MG Auto Expo 2023: Hector, Hector Plus facelifts launched; price, design, interior, features, and powertrain

MG Motor has launched the facelifted Hector and Hector Plus SUVs in India. Prices for the new MG Hector start from Rs. 14.73 lakh, while the three-row MG Hector Plus has been priced from Rs. 20.80 lakh (ex-showroom). Both SUVs get a heavily reworked front and rear fascia along with a completely revamped interior, but remain mechanically unchanged from the pre-facelift models. 

1. Hector and Hector Plus get reworked front and rear fascia 
2. Interior gets new 14-inch touchscreen, digital instrument cluster 
3. Both SUVs continue with the same set of petrol and diesel engines

Here’s a look at the new prices of the facelifted Hector and Hector Plus. The 5-seater Hector is available in 6 trims – Style, Shine, Smart, Smart Pro, Sharp Pro, Savvy Pro. The 6/7-seater Hector Plus is available in Smart, Smart Pro, Sharp Pro, Savvy Pro trims. 

MG Hector, Hector Plus facelift: exterior design 

Interestingly, in their facelifted guise, the Hector and Hector Plus facelifts look identical to each other, unlike the pre-facelift models that were slightly differentiated in design.  

Up front, the Hector and Hector Plus get a completely new fascia with sharp lines and well-defined angles. The grille has considerably grown in size, featuring a new diamond-like pattern along with an angular chrome surround that neatly merges with the high-mounted LED Daytime Running Lamps. The main headlamp cluster on the bumper also gets a new pentagonal shape that mimics the shape of the grille, and is surrounded by gloss black surrounds. The front chin also gets a new chrome surround for the central air intake. 

At the rear, the updated Hector and Hector Plus SUVs get a new tail-lamp assembly with a redesigned red strip connecting the lamps at either end. The rear bumper has also been redesigned with new angular creases. The dual-tone black and silver treatment on the outgoing model has made way for a cleaner design with subtle new chrome inserts. Both SUVs, however, remain completely unchanged in profile – even the 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels are identical to the outgoing models.

MG Hector, Hector Plus facelift: interior and features 

Both SUVs see a more comprehensive update to their interior – there’s a much larger 14.0-inch touchscreen integrated into the dashboard – the largest ever fitted to any mass-market car in India. The dashboard has also been completely redesigned with more horizontal lines and redesigned D-shaped AC vents. The centre console appears to be flowing down from the infotainment screen – it  gets a faux aluminium trim on the Hector while the Hector Plus gets a faux wood finish. Additionally, the Hector has a black-silver interior finish while the Hector Plus gets a black-beige finish. 

The centre console also features a lot more buttons, a redesigned cupholder and an electric parking button. In terms of features, the biggest talking point is the inclusion of ADAS features on both the Hector and Hector Plus. This brings in new features such as lane-keep assist, blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning and lane-departure warning. MG has also updated the iSmart infotainment software along with the 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster. 

As before, the Hector comes in a five-seater layout whereas the Hector Plus is offered in either six- or seven-seater configurations. 

MG Hector, Hector Plus facelift: engine options 

The Hector and Hector Plus SUVs continue to be offered with the same 1.5-litre petrol engine that is available with either a 6-speed manual or a CVT automatic gearbox. This unit produces 143hp and 250Nm of peak torque. Previously, this engine was also offered with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. However, that’s not offered on the facelifted SUVs anymore. Additionally, the 7-speed DCT gearbox on the petgrol engine has also been discontinued.

The diesel engine also remains the same 170hp, 350Nm 2.0-litre unit that is shared with the Harrier, Safari and Compass. MG only offers a single six-speed manual gearbox on the Hector diesel as before.

MG Hector, Hector Plus facelift: rivals 

As before, the MG Hector continues to rival the likes of the Tata Harrier and the Mahindra XUV700, along with other compact SUVs such as the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and even the newer Maruti Grand Vitara and Toyota Hyryder. Meanwhile, the Hector Plus rivals the likes of the Tata Safari and  Hyundai Alcazar.