The mid-size SUV segment has a new entrant in the form of the MG Astor. This is the company's fourth product for India within two years of their launch and it holds a lot of promise thanks to the fact that it comes loaded with features, has a premium fit and finish and is nice to drive.
Design
The Astor is essentially the MG ZS model sold in international markets, however in India, the ZS badge has been reserved for the all-electric e-ZS, which is why it gets a different name. As far as design changes are concerned, the Astor gets a nice sporty stance brought about by pronounced character lines, really neat looking headlights and tail lights, a premium pseudo-dual exhaust pipe look integrated in the rear bumper and a fantastic looking front grille that looks like you are hitting warp speed!
Interiors
The cabin of the Astor has been finished in premium materials that include a lot of leather and soft touch plastics - elements that you normally find on vehicles that sit in a segment or two above what the Astor is targeted at. The all-digital instrument cluster, large touchscreen interface and AI Assistant take centrestage, while the dual tone seats add to the premium feel of the cabin.
Features
The MG Astor is a feature-rich machine and topping that list is the AI Assistant. A neat bot sits on the dash and it is connected to Wikipedia, the news, can tell you jokes as well as carry out a host of voice commands like opening and closing the sunroof.
Yep, you can basically talk to your car! On the driving tech front, the MG Astor comes with autonomous driving level two which means you get radar-based guidance, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, rear drive assist and a forward collision prevention system.
Performance
Powering the MG Astor is a choice of two petrol engines. The lower variants will get the 1.5 litre unit that delivers 110 PS of power and 144 Nm of torque, while the top end version gets a 1.4 litre turbo unit that delivers 140 PS of power and 220 Nm of torque. Both engines promise a refined drive experience.
Verdict
The MG Astor shines as a product and it delivers on that entire premium packaging. Of course, the pricing will determine its fate, however MG has been known to be very aggressive with their pricing and the Astor is bound to make a dent in the midsize SUV segment here in India.