on voice commands and connected mobility. Now that it's on the road, let's put #TheHumanThing to test.

The first impression of any car is its presence and profile on road. MG Hector scores a wow on the front profile. It has a very bold setup, with abundant use of chrome around the grill. Slim LED day-time running lights placed reasonably high on the front panel give it a very classy look. Although design is subjective and different people may perceive this slim panel variably, it follows recent trends.

Fog lamps are placed lower and base aligned with the front grill; they also have chrome garnish that adds more style to the lower section of the front profile. Overall, the front profile gets a thumbs up.

The side profile is as stylish as the front but the 17-inch alloys may disappoint you a little as Hector definitely seems to ask for more. Apart from that, the floating roof effect and kink in the rear window extension are giving Hector a very sporty look. The shoulder crease is very elegant, and the bottom side band with Morris Garages engraved on it also adds to the sporty feel. Overall a thumbs up, but it definitely deserved bigger alloys for a more comprehensive SUV feel.

Now let's move on to the rear profile of Hector. The rear is a bit too much of cognitive load. Lots of angles and lines move across the panel, but with good use of chrome. It also sports a reflective strip between the tail lamps, which is rather unconventional. A silver panel also finds its place at the bottom section of the rear profile and looks much like a rear skid plate. Hector comes in five colour variants: Candy White / Glaze Red / Aurora Silver / Starry Black / Burgundy Red. Glaze Red has been widely used in promotions and clearly stands out as one of the best colour variants. For the complete verdict on all profiles, MG Hector scores solid on overall design and may beat the best in the segment on pure looks.

Now that we have discussed the exteriors, let me talk about the Hector's interiors. From the first look, the dashboard seems very neat and the thing that commands most of your attention is a 10.4-inch HD touch panel that is oriented in portrait. This touch panel is the X factor in the cabin and does a lot of fancy stuff, but we'll come to that later.

The steering wheel and dashboard have a lovely leather finish, the side storage space on doors and under the armrest cabin are spacey, and the two cup holders are adequate. However, what will amaze you is the equipment list on MG Hector:

1. 360-degree Camera View (Gives you overhead view as well)
2. Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
3. Electric Parking Breaks
4. Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
5. ABS + EBD + Break Assist
6. Traction Control System
7. Automatic Climate Control
8. Cruise Control
9. Keyless Entry and Go
10. Full-Length Panoramic Sunroof
11. Heated Wing Mirrors
12. 8 Coloured ambient lighting

The other regular features include Hill Assist, Electric Adjustable Seats, Height Adjustable Driver Seat and Electronic MultiTrip Meter. Hector is also high on safety with upto six airbags, child safety lock, door ajar warning system, front impact beams, tyre pressure monitor, and a centrally mounted fuel tank.

Now let me comeback to the 10.4-inch HD infotainment touch panel. It comes with a in-sim slot for full internet connectivity, 360-degree camera view, full climate controls, integrated navigation system, and free premium subscription for Gaana (the the music is powered by four incredible infinity speakers with a subwoofer system installed). The touch panel is responsive but not as smooth as the one on your smartphone.

Another very cool thing is the MG Hector Smartphone App. It lets you control a lot of car features from anywhere around the world like lock/unlock, open/close sunroof, turn on the AC, and even start the car (only for Automatic). There are a whole lot of other features like geofence-based alarms that trigger if the car moves out of a range or Smart Drive, which scores you based on your driving habits.

If you are looking for more reasons to buy this car, we must mention that rear cabin is extremely spacious (enough leg room for a 6.2-feet person with good under-thigh support) and that too without compromising much on boot space.

MG Hector may well be the coolest car in the compact SUV segment right now. Coming back to launching an entire brand in India, I believe MG has done its job really well with Hector.