[TSEA]

It's amazing to see how our expectations from vehicles have changed over a period of time. Vehicles are becoming bigger, safer and getting packed with more and more Tech. Just having the luxury of travelling in a car (instead of other transport mediums), seems to be not enough!

When I bought my first car, I wanted something that can take me from point A to point B. I wanted something that was reliable and was very frugal.

Fast forward 16 years, my needs and wants have changed.

Today I want a vehicle:

1. Which is silent and refined
2. Has a great build quality
3. Has all the necessary and recommended safety features
4. Gives me a commanding view of the road
5. Can ferry our family comfortably over long distances
6. Has soft suspension (absolute requirement, thanks to unplanned speed breakers in Bangalore and poor road conditions)

Essentially, I am in a market wherein driving or being driven is no longer a luxury. We want a car that gives an experience (if I dare to say!).

My current Swift (2018 AMT Vxi) was failing in some and barely managing in some of the above parameters. Hence the search started to buy an additional vehicle.

In this thread, I will try to pen down the vehicle(s) that I managed to test drive, the change of requirements, final decision, the purchase experience and also the first service experience. Hopefully, this thread will give some useful information to folks who are looking at cars in similar segment. As I write this post, the vehicle has been with me for around 2 months and I have clocked around 1700Kms.

The vehicles that I test drove:

1. S-Cross Petrol Automatic and Manual: The things that I loved about this vehicle were:

1.1. Refined Engine
1.2. Better build than by swift, rather much much better build than my swift
1.3. Classy all black interiors
1.4. Comfort of an Automatic
1.5. Great pricing of the Manual variant
1.6. Very easy to drive around turns, negligible body roll
1.7. More than expected space (specially at rear) as compared to other sub 4 meter CSUVs in the same price segment
1.8. Readily available in certain variants/colours
1.9. One of the few from Suzuki stable that had discounts running

I absolutely loved this vehicle. I would have bought this vehicle, only if my requirements had not changed. More on that later

2. Nexon Diesel AMT: The things that I loved about this vehicle were:

2.1. Five star safety ratings
2.2. Ease of driving with the AMT gearbox

3. Creta Petrol Manual: The things that I loved about this vehicle were:

3.1. Excellent Under-thigh support for the front seats (probably the best in all vehicles that I test drove)

4. Kushaq Petrol Manual (1.0L): The things that I loved about this vehicle were:

4.1. Nice reassuring sound from the way the doors closed
4.2. Very responsive 1.0 motor
4.3. Clean design

5. Magnite Petrol Turbo CVT: The things that I loved about this vehicle were:

5.1. Most loaded car for that price
5.2. Very easy to drive with CVT and Turbo Petrol engine combination

In the above list, I loved S-Cross the most and wanted to go ahead with the automatic. But, things changed, requirement changed and the entire perspective changed, with just one test drive.

During my search, I had registered for a test drive of the Marazzo and had forgotten about it. So one fine day, I got a call from the dealer and the test drive was arranged. This test drive completely changed the way I looked at vehicles, or rather, changed the way I look "OUT" from a vehicle.

6. Marazzo Diesel Manual. The things that I loved about this vehicle were:

6.1. Very high seating in the front seat. Gives an absolute commanding view of the road ahead. I felt it and my wife felt it as well. This point alone changed my expectations from vehicle. Now I wanted a vehicle with higher seating and one that provides a good commanding view of the road ahead
6.2. Three rows of seating
6.3. Captain seats for middle row
6.4. Spacious last row seats

The Marazzo top end was much higher in cost than what we had planned for. But then there were discounts and things looked positive. Since we loved the 3 row seating option that Marazzo offered, we started evaluating other vehicles that offered 3 rows of seating

7. XL6 Petrol Automatic and Manual: The things that I loved about this vehicle were:

7.1. Very convenient to drive, looked very familiar (maybe due to the steering being identical to the on in my swift) and easy to use
7.2. Captain seats for middle row
7.3. Decent space in last row seats (considering the length of the vehicle)
7.4. Nice peppy engine

8. Alcazar Diesel Manual/Automatic: The things that I loved about this vehicle were:

8.1. Panoramic Sunroof in all variants. Very much liked by everyone in my family
8.2. Loaded with technology
8.3. One of the most refined diesel engines amongst all the car that I test drove. It became apparent to me why Creta and Alcazar are the leaders in their segment
8.4. Option of Captain seats
8.5. Starry Night colour shade

9. Hector/Hector Plus Petrol Manual: The things that I loved about this vehicle were:

9.1. Gave the most commanding view from the driver's seat, amongst all the cars that I test drove
9.2. Very refined petrol motor
9.3. Heavy doors
9.4. Loaded with tech
9.5. Awesome captain seats for second row
9.6. And yes, the Panoramic Sunroof

So it looked like a battle between Alcazar and Hector Plus. We started reading reviews, watching youtube videos of reviewers and owner, and what not. The more we read and saw, the more we got confused. In the end, we chose what we liked the most between the two based on our first test drive experience. Hector Plus it was.

[TSEA]

The booking process:

We had decided the car, but were far from booking the car. Question was which variant to choose from? The lower variants offered a lot of value for money, but the higher were loaded with features.

One fine Sunday, we decided to visit the showroom to check out different colours and at least get the colour decision firmed up. The dealer took us to the stockyard and showed us Hector Plus in different colours. We liked all of them (White being majestic, Black having the best road presence, Silver for ease of maintenance etc.), but what we loved the most was the Burgundy Red colour.



We casually checked on the availability of Hector Plus in that colour and were surprised to hear that the vehicle was readily available for immediate delivery (top end). This variant was way out of our budget. Absolutely no discounts. But the positive side was the car was readily available. With the longer waiting period of lower variants, we decided to take what was in hand. To accommodate the extra cost of higher variant, we decided to sell the Swift.

Card was swiped and a MG Hector Plus Sharp Turbo Petrol Hybrid Manual was booked.

The next few days were spend in paying the balance, taking insurance and finalising accessories. I went with the Insurance that was offered as I was not getting a significantly lower quote outside (with the same benefits).

A visual inspection was done of the vehicle before registration.

On the 8th day from the day of booking, the vehicle was delivered to me.



How much did it cost:

ExShowroom 1854800
TCS (1% on ExShowroom Price) 18548
Registration Charges 351002
INSURANCE SECURE ELITE 61828
Fast Tag 600
MG SHIELD PROTECT PLANS - Classic 12000
Accessories (DOOR PROTECTOR, BUMPER CORNER PROTECTOR, RUBBER CABIN & BOOT MAT, ORVM Garnish and MUD FLAP): 11,606

Total Outflow 23,10,384

[TSEA]

Summary of Likes:

1. Commanding view of the road. The moment we sit in front seats, we just love the view and presence. We sit higher up and can easily see the bonnet







2. Very Silent Cabin. Probably one of the most silent SUV cabins in it's class, largely due to the refined petrol engine and very good damping all around. Wind and tyre noise is also very well controlled

3. The extra boost that the Hybrid gives. The car weighs over two tons. With that size/weight, the 1.5 Litre engine needs an extra hand, specially when the turbo has not kicked in (at lower rpms). The Hybrid also helps a lot in improving the city mileage. I consistently get around 11 kmpl within in the city.

4. Smoked Sepia Brown Leather (Man made) interiors. I really like this colour and material. It is easy on maintenance and is very nice to touch/feel. The same material extends through the dashboard and the door pad



5. Panoramic Sun Roof. I like it, Wife and Kids love it. I wish it started a little more from the front so that it could have let a more natural light on the front rows



6. The Infotainment Screen. It is good, very readable even in harsh sun light, and the portrait layout is very very useful (it's easy to scroll up/down rather than scrolling right/left)



There is a lot that can be configured using this unit, more on that later

7. Captain Seats in Middle row. This was one of the most debatable topic for us. Captain Seats kind of gives each person his/her space, but the bench seat layout can ferry more people. In the end, the answer to this dilemma came from the third row.

Third rows in all the vehicles of this class, are more suitable for kids, they are cramped, the under thigh support is not adequate for adults. The floor is high, so you sit with knees up. And your head touches the roof/rear glass. Also, it feels claustrophobic.



Captain seats in middle row, helps to reduce some of the above negatives of the third row, by allowing more light into the third row from front. The gap between the captain seats, enable a view of the incoming traffic and most importantly, allows the third row passenger(s) to stretch one of their legs in the gap between the second row captain seats



8. Spacious front and middle row seats. The front seats are wide, provide good under thigh support and are ventilated. The driver seat is power adjustable. All four captain seats have firm cushioning, which is helpful in long drives.





9. Safety Features. While the NCAP ratings are not yet out, the car does feel very secure. The front doors feel pretty heavy to close. The bonnet is very heavy to lift. None of the metal parts flex. Overall, the car paints a perception of being very safe. Here is a list of key safety features:

1.9.1. Six Airbags
1.9.2. ESP
1.9.3. Traction Control System
1.9.4. ABS+EBD+Brake Assist
1.9.5. 360 Surround Camera, Front and Rear parking sensors
1.9.6. Rear Defogger + Heated OVRM
1.9.7. 3 Point Seat belt for all passengers (very important)
1.9.8. Roll Formed Tubular Steel Door Beams (very useful in side impacts)
1.9.9. Thick Door Panels + Hot Stamped B Pillar + Usage of High Strength Steel Body

10. The Suspension setup. This is where the car trumps for me. The suspension is so very comfortable at lower speeds. It helps to glide over the pot holes and smaller speed breakers which are a plenty in Bangalore.
At higher speeds, the body roll is controlled (for the vehicle this size). The ground clearance is adequate. There is no jarring or squeaking noise while moving over bad roads. All this adds to the driving experience. Yes, the suspension setup does bring in a vertical movement at higher speeds. But that is largely limited to roads with a lot of undulation.


Most of you would have already observed the difference in treatment between first and second row of seats. You would have observed that the second row usually has lesser under thigh support, slightly higher floor, difference in door arm rest materials etc.. So whenever you do buy a bigger vehicle, please do sit in the second row and ask to be driven around on good and bad roads. You observations will help you and your family in deciding between two different vehicles or even variants of the same vehicle!

[TSEA]

What could have been Better

If I have to nitpick, then following areas can be looked into:

1. 215/55 R18 Tyres (current ones). I think 235/60 R18 would have added to the comfort



2. Dedicated button for AC. I would love to have dedicated physical buttons/knobs for AC. The current method of using the Infotainment system to manage AC, is not very user friendly. The icon for switching on AC is small. The size of the icon should be increased in size (there is no shortage of real estate on the infotainment system).



3. Gear Knob. The gear knob looks out of place with all the other interior elements. This can be improved upon

]

4. 360 Surround Camera. The infotainment system currently does not show the camera output, once the vehicle crosses a particular speed (10-15 kmph). I am not sure about the reason. An option should be there to show specific camera output on the screen at higher speeds as well. For e.g.: Checking blind spots while overtaking.

The quality of the stitched images, could have been better (it' a little grainy, even in bright sun light) as well



5. Rear Windshield/Glass. The black border on the rear windshield/glass should have been avoided. It makes the glass area smaller, which in turn makes the SUV appear narrower from rear. The taller body structure, further adds to a slimmer appearance

6. Hybrid not kicking in: This one is difficult to explain. I have noticed that after I have been driving at higher speeds (excess of 80 kmph) for a longer time, if I slow down to near 0 speed, then once I engage the first and second gear, there is a very visible lack of power. It feels as if the hybrid has not kicked in and the engine is struggling to carry the wight. This is not the case when I have been driving at lower speeds (city traffic for e.g.). Not sure why this happens

7. Slightly Notchy gear shift. I do feel that the gear shift can be made more smoother. For now I feel it's a little notchy. This feeling is in only there while shifting between lower gears

8. Black Side Skirting. I don't love black plastics on cars, they fade faster and are generally a pain to clean/maintain.

[TSEA]

Accessories Purchased:

The following accessories were purchased from the dealer:

1. 3D Floor Mat. These mats are of good quality and they fit very well





2. Mud Flaps



3. Front Bumper Guard. Again these are of acceptable quality and are specifically designed for Hector Plus (and not even Hector)



4. Rear Bumper Guard



5. Door Guard/Protector



6. OVRM Guard. These were probably not necessary, anyways time will tell

[TSEA]

Social media has started to influence people more and more in their purchasing decision. And I also went through the same path.

Before I could even TD a vehicle, I used to read and watch content around that vehicle, online. Which vehicle to TD, what to pay attention to during the TD etc, was also influenced by social media content.

Most of the time, which variant to choose from, used to be decided based on youtube videos as the dealer's only had the top end models on display and TD. Watching detailed variant walkthrough on youtube was very helpful as one could virtually see the features, the available colours etc. for the lower variants.

After narrowing down to fewer options, I thought my online research would go down. I was so wrong. I started actually reading more and more, and this time the search pattern became rather destructive (than constructive). I started focussing more on why I "should not buy" the other models/variants. This lead to reading and appreciating posts/videos that highlighted issues with the other models, bad ownership experiences, negative dealer feedback etc.

Eventually I had to put a stop to it.

In the end, I do believe, that all vehicles are good and one should buy what they find is best for them, rather than what others perceive as best!

If I have to give one advise to others who are buying a car, then it will be this: Buy a car which you loved the most "during the TD", as most of the time, you will be driving it!

[TSEA]

Other Features:

1. Navigation System. The navigation system works well. It is able to show routes adequately, however it generally shows more time-to-destination than google. I like the way, the navigations system displays which lane to take in cases where there is a bifurcation of the road. Foe e.g.: When you need to climb a flyover, or need to exit a highway etc. I also like the way, directions are displayed on MID







2. Powered Tail Gate. This is a nice to have feature. The kids like the SmartSwipe feature

3. Front and Rear Reading lights. The white led reading lights provide decent illumination. I would have preferred warm or natural white colours

4. Coloured MID. The MID display is crisp and very legible. The font size it easy to read.





5. Find my Car: This is a very useful feature of the iSmart App, as it shows the current location (on a map) of the vehicle. This feature can be used to monitor the vehicle, when being driven by someone else (Driver, Attendant at Valet etc.). It also can show "Route to the car" and if required, can be used to trigger "Honking/Lighting" in the car.



6. Organised layout of Engine Bay. The layout of the engine bay, is well organised/compartmentalised using additional covers



7. DRLs. I am not a big fan of DRLs, however they do look nice



8. Floating Light Turn Indicators. I like the way the light moves/floats indicating the direction of the turn



9. 8 Colors Ambient Lighting. This is something which you only notice when it get's dark, but yes it does look cool







10. Arrangement of Tool Kit. The toolkit is neatly arranged



11. Footwell. The pedals are adequately spaced and there is a dead pedal provided as well, which is very useful in highway drives



12. The car looks great from front.

[TSEA]

City Driving:

The initial days were little difficult for me driving the vehicle in traffic. It was a combination of factors like:

1. Size of the vehicle
2. Manual Gear Box (I had got used to the AMT in my Swift) and getting used to the gear ratios
3. New layout of buttons and a new steering feel/feedback, it took me some time to build muscle memory

However now I find Hector Plus very comfortable to drive. What works in the favour of this vehicle, in city is:

1. Light steering. The steering is very light and at the same time, it does return back to centre after turns
2. Hybrid Boost. This one is a big plus. The mild hybrid system, provides extra boost at lower speeds, thereby reducing the need to downshift frequently. This also helps in significantly improving the fuel efficiency in city traffic
3. The softer suspension reduces the need to slow down on bad city roads
4. The higher seating enables better visibility. Since we are able to see beyond most of the vehicles that are in front of us, it reduces the need of unnecessary overtaking

Highway Driving:

The vehicle is such a beautiful cruiser. 100 comes up around 2,000 rpm and 120 around 2,400 rpm (on 6th gear). The vehicle feels relaxed at these speeds. However overtaking above 80 does require planning and downshifting (which may not be the case with diesel counterparts). The steering weighs up nicely as we speed, in-fact it becomes little more stiffer/heavier than I would have liked.

Overall Highway drives have become so very inviting for us, mainly because:

1. Higher Seating and firmer cushioning. Higher seating enables a more natural seating position and reduces fatigue on long drives. To a large extent, the effect carries to the second row of captain seats as well
2. Silent Cabin. There is not much of engine noise, road/wind noise that creeps-in at higher speeds
3. Excellent audio quality of the Infinity Speaker Setup, paired with on-demand music experience that Gaana App provides, thereby enhancing the overall driving experience
4. Panoramic Sunroof. We keep the sun blinds open during our highway drives. This let's in a lot of light. Whenever we are outside densely populated areas, we try to open the sunroof as well to let the fresh air in

[TSEA]

MG Shield:

The vehicle comes with a MG Shield basic plan that has the below features:

1. 5 Years Unlimited Kms Road Site Assistance (RSA): This is indeed a much appreciated feature. RSA includes things like:

>> Free Tyre change in case of puncture
>> Free Towing to nearby MG service centre in case of a breakdown
>> Jump Start
>> Lost key Assistance
>> Medical Assistance
>> Mobility Assurance with Alternative Vehicle Support (currently I don't know the details of it)
>> Fuel Assistance etc..

The above is provided pan India. I am sure there will be a waiting time, but still it is a terrific proposition.

2. 5 Free Service

3. 5 Years Unlimited Kms Warranty

4. 24*7 Pulse Hub Assistance

MG Shield Protect Plan

I had also purchased the 3 Years/30,000 Kms Classic Maintenance plan. The idea was to offset any potential rise in covered consumables. It covers the regular parts/lubes that will be replaced in the first 3 year of service. It does not include stuff like break pads, battery, tyres etc.

First Service

The first service was due at 1,000 kms or 1 month (from purchase). I kept getting adequate reminder calls before the service. I had opted for pick-up and drop.

On the day of service, the pickup happened on time. Pickup was outsourced to a professional Driver-for-Hire third party (EZI Drive in Bangalore). The pickup happened on time and the driver was having the id card.

A couple of hours into the pickup, I received the call from the SA who explained the first service routine. Since first service was more of an inspection, the bill was expected to be 0. However I got the underbody and silencer coating done.

The car was dropped back at my place in evening. Overall experience was positive. I would try to be physically present in the 10,000 Kms service.

[TSEA]

26.4 cm HD Touchscreen AVN System

The touchscreen is probably one of the most talked about feature of Hector Plus. It's difficult to ignore/miss it. It has apps for Navigation, Online Music Streaming (Gaana App), AC Controls, Phone calling, Radio etc.



Some additional features that I explored were:

1. Equalizer: Enables easier volume and balance adjustments. It also allows for active volume control





2. Skins: One can select between 3 skins





3. User Manual: Not sure how much this will be useful, but it's there



4. Vehicle Settings that can be used to configure parameters related to Windows, Car Lights, Car Lock, Wireless Charging (on/off) etc.



One can also control the position (angle) till which the tailgate will open (very useful for parking spaces with low ceiling)

[TSEA]

Fuel Efficiency

A petrol SUV, isn't going to be very frugal, right? So why bother?

But it keeps coming back to my mind.

As of now, the vehicle has clocked around 1700 kms. I have done 3 highway trips.

The city fuel efficiency is a big surprise for me. It is currently hovering around 11 kmpl. I am yet to do a tank full to tank full comparison, but my hunch is that it will be around that. This is largely due to the hybrid setup



The highway fuel efficiency is also reasonable. It hovers around 13.5 kmpl in most cases.





I am expecting the above numbers to improve after 10,000 kms service.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[GTO]

Excellent choice . Enthusiasts can rave about sharp handling cars all day long, but the truth is, we use that handling 2% of the time. For the rest of the 98%, it's comfort that's important and that's what the Hector has loads of, via its sheer space + soft suspension. I'd taken the Hector out for a road-trip to Pune and remember that drive very fondly. My family loved it as well.

Thanks for sharing, bud! Will be going to our homepage tomorrow .

[viXit]

Originally Posted by TSEA

4. The higher seating enables better visibility. Since we are able to see beyond most of the vehicles that are in front of us, it reduces the need of unnecessary overtaking

The most underrated advantage of taller vehicles.

I love my SUVs but enjoy thoroughly the handling of a sedan. But something I miss very very badly when I drive my sedan is the visibility and ability to see the road ahead of me through the windshields of the car in front. Not a possibility in sedans.
--------------------

Congrats on your car man!


Although I daily drive a SUV, I don't like the trend of the market shifting towards SUVs. Sedans still have my heart.

One Shameless hypocrite I am.

[ramnaresh_2000]

Congratulations on your Hector Plus. It is one of the most sorted out vehicles out there in the market. I believe the numbers took hit due to recent tensions between India and China. I really loved the crisp and clear review. Well written.

I really love the tablet style infotainment in Hector. The pricing of mid variant in Hector crucify it's competition with many features. My only concern with Hector was it's design. For some reason I think the design will not age gracefully. Having said that, this is not a huge concern. Enjoy your beast and wishing you happy miles.