MG Hector

If you enjoy making your neighbours jealous, the MG Hector does that job convincingly. For one, it has size on its side. At 4655mm in length with a height of 1760mm, it does have a big edge over already large rivals like the Tata Harrier and Jeep Compass. It also has a longer, 2750mm long wheelbase. Combine this size with the standard skid plates and roof rails, and the Hector clearly flexes its presence on the road.

But its charm isn’t linked so much to the size than it is to the luxury car styling. The now popular trend of DRLs on top with headlights in the bumper make the Hector look distinctive. The wow factor, though, comes from the all-LED exterior lighting and the heavy yet tasteful use of chrome. That said, while the doors have the sense of solidity you’d want in a premium SUV, there are some odd panel gaps that aren’t easy to miss.

It’s also a quirky and for some, polarisingly styled SUV, which looks like a completely different car from different angles. The rear end can have you wondering if this is an Audi Q5, while the front looks serious and menacing like some American SUVs. The side profile isn’t as flattering as the other angles though. The 17-inch wheels are certainly size appropriate for India but under an SUV as tall as the Hector, they look a little small, especially when you see the large wheel well gaps. Even the overhangs bulge out at either end, lending an MPV element to this SUV.

The question remains, though: do the large size and luxury car exterior translate to a spacious and luxurious experience inside?

Well, yes & no. Let’s address the good first. The Hector puts its size to good use. The cabin is easily one of the most spacious ones you can get for an SUV that will cost around Rs 15 lakh-20 lakh on road. With the driver’s seat set for someone who’s 6.5ft tall, there’s still a good amount of knee room to spare. You also get good headroom for tall users and adequate space to tuck your feet in under the front seats. The only exception to the latter is in the petrol hybrid variant. Since the hybrid battery is placed below the front passenger’s seat, there’s no place for the 2nd row occupant’s feet. This is also why even the fully-loaded petrol hybrid does not get a powered co-driver’s seat, since there’s no room for the mechanism.

It’s also wide enough to accommodate three lean-medium sized adults in the rear seat, especially thanks to the completely flat floor. Additionally, the rear seat reclines to a good degree, adding a nice touch of versatility. A big bonus is the almost shockingly large glass area. Forget the sunroof, the general glass area lets in so much light that there’s no chance you’d ever feel claustrophobic even with the all black interior. We do, however, recommend adding sunblinds for privacy and to keep the sunlight entering the cabin in check. A large glass area+black interior can see the cabin getting toasty quickly.

It’s also a practically laid out place with good storage space in the door pockets and underneath the front armrest. At 587 litres, even the boot space is more than enough for a weekend’s load of luggage or airport hauls. It easily accommodated 2 backpacks, 2 large camera bags and a trolley bag on our drive. If you need more, the rear seat splits 60:40 & folds completely flat.

There’s a big gap to find underneath the boot floor and this is where we expected the spare tyre, but that actually sits in the undercarriage. Instead, you get a storage space below the boot floor which shares its home with the tyre removal kit and the subwoofer. It’s a spot big enough to hold a car cover, car cleaning kit or tyre inflator i.e. items you’d want to keep separate from your actual bags/groceries.

So where’s the room for improvement? Well, the upholstery and trim quality could’ve been richer. There are no glaring rough edges like in some parts of the Tata Harrier, but quality doesn’t set any new benchmarks. The feel good factor falls slightly short of what you’d get in a similarly priced Skoda, VW or Hyundai car. Some more soft touch plastics or contrast coloured trim would’ve given the Hector a greater sense of occasion. Simply put, if you took out the 10.4-inch touchscreen, the interior wouldn’t look as opulent.

But it does get that touchscreen and a whole lot more with it!

Two counts where the Hector scores well. We managed to get our hands on the petrol hybrid manual and diesel manual, and both engines proved to be good for almost any kind of usage. What would we choose? For daily city usage, it’s the petrol hybrid.

This powertrain offers relaxed driving and usable performance at all times. The throttle response is predictable and thanks to the 48V mild-hybrid system’s torque boost, all you need for city commutes is light throttle inputs. Yes, even with a full passenger load. The 6-speed manual gearbox is also set up tall. In simple terms, it offers adequate driveability and doesn’t start knocking even if you upshift early. We reaped the benefits of the low-rev performance while driving behind a slow truck on the ghats section approaching Ooty in 3rd gear at 35kmph. So while the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine’s output of 143PS/250Nm isn’t a lot, there’s always usable performance available.

It also does very well as a highway cruiser, sitting below 2,000rpm in top gear while cruising at highway speeds of 80-100kmph. High speed overtakes will require a downshift but you can do without aggressive throttle after changing gear. We also enjoyed the refinement the engine offers. At slow-medium speeds it’s smooth and silent, and while the engine will get loud when revved hard, vibrations never become an experience dampener.

So why get the diesel? Well, first, obviously, fuel efficiency. The diesel engine, which is shared with the Jeep Compass & Tata Harrier, delivers a claimed 17.4kmpl, slightly more than the Harrier (16.79kmpl) & Compass (17.1kmpl). It’s also more than the petrol hybrid’s 15.8kmpl.

Second, the diesel engine, as we’ve experienced in the Compass, offers stronger mid-range punch, which makes highway overtakes easier. Remember the aforementioned example of driving behind a truck on the ghats? Well, while the petrol hybrid can drive at that speed in 3rd gear, the diesel can also manage overtakes in the same gear, while the petrol would need a downshift.

It’s also a better choice for extensive highway usage. It feels more relaxing to drive past 100kmph, while offering more grunt for overtakes and better efficiency. Where it trails the petrol hybrid is refinement. The engine noise is more audible and there are some vibes even at idle. Then the throttle response isn’t as progressive and there is a sudden surge of performance when the turbocharger engages. While it offers more excitement, it doesn’t build power as progressively as the petrol. Finally, the clutch action isn’t as smooth as the petrol. Not only is it heavier, the bite is also jerky while moving from a standstill and you can stall the transmission if you aren’t careful.

Thereafter, though, the diesel too offers good driveability in the city and on the highway.

Fortunately, the features list isn’t limited to comfort, convenience and cool tech. Dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX, rear parking sensors, all wheel disc brakes, traction control, hill-hold and electronic stability control all come as standard!

The top-spec Hector Sharp gets 6 airbags, front parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, front fog lights with cornering assist and tyre pressure monitoring with tyre temperature readings. It even gets auto headlamps and auto wipers. The only odd miss is an auto-dimming IRVM.