[Caffeinated]

If anyone wants to check rear bench seating capacity of Astor, you can refer to this video where 2 vs 3 people are sitting in rear seat and comparing comfort levels. From video, it appears as more comfortable 2 seater than 3 seater, but 3rd passenger can still adjust around for short city trips, as opposed to strictly 2 passengers.

https://youtu.be/h_4z-37R9Hc

[darklitex]

Hi folks, does anyone know when the media drives are scheduled for Astor. Quite curious how the 220 engine variant performs

[manpreetsj]

YT reviewers will be driving Astor on 26th Sep, as confirmed by ICN.

Looks like by month end we will know how it drives and also by 1st week (hopefully) should get to know price for top variant. MG planned it so well, unlike XUV700, which is still not available in showroom. ��

[najib1312]

From some angles, the overall silhoutte of this car reminds of previous gen Hyundai Tucson.

OVerall, I like it especially the front grille, but I think it'll look better if it was taller.

[vasudeva]

Originally Posted by GTO

Took the words right out of my mouth! I was just thinking how awesome a black Astor with these red interiors would look . Great to read on BHPians also checking out & complementing the Astor's quality. Who would've thought that the Chinese would give better quality than VW / Skoda, out-equip the Koreans & offer technology that even a 5-Series doesn't have today?

I didn't give a second look to Astor news articles until this thread. Now, I'm looking forward to driving it. As long as its a comfortable cruiser like the Hector, the market will be happy. Not everyone wants a corner carver like us enthusiasts.

I would hold judgement on MG long term quality and reliability. Why so. Apart from being unproven, what makes me wary are a series of coincidences that give a feeling of deja vu. The car is manufactured at GM factory, headed by former Gm chief, who headed their opel and Chevrolet lemon operations. Plus Gm just shut shop. Plus he is a campus mate of mine, graduating one year ahead of me from Iimb in 1990. So I beg to disagree. Corsa and optra and Chevrolet looked good in showroom, felt well built, and did well on road for 1 year, but then the misadventures started and one looked actively at palming off the lemon to the bigger fool. I hope MG owners don't for now secretly feel the same.

[manpreetsj]

Originally Posted by vasudeva

I hope MG owners don't for now secretly feel the same.

A couple of my friends have been driving Hector as their primary car since last 1.5-2 years. Other than mileage issue in petrol DCT variant, till date I haven't heard them crib about even a single thing.

[coolkurt]

Originally Posted by vasudeva

I hope MG owners don't for now secretly feel the same.

I can't really comment about the DCT, but my Diesel Hector has been pretty reliable. Clocked 40k kms in the last 1.5 years, no issues whatsoever.

But then, the key in a car is it's heart ie .. the engine. And the Fiat 2.0 is a gem.

The Astor looks like a near complete offering. Where it'll lack in engine finesse, it'll compensate by features and bling. Couple that with the stellar MG customer handling & service experience, they might just have a winner.

[Aviator_guy]

Originally Posted by vasudeva

I would hold judgement on MG long term quality and reliability. Why so. Apart from being unproven, what makes me wary are a series of coincidences that give a feeling of deja vu. The car is manufactured at GM factory, headed by former Gm chief, who headed their opel and Chevrolet lemon operations. Plus Gm just shut shop. Plus he is a campus mate of mine, graduating one year ahead of me from Iimb in 1990. So I beg to disagree. Corsa and optra and Chevrolet looked good in showroom, felt well built, and did well on road for 1 year, but then the misadventures started and one looked actively at palming off the lemon to the bigger fool. I hope MG owners don't for now secretly feel the same.

You put across some valid points but there is no certain way to know true long term (5+ years) reliability and cost of ownership. All we know today is about initial ownership and niggles (if any) faced by the owners. If initial feedback is satisfactory, at least it shows quality control and fit finish is working. How does the car age over long time would still be a unknown. Personally I am little old school and would like to put money on tried and tested (either the car model or the OEM) specially for 15+lacs segments. I like to keep car for long term and would like a car which would still be relevant and reliable many years down the line.

[InControl]

The reason why this is going to be a winner, especially for an urban family

For the heart:

• The grill looks like a million bucks
• Looks bigger
• Soft-touch dashboard, interior quality
• An interior choice for every taste
• Big big sunroof
• Lovely Colors, paint quality
• That robot on the dashboard
• Tasty 1.4 litre turbo
• Steering variations
• MG's snob value
• Will not be as commonplace as Kia or H

For the head:

• 1.5 litre CVT
• MG's safety record
• The goodwill earned by ZS EV and Hector
• Good, if not great international reviews
• Excellent choice of Petrol Automatics
• Should be a Wide price band (~10-16)
• Boot space
• Latest tech
• Decent service coverage in the cities

It has everything for everyone - except a diesel engine and lots of space but you know that already before you head into the showroom.

They only need to price it well, Kushaq and Taigun have very tough days ahead

[TheGearBox]

Its good to see some activity in the Indian mid-size crossover segment which was started by the French and then taken over and led by the Koreans for nearly six years. The Germans have put their foot forward (they still need to sort out some niggles, but I'm sure they'll get there) and now the Chinese are making a move too. Let's wait and see when the Japs bring out their guns. This is a showdown I am most eager to see.

Also, I wonder how Indian buyers will take to that little bot taking up space on the dashboard usually reserved for a deity. Unless the bot can display an image of the same.

[das_ren_auto]

Does the "Speed Assist" function includes the one which enable manual speed limit setting like speed limiter in Kicks/Duster?

[vjkamal]

Nice review!
While the car lacks sheer road presence due to the sloping bonnet and the overall front styling, as rightly said, the Chinese have compensated with the bling of tech package that will impress the typical Indian buyer in this price range.
I am especially impressed with the AI bot. Looks cute

Originally Posted by Aditya

The Astor comes with a Digital Key - a smartphone app that lets you lock / unlock the car, find the car in a parking lot by activating the lights / horn, and even drive it away without having the keyfob in your pocket. We love this! Why carry a key around when you have your smartphone?!

While I agree that this is a 'good to have' feature, I will personally prefer the 'real' keyless entry with the key fob in my pocket than:
1. Take out the smartphone
2. Unlock it with the pin (thanks to Covid and my phone's face unlock only feature)
3. Open the MG app
4. Unlock/ start
5. Open the door and drive away

[TechSavvy]

The headlights on this Astor looks great and the front end really resembles the new A class and gives it up market feeling. If this car can deliver dynamics then it could be a potent contender for a small family. I just wish they launch the Mg Zs ev update ASAP cause I was in the market for one. Although I like the center console area of the ZS more. It’s hard to believe this car is bigger than creta in dimensions

[FIAT3031]

Another KEY Issue I find with the mobile Key is how will it function in Basements or other areas with low/poor connectivity ?

I believe this was a feature - showcased by Hyundai Globally some years ago - so with MG introducing this feature - how is it any different from the Connectivity Feature (AFAIK the Bluelink offers the same feature of lock/unlock , engine start/stop etc.)

[vasudeva]

Originally Posted by manpreetsj

A couple of my friends have been driving Hector as their primary car since last 1.5-2 years. Other than mileage issue in petrol DCT variant, till date I haven't heard them crib about even a single thing.

Hope it does not. I was a GM Corsa owner from 2003 to 2012 with it being used as a spare car from 2007 to 2012 due to unreliability and breakdown issues. Once bitten, twice shy. GM cars looked shiny and well built when new, but it was a pain to maintain it. It seems that the problems started immediately on expiry of warranty. I do hope that GM is now serious and committed to quality. The MG is basically a Chinese car and GM company?? and built at Halol. It seems to me that only the name has changed from Opel/Chevy to MG. All the other characters are the same including the MD. Maybe now same characters, new story.

For me, personally, even if I had the money and preference for a MG style SUV/MPV, I see far superior options. As said `fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me'. Another: You can fool some people most of the time, and many people some of the time, but you cant fool most of the people all the time'. The GM story continues with new name and new buyers, who may not remember what the earlier generation of buyers from early 2000s had to endure.