MG Astor, Hyundai Creta rival, to break cover today: Things you need to know
MG Motor is all set to unveil its compact SUV 2021 Astor later today. The SUV, which is essentially the petrol-powered version of the ZS EV, will come loaded with advanced features.
Also Read : Astor SUV put to tests in Ladakh ahead of India launch
The official launch of the 2021 MG Astor SUV is likely to take place during the festive season, possibly in October.
MG Astor SUV will be the Chinese-owned British carmaker's fifth offering in India after Hector, Hector Plus, Gloster and ZS EV SUVs. Astor will have a length of around 4,300 mm, which makes it slightly smaller in size than the Hector SUV. The carmaker is looking to position the Astor SUV below Hector.
Also check these Cars
The carmaker has already teased the front face of the SUV, which shows a unique design on the grille. The hexagonal grille is flanked on either side by LED headlamps and projector set-up and LED DRLs doubling up as turn indicators. It also gets LED tail-lamps at the rear.
In the latest teaser shared by the carmaker, the side profile of the Astor SUV is slightly revealed. It confirms that the MG Astor will have a similar design language to that of the ZS EV. It is likely to get chrome lining along the windows and blackened B-pillar.
As far as the interior is concerned, the MG Astor is likely to be offered with a 10.1-inch main touchscreen unit, digital instrument cluster with i-Smart connect, sunroof and much more. But what will make the Astor a unique product in the segment is its industry-first personal AI assistant system and first-in-segment Autonomous Level-2 technology.
The personal AI assistance system, which will use Paralympian Deepa Malik's voice, is somewhat similar to what the Apple Siri or Amazon Alexa is all about. It is expected to be capable of listening to voice commands and perform tasks such as playing music, making or receiving calls, texting etc.
The Autonomous Level-2 technology includes ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) functions, which will carry out several emergency safety measures like Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Prevention and Speed Assist.
MG Astor will be the third car in India, and the second in the carmaker's lineup after Gloster SUV, to feature the ADAS technology. Recently launched Mahindra XUV700 also boasts of the technology. However, Astor will be the first car in its segment to have such advanced feature and it my help the SUV to carve a niche out for itself among some of the heavyweights.
Under the hood, expect a 1.5-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid petrol engine which may churn out 141 bhp and offer 240 Nm of torque. Transmission options for the upcoming SUV will include a 6-speed manual gearbox and a CVT automatic unit as well.
MG Astor is likely to be priced between ₹10 lakh and 16 lakh (ex-showroom), which could make it more affordable than some of its rivals like Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos or Tata Harrier among others.
