MG Hector SUV First Drive Review

The vehicle has a powered tailgate which can be opened from the rear as well as from the key fob button.  The boot area is ample and the parcel tray is split in such a way that those sitting at the back can access the area from the flaps at the edge. These are attached to the seats with the help of Velcro.

Incidentally as a lot of people nowadays use cameras, also known as dash cams, to track the traffic in front. The same is fixed on the windscreen from inside. A  USB slot has been provided on the inside rear view mirror to charge such devices. In such a scenario, you will not have the wire hanging all the way down and distracting you when you are driving. 

You also get fast charging USB ports in front and rear. These are basically 2 amp ones. There are a plethora of buttons on the dash area, on the steering wheels and on the floor console. Just below the large vertical screen are buttons for switching off and on the screen, volume control, defoggers for both front and rear. On the floor console just before the gear lever are buttons for your switching on and off your rear parking sensors, and for your 360 deg camera.  In the hybrid variant you get an additional “A Off” button which primarily means that you can stop the Automatic Start/Stop of the engine. The engine will not automatically turn off when you come to a stop to save fuel, thus the hybrid function is in a way disengaged.  Tucked on the left of the screen is a traction control off / on button.

On the right side of the steering, the buttons are used for voice command, SRC for source changes on the radio, volume control, radio channel search, mute, and phone call. On the left steering mounted buttons, you have cruise control buttons, speed limitor and buttons that enable you to set your fatigue warning time and your door ajar warnings. The scroll buttons also help you with your radio settings, phone, lithium battery charging indicators in case of the hybrid and your tyre pressure monitoring.

The audio system is provided by Infinity and the system has 8 speakers and tweeters.

i-Smart Technology

The SUV is powered by i-Smart technology. The i-smart contains 50+ connected car features. Of this, the voice assist feature allows over 100+ voice commands activated by saying "Hello MG" for hands free control.

To assist you with the function is a 10.4 inches vertical touch screen that looks quite striking and gives you access to information and complete control. The infotainment system is Android Auto and Apple Car Play compatible.

Just by saying “Hello MG”, you get the attention of the car and it allows you an entire range of functions that include play radio, play AM, play FM, play a particular frequency, pause radio, control volume, stations, the brightness of the screen, open sunroof, close sunroof, I want to see the sky, set ac temperature, open window of driver side, open window of passenger side, close window, increase fan speed, raise or lower temperature, the list of commands is almost endless.

The Hector has a Machine to Machine or M2M embedded 5G ready SIM with internet protocol version 6.With this SIM, new software and entertainment content are automatically updated. You also have online navigation with live traffic updates. Moreover, a lot of entertainment content is already preloaded in the car's head unit. There is a built-in Gaana Premium account. All you need is a mobile in which you need to download the Hector i-Smart app. Remote Controls functions like AC switch on/switch off (this is only with the automatic transmission version of the SUV), sunroof, tailgate and door lock/unlock, ambient lighting etc can be managed with this mobile app.

Other i-Smart functions include emergency call, i-call function to get a call from 24/7 pulse hub, scan car for a status check before every journey or anytime you want, geo fencing, driver analytics for checking on harsh braking, running idle drive time, routes taken etc, finding the car's location, and so on and so forth.

Performance of MG Hector

The MG Hector comes with three engine options, a 1451cc petrol hybrid which is a 1.5 litre turbocharged intercooled engine with belt starter generator. The second engine option is a 1.5 litre turbocharged intercooled petrol engine which is not a hybrid. The third option is a 1956cc or 2 litre turbocharged diesel. All three engines are mated to a six speed manual transmission. The non hybrid petrol engine is the only one that gets an option of a six speed dual clutch automatic transmission.

The Hector hybrid vehicle has a 48V Hybrid System that increases the fuel economy by 12% and reduces CO2 emissions by 11%. It is India's first 48V hybrid SUV.

I drove the diesel engine Hector first from Coimbatore to the Kodanad hill spot in Tamil Nadu. The 2 litre engine is the same one that powers the capable Jeep Compass. The climb came easy for the diesel SUV but what I did not like about the drive was the manual gear shift. It was a bit sticky and did not have the finesse I expected from MG. I also faced some problem on the air conditioner front where I felt the AC compressor was shutting off a bit too frequently.  Otherwise the ride and handling was perfect and the steering wheel felt well tuned. With disc brakes on all four wheels, there was never a moment of insecurity. The diesel engine rattle, I felt, seeped a bit into the cabin and this was a bit irksome.

But when it came to the hybrid petrol, the drive from Coonoor to Coimbatore was smooth as butter. Here too, I felt the gear shifts a bit sticky and unimpressive. NVH levels I felt were better in the hybrid version. Because of the lithium ion battery, here an extra boost was available at the tap of the accelerator pedal. As for the suspension, I felt it was well tuned to provide the right comfort to the passengers inside. While in front, the MG Hector has Macpherson Strut with Stabilizer bar, the rear is Semi Independent with Helical Spring Torsion Beam.

Safety features in the SUV include 6 airbags for the top end, electronic stability programme, traction control system, hill hold control, ABS, EBD and brake assist, 360 deg camera view, electric parking brake, front parking sensors, ISOFIX child seat anchors, etc.

Verdict

The new MG Hector is an ideal SUV for an Indian customer but only time will tell whether the company has gone overboard in providing so many tech features. Since it is an Internet Inside car, it can also mean that you are at the mercy of mobile network. In India, network providers are notorious for their unpredictable services. And if the network is bad, it could really stump the Hector from showcasing its internet smartness.