[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by psbali

Hi. from what I have noticed about auto rain sensing wipers is that they always come with manual override and have sensitivity levels. I have experienced this numerous times in different vehicles with similar feature. Even with sensitivity set to highest the setup takes a little bit of time to react. Also in light shower it may not react at all.

Infact I never liked the Auto rain sensing wipers, my experience of the feature being limited to the BMW. It is extremely erratic and I have always felt the need of manually intervening as the Auto function was either too slow or too fast. Also I have noticed it somehow also takes into account the speed of the vehicle. Even in heavy rain while standing on a signal it doesn't work and only starts working once the car starts picking up speed. Overall a feature that I am not fond off.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Apologies for the rant, but it worries me that people in the country are going ga ga over a Baojun and are more than willing to cut it slack. We have an automotive tradition that’s as great

Amazing how Hector has comprehensively beaten the Harrier hollow in most aspects - that brand name and country of origin is now the only real differentiator for the latter. Somehow feel TATA has been put in a similar situation by MG, as XUV 5OO did to Aria.

From -

• Engines - Same diesel engine, + 30PS, more refined.
• Engine options - Petrol + Petrol hybrid options.
• Transmission Options - DCT atleast on the petrol.
• Safety Features - Matches 6 airbags + ESP on Harrier, plus offers TPMS + front parking sensors + 360 camera.
• Luxury - Dual pane panoramic sunroof, power adjustable driver + passenger seats, powered tailgate.
• Infotainment - Connectivity, Better screen & Infinity (against JBL) audio.
• Features - Base variants are much better loaded compared to the Harrier's barebones variants.
• Peace of mind - 5 years v/s 2 years / unlimited km, with RSA covered and maintenance plans. Even assured buyback to overcome the new brand fear.

to even -

• Pricing - 16.88L for the top-end Hector Sharp v/s 16.76 for the top end Harrier XZ DT.

Believe you have to excuse members (and the market in general!) if they appear to be cutting some slack for the newcomer - for they feel they are getting comprehensively more for the same price. That's typical human nature and nothing to do against TATA, you feel like getting more, you tend to give up some and take on higher risks! Be it Baojun, or Wuling, or MG - Rajeev Chaba and his team in India have done a brilliant job bringing out this product customized for the Indian market.

Instead of discussing why TATA is getting sidelined - it would be more productive to point out why Harrier is indeed better. To start with - I still feel it looks better than Hector (specially the side angles)! And well - that's about it. Anything else, without going into the marketing talk of LR pedigree?

PS: I personally wouldn't buy either! A size too big for my requirements.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Amazing how Hector has comprehensively beaten the Harrier hollow in most aspects - that brand name and country of origin is now the only real differentiator

Long term ownership - has been dicey with the Chinese brands. They aren’t particularly well put together from our experiences abroad. A Chinese SUV never lasts > 6 months with an owner. Resale is not an issue because they didn’t cost much to begin with.

It’s not about cutting slack - I think we all know what we are talking about. The launch of a Tata vehicle is like an ‘I want to be a tester’ festival. People with no intention to buy one land at the showrooms with their cameras. We’ve seen that in the Harrier threads - non issues being blown up.

Here we have similar observations about ICE, engine noise, panel gaps, super-light steering (deemed dangerous in the Harrier but I don’t recall anything scary in 2 days of throwing it around) and non functional features - if you’ve been through the test drive impressions. But whereas those observations in a TML thread would end up in 2 pages of what’s wrong with the product, here it is dealt as it should be - noted, but people provide advice like ‘you can still use the switch’.

Still believe the Harrier would be a more mature platform, last longer and generally be much better engineered. It has elegance that the brashness here can never match, though that is subjective. They were never about gimmicks and gadgets - that honour belongs to the other Indian manufacturer. And much as I detest their gimmicky approach, underneath it all their product is equally robust.

All we have seen of this company is the Enjoy, Sail and one more vehicle. All very quickly forgotten. This time, they’ve figured out our weakness - British heritage.

PS: Panoramic sunroof would be a requirement in Britain, where this car is probably not sold, or has a negligible presence. People there need the sun whenever possible. I’d love to see customers get a tan with the same. Before they close the glass to enjoy the a/c but see the sky - but wait you cannot use sun control film...which means its likely to stay shut for most of the year except a hill station vacation, when you would pray that it still works.

I’ve said my piece, let me not distract from the observations around the vehicle.

[CARDEEP]

I admit that not having a car with auto rain sensing wipers has made me comment on the stopping in rain part... pardon my naivety.

However, aren't the Dealer & SA supposed to ensure that such features work properly in demo cars. it's getting benefit of doubt because it's not a Tata.

Coming back to the vehicle it seems that MG management has been proactive in attending to the issue in test drives, viz - light steering, as few have reported steering weighs up with speed .

Homegrown majors (both) can pick a leaf from this IMO.

[simeonovitch]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

a) A Chinese SUV never lasts > 6 months with an owner.

b) We’ve seen that in the Harrier threads - non issues being blown up.

c) but wait you cannot use sun control film

a) What is your source of that information?

b) The only issue that I see being mentioned repeatedly in the Harrier thread is: "you'll find the stupid steering to be way too light & sensitive...so sensitive that it's outright dangerous at 110 - 120 km/h" and "malfunctioning ICE"

Leaving ICE aside, because I dont care about ICE anyway, is the dangerous steering not an issue? 120 is the speeds that everyone does on the highway. Its not dangerous at 160 or 180 that we can argue who drives on these speeds anyway. Its 110-120. Average highway cruising speed. For a car that will do its majority of running on the highway. (assuming nobody buys SUVs for intra-city commute)

c) Pretty sure every single sunroof out there comes with tinted glass. On every single brand. And its an important criteria for some. My ex-GF refused to buy any car that didnt have a sunroof.

[AirbusCapt]

I think one must wait and watch with respect to any chinese brand of automobile. Recollect the gaga on the so called "Italian" pedigree/robust built/extreme value for money and also Italian sounding name Benelli? From being the next sliced bread it quickly became a laughing stock of a brand within 6 months.

[sreejinair]

Ok here is the video of the uneven panel gaps, for some reason this gap was more prominent in the 2 sliver color cars I saw. The black and red didnt have the uneven gaps, didnt check the white and the burgundy. Two different showroom and two different silver color cars, both had the same issue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-8MjSEHse0

Please note the video is unlisted and can be viewed only if you have the link, I have not made it public.

[spindoc]

Since some here are talking Hector vs Harrier, I'd like to share that my friend got the Harrier XZ and it does have the steering issue (which he says he has adjusted to) and a bunch of electronics issues, which no new product should have.

He still doesn't regret his decision but it sure does sour the ownership experience somewhat.

The point here is that Tata who have a car that is mechanically sorted and the only true competitor to the Hector in terms of space and presence need to get their act together, improve their assurance programme and also launch the Auto as soon as possible.

MG certainly have got their pricing and positioning game on point and are reaping the rewards as of now - CrAzY dRiVeR's concise feature comparison lays this threadbare. That said, for the not so adventurous, it might be worth waiting a while and checking out initial ownership reports before jumping on the MG bandwagon.

[amit1agrawal]

I checked out the Hector today. The Showroom is pretty small. There were about 15 customers and still it felt crowded. Though I didn't get to test drive (the queue was long), I did spend 45 minutes inspecting the vehicle. Not a single sales person approached me all this while though I was proudly wearing team-bhp t-shirt . I came out unattended. I am posting here mostly those things which I didn't like.

The interior ambiance is good but it's not great IMO. The seat upholstery does not exude quality and it looks like it will start to wear off with age. The plastics are hard all around. The soft padding on the dashboard feels good in an otherwise hard plastics dashboard.
The rear seats are wide enough for 2 adults only. The middle seat can accommodate a kid only, an adult will be a tight fit.
The plastic in the area where I suppose Isofix child seat will fix is made of cheap plastics with so many scratches.
The finish of the plastics surrounding the sunroof glass is of average quality and looks cheap.


This is the plastic surrounding the second sunroof glass. Notice the rough edges.


A Sunroof Liner provided probably to block direct airflow. The net material feels too light & thin and I think will get torn off. The plastics are again of low quality.



The part which brushes your footwear is made of hard material. I found it uncomfortable.


Uneven Panel gaps. Other than this I found panel gaps even.

The Boot space is huge. Notice though that the threads of the matt material has started to come off. It's worse in person than what pictures depict.


The sound system is good enough. I don't think many people will change it. But it's not outstanding either, maybe I had higher expectations from Infinity speakers. MG has a long way to go before it achieves Hyundaish level of quality.
I heard that Hector has managed 12k bookings and the waiting period is 5 months. Interestingly, most the customers wanted to take a test drive of Petrol automatic and the car was constantly on duty. The Diesel test drive vehicle was parked there but there were no takers! MG has managed to hide Hector's Chinese origins very well. I had a quick chat with another guy and he thought Hector is a completely British product.
The Petrol Automatic Top end variant is 19L on-road Bangalore. Hector will most likely out of my list due to quality issues and an yet unproven Brand.

[volkman10]

Though MG Hector numbers for June are not yet disclosed its effect sees a drop in Harrier. Creta ( Hector+venue effect) and Jeep Compass numbers.


Source: Auto Punditz

[suchit23]

Originally Posted by amit1agrawal

I checked out the Hector today. The Showroom is pretty small. There were about 15 customers and still it felt crowded. Though I didn't get to test drive (the queue was long), I did spend 45 minutes inspecting the vehicle. Not a single sales person approached me all this while though I was proudly wearing team-bhp t-shirt . I came out unattended.

Same here. Am not sure which one you went to I went to the Kalyan Nagar one in ORR. People told here that they had a great experience in terms of SA explaining things and all but ny experience was completely opppsite. Absolutely no one approached me not even a greeting. I couldnt even. Ake out who are employees who customers. No uniform on anyone. It seemed less of a car showroom more of a museum where people just came to see something interesting and take pics. Absolutely ridiculous.

As far as the car itself is concerned I was not too impressed despite all the bells and whistles. Something just didnt add up tho everything is good on paper. And yeah u need good arm strength to open the doors my wife and seniors will probably always need assistance which I think is a deal breaker.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Apologies for the rant, but it worries me that people in the country are going ga ga over a Baojun and are more than willing to cut it slack. We have an automotive tradition that’s as great, and hasn’t been built on plagiarism.

Politics aside, I'm on your side - a sceptic , I find this to be a marketing exercise, I don't think SAIC is a good company to buy stuff from , especially when they are expensive.

Originally Posted by Steeroid

It’s not about cutting slack - I think we all know what we are talking about. The launch of a Tata vehicle is like an ‘I want to be a tester’ festival. People with no intention to buy one land at the showrooms with their cameras. We’ve seen that in the Harrier threads - non issues being blown up.

Here we have similar observations about ICE, engine noise, panel gaps, super-light steering (deemed dangerous in the Harrier but I don’t recall anything scary in 2 days of throwing it around) and non functional features - if you’ve been through the test drive impressions. But whereas those observations in a TML thread would end up in 2 pages of what’s wrong with the product, here it is dealt as it should be - noted, but people provide advice like ‘you can still use the switch’.

Still believe the Harrier would be a more mature platform, last longer and generally be much better engineered. It has elegance that the brashness here can never match, though that is subjective. They were never about gimmicks and gadgets - that honour belongs to the other Indian manufacturer. And much as I detest their gimmicky approach, underneath it all their product is equally robust.

All we have seen of this company is the Enjoy, Sail and one more vehicle. All very quickly forgotten. This time, they’ve figured out our weakness - British heritage.

You will be surprised how well SAIC has kept their name away from Public domain at least in India, noone has a clue of its existence.
You will also be surprised to see how many are finding the Bling of Hector to be attractive. Nevertheless there is no denying that Harrier is treated as a one trick pony - looks. So hector has tried to be ahead and thrown everything including the kitchen sink at it and our nostalgic yet gullible public has taken interest in this MG.

However if Harrier sales sustain and joined by Hector we can now have a new segment, the one we lost when CRV and it's friends went upmarket for their own doom - The premium 5 seater midsize SUV.

Tata , are you listening? You need a petrol automatic here.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by amit1agrawal

The rear seats are wide enough for 2 adults only. The middle seat can accommodate a kid only, an adult will be a tight fit.
The plastic in the area where I suppose Isofix child seat will fix is made of cheap plastics with so many scratches.Attachment 1891225
The finish of the plastics surrounding the sunroof glass is of average quality and looks cheap.
Attachment 1891226

This is the plastic surrounding the second sunroof glass. Notice the rough edges.
Attachment 1891228

A Sunroof Liner provided probably to block direct airflow. The net material feels too light & thin and I think will get torn off. The plastics are again of low quality.
Attachment 1891231
Attachment 1891227

The part which brushes your footwear is made of hard material. I found it uncomfortable.
Attachment 1891229

Uneven Panel gaps. Other than this I found panel gaps even.
Attachment 1891230
The Boot space is huge. Notice though that the threads of the matt material has started to come off. It's worse in person than what pictures depict.
Attachment 1891234

Quality issues will come out sooner than later - the veneer is usually very thin on Chinese automobiles. The worry is how many folks that have bought into this fake British story would’ve lost their money by then. A forum like this should educate masses and not add to the chorus as people go headlong for an unknown brand. That much responsibility I believe we owe to those that come here.

The subterfuge shown in positioning the vehicle as something it isn’t is unethical, IMHO.

[vik99]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

... Hame haraaya apnon ne.

The Chinese will rule us soon.

...

Well, they already rule the Mobile handset business here. I am not sure but it is quite possible that once 5G rollout commences they'll run our mobile networks too.

They know we love bling and anything western. Actually make that British, the other Europeans aren't loved half as much as the Japanese/Koreans around here when comes to cars. We are similar culturally that way, us and them, the more the bling the better.

As for Tata, Mahindra et al...Ghar ki murgi dal barabar!

It will be interesting to see how this plays out!

[drjkonline]

Originally Posted by suchit23

Same here. Am not sure which one you went to I went to the Kalyan Nagar one in ORR. People told here that they had a great experience in terms of SA explaining things and all but ny experience was completely opppsite. Absolutely no one approached me not even a greeting. I couldnt even. Ake out who are employees who customers.

I went on one of those initial days and found the showroom staff to be proactive and very friendly and helpful. My subsequent visit after 10 days was a completely different experience. By that time the news had spread and footfalls had increased. No one approached me. The sales person whom I interacted with didn't even return calls. My feeling is that they have generated a lot of interest and have a lot of bookings in hand.

I liked the car. I would wait for a team-bhp review and also the experience of actual buyers before concluding anything. Its a good car or a bad car, from a good company or bad company, we don't know yet. I won't write it away because of the country of origin. We have seen good and bad products from every country including ours. Hector has managed to attract the attention of not just team-bhp ians, but also the general public which is a feather in their cap. How they follow it up will be interesting to see.