[Pras92003]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

The flowing lines don't give it the design presence of a more boxy designed SUV in pictures, but the size is much larger than the VAG twins and slightly more so than the Koreans - in all dimensions

Wow..thanks for the image. Astor looks much bigger than VAG. I thought the difference wasn't that much.

[dh.harshal]

MG has just updated their website with Astor information including 3D view, brochure and many new features reveals.
I'm putting down the features that have not been discussed on the thread previously -

1) Panoramic sunroof - 65 inches (more than 5 feet). First time I've seen a car manufacturer putting the dimensions for sunroof.



2)TPMS & Wireless Charging - TPMS can be seen on the screen and wirless charging pad can be seen below the screen.



3) HD display with 3GB RAM - XUV700 has 6GB RAM for AdrenoX.



4) No Auto Dimming IRVM - seems to be Day & Night IRVM with a switch



5) Backlit window switches - either all are one touch or none of them is.



6) Big Transmission Tunnel - Definitely going to eat up middle passanger leg space



7) Shortpedia - Quick news bites app



8) PM 2.5 Filter - built in the AC itself



9) 3 point seatbelts - for all 5 passengers. Kudos!



10) 6 airbags + Emergency call



11) ADAS level 2 - 5 cameras and 6 radars; good numbers at least.



12) Forward Collision prevention - Emergency braking if you're below 40 km/hr, and deceleration to 40km/hr if you're above the mark; no Auto braking if you're above 40km/hr


Still cannot confirm about ventilated seats, because no physical AC knobs seen and ventilated seat buttons are absent. However I'm hopeful because seats have perforation and AC controls are through the screen & Ventilated seats control may also be through the screen.

Website is continuously getting updated as I write

[CircleOfLife]

Interesting discussion on price but it is futile.

Prices are not in our control so why fret about it. It just doesn't add value for todays discussion, it's like predicting what the stock price should when it lists on stock exchange, that is my take. Before someone takes a stick and start flogging, it is a open forum and we respect each other opinion.

Now who will feel the effect?

• No second guess here Kushaq & Taigun, but again how many are really going to buy these vehicles post Taigun price reveal?
  
• % of movers from Volkswagen to MG might not be significant, but still a cause of concern. Yes every sale is important as it adds number to the bottom line.

Current waitlist for Sonet, Creta, Seltos effect?

• There would be souls who booked petrol variant and don't want to wait longer to get delivery, more so during festive period. Golden chance for MG here.

Will Fords exit again have effect?

• Yes of course, customer needs to buy some vehicle.

Where will the customer of base of EcoSport move?

• It will depend on how good MG Astor will be in handling department. Fords fan base loves handling aspect in their vehicle. On today's date based on reviews Kushaq and Taigun have best handling in the segment. Not discounting out MG altogether, but without a review don't want to speculate.

• XUV700 is also a good option for Ecosport customers. If one doesn't need big size then yes need to look here. Also how chip shortage will play it's part in Mahindra fulfilling all orders.

I certainly applaud any company that is trying to do something different and challenging existing status quo.

Hyundai did it very successfully years back. MG is trying that for current decade along with other player Mahindra. This is only way to get foot hold in the market.

Few observation from today unveil.

• Steering only had tilt movement and not telescopic. Hope it is not missed.

• No paddle shifters. Focus is not on enthusiast. Sorry guys.

• Digital instrument cluster 7 inches looks nice. No offence those who prefer analog.

• Infotainment 10.1 inches, what big large screen with no physical buttons though. How will it perform? Wait and watch.

• Panoramic roof. It is the flavor of season. Yes they know what india loves apart from bling. Volkswagen are you listening.

• Not enough colors. There is some loyal following for black, but hey where did the white disappear. I am hoping it is there in actual line up.

• Turbo petrol with AT for one who want to spend top money. There would questions Kitna deti hein (How much is the mileage?).

• Good overall design. It will connect and appeal to masses. Question is how elegant will it age?

• Heated ORVMs. Yes it is useful folks, atleast in some parts of the country. It is good MG has considered it.

• Lots of segment first feature. Not going through each one.

• Safety + ADAS is the call out.

• In terms of size it looks very proportionate. Regularly see a ZS EV in society it is perfect for the buyer in the segment. No need to find big parking space or worry much about navigating narrow lanes.

• AI will surely help convincing your kid. My younger one said can we take the robot home?

• 4 seater due to transmission tunnel hump? Yes it where Volkswagen got fair share of criticism.

Big list of features doesn't translate into bumper sales. If that was the case MG Hector would have been right on the top 1 or 2 position.

Astor will need a shocker pricing to tingle the senses for a blockbuster release. Look at what XUV700 did very smartly.
There is additional challenge for brand to shed heritage of parent company. I asked one of my friend who is looking to replace his car. Will he even consider MG? Pat comes back the reply. No, i would rather take volkswagen or any other brand. These are the facts on ground, there is no denying it.

MG does know it's game. Give a decent product, price aggressively initially and keep increasing the price.

Additionally standard warranty on offer & service costs will have their play. Nothing beats peace of mind with ease of warranty claims and low cost of ownership. If MG is able to pull this off it would be Toyota of the segment. Easier said than done. many tried and failed.

How many touch point does MG have for selling in hoards?

Will existing service center be able to scale and maintain customer satisfaction?

With petrol only line up, what is the numbers they are trying to target? No denying of fact, diesel still has more than 50% preference.

Have a query for the folks who have experience with ADAS in their cars. How does one manage these features not going haywire while navigating through waterlogged logs? Turn it off completely?

Looking forward for test drives, reviews and fellow Bhpians insights.

Wishing all the best to MG team. India needs more players in the market.

[7000plusrpm]

The side profile does seem to be inspired by Mazda CX-5. That's not a bad thing though, always thought the Mazdas are handsome!


Mazda-CX5



Astor

[hbkamit]

Attached is the brochure which is available on their website.

Basis my contact with MG it will have top models for both engines (but he was not too sure or did not want to give out the complete information &#128522

The pricing will be revealed end of the month and models details should be out shortly.

I believe they will release the prices after VW releases their prices.

[Adzo69]

Absence of an auto-dimming IRVM is a glaring omission.

[bwildrd#1]

Originally Posted by dh.harshal

Still cannot confirm about ventilated seats, because no physical AC knobs seen and ventilated seat buttons are absent. However I'm hopeful because seats have perforation and AC controls are through the screen & Ventilated seats control may also be through the screen.

Website is continuously getting updated as I write

I don't think ventilated seats are on offer. If they are providing this feature then it would have been highlighted during the unveil. The brochure even mentions Rear defogger as a feature but doesn't mention anything about ventilated seats.

ZST sold in Australia is equipped with heated seats I believe and we are getting heated ORVMS!!!

[hbkamit]

I think the following features are not there in an overall feature rich car

1. Auto dimming IRVM - i feel this is very important
2. Powered Tailgate - Found in Hector - Not a deal breaker
3. Ventilated Seats - Found in Competition - I feel not a deal breaker
4. Wireless Charging - This is not included in the brochure so i believe this would be missing. I could be wrong - Again not a deal breaker at all

Rest i feel the car has almost everything there is to offer

[Artyom]

Any idea from where are they sourcing the engines. That might give us a hint of how reliable would they be. For Instance, the current duster 1.3 turbo is the same engine being used in Mercs is what i have been told. That in itself gives you that peace of mind. Well, not entirely but I hope you get the point.
Also, MG has not revealed how much localization has been done for this model. Any guess? Additionally, the challenge which MG would also face is the smaller service network in case Astor is a success. Not sure how are they planning to handle that. The launch I guess only showcased 3 colors but the brochure has 5(White and Silver) which is a relief.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

There is no mention of a premium branded audio system. Wish that Infinity system from the Hector had made it here - certainly one of the best in the market.

220Nm of torque comes in at a very high 3600rpm. Driveability remains to be seen. For example - 1.5 TSi produces 250Nm of torque all the way from 1500rpm. Torque converter should help in the city though.

Originally Posted by Artyom

Any idea from where are they sourcing the engines. That might give us a hint of how reliable would they be.

This engine is part of the GM Small Gasoline Engine (SGE) engine range, designed and developed together by General Motors and SAIC Motor.

Edit:- To be more specific, this seems to be the 1349cc L3T Ecotec 3 cylinder turbo engine first seen on the Chevrolet Orlando in 2018.

[RPM1706]

Originally Posted by hbkamit

I think the following features are not there in an overall feature rich car

1. Auto dimming IRVM - i feel this is very important
2. Powered Tailgate - Found in Hector - Not a deal breaker
3. Ventilated Seats - Found in Competition - I feel not a deal breaker
4. Wireless Charging - This is not included in the brochure so i believe this would be missing. I could be wrong - Again not a deal breaker at all

Rest i feel the car has almost everything there is to offer

Agree to all 4 points. It's the auto dimming IRVM that, for me, will be a sore miss for such a loaded car. The others may be a disappointment for many but not a deal breaker for me.

Another addition to the list of misses has to be paddle shifters. The range topping 1.3 turbo AT won't be cheap, so hoping paddle shifters will be provided. Personally, I wish MG had a manual variant with the turbo.

[manpreetsj]

Originally Posted by RPM1706

Another addition to the list of misses has to be paddle shifters. The range topping 1.3 turbo AT won't be cheap, so hoping paddle shifters will be provided. Personally, I wish MG had a manual variant with the turbo.

In none of the international markets MG is providing paddle shifters in ZST with any of the engine options (including 1.3L).

On pricing of top end variant:
I feel it will be priced around 15 Lakhs ex-sh. I know ADAS should increase cost, but just imagine a Kicks with 1.3L engine is priced at 14.6L Ex-sh, if you add ADAS to it, how much more cost it should add? Also, if Nissan can price a car at this price and be profitable, MG being best VFM provider (basis Hector and ZS) will for sure price Astor very competitively.

ADAS is expected to go mainstream next year, with Hector expected to get it. I remember reports of Taigun platform is built with an option to add ADAS in near future. Hopefully, mass adoption of such feature shall bring its cost down.

Most important point in favour of competitive pricing is smaller 1.3L engine. In size and power delivery, it sits between VAGs 1L Turbo and 1.5L Turbo and between 1.5 NA and 1.4 Turbo of Korean siblings. Hence, making it a case of creating 3rd segment in between these two categories - which makes Astor an ideal car with right mix of everything.

[Electromotive]

The Astor seems like a great package, it will probably be priced in the 9 - 14 lakhs bracket and will take sales away from the Venue, Sonet, Nexon, Creta and Seltos. Kudos to MG/SAIC for a job well done.

I think it is time we Indians keep our prejudices aside and learn a thing or two from the Chinese. Let's give credit where it is due and improve ourselves instead of living in a bubble of delusion.

"Chinese quality" no longer stands for poor quality; you get what you pay for. China now has home grown companies making world class products. These companies are moving beyond just copying, they are investing in R&D, they are innovating, some are the leaders in their fields. Examples: DJI, Xiaomi, Tencent, CATL, SAIC, BYD, Fosun, Alibaba - the list goes on.

The Chinese are dominating industry after industry and they are doing it the old fashioned way - giving the consumers what they want at a very reasonable price.

This is what good governance, long term planning and competent execution can achieve. This is what demographic dividends look like. It is time for some introspection.

[Behemoth]

Very interesting to see how much attention the MG Astor is getting on Youtube:

Within 24 hours of launch, the Youtube launch has gathered 1.3M views!
As a comparison, the Skoda Kushaq launch around 2 months ago has till now gathered 1M views.

Looks like this will be a game changer for MG and the consumer expectation and interest is very high for this car. Let's see how they price their car - hopefully at the right sweet spot, to gather enough monthly sales (5k-6K) yet manageable to keep waiting periods within 4-6 weeks. This is vital in today's scenario. Many of the Korean competitors currently have 6 months plus waiting periods.

[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by hbkamit

I think the following features are not there in an overall feature rich car

1. Auto dimming IRVM - i feel this is very important
2. Powered Tailgate - Found in Hector - Not a deal breaker
3. Ventilated Seats - Found in Competition - I feel not a deal breaker
4. Wireless Charging - This is not included in the brochure so i believe this would be missing. I could be wrong - Again not a deal breaker at all

Rest i feel the car has almost everything there is to offer

It has one important thing that many cars in the segment lack- heated ORVMs. Those are more useful from safety perspective as far as I am concerned, especially in monsoon and winter ,than any of the above features. That's almost a deal maker for me rather than the above 4 being any sort of deal breakers.