MG Astor is set to make it into the Indian market on 15th September 2021. The carmaker has already highlighted the SUV’s features and exterior outlook. But, now we have details about the mechanicals and engines specifications as well. MG will offer the Astor with two engine options; 1.3-litre turbo petrol and a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated power unit.
The performance figure of the 1.3-litre turbo stands at 161 BHP of power and 230 Nm of torque. Meanwhile, the 1.5-litre unit makes 118 BHP of power and 150 Nm of torque. The 1.3-litre will only have an automatic gearbox option. Meanwhile, the 1.5-litre will have both manual and a CVT automatic option. As per MG, the lower-spec trims, Super and Smart, will have a 1.5-litre engine. As against, the top-spec Sharp and Savvy trim that will get the 1.3-litre turbo petrol unit.
MG Astor – AI Inside
The carmaker is heavily marketing its ‘AI Inside’ tag to grab the attention of the customers. There’s a significant demand for connected car features these days, and MG Astor scores the maximum points in this area. The car gets a host of high tech features backed by cutting edge tech like AI and the cloud. Another highlighting feature this car offers, which is also a segment-first feature, is level-2 ADAS. This enables the vehicle with features like Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Prevention, Lane Departure Warning, Intelligent Headlamp Control (IHC), Speed Assist and Rear Drive Assist (RDA).
Rivals And Competition
MG will position the Astor just below Hector. Once launched, Astor will enter the most competitive segment in the country. The mid-size SUVs are getting increasingly popular amongst the customers. They offer much better ground clearance when compared to sedans, which is quite detrimental given the Indian road conditions. Currently, the Korean pair of Creta and Seltos are leading this segment in terms of sales figures. But, soon as we see more new launches in this segment, the mid-size SUV segment will grow much bigger, thus eating up the share of sedans and hatchbacks.
Also Read:
- MG Astor SUV will get Apple CarPlay & Android Auto as standard.
- 2021 MG Astor revealed, gets Artificial Intelligence & Level-2 Autonomous tech.