[nivatakavacha]

Hi Folks,

The video reviews have started coming in; I think things are looking good for MG Hector. It is definitely a good entry into our market and like Hyundai, I think they have "got" what the Indian consumer likes!

https://youtu.be/4x3dCzEetdQ

https://youtu.be/HpVLuNv8r6M

https://youtu.be/2XkW4J8yZEc

https://youtu.be/MF4PQ0IycLg

[Equus]

This segment has become so exciting! First the Compass, then the Harrier and now Hector. The Honda HRV would be a fine addition to this, and so would the Toyota Rush! Suddenly we are no longer 4th world country, eh?

[neil.jericho]

Sharing this so it helps other folks in Cochin. This was shared by the MG sales team. I'll drop in to the showroom to check it out sometime next week. My wife is starting to talk about a car upgrade but Im in no hurry.

[WIMR]

Originally Posted by hydraulicsteer

One thing interesting to note about MG’s strategy. They are aiming for 250 dealerships and that too with products targeted in in the upper half of mass market car segment ( > 15 lacs price). Will the resulting volumes justify having so many outlets especially for a new brand from China. I am sure MG is pumping hell lot of a money in lending financial aid to setup these dealership otherwise it is almost impossible to convince a business to setup a MG dealership considering the concerns over the acceptance of a Chinese car, the drowning car retail business and the current slowdown. Deep pockets help and with these deep pockets MG might undercut competition in price to make space for itself.

MG is definitely out with an intent to capture the Indian market. It would be interesting to see how the mid-size SUV market shapes up if MG do undercut the rivals - Jeep, Tata. We have seen in the cell phone industry how the Chinese brands are known to provide the best in class features (we Indians love excess don't we ) and yet offer them at a considerably lower cost as compared to the competition. With Kia set to enter the market too these are Interesting times ahead!

[omranga98]

So the reviews are out on Youtube. Here are a few things I noticed:

• The reverse light is placed on the bottom edges of the bumper which double up as turn indicators when the tailgate is open (Since the lights are mounted on the tailgate).
• Same tachometer is used in both petrol and diesel variants (Diesel redlines at 5.5k RPM but indicates at 6.5k)
• The infotainment system seemed very laggy.
• Camera resolution seemed poor.
• Screen has low pixel per inch.
• (Not sure about this) The parcel tray does not extend from the rear seat towards the tailgate but rather from a mid-point.

[neoonwheels]

Originally Posted by omranga98

So the reviews are out on Youtube. Here are a few things I noticed:

• The reverse light is placed on the bottom edges of the bumper which double up as turn indicators when the tailgate is open (Since the lights are mounted on the tailgate).
• Same tachometer is used in both petrol and diesel variants (Diesel redlines at 5.5k RPM but indicates at 6.5k)
• The infotainment system seemed very laggy.
• Camera resolution seemed poor.
• Screen has low pixel per inch.
• (Not sure about this) The parcel tray does not extend from the rear seat towards the tailgate but rather from a mid-point.

There is an extension with a Velcro that you can stick to the rear of the rear seats. However not sure if there anything that can extend till the hatch.

[Behemoth]

Originally Posted by neoonwheels

There is an extension with a Velcro that you can stick to the rear of the rear seats. However not sure if there anything that can extend till the hatch.

It is basically a two part flexible design. The cloth parts which you see hanging are meant to be fixed with Velcro on the rear seats (which are 60:40 Split and individually reclinable (hence the need for a two piece design). The Front part is a roller screen type which covers the Boot all the way till the Lid.
Something like this (this is an example of Jeep Compass Cover which is available from China)

[rovingeye]

Originally Posted by omranga98

[*]The infotainment system seemed very laggy.[*]Camera resolution seemed poor.[*]Screen has low pixel per inch.

I've seen it in flesh, spent time in the cabin and have the same feedback on these three points.

Its shiny as hell, looks awesome, has good sound from the infinity speakers, and will sleep 3 kids in the boot quite comfortably - it's that big.

But the low resolution screen seemed a little bit of a downer for me personally.

[jailbird_fynix]

Originally Posted by omranga98

So the reviews are out on Youtube. Here are a few things I noticed

And as per the drive quality, commonly mentioned two negatives being turbo lag and light steering.

[diwa]

Originally Posted by jailbird_fynix

And as per the drive quality, commonly mentioned two negatives being turbo lag and light steering.

Also the NVH level and the inadequate under thigh support for the rear seat passengers.

[vigneshkumar31]

Checked out the Hector at Safdarjung MG.

For a compact 5seater SUV it's huge. The sales advisor was informed and aggressive in marketing the vehicle.

Features loaded to the hilt and a full length panoramic sunroof, added with a decent voice assistant and a screen that can be best described as most of the dashboard.

The showroom also has a huge screen for configuring your MG.

Geeked out car which is trying to pull another Hyundai. There's nothing amiss on paper, but all seems a little overdone for my personal taste.

All said, this gives exactly what the customer base wants:
+Tech loaded ,brimming and overflowing with gadgetry
+Sunroof
+Huge boot
+Road presence
That ticks all boxes and shows in the bookings available with the dealer (apparently about 200 mostly for the hybrid petrol)

[LeoMachine]

Originally Posted by jailbird_fynix

And as per the drive quality, commonly mentioned two negatives being turbo lag and light steering.

Add to this soft suspension which is good for urban drives but certainly not a enthusiast choice. Seems most of the reviews are kind of neutral in driving dynamics. I'll wait for DCT review once it's available but going by Petrol hybrid review, I don't feel excited about it. Yes, it does offer lot of blings and gizmos however not in league of compass in ride and handling for sure.

Mods - When should we expect our T-BHP review? That's the one I'm looking for.

[hiren.mistry]

From the Autocar India review I could see that maps on Android Auto did not cover the entire screen.

As can be seen in this screengrab, the maps is shown in the landscape mode.


Is this due to the way its is configured in the Hector or more due to AA?

[Accelerati]

The car indeed looks promising.

Does anyone have an idea about how MG is perceived for its reliability and after sales?

Given that the retail numbers initially would be low for MG in India, and service centres would be more of a cost centre rather than profit centre for the dealerships, what sort of service can we expect? Can I draw a parallel to Skoda or a VW?

[octane_100]

I am both surprised and disappointed with the reviews. The central piece of the entire communication was the entertainment system and it doesn't deliver on responsiveness and resolution!!