[Aditya]

The MG Hector Facelift has been launched in India at a price of between Rs. 12.90 - 18.33 lakhs (ex-Delhi).



Since the MG Hector has already been reviewed by Team-BHP, this report will only focus on changes made to the 2021 Facelift. To read the full official review, click here.



The MG Hector has been on sale in India since June 2019. The SUV has had a successful run since and has been regularly selling at ~3,000 units a month. In all, over 40,000 Hectors have been sold since launch. The car has successfully established MG as a car manufacturer in the country.

With more and more players entering the market, it was important for MG to keep the appeal of the Hector strong. While the Hector was well-equipped right from the start, there were some features that were missing. For 2021, MG has addressed this issue and also given the SUV some mild exterior changes. Mechanically, the car remains unchanged though. You have to appreciate the aggression, with the facelift arriving just 1.5 years after the original launch.

So, what's new on the outside?

The Hector is now available with a dual-tone exterior:


The displayed car was white with a glossy black roof:


Blingy 'thermopressed' concave radiator grille with chrome inserts replaces the black honeycomb mesh unit:


ORVMs are finished in glossy black:


18-inch dual-tone machined alloy wheels shod with 215/55 section rubber look so much better than the 17 inchers draped in 215/60 section tyres of the outgoing car. We love the rim design! Sadly, the tyre sidewall is now shorter by ~11 mm and that will show in the ride:


Glossy black applique with a chrome insert at the bottom replaces the running red garnish strip of the earlier car:


Silver applique above the tailpipe is now darker than before. It definitely looks better:

[Aditya]

So, what's new on the inside?

The most noticeable change on the inside is the champagne (beige) & black dual-tone interior theme. It makes the interiors feel even more airy and spacious than before:


Doorpad is dominated by beige. The only black portion is a thin area at the top:


Ambient lighting has been provided on the doorpads:


While the seat design is unchanged, the upholstery is now beige with black on the sides + rear. MG has also given the Hector ventilated seats, no doubt one of the most significant additions:


A closer look at the perforated faux leather upholstery:


Buttons to operate the ventilated seats have been strangely placed on either side of the center console:


A USB port is located next to the passenger's button:


IRVM now gets auto-dimming. The USB port that was present on the outgoing car's IRVM is gone:


Center fascia with that big tablet screen looks similar to the outgoing car's. However, the Aux-in port and quick charging USB at the base have disappeared:


Touchscreen head-unit has received an extra feature. It can now undertand Hinglish voice commands!! This is an industry-first feature:


The given command appears on the top left of the screen. The system had no problem understanding any command I gave. The full set of Hinglish voice commands has been attached at the end of this post:


Another feature addition to the Hector comes in the form of a wireless charging pad for your smartphone:


USB port with a rubber flap has been provided:


Unlike the front doorpad, the rear unit does not get a black portion at the top:


A look at the rear seat draped in beige faux leather upholstery:


Hinglish Commands.xlsx

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line.

[parrys]

The claim to be British, owned by SAIC from China, but the only manufacturer to offer Hinglish voice commands. One has to appreciate how MG Motor India is trying hard to please the buyer and change the overall market sentiment towards the brand. And for the price, the Hector is a decent buy.

[Nalin1]

Now faster internet inside with more bandwidth !.

It checks most boxes for a family or an enthusiast, pricing is also not over the top, huge, spacious, great long term service packages and gizmos galore .

Yes, along with the Harrier, this is a sure head turner on our roads!. I was quite stunned by its size when I saw it for the first time in a parking area outside 3M car care. I went around it a few times. The 3M guys gave me a suspicious look!.

[museycal]

'thermopressed' concave radiator grille with chrome inserts

That, right there is the award for the "Most Words Required to Describe a Grille"! Although with Hector, anything less wouldn't have suited the car.

Overall a measured update and refinements by MG to keep the car in news. I am not sure about the beige overload in the cabin. The previous black cabin looked class! With beige, it will be certainly be 'Soiled Inside' along with the 'Internet Inside'.

[CARDEEP]

Hey @Aditya

No pics of the 7 seater with remarks on the space (legroom, shoulder-room, 3rd row comfort, etc.)?

Thanks in advance

[Durango Dude]

All said and done: Chinese or not, it is VFM. If only they had provided an diesel/automatic transmission I'd call this a "Facelift" otherwise it is not. People were begging for an automatic in the diesel, instead they have stuck to that DCT with the gas guzzling petrol. I bet they don't offer a diesel/manual abroad and why not in India.

[yd_gli]

The Hector has one of the busiest exteriors I have seen on a car. It'll be a nightmare to keep it clean. The beige interiors will add another level of misery in keeping it clean.

I thought the odd proportions on the previous gen were due to the small rims. But even the 18in rims have not done much to make it look better. There is just something off with the design to my eyes and I can't figure out what it is.

[Aniket Verma]

Touchscreen head-unit has received an extra feature. It can now understand Hinglish voice commands!! This is an industry-first feature:


This sir is the single most important upgrade. I personally know many families from extended NCR, who had moved to Harrier or other SUVs b'cos of poor knowledge / control on spoken English. Quotes from an acquaintance on why he didn't gone ahead with Hector after initial gaga "Apni be-edjati thodi karni hai doston ke saamne itni angrezi bol ke"

Looks like, the management was conscious to these small feedbacks from the showrooms.

[saikishor]

The interiors went from classy to messy. The beige is too light for my liking. And those seats with the front portion beige and rear portion black look ugly. I'm pretty sure about prospective buyers having horror stories regarding the maintenance of the beige interior. Thank god MG left the steering Black, unlike in some Suzuki cars where the steering is also in beige.

[Ismail2512]

Originally Posted by yd_gli

The Hector has one of the busiest exteriors I have seen on a car. It'll be a nightmare to keep it clean. The beige interiors will add another level of misery in keeping it clean.

I thought the odd proportions on the previous gen were due to the small rims. But even the 18in rims have not done much to make it look better. There is just something off with the design to my eyes and I can't figure out what it is.

Its the proportions from A to C Pillar compared to the length from A Pillar to the front grille. This gives it an MPV look.

[kedar_GT]

Commendable upgrade ! For me personally, they could have worked more on the rear to reduce the visual bulk.

Sorry to nitpick, but I think there was something on the camera lens while clicking the interior pics which shows up a dot/blur on the left mid portion of the pictures. Initially, I was perplexed to see such stains in a new vehicle - but I suppose it was the lens.

Cheers

[DriverNo.420]

The Hector is a 'Love it or hate it, but you can't ignore it' type of design(masses really love it).
First OEMs removed CD players from cars in favour of Bluetooth and today they are removing USB and AUX in favour of wireless phone integration?

[5252rpm]

I was watching the launch event stream. Attention to reassure British roots are massive. Look at these pillows covers in the snapshot (6:27 to 6:42 in Video)!!
Chinese relations are bothering MG way too much!

https://youtu.be/WmmV4Ib0B0Y