MG Hector Plus

MG introduced the Hector Plus as the three-row version of the Hector SUV back in 2020 in India. It is offered in both six- and seven-seater versions, and has been conceptualised for large families. MG offers it with both turbo-petrol and diesel engine options.

The Hector and Hector Plus SUV duo was launched in quick succession, that is, in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Since their introduction in India, both the models have received plentiful updates and a couple of refreshes as well to keep them up with the evolving times.

With the latest cosmetic tweaks, the Hector Plus has a bold and upmarket road presence, that boils down to its heavy use of chrome embellishments and a large grille. Other highlights include LED headlights and fog lamps, along with LED DRLs. It now features a tweaked bumper, which houses the radar for the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

From the sides, the Hector Plus SUV looks largely unchanged. Higher variants still ride on the same 18-inch dual-tone alloys, while lower trims get 17-inch wheels. You can also see the presence of the big window panes, silver roof rails, and ORVM-mounted turn indicators.

The Hector Plus gets connected LED taillights, with lighting elements in the centrepiece for a modern look. Its tailgate sports the ‘ADAS’ badge and a chrome strip that runs the width of the SUV’s derrière. MG has also redesigned the rear bumper of the SUV that now features fake dual exhaust tips.

MG offers the Hector Plus in seven colours: Havana Grey, Candy White with Starry Black roof, Candy White, Glaze Red, Starry Black, Aurora Silver, and Dune Brown. We prefer the Glaze Red for its sporty look. 

The Hector Plus is available in six- and seven-seat layouts. MG offers the three-row SUV in a dual-tone black and brown cabin theme. It gets silver, piano black, and wooden inserts to complement the cabin theme. However, like some of the new-age tech-laden cars, even the Hector Plus features less physical controls and hence the HVAC toggles are all housed in the big infotainment display mounted vertically on the dashboard.

MG has used soft-touch material on the upper portion of the dashboard, door pads and above the glovebox but the lower half is made of hard plastic.

For those opting for the six-seater version, the Hector Plus gets captain seats in the second row with individual armrests. In the seven-seat variants, however, MG offers a bench seat for the middle row. The seats are well bolstered and supportive, thus providing a good seating posture. While the first two rows offer good space for tall occupants, the last row is best to be used by kids or your pets. MG has provided the rear seats with slide and recline functionality for added comfort.

Features

There are no complaints on this front as the Hector Plus packs an expansive equipment list.

Highlights include a 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a panoramic sunroof, a 7-inch digital driver’s display, ventilated front seats, multi-colour ambient lighting, and over 75 connected car tech features. Other noteworthy mentions include wireless phone charger, an air purifier, and an 8-speaker Infinity sound system that offers crisp sound quality.

The MG Hector Plus is yet to be crash tested by either Global or Bharat NCAP. Nevertheless, the SUV has a strong safety suite. 

MG has provided it with a 360-degree camera, electronic stability programme (ESP), hill-hold assist, traction control system, up to six airbags, front and rear parking sensors, and all four disc brakes.

In addition to that, the MG Hector Plus also comes with an advanced driver assistance (ADAS) suite which includes tech such as adaptive cruise control, auto-emergency braking, lane keep assist, and forward collision warning. It performs best on well-paved and well-marked roads, which is majorly limited to highways and expressways in our country.

With all three rows up, the Hector Plus has enough boot space to fit some soft bag for the weekend trip’s luggage. It even gets a 60:40 split for the second row seats (seven-seater version only) and 50:50 split folding for the third row seats, both of which proves to be useful if you want to carry more luggage. MG also offers the Hector Plus with a powered tailgate to help ease loading and unloading of luggage.

MG offers the Hector Plus with a set of turbo-petrol and diesel engines, although now without mild-hybrid tech. It comes with both manual and automatic transmission choices. Technical specifications are given in the table below:

We have driven the above mentioned petrol-CVT combo in the Hector and we found it to be a well refined unit. It offers ample amount of torque for the get-go, and can easily reach triple-digit speeds. Power delivery is in a linear fashion, and is consistently on offer irrespective of whether you are driving on straight patches or on winding roads. The SUV is more for a relaxed style of driving and will provide more than sufficient punch for your daily commutes.

However, if you’re looking for an offering that’s more frugal, we would advise you to pick the diesel. It’s the same 2-litre Fiat-sourced diesel engine from the Jeep Compass and Tata Harrier. This engine also offers robust performance, but we wish it’s also offered with an automatic transmission for more convenience.

The Hector Plus is available in five broad variant levels: Style, Select Pro, Smart Pro, Sharp Pro, and Savvy Pro. There’s also a 100-year special edition and Snowstorm and Blackstorm editions of the SUV on sale in India. Prices of MG’s three-row SUV fall between Rs 17.74 lakh and Rs 24.25 lakh (ex-showroom pan-India).