MG Hector launched in India; Competition check

The MG Hector has been launched in India at Rs 12.18 lakhs (introductory all-India ex-showroom). There are 9 variants across three engine options and five colour schemes.

The Hector is a D-segment SUV and with the given pricing, it sits in the middle of the pack in terms of cars like the Hyundai Creta, Tata Harrier, Jeep Compass and even the likes of the Mahindra XUV500. Here is how the Hector stands up against each of its rivals.

Hyundai Creta
The MG Hector is bigger across the table than Creta across all measurement. It gets a bigger feature list compared to the Creta with some unique ones like 360-degree surround camera, connected car technologies and really massive touchscreen infotainment to control a majority of the functions of the car. However, the Creta offers a wider range of engine options with automatics setups being offered for both petrol and diesel power. Hyundai also has a lower spec 1.4-litre diesel and this has allowed them to have a really low entry price point for the Creta.

Tata Harrier
Tata’s big SUV for the Indian market had long been in the pipeline and was launched earlier this year in the light of much fanfare. It (the Harrier) is now the second largest car in the segment and only marginally trails behind the Hector in terms of dimensions. On a basic level, both cars have a similar features list but look deeper and you can see where the Hector has stepped up the game. Bigger display for the touchscreen, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, panoramic sunroof and of course, the host of connected car technologies that is present on the Hector.
The Harrier is only offered with the 2.0-litre diesel while the Hector also gets the option of a 1.5-litre petrol that’s available in standard guise as well as a hybrid setup.

Jeep Compass
In terms of positioning and once the introductory price period has passed, the Jeep Compass is one of the most significant rivals for the MG Hector. They are both premium vehicles but with a focus on offering two different value propositions to the market. The Compass is also about going off the beaten path and offers things like AWD, high ground clearance and even has the proper boxy SUV looks. Sitting at the top of the Compass food chain is, of course, the Trailhawk variant that has all the major off-road tools like AWD and drives modes. The Hector’s value proposition to the market is the heavy amount of features and technologies that it brings to the table. Be it the surround camera or the connected car technology, the Hector has a bigger feature.
It should also be noted that the Hector is significantly larger than the Jeep Compass and comes with two petrol and one diesel powertrain. The latter gets one diesel and one petrol but there are automatic options for both powertrains.  

Mahindra XUV500
One of the big boys of the segment, the Mahindra XUV500, has been around for quite a bit and made its mark on the segment. The car will move to a new generation within the next few years but it still holds its own in the market. The XUV500 is now the third largest car in the segment but it does manage to beat out the Hector in terms of width.

The XUV500 also offers a significant number of features to level the playing field when looking at the Hector. The basics are all covered but the Hector does have the upper hand once again thanks to its connected car technology. MG also offers a much more comprehensive maintenance package for the Hector, thanks to the MG shield package.