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Old 18th August 2021, 13:30   #136
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Re: MG considering petrol ZS for India. Edit: MG Astor unveiled

I do not like the look and placement of the AI assistant. I hope it is possible to completely remove it from the dashboard. On another note, after the XUV 700 launch, it seems Skoda Kushaq and the upcoming Taigun have already faded into the distant memory of prospective car buyers. The MG Astor might just be the last nail in the coffin for Skoda and VW India's plans in the compact/urban SUV segment.
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Old 18th August 2021, 13:51   #137
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Re: MG considering petrol ZS for India. Edit: MG Astor unveiled

I really admire MG for the innovation they are bringing to the Creta/Seltos segment. If the GNCAP tests this car and it gets 5 stars, there is really no reason to buy the Korean or German twins at this price point. Given that MG is generating thousands of jobs in India, even the China argument holds less weight.

I have mostly heard positive things about MG's sales and after-sales, with the notable exception of the cars that caught fire. Has there been update on those vehicles?

Of course, that alone is no reason to write off the brand, given what we have heard about the Creta and Seltos struggling with braking on highways!
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Old 18th August 2021, 14:09   #138
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Re: MG considering petrol ZS for India. Edit: MG Astor unveiled

It is a very compelling launch and the product seems to have been thought through very much in detail. If priced correctly, will give Korean Twins run for their money and the upcoming German cars like Tiguan a tough time right out of the launch.

However, I feel it is trying to be feature-rich keeping up with the recent times and trends.

India Specific challenges it will face

- Usage of ADAS is purely Gimmicky, though very intriguing on paper it might not practically be used in India. Some features will become annoying to the extent that we might end up disabling them for good. Most dashcams have them these days and they just don't help on Indian Roads.
- AI and Voice control again is a Gimmick, Alexa wireless would do the same job just as fine. We still would be happy with Ganesha Idol in that place.
- Parking reservations and subscriptions to other value-added services will again not find many takers. ( Remember Ather One subscription)
- It is interesting that many Active safety features are included in the package, however with a lot of distraction on the dashboard. One has to really think if these distractions of Gizmos are really safe for driving. Premium cars are moving towards lesser screens and we have cars here adding more screen time and ever distracting cockpit.
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Old 18th August 2021, 14:11   #139
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Re: MG considering petrol ZS for India. Edit: MG Astor unveiled

One has to say, MG is putting in the hard yards to differentiate it’s product, even though Chinese owned I’ll put my money into it for the efforts they are putting in and not coming in with a half-heart approach. The car looks premium and with these safety features and usual connectivity bits, it’s going to be an attractive proposition.
PS- I’m being a little over optimistic on the pricing. If the 1.5l with CVT and ADAS features be priced around 16 lakh my father might actually buy this one. We’re seriously looking a VFM car.
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Old 18th August 2021, 14:12   #140
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Re: MG considering petrol ZS for India. Edit: MG Astor unveiled

Bravo, MG! They are really pushing the envelope and what back to back unveils - first the Mahindra and now the MG. God bless competition. The icing on the cake is the rumoured 5 star GNCAP rating.
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Old 18th August 2021, 14:15   #141
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Re: MG considering petrol ZS for India. Edit: MG Astor unveiled

Quote:
Originally Posted by Goldenboy View Post
I really admire MG for the innovation they are bringing to the Creta/Seltos segment. If the GNCAP tests this car and it gets 5 stars, there is really no reason to buy the Korean or German twins at this price point. Given that MG is generating thousands of jobs in India, even the China argument holds less weight.

Of course, that alone is no reason to write off the brand, given what we have heard about the Creta and Seltos struggling with braking on highways!
Have good news for you,

ASEAN NCAP has already tested the car and it has secured 5 Star Rating.

I see no reason why one should opt for Creta/Seltos instead of this if he is looking at Petrol C-SUV. It's much more rounded and also packaged better and drives better as well with inputs from Volkswagen.

This and the XUV7OO will likely dominate the 10-20 lakh price bracket.
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Old 18th August 2021, 14:20   #142
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Re: MG considering petrol ZS for India

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Originally Posted by Gaur View Post
The virtual assistant is occupying Ganpati Bappas place.
I am unable to understand why will people prefer to have something sitting on the dashboard which doesn't serves any real purpose. It will just block the road view and be a distraction for the driver with its moving eyes and expressions. Why can't this be done in software.

Another question, is this going to be a accessory which can be just plugged in or will be part of Astor and hardwired into it ?
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Old 18th August 2021, 14:33   #143
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Re: MG considering petrol ZS for India. Edit: MG Astor unveiled

Quote:
Originally Posted by CarguyNish View Post
Have good news for you,

ASEAN NCAP has already tested the car and it has secured 5 Star Rating.
While this is good, this particular test is of no relevance to the Astor that will be sold in India. This is for the 2020 MG ZS made in Thailand. This is just like the Seltos getting great safety ratings in other countries but cutting corners when making it in India and barely scraping through a 3 star GNCAP rating.

Only when the GNCAP tests the made in India Astor can we be sure of it's safety ratings. Hoping that MG keeps the safety focus consistent across countries and Astor gets a good score! The car seems to be ticking all the right boxes overall.
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Old 18th August 2021, 15:04   #144
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Re: MG considering petrol ZS for India. Edit: MG Astor unveiled

Video teaser of MG's AI assistant -

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Old 18th August 2021, 15:15   #145
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Re: MG considering petrol ZS for India. Edit: MG Astor unveiled

MG Astor will come with a unique design for the grille that has been inspired by cosmic lines and forms. The grille features a radial pattern concentrating at the center and is finished in electroplated tungsten steel which gives it a three-dimensional effect.

Clear Picture of Astor

MG considering petrol ZS for India. Edit: MG Astor unveiled-20210818_150543.jpg

Interior of the Astor comes with dual tone Sangria Red interior, which will be one of the three interior themes available.

MG considering petrol ZS for India. Edit: MG Astor unveiled-20210818_151000.jpg

Price announcement of the Astor will take place in September.

Source
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Old 18th August 2021, 15:43   #146
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Re: MG considering petrol ZS for India. Edit: MG Astor unveiled

That thing with those beady large eyes looks creepy. Imagine driving at night alone and one moment the eyes are looking ahead and the next moment it starts looking at you. Good knows what in the world will be it listening to.



I could do without that protrusion on the top of the dashboard.

Last edited by avishar : 18th August 2021 at 15:45.
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Old 18th August 2021, 15:45   #147
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Re: MG considering petrol ZS for India. Edit: MG Astor unveiled

This event doesn't seem to be well planned one. I guess XUV700 stole to limelight and MG had to rush to bring out their giene quickly - FOMO maybe!!

On AI - I would like to OPT OUT of it. I will pay 10-20K more for not getting that feature. MG somehow felt that Indians loved showing off Hello MG feature, why not give them full blown Software as a service set-up (Take subscription charges, use data for targeted content/ advertisements, etc. in future). I am excited about ADAS but not this AI thing. I care more about car with good engine, features, music system and driving dynamics.

After getting disappointed by Kushaq, I have been waiting for XUV700 and Astor. Both have their Pros and Cons.

XUV700 may offer more at same price, but Astor offers following better:
1) Exterior design is more clean and upmarket(subjective)
2) Compact form - not too small like Kushaq, but not massive like XUV
3) Trophy edition with all black interiors
4) Hopefully better Fuel efficiency

Better than Korean and European siblings:
1) ADAS + digital cockpit
2) Safety - NCAP rating of 5
3) Hopefully lower waiting period (assuming few may not opt for it as Chinese!)

After watching UAE, Australian and NZ based ZST variant videos, my only concern is which engine will they provide:
1) NA 1.5L - Will not be for enthusiasts
2) 1.5L Hybrid - Not available in those markets, not sure how good it will be to drive
3) 1.3 "3" cylinder Turbo - Powerful engine, but could be a bit noisy for having only 3 cylinders. Psychologically, paying north of 17L for 3 cylinder engine makes me rethink.

Next two months will be interesting - XUV + Astor!
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Old 18th August 2021, 15:54   #148
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Re: MG considering petrol ZS for India. Edit: MG Astor unveiled

MG Astor will definitely create a niche for itself in the segment as it has clear differentiation from the competition. Even though top-end models with ADAS 2.0 would be pricey, the second top-model with an auto-box and without the ADAS would be my preferred variant as it is truly premium offering inside out, just like Hector was in 2019.

MG is honestly putting up effort for Indian market and truly deserve appreciation.
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Old 18th August 2021, 16:32   #149
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Re: MG considering petrol ZS for India

Quote:
Originally Posted by Swarup5 View Post
India Specific challenges it will face

- Usage of ADAS is purely Gimmicky, though very intriguing on paper it might not practically be used in India. Some features will become annoying to the extent that we might end up disabling them for good. Most dashcams have them these days and they just don't help on Indian Roads. Premium cars are moving towards lesser screens and we have cars here adding more screen time and ever distracting cockpit.
I think you are misunderstanding the ADAS features. No dashcam can do what ADAS does. How can a dashcam brake the car in an emergency? Such advanced safety and convenience features are extremely important and it is great that they are starting to trickle in in India. Obviously they can be switched off when needed but on a highway drive, they are invaluable. Look at how many distracted, drowsy or tired drivers slam into parked vehicles on highways. With autonomous emergency braking, even in low visibility and fog, the vehicle can warn you and either prevent a collision or at least lessen its severity. Lane Assist should be made mandatory on all vehicles in India where the vehicle should come to a stop if driven out of a lane for more than a few seconds.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bark1234 View Post
I am unable to understand why will people prefer to have something sitting on the dashboard which doesn't serves any real purpose. It will just block the road view and be a distraction for the driver with its moving eyes and expressions. Why can't this be done in software.

Another question, is this going to be a accessory which can be just plugged in or will be part of Astor and hardwired into it ?
Fully agree with you. I love the ADAS but absolutely hate this weird contraption. If at all it was needed, it could have remained on the inbuilt infotainment screen. I have no interest in replacing the Google Assistant on my phone and this strange device which looks tacky and is likely to distract drivers. I would definitely opt out of it unless you can only get ADAS with it. In that case, I would try to remove it.
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Old 18th August 2021, 16:38   #150
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Re: MG considering petrol ZS for India. Edit: MG Astor unveiled

I hope MG provides ADAS as standard across variants like how its in MG ZST in Australia and NewZeland.
Atleast having it from the mid variant would be pretty good.
Tieup with other giants like Relaince Jio, Bosch, L&T, Microsoft etc gives a confidence on what is inside the car, but would this result in a higher price for Astor is to be seen.
Hope MG take a cue from Mahindra in pricing this one.

Do we have any information on when the media drives will happen and when the reviews will be out?

Last edited by ranjitht87 : 18th August 2021 at 16:57. Reason: Spell check
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