[RPM1706]

Originally Posted by mpod11

Had a talk with the local MG dealer in Kolkata. He says the top model will be around 16 lakhs on road. Bookings have started by paying 20k deposit!

Much as I would like to believe this dealer, I find it hard to digest that the topmost/fully loaded 1.3 turbo TC can be had at less than Rs.16 lacs OTR.

Clearly, given the unfortunate Kushaq issues and the fact that XUV700 deliveries will take a long time, the Astor looks to be a really good option. But if MG prices it aggressively, we might just have another solid offering with a long waiting period.

If the vehicle itself is good and we can trust MG to be around for a decade, at least, I wouldn't worry at all that it's a Chinese make or a less established brand in India.

Much as the XUV700 ticks all the right boxes and even many more, it's still a size too large for me (or anyone looking for a spacious 5 seater only).

My only possible concern with the Astor is if it's going to have the same vague steering and the less than ideal high speed handling of the Hector. That, and that only, will be the turnoff for me. Otherwise, this looks like a package worth checking out.

[charade]

Slightly off-topic but this is from my recent experience and may help potential buyers.

1. I have recently visited a number of showrooms - Hyundai, VW, Tata (multiple visits), Mahindra and MG.
2. The MG experience was leagues ahead of all the others. This was the showroom at Worli, Mumbai. The showroom had an excellent vibe, felt like I have walked into a trendy designer space, buzzing with energy.
3. Even though I walked in without an appointment on a Saturday, they had an SA Hitesh Boricha (DM for contact details) assigned immediately. The SA Hitesh was reasonably knowledgeable and spent over an hour talking to us about our requirements and explaining various features.
4. Hitesh ensured we got a test drive before we left. Moreover, he has kept in touch without being intrusive and pushing me to make a decision.
5. The other showroom experiences were between mediocre to downright pathetic (I'm looking at you Tata).
6. I was also pleasantly surprised by the service packages on offer. They seemed very reasonable.

I think MG is making an honest attempt in India. I never thought I'd say this about a Chinese company but this is based on first hand experience.

If someone is seriously considering a CSUV, I think you should definitely visit the MG showroom before deciding based on MG's Chinese roots.

PS: Mods, please delete if irrelevant.

[Venkatesh]

Originally Posted by arunramaswamy

Hi guys, any possibility of getting panaromic sunroof like in Hector?

MG will offer a panoramic sunroof on the Astor. Here is the latest teaser from MG confirming the same Link



Previous spy image of Astor with Panoramic sunroof Link

[barefeetdriver]

Seems promising. Hope MG don't throw the sink and yet skip out some useful features as:

1)auto-IRVM,
2)backlit door switches,
3)one touch window controls,
3)wireless android-auto,
4)vanity mirrors,
5) regular sized spare wheel

[anto1212]

Originally Posted by specialist

- price range not yet known - probably between 15-20L as per him; although has heard of 13L starting, going till 18L - although per him it could be higher?.

Highly unlikely. Hector starts at 13.5L. Astor has to be below 10L.

Hope they'll pull off the pricing like XUV700

[TusharK]

Scoop! More dope on the MG Astor; to be revealed on Sep 15

MG is gearing up to launch the Astor in the Indian market this festive season. The SUV will be officially revealed on September 15, 2021.

We can now share more details about its variant line-up, features and engine options.



MG Astor variants:

The MG Astor is likely to be offered in five variants - Style, Super, Smart, Sharp and Savvy. We already know that the SUV will come equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which include safety aids like Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Departure Prevention, Intelligent Headlamp Control (IHC), Rear Drive Assist (RDA) and Speed Assist System. ADAS along with 6 airbags and 17-inch alloys will be offered on the top-spec Savvy trim.

MG Astor engine & transmission:

The Astor will be offered with two petrol engine options. The 1.5-litre engine is said to be similar to the one in the Hector, albeit in a lower tune. It will be offered with either a manual gearbox or continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The 1.3-litre turbo-petrol is the more potent of the two and will be offered with a 6-speed automatic.



MG Astor bookings:

While MG is yet to announce the official launch date for the Astor, some dealerships have started taking pre-bookings for a token amount of Rs. 50,000. It is said that cars will be available by the end of October.

MG Astor colour options:

The Astor will be offered in at least five colour options - White, Red, Orange, Black and Silver.

Thanks to Sahil for sending this information in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP share page!

Link to Team-BHP News

[CircleOfLife]

So here when i reached out to the dealership the way they are managing booking is booking against Hector and then once official booking start they would move to MG Astor booking.

A little birdie at showroom has something interesting to say that could be 18th September when the vehicle could be available for display at showroom. Took it with a pinch of salt.

If this is true one could get to see product well before and mostly have an alternative to other bookings (Taigun) on hold until MG officially starts delivering.

Though this wasn’t in my list before but now i am actively considering it. All boils down to how does it drive. In terms of creature comfort it will sail through.

[Venkatesh]

MG Astor Intelligent Headlamps

The new MG Astor comes with Intelligent Headlamps that lets you take control depending on the traffic.

Link

[srh]

Originally Posted by Venkatesh

MG Astor Intelligent Headlamps



Attachment 2206078

Attachment 2206079

Link

Hope there is some way to turn this off and go the manual way. There are enough jerks on the road who will persist on high beam - the only way to straighten them out is for you to use the high beam on them too.

[drivingmelody]

MG Astor is essentially the same as MG ZST sold in Australia and New Zealand. The top model would have a 1.3 Turbo engine paired with a 6-speed Torque converter sourced from Aisin.
https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-reviews/mg-zs-t-80961

SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation) and GM(General Motors) have jointly manufactured this 1.3 ECOTEC Turbo engine
https://www.mg-rover.org/threads/new...zs-suv.864146/

This engine also does its duty on the 2021 Chevrolet TrailBlazer,
https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2...st-test-drive/

[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by charade

Slightly off-topic but this is from my recent experience and may help potential buyers.

1. I have recently visited a number of showrooms - Hyundai, VW, Tata (multiple visits), Mahindra and MG.
2. The MG experience was leagues ahead of all the others. This was the showroom at Worli, Mumbai. The showroom had an excellent vibe, felt like I have walked into a trendy designer space, buzzing with energy.


I think MG is making an honest attempt in India. I never thought I'd say this about a Chinese company but this is based on first hand experience.

If someone is seriously considering a CSUV, I think you should definitely visit the MG showroom before deciding based on MG's Chinese roots.

PS: Mods, please delete if irrelevant.

I think this is absolutely relevant. If MG India continues to invest in customer experiences, then it will augur well for the Indian consumer as such. People are fed up putting up with OEMs and dealerships who behave like they are making a favour by selling a car. Our forum itself has so many members complaining about ridiculous waiting lists and poor after sales service, not to mention recent quality issues in brand new car models from much heralded auto groups. Or indeed recalcitrant mass market manufacturers whose leadership almost deride the value of safety and build quality.

[Electromotive]

Wow! MG/SAIC is stepping up their game and how. The Chinese are coming and they are coming strong.

I think in the furture MG will be a bigger player than TaMo. And it is going to be at the cost of Maruti Suzuki. They are going to lose market share. Domestic players are going to be stuck at under 10% market share.

[theabstractmind]

Originally Posted by srh

Hope there is some way to turn this off and go the manual way. There are enough jerks on the road who will persist on high beam - the only way to straighten them out is for you to use the high beam on them too.

I think it's a good feature to have. Switching to low beam has two benefits:

1. It alerts the driver on the opposite lane to dip the headlights; works very often.

2. Even if the driver on the opposite lane doesn't dip, per my experience even one driver dipping helps improve visibility. It has helped me many times where I dip irrespective of the opposite driver refusing to do so. It's simple science actually.

[Vikram9193]

Originally Posted by drivingmelody

MG Astor is essentially the same as MG ZST sold in Australia and New Zealand. The top model would have a 1.3 Turbo engine paired with a 6-speed Torque converter sourced from Aisin.

Considering that the MG ZS EV is priced at 21-24 lakhs, and the Astor will need to be priced below the Hector and the Koreans, that’s quite a gap between the petrol and EV versions of basically the same car.

Then again the Astor is a developed market MG, and the Hector a rebadged Chinese domestic car, so maybe they’ll priced closer together despite being different segments. Also MG has said they will increase the range on the EV. This may justify the gap in price a little.

[Marauder]

Originally Posted by Vikram9193

Considering that the MG ZS EV is priced at 21-24 lakhs, and the Astor will need to be priced below the Hector and the Koreans, that’s quite a gap between the petrol and EV versions of basically the same car.

We have to remember that even the base ZS at 21 lakhs is sufficiently feature packed whereas, the base manual 1.5 Astor is likely to be a barebones version.

Even the base Nexon EV is twice as expensive as the base Nexon Petrol.

I think if MG is able to price the Astor at a starting price of 9.99 lakhs, then they have a winner. It's the ideal sweet spot IMO, doesn't make the Hector and ZS look overpriced while also ensuring an aggressive price point.