MG Hector Sharp MT Ownership review: 14,000 km in 1 year

The MG Hector replaced my Hyundai Tucson, which I had bought in 2013.

BHPian mayankk recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

A tribute first:

I bought a Hyundai Tucson circa 2013 model 2k5.

In 2016, the NGT decided that my money and my car were making kids sick rather than crop burning or industries. She got clubbed into the first list of “deregistered” diesel vehicles. The one and only list. So, since 2016, unbeknownst to me, I was driving a deregistered car, getting comprehensive insurance every year, taking a PUC (which did reflect online). In that time, if I had got into an accident, I would not have received a pretty penny in help, and would, in fact, have been prosecuted once my insurer declined my claim.

I only found all of this out when I went to get a NOC from Delhi RTO after having wangled a buyer in one of the designated districts in Uttar Pradesh. So, there was no option left to me but to have the old girl scrapped. I decided on giving it to MG only who arranged for all the processes.

It was heartbreaking, and all my delivery pictures of the hector have the bum of the Tooky jutting in, sort of in a guilt-inducing attempt. Here is the long-term ownership.

She was a brilliant tourer and took us across the country over tens of thousands of kilometres. The most memorable one was to Spiti, where she just made the whole trip all the more enjoyable due to 99.5% reliability, and a capability I didn’t see in anything else in this budget.

And now, on to the Hector SUV.

I didn’t like the looks of the car when I first saw it. In fact, even till the time of going to the showroom, my feelings about it had only elevated to just below neutral, but this was all just based on the looks. I don’t trust driving reports, even on the forum, since I know that driving feel is very individual. You should see the ruckus I created when I mentioned on the handling thread that the Eon was a good handler!

However, all of that was set to change. I have owned the Fiesta and the Tucson based on my own choice. I did not take any inputs and bought these two because I liked them. Everyone else around, most specifically my wife, learned to love them. This time around, things were different.

Likes:

• Completely equipped. Nothing needs to be bought and installed
• Humongous space in every spot. Front, back and boot
• Awesome presence in rearview mirrors
• Everything feels premium
• Panoramic Sunroof
• E-sim installed, and android auto in place
• Amazingly quiet engine

Dislikes:

• There is no angle apart from head-on where it can be seen as good-looking
• Again, on looks, the smallish tires, which is the primary reason for the bad angles.
• Half screen android Auto
• The start button hides behind the indicator stalk

Alternatives considered:

The Tucson broke down in Lucknow on my way back and had to be left there for a week for repairs. This was the farewell journey for the car, and this incident just hammered home the point. Having made up my mind, I set out to buy a Storme 4x4. I had very specific requirements. It had to be under 3 years old, 4WD and preferably in a darker colour. God, I didn’t know this was going to be such a white elephant! I only found one car on sale, but it was on corporate ownership, and I did not trust that. I did not have a budget in mind and even set my filters at 10-12 Lakhs for a safari, but nothing came by. Would you believe that I did not even get to test drive a car?

The reason I wanted a 4WD was that one day I would visit Spiti again. I dropped that plan from my mind and was just about ready to settle for a black 2wd Storme. However, I decided that I should check out some newer cars, so one evening, me, wifey and son decided to go and see a few new cars, namely a harrier and a seltos.

I reached Safdarjung enclave, and the first showroom was of MG. I found parking right in front of it, and there was a hector parked inside with its headlights switched on. These were pointed straight into my car, on the street, and my son peeked out and saw that. He immediately decided that we have to see this car first, and so it was written.

Walked in, and we were immediately greeted by a hostess, and a sales guy was appointed to us immediately. The car we saw was a Hector plus, and these guys sanitized the whole interiors before letting in my son, who was practically clutching his tinkle and jumping around by now. As soon as the door opened, he jumped in and was enamoured by the huge touchscreen. Then the sunroof opened, and he, and the decision, was out of my hands after that.

The plus was not the one that I was interested in and wanted a plain old five-seater, of which there was a mid-range model parked in the showroom. Apart from the sunroof, and no Esim, everything else was the same in this car. On-road was coming to a manageable 17-18 odd if I recall. While the kid sat in the car, I had a cursory discussion with the sales guy about costs and financing. These guys showed us out very amicably, with a proper folder with quotes and costs given to us.

Next up we went to Kia and Tata. At tata, there was no one available to even speak to us for the first five minutes. After a lot of following up, one guy came up and took us to the back to show us a Harrier. Surprisingly, he was not even sure of the variant, did not know what was missing in the one in the showroom. The worst was when we asked if they could sanitize-spray the interiors, and everyone went clueless. Finally, they sprayed the interiors to an industrial level, and after another 10 minutes when we were able to sit inside without suffocating, the first impressions were very poor. This is a car that would have cost me 22 lacs or thereabouts, and it was decidedly inferior in terms of quality and equipment. My son didn’t like it at all.

With Kia, a similar story as Tata, and the one they had parked in the showroom was base variant, which no one wanted to show us. Finally, one guy appeared and told me that they had a top-spec, but it was sold off, that’s why there was a base variant parked in the showroom. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the variant that was disappointing, but the sheer cramped nature of the car that negated it for us.

Another point, both Tata and Kia did not even bother to take any contact details or offer any paperwork for cost or financing options. I expected this from Tata, but not from Kia. Complacency?

Anyway, we left the showrooms, and 50% decided on the hector, finances willing. We were still to TD the car. The Delhi showroom didn’t get back to us for the next two days, after which I got in touch with MG Noida, and a very nice salesperson, Manoj, arranged for a long test drive the same day. We drove the Hector, both me and my wife, on the expressway as well as inner Noida roads, and were satisfied. It was supremely comfortable, compliant, easy to handle. My son went nuts with the voice recognition this time around. In his mind, he had decided that his Hector had a sunroof, “Hello MG” and was “shiny”.

Complete booking & delivery experience with the dealership

We discussed finances with MG and decided that we could stretch for a Sharp Hybrid because of an offer on financing from my Wife’s employer which was quite feasible. Swiped the car for 21k and booked a black one, with a delivery promise of Dhanteras, in a month’s time.

We happily walked off and sat quietly for the next two weeks, which was when a guy called Amit from MG Noida decided to sour the whole experience. He is Manoj’s, the sales guy's boss. First, he called up and told me that there was a black one available, and asked us to make the full payment, and he can give the car to us. I checked with Manoj and was told that they have raised a requirement in our name already, so I told Amit that I will wait for my car. He was still insistent on the full payment. Next, he called me at the end of October and told me that my car was en route, and I should come and make the payment immediately. I told him that I have already paid the booking amount, I will make the payment post PDI at the stockyard. This was when things turned completely sour. He told me that I should make the payment immediately, else if someone else comes for the same requirement with payment in hand, he will release the car. I asked him if he won’t be able to hold the car even for one day, to which he said no. I gave up and told him that he can sell it to anyone he wants and hung up, post which I dropped a message to Manoj to cancel my booking. This set the ball rolling, and I immediately received a screenshot of some logistics invoice showing a car allocated in my name en route from the factory. But I didn’t want to deal with these guys anymore.

Now one of my office colleagues used to be in car sales, and when he heard of this issue, he pulled some strings, and I got a call from MG Lajpat Nagar about a black sharp hybrid being available. In half an hour I had the VIN, and a PDI scheduled. The sales guy, Keshav, drove down in the evening with a card machine to take booking amount of 50k, and also drove me a few days later to Sainik farms to let me check out the car. This experience was in line with the first experience I had with MG and decided to disregard the Noida dealership as the UP effect. I received my booking amount about a month after the car landed at home.

On-road price & discounts

On-road, the car came to 19.1 L. Of this, I got a 20k discount only, plus, 25k for the scrap value of Tucson.

Extended warranties & service packages

This is already quite comprehensive with the Hector, for 5 years/100k Kms. Additionally, I am thinking of taking one of the shield plans which will cover all services and consumable costs for 5 years too.

Engine type & variant

Petrol. Sharp Hybrid. This is a top-spec manual petrol variant. I luckily abhor autos.

The good and bad about its features

I have had the car for less than a week now, and so far, there is everything to love about it. The surprising best bit about it is the stereo. The infinity-based speakers are amazing, and the included Sub and amp remind me of my Zen from college days. So far, it’s been a cycle of Rammstein, RATM and Megadeth, and I have been loving it.

Safety & related equipment

ISOFIX, airbags, ABS, EBD, 360-degree cameras, all good. I have been driving very sedately and carefully. It’s such a relaxing place to be in.

Number of km at the time of writing review

14000 km

Usage pattern

Though the primary use has been my 10 km office round trip, we don’t let go of any excuse to head out. Anywhere that is worth going to is worth going to via the long way round.

Exterior styling & design

The exterior design is smart and premium. If only the tires could be upgraded, this would turn into a very Butch SUV, instead of bordering between an SUV and UV.

Overall build quality, fit & finish, paint quality and panel gaps.

I can’t praise MG enough in this aspect. Panel gaps are consistent, and everything feels that it is made to last, even the paint.

Wheels & tires

Wheels are extremely detailed, but the size of them could do with a rework.

Interior design & quality

All the plastics are extremely premium in feel and sound thick. There are also swathes of vinyl, piano black and silver inserts, all done very tastefully

Interior space & comfort

The front seats are just brilliant, but there is a quirk that while getting into the car, there is a raised edge that gets caught on your bum every time. I have a feeling this may wear out over the years.

The seating is spot on for my frame, and I have sat through long drives and come out absolutely not tired. Space is one thing that this car excels at in spades and potatoes. We are all average height people in my family, maximum 5’-8”, and the space is humongous. The recline on the seats is perfect in the rear. You can take off the headrest on the passenger seat, and recline it fully, and the rear seat too, and it becomes a long recliner/bed kind of thing. I have managed to catch many kips in the car like this.

The centre armrest both front and back are broad and plush enough. No jostling for elbow space here.

Driving position, ergonomics, controls & MID

The driving position is adjustable to the moon and back. Only the driver’s seat is electrically adjustable, on all three axes. It’s easy to get your position right, but lack of memory function means that it has to be fixed every time someone else takes her for a spin.

Visibility & size of mirrors

ORVMS are nicely humongous, but the switch to adjust is placed a little inconveniently, behind the indicator stalk on the bulkhead, and not on the door as I have had so far in my previous cars.
Another quirk: This is the only car I have ever driven where the side indicators can be seen from inside the car. Hector owners will know what I mean.

Air conditioner cooling & effectiveness:

Oh, it's effective alright. I have found the best way to go about it is to let it run in Auto for half an hour, where it goes up to its max at times, and then putting it in 2 or 3. The rear Aircon vents are a little inadequate initially, but once the whole car is chilled, all is well.

I think some effect is lost due to the huge sunroof, which essentially just has a thick cloth covering inside. It’s bound to transfer a lot of heat inside, as compared to a full metal roof with full roof cladding inside.

Audio system & sound quality

This is quite the party piece of the hector. The Infinity sound system is equipped with an amp and woofer in the boot. It is thumpy if you want, and parakeet sharp elsewhere. I am not an audiophile, but it is far surpassing any of my needs. I occasionally want to shout along to a Rammstein/RATM/Metallica number, and I have not been disappointed with bad music so far.

Interior storage, practicality & boot space

Apart from the lack of a good place to put your phone, there is more than enough. The door pockets have space for a bottle each, apart from any other knick-knacks. Quite large also. The centre armrest has a biggish storage unit as well.

The boot is slightly smaller than my Tucson’s but no complaints. Two large suitcases or 4 medium ones fit, along with three laptop bags, and some polybags with smallish items. And the boot is covered as well, so privacy too.

Engine performance & drivability in the city

The engine on this car is there with the sole purpose of getting you from point A to B. It’s a, ahem, lumbering hector, that does not like to be pushed. However, when thrashed, it can easily get you by situations very well. The hybrid assist is very handy when you want to do a quick overtake, or getaway. It looks minor on paper but does provide a necessary assist.

Engine performance & drivability on the highway

Once the engine gets in its stride, it's brilliant. It's quiet, smooth, and unstressed on the highway. Put it on a cruise at a hundred, and it just goes and goes. So far, the longest I have taken it at a stretch is from Delhi to Lucknow non-stop, and I did not find it lacking anywhere.

Gearshift & clutch

The clutch is softish and easy to use, and gearshifts are extremely smooth and precise.

Overall NVH levels

I haven’t noticed much. It's very quiet on tarred surfaces but does let in some noise on concrete. However, that is true for any car, and it was the same in Tucson as well.

Fuel efficiency: City and Highway

11 in the city, 14-15 in 10%-90% city highway mixed. Calculated tank to tank.

Suspension & ride quality

The hector is made purely for comfort, so is extremely softly sprung. The semicircular humps found in apartment complexes do unsettle it, but otherwise, it's just a soft and supple ride. While going to Lansdowne, I ran into a patch of about 30 km of patchy asphalt. For the first 3-4 kilometres I was pussyfooting it, driving slowly, swerving around the bumps. However, as it was getting dark very fast, I decided to press on. Between 40-50 km/h, I could feel the suspension working, but there was not even vibration in the cabin. In fact, my son fell asleep a few minutes after I decided to speed up. Speaks its weight, that does.

Handling, on-road behavior, grip levels, stability, body roll & turning radius

I will avoid this. It's planted enough, the grip is good, even though the tires are not very good (Good year assurances). This is not a car to explore boundaries of grip, stability, roll etc.

The turning circle is the same as the pre-Storme safari. Nuff said.

Ground clearance

Sufficient. I was worried a few times that it might hit some rocks or bumps, but it never did. I am more confident now, but the front and rear overhangs are HUMONGOUS. Have to be careful. The Tucson was point and shoot car. It could get over practically anything without a thought given by the driver. Here, I have to evaluate.

Any particular dislikes

Lights are brilliant, but tend to get washed out in the face of any resistance ��

Any niggles, problems, or part replacements

There was a clanking sound straight out of the stockyard from the front nearside suspension. It was identified and fixed within the first month as some bush that was misaligned, and there was contact between metal parts during sudden and sharp road surface changes. Like a broken road. Was found and fixed promptly by MG.

Quality of aftersales service

MG can take the cake here. The pulsehub email ID generates immediate action from your dealership.

Cost of upkeep & maintenance

I have taken the Shield plan or something for 16k, and apparently, I will have no costs for the first 5 services. The second one, which is an actual service is coming up shortly, so will update you on that when I can.

Not many pictures in detail so far, and I will be adding more with the various functions and angles as and when I can.

All in all, I am enjoying the ownership so far. The lockdown put paid to immediate post-buying trips. However, since things opened up, I have managed to clock 14,000 km on the car, and they have been extremely fun miles. Have been to the hills, and on expressways, and the Hector has been a very very good tourer.

My only gripe right now is that this car is un-tinkerable.

So, I have my sights set on a previous-gen Thar, which I can basically throw at anything and anywhere, as a secondary car.

As a petrol head, the biggest compliment I can pay the Hector is that I find myself planning more and more trips which can be taken within 10 hours of driving from Delhi, rather than flying out to any other destinations.

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