Morris Garages (MG), the British marque, marked its entry into the Indian market with MG Hector back in 2019 as the first product. Now, four years later in 2023, the brand has introduced the mid-life facelift of the SUV while calling it the Next-Gen MG Hector. We got our hands on it for a detailed review and hence it’s important to know in what ways the SUV has evolved, as MG claims the Hector to be a ‘Human Thing’. Let’s talk about the evolution of the Hector in the past four years in detail.
First things first, we drove the all-new MG Hector for nearly 1200 km, in the thick traffic of Delhi as well as on the recently inaugurated Delhi-Mumbai Highway. This gave us detailed insights into the 2023 MG Hector both in the city and on the highway conditions.
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2023 MG Hector Design
2023 MG Hector has a larger-than-life appeal. The massive argyle-inspired diamond mesh grille upfront helps it stand out from the previous generation model. This massive grille helps the new SUV in grabbing eyeballs on the street and gives it a bold appeal.
Another significant change is on the rear, where the ‘Internet Inside’ badge is now replaced by ‘ADAS’ and now you get LED-connected blade tail lamps that further accentuate the appeal of the rear profile of the 2023 MG Hector. Moreover, now the all-new MG Hector comes with bigger 18-inch wheels, whereas the previous model had 17-inch wheels.
Talking about the dimensions, the 2023 MG Hector facelift has a length of 4699 mm, width of 1837 mm and height of 1760 mm, and wheelbase of 2750 mm. These numbers reflect the amount of space the SUV has to offer and trust me it’s whole lot spacious than one could expect.
The 2023 MG Hector comes in 7 shades and what we had with us was the latest addition to the shade basket of MG Hector, i.e. the Dune Brown colour. Needless to state, the SUV looks sharp in this new shade. The 2023 MG Hector facelift is a stylish family SUV that has been developed keeping in mind the comfort factor for all age groups. Talking about comfort, let’s get inside the cabin to get details on the same.
2023 MG Hector Interior and Features
We got the 5-seater variant of the 2023 MG Hector to drive around the town. The SUV is also available in 6 and 7-seater configurations for the buyers. As soon as you enter the cabin you will notice the smart use of leather and plastic. The dual-tone Oak White and Black theme looks just perfect and durable.
If we talk about comfort and convenience, it is worth noting that we drove it in temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, and we can assure you that the AC of this SUV will not disappoint even one bit. The automatic climate control system of the 2023 MG Hector is fantastic and can easily help you beat the sun during summer. What we found a bit challenging was managing the climate control settings while driving, as one needs to take the eyes off the road and indulge in the same on the massive 14-inch infotainment screen.
Another significant change that we loved on the new SUV was the 17.78 cm fully digital cluster with Multi-Information Display, which is modern, up-market and striking.
The overall interior quality, fit, and finish gives a very premium feeling. The massive touchscreen is placed right at the centre of the dashboard and the speedometer is quite sharp, intuitive, and readable. It is very easy and comfortable to use and understand everything that’s well-packed within the massive infotainment system. One not only can control the AC from the infotainment screen but also set the levels for the sunblind, adjust height of the tailgate, adjust the side mirrors and much more from one screen alone.
There are a few human emotions incorporated in the 2023 MG Hector that make it a little more personal and unique. The massive screen wishes you ‘Happy Birthday’, You can choose the wallpaper for the infotainment system and our personal stand out feature was when the 2023 Hector talks to you. It welcomes you and wishes you a safe ride when the engine is started while saying goodbye when the ignition is turned off. This is definitely a touch that made us feel connected to the vehicle in more than one way.
Highlights from the Cabin:
- The Analog speedometer is replaced with a digital one, with a lot of information about the vehicle and ADAS.
- India’s largest 14-inch infotainment screen just fits well with the dimensions of the SUV and gives the 2023 MG Hector a very premium appeal.
- Panoramic Sunroof enhances the sense of space inside the SUV.
- 8 colour ambient mood lighting, front ventilated seats, and a metallic finish around the gear knob are some other highlights from the cabin of the next-gen MG Hector 2023.
- The 5 seater variant can easily accommodate 5 adults with loads to space for their luggage.
2023 MG Hector Safety Features
Let’s talk about safety and other features, pre-dominantly the ADAS tech now. The all-new MG Hector comes well-packed with level 2 ADAS features. There are a total of 11 such features make the SUV a comfortable and safer car and indeed it’s something that sets it apart from its rivals. Our favourite ADAS feature during the drive was Traffic Jam Assist (TJA) as it helped us immensely with the Delhi – Gurgaon traffic. Initially, it is very difficult to trust ADAS Technology but as soon as you get the hang of it, it will surely help you in that bumper-to-bumper traffic. TJA keeps a safe distance but that safe distance seems quite long sometimes and you end up handling things on your own. So it’s a tech that can assist but it’s our suggestion to be alert while driving and not to solely rely on the ADAS tech blindfolded.
Another interesting ADAS feature is the Lane Departure Warning (LDW). No matter whether you have Auto Pilot Mode ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’, on the well-marked road, the sensors will make a sound to inform you that you are not in the middle of the lane but approaching the lines on the road. It comes pretty handy during long road trips with your family as it keeps everyone safe.
The 2023 MG Hector also has more than 75 i-SMART features. Most interesting are the 100-plus voice commands in several Indian languages. Oh did we tell you that it also understands Hinglish? That’s cool. Isn’t it?
It is interesting to note that 2023 Hector allows you to share the key as well with 2 people using an app. MG calls it a Digital Key. Using this key, owner can also decide if he/she wants the other person to just unlock the car or wants them to unlock and drive too. One can also set the time for how long the key would be active with the assigned driver. That’s very thoughtful and very helpful.
Another plus of the 2023 MG Hector is its loud music system. The 2023 MG Hector comes with 8-speakers and tweeters both for front and rear passengers, a subwoofer, and an amplifier from Infinity. Wireless Android Auto, Apple Carplay, and Steering mounted audio controls just make it even more convenient to operate and tune in your favourite track.
Other Impressive Features are:
- Walk Away Auto Car Lock and Approach Auto Car Unlock: When the key-fob is with you but you don’t need to take it out, this is how this feature works. It felt quite filmy while approaching the SUV as it was unlocked automatically, ORVMs were ready and the 2023 Hector was all set for us to drive. This is another area where we felt, why MG says the 2023 Hector is the SUV that pampers you.
- There are 3 Driving Modes on offer – Although you wouldn’t notice anything between Eco and Normal but yes Sports will give you a little bit more noise from the engine. Trying its best to give you that sporty feeling. Honestly, we didn’t enjoy it much.
- Moreover, there is a built-in PM 2.5 Air Purifier with AQI and Ionizer that keeps you fresh on those long drives.
- Cruise Control or the Auto Pilot function on the new MG Hector works smoothly. It is really helpful on those long highway drives and gets the job done quite perfectly.
- Another highlight is the 360-degree around view (HD) Camera. It’s helpful when you have to park the new MG Hector, take reverse, or when you are on tight corners of the busy streets. Sensors along with this 360-degree camera keep your SUV safe from any mishap that might take place.
2023 MG Hector Engine and Performance
Since it’s a facelift nothing as such is changed under the hood. There are 2 engine options to choose from 1.5L turbocharged intercooled petrol and 2.0L turbocharged diesel.
Let’s talk about the power and torque figures of the 1.5L turbocharged petrol motor. This powertrain produces 141 bhp of top power and 250 Nm of highest torque while mated to 6-speed manual transmission and a CVT transmission. We had the CVT version with us.
Next, the 2.0L turbocharged diesel unit, which develops 168 bhp of maximum power and 350 Nm of peak torque, and is available with a 6-speed manual transmission only. The fuel tank capacity is massive 60 litres and you can expect a mileage of nearly 12 kmpl.
We drove the petrol automatic version and felt that the initial acceleration was a bit on the slower side. This makes it a challenge to overtake on highways. It is not a high-performance SUV with brisk acceleration. The mid-range and high-end performance is better. Disappointingly, there is still that rubber band effect that we noticed in the previous generation MG Hector.
2023 MG Hector Drivability and Handling
There is no issue with handling and manoeuvring the car. It is difficult to turn the car in city traffic. One needs a lot of patience there. The 2023 MG Hector comes with the Mcpherson strut and coil springs suspension for the front and Beam assemble and coil spring suspension at the rear. This suspension setup makes MG Hector quite a comfortable SUV. Even on worse road conditions, it will give you the confidence to drive and conquer the road ahead.
One more thing that’s worth noting is 2023 MG Hector can make those long tiring journeys, quite a delight. On our drive from Delhi to Jaipur, we didn’t feel the need to stop even for a cup of tea or coffee. The drivability is such that it inspires the driver to keep driving and moving places. Talking about the brakes. the car comes equipped with disc brakes at the front and rear. The brakes instil confidence and accentuate the overall driveability.
Verdict
Let’s keep it straight, and talk about the pricing first, the 2023 MG Hector price starts from 14.72 lakh (ex-showroom), which is impressive. If you are looking for a new family car that’s full of tech and impressive on quality both inside-out, then it is the right choice. MG Motor India has very strategically priced the all-new Hector and it’s going to give tough competition to its rivals. The SUV has immense potential to take you places with utmost safety and comfort. It is the only vehicle in this segment to offer so many features. There are few areas where the 2023 Hector facelift pampers the occupants. In all, it is quite evolved from the previous model and is one of the best options to choose from in this price bracket.
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