MG Gloster SUV: Five things you need to know about its off-road capabilities

MG Gloster has been officially launched in India at a tempting price point of ₹28.98 lakh (ex showroom, introductory). While MG has been highlighting Gloster's massive dimensions, loaded and luxurious cabin as well as its mile-long list of safety features, the premium SUV also has a whole lot of off-road capabilities.

Gloster is MG's fourth offering here in India and the company has perhaps the maximum expectations from it as well. It says that the SUV aims to match the off-road capabilities of established players like Prado and Land Cruiser, a claim that is backed by factors tailor-made to give the vehicle an edge on rough terrain.

Here are five things you need to know about MG Gloster's off-road capabilities:





• Gloster is powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine that produces 215 bhp of peak power and has 480 Nm of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission unit comes as standard.

MG Gloster has been priced between ₹28.98 lakh and ₹35.38 lakh (ex showroom, introductory)

• Gloster offers as many as seven modes to the driver behind the wheel. While Sport and Eco are essentially drive modes, the driver can also twirl the dial to choose between Snow, Sand, Mud and Rock to give the vehicle an edge over these respective terrain conditions. An auto mode in addition to these simplifies the process because the Gloster comes with an electronic shift-on-the-fly technology which is part of its Intelligent All-Terrain setup.

MG Gloster gets a number of safety features, some like Level 1 autonomous driving being a first. (HTAuto/Sabyasachi Dasgupta)

• Gloster has a ladder-frame chassis which allows the vehicle to sit high off the ground and have a higher load-bearing capability. It also features an electronic rear differential lock. This means that power can be sent to a wheel independent of how and where the other wheel is or is at. For instance if one of the rear wheels is stuck in mud and the other isn't getting traction - when one usually witnesses a whole lot of mud being thrown around, the set up allows for much-needed wheel traction to get a move on.

MG claims Gloster can match up to the likes of Prado and Land Cruiser with its off-road capabilities. (HTAuto/Sabyasachi Dasgupta)

• Gloster has a wading depth of 550 mm which means it is capable of not just making its way across streams but also flooded Indian cities during the monsoon season. A ground clearance of 210 mm also plays a big part in allowing the car to cut across obstacles.

This test of a Gloster wading through water is for reference purpose. (HTAuto/Sabyasachi Dasgupta)

• Rear suspension features a five-link integral setup. This is what allows Gloster to claim a balance between riding in comfort on roads and riding confidently on challenging terrain.