Barely 5 minutes later we found a trail that was inviting and we went ahead for some photography and views. The bridge that we crossed, a right would take us to Jalori pass (which we would later go) and a left here took us to the unexplored area.

BHPian Sheel recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

MG Motor India invited Team BHP for a 4-day drive to Himachal Pradesh, with Chitkul being the highlight as the destination to go to. I packed my woolens and was off to Delhi. Reached on 25th June and was at MG Motor dealership located in Moti Nagar, Najafgarh. We were supposed to leave by 07:00 hrs, but some delays later, we finally managed to push off by 08:00 hours. I had to kill time so shot a few pictures of the display area of the showroom.

Interestingly, found this cut section of the shock absorber of the MG Hector:

Also on display was one panel to showcase the structural strength of sheet metal:

With some chatter with other journos while the cars were being ready, almost an hour passed, and we were ready to roll. Delhi’s humidity level was apparent as once you exited the climate-controlled areas, you could sense the spike in sweltering. I was glad that by late evening today, I would be hitting the curvy roads, which would also mean a dip in temperature and a respite from the heat and humidity.

All the MG Hectors lined up:

I was allotted car number 5 on a sharing basis with another publication:

The boot accommodated our luggage with ease:

Once I got inside the MG Hector, the massive 14-inch screen (too large for my liking) greeted me. The absence of physical buttons to control AC is irritating:

Day 1: NCR - Jibhi

Delhi’s traffic was kind towards us and we reached the famous Amrik Sukhdev Dhaba at around 9 AM. Despite the heritage and everything, IMO the food’s taste was bland:

Other food items were either average or just above average. Later learned and tasted (some other day, Gulshan dhaba just nearby had better food).

Approximately an hour later and, to be precise, at 10:21 hours, we left the dhaba for our destination of the day. Jibhi, located in Tirthan Valley, the distance from the start point to our destination was 466 kilometers, which took us close to 10 hours. The roads from Sonipat to Ambala were wide, had good surfaces and one could maintain 90 km/h (the speed limit) without much hassle. Have to appreciate the Hector’s ride quality at slow speeds and highway speeds as well. It’s only the big potholes and uneven bridge approaches that unsettle it. Traffic was thick though, but still, we were averaging ~50 kilometres an hour. Considering traffic and speed limits, it was fair.

Highway driving can get monotonous and sometimes irritating especially with high traffic and queues at toll booths sap your energy out. Approximately 2 hours later, took a small break for black coffee at Regenta Central City Vilas Palace, Ambala for ~20 minutes. From there, Google diverted us towards Heritage Haveli, Roopnagar for that day’s lunch stop. Route had guided us via Aerocity road, Zirakpur to Roopnagar, and the wide open roads and the infrastructure development taking place impressed us all. I was in the passenger seat during this stint and the front seats were quite comfortable. All in all, the ergonomics seem sorted and the large sunroof helped bring in plenty of light in the cabin. The seat ventilation though, felt quite meek. I could barely feel it.

Almost everyone was hungry by the time we reached our lunch stop, Heritage Haveli. Everyone placed their orders and we waited. Food was coming as per orders, so everyone tasted whatever everyone ordered and all the ordered items were good. Especially, the North Indian food items such as dal, shahi paneer, and Indian bread items. By now, the camaraderie had become good and we all were having a good time. The food was good, and service was okay, messing up orders, making faces / not being proactive if someone requested a kulfi. If they did everything with courtesy (at least as a payback), the experience would have been great.

The Heritage Haveli, Roopnagar:

The food spread out :

The Team (media people & the MG team)

Post lunch, which lasted just over an hour, we resumed our journey. We had put the coordinates for Bradhi - Echor Riverside Resort Jibhi (Ghiyagi, Himachal Pradesh 175123) in Hector’s massive infotainment screen. Some distance later, we all were asked to visit the (only) MG dealership at Mandi for a general check-up of all the Hectors.

Some pictures of us entering the hills:

We crossed into Himachal from Punjab and seeing the hilly roads; I requested for the wheels of the Hector. A 2.0 diesel engine with a 6-speed MT and with revs playing between 1,800 to 3,000 revs, the Hector was quite fun. The ESP kept a tight leash on the Hector in the rains which started as soon as we crossed the Sutlej river. One annoying bit about the Hector that I found was the auto-turn indicator function. It got activated on the hills and the indicator noise was annoying as well which kept ruining the music played over the nice system.

We covered the distance of 111 kilometres from our lunch stop to the MG dealership at Mandi in 2 hours and 13 minutes. It was still daylight when we reached the MG dealership Mandi at 18:42 hours.

Mandi in Himachal Pradesh is a nice sleepy town. As is the norm in the hills, half of the town had downed their shutter post 18:00 hours. Essential services were functional though. The town had dealerships for major brands (VW, Toyota & of course MG Motors) and you can go to any scenic place in an hour and rejuvenate. I love this part.

The MG Dealership in Mandi:

Clicked some pictures of our red Hector

Massive front grille covers almost the entire face:

We started from Mandi at 19:33 hours. We still did not need to switch on the headlamps, as there was still daylight. After a brief fuel stop at Sambal, Pandoh at 20:14 hours we resumed the drive. It had gotten sufficiently dark for Hector’s LEDs to show us the way.

Roads continued to be good till Aut tunnel, Kullu gate, post which we had to take a right turn for Tirthan alongside river Beas and Sainj and follow Tirthan river. The roads were very narrow post the turn and the sides had stones. We had to be careful here and watch out for sharp stones. MG’s Gloster might have been a more apt SUV for this kind of terrain, nevertheless, Hector kept us comfortable, guiding us via Google Maps and streaming music from our phone. Since it had gotten dark, we were on the hills, the roads were bad and narrow, couldn’t click any more photos.

A distance of 56 kilometres took 2 hours and 10 minutes (the road was that bad) and we arrived at the destination Bradhi - Echor Riverside Resort Jibhi, at 22:34 hours. A quick dinner later, I retired for the night.

Some random pictures of the day:

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Morris Garages was established by William Morris in 1924.

MG is celebrating its centenary with the launch of the 100-Year Limited Editions based on the Hector, Astor, ZS EV and Comet EV.

The MG 100-Year Limited Editions feature an ‘Evergreen’ exterior with a Starry Black finished roof and dark finished elements. The cars also get a ‘100-Year Edition’ badge on the tailgate.

The interior of the limited edition models has an all-black theme with ‘100-Year Edition’ embroidered on the front headrests and an ‘Evergreen’ themed head unit.

Morris Garages was established by William Morris in 1924. The company introduced its first model, the 14/28 Super Sports, based on the Morris Oxford platform in 1930. This 2-seater was capable of reaching speeds of up to 105 km/h. In 1931, MG built the EX120, also called ‘The Magic Midget’, which set the land speed record for 750cc cars by achieving a top speed of 166 km/h.

MG 100-Year Limited Edition ex-showroom prices:

• Hector – Rs 21.20 lakh
• Astor – Rs 14.81 lakh
• ZS EV – Rs 24.18 lakh
• Comet EV – Rs 9.40 lakh

Lately, I've been using the SUV for highway driving only and getting a consistent fuel efficiency of 20 km/l.

BHPian Sedate driver recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

2022 MG Hector Diesel: 40000 km update

In just about 1 year and 6 months, my Hector has reached the 40000 km mark. So far not faced any issues or niggles with the car and have not observed any DPF issues either. The car is due for the 5th service at 45000 kms. Otherwise, the car is running fine and no vibrations or rattles are observed. The NVH levels are excellent and sometimes when cruising at 80-90 on good roads, there is absolute silence in the cabin but for a faint engine grunt. The diesel remains a diesel only on the outside with a truck-like sound. Inside the sound insulation is excellent.

The car has returned an average FE of 19.4 kmpl which is an excellent figure considering the size and weight of the car. Of late I have been using the Hector for only highway trips and getting consistent mileage of 20+ tank full to tank full.

The 60L tank gives an approximate range of 1000+ for my style of driving. As you can see below, after running 910 kms there is still a range left at 328 kms.

Overall the Hector provides a good value-for-money proposition with respect to features, space, premium feeling etc.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Hector Blackstorm is based on the Sharp Pro trim and is available in 5, 6 and 7-seater configurations.

MG has launched the Hector Blackstorm edition in India. The SUV is based on the Sharp Pro trim, and prices start at Rs 21,24,800 (ex-showroom).

The Hector Blackstorm features a Starry Black exterior with red accents, a dark chrome front grille, dark chrome inserts on the skid plates, tailgate garnish and matching body side cladding. The SUV rides on 18-inch all-black alloy wheels with red brake calipers. It also gets piano black roof rails, LED headlamps with piano black bezel and smoked taillights.

Inside, the Hector Blackstorm gets a Gun Metal Grey finish on the centre console and dashboard, all-black leather upholstery with the Blackstorm branding on the front headrests and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The SUV is equipped with a 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a wireless charger and a dual-pane panoramic sunroof.

The Hector Blackstorm also gets a Digital Bluetooth key and Key Sharing capability. It has MG’s i-SMART tech with over 75 connected features, including 100 voice commands.

Powering the Hector Blackstorm Edition is the same set of petrol and diesel engines. These include a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol and a 2.0-litre diesel engine, while transmission options include a 6-speed manual and CVT.

MG Hector Blackstorm ex-showroom prices:

1.5L Turbo Petrol

• CVT 5-Seater – Rs 21,24,800
• CVT 7-Seater – Rs 21,97,800

2.0L Diesel

• 6MT 5-Seater – Rs 21,94,800
• 6MT 7-Seater – Rs 22,54,800
• 6MT 6-Seater – Rs 22,75,800

The MG Hector Blackstorm Edition will feature an all-black exterior with red accents similar to the Astor and Gloster.

MG is all set to introduce a Blackstorm Edition of the Hector in India on April 10, 2024. The carmaker also shared a teaser image, revealing some details of the upcoming variant.

The MG Hector Blackstorm Edition will feature an all-black exterior with red accents, a dark chrome grille, black headlamp bezels and smoked taillights. The image also reveals stylish black alloy wheels with red brake calipers and black ORVMs with red highlights.

The Hector Blackstorm Edition is expected to feature a black interior with red accents and red ambient lighting. The SUV will come equipped with a 360-degree camera, 6 airbags, hill assist control and more.

Powering the Hector Blackstorm Edition will be the same set of petrol and diesel engines. These include a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol and a 2.0-litre diesel engine, while transmission options will include a 6-speed manual and CVT.

The Hector range now starts at Rs 13.99 lakh (ex-showroom).

MG Motor India has introduced two new variants of the Hector. The SUV is now available in Shine Pro and Select Pro variants priced at Rs 16 lakh and Rs 17.30 lakh (ex-showroom), respectively. The Hector range now starts at Rs 13.99 lakh (ex-showroom)

The new variants of the Hector feature LED Projector Headlamps, all-black upholstery, leather-wrapped steering and a dual-pane panoramic sunroof. Both Shine Pro and Select Pro variants come with a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charger and an engine start/stop button with Smart Key. The new variants also get a Digital Bluetooth Key and Key Sharing capability.

The MG Hector is available with two engine options. These include a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol and a 2.0-litre diesel. Transmission options include a 6-speed manual and CVT.

It feels fairly explosive in third gear from 30 to 100 kmph, great for quick overtakes.

BHPian GST recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

In about two months I have driven my Hector Sharp Pro petrol manual for more than 2000 kms and feel very happy with the car. Here are some positives and negatives as I have observed.

Positives.

• As long as I am driving it sedately, I feel that it has enough power most of the time. It feels fairly explosive in third gear from 30 to 100 kmph, great for quick overtakes.
• The cabin is pleasantly put together except for the hard plastics that may touch the driver and front passenger's knees. The driving position is great and easy to adjust.
• Voice commands work most of the time.
• Android auto and wireless charger working flawlessly.
• Car feels planted at sub-120 speeds, and really plush at below-100 speeds.
• The bus and truck guys show subdued recklessness around me now and don't try to push me out of the road.
• Gear change is butter smooth.

Negatives.

• At speed breakers it takes two seconds or more to get going.
• I notice some minor creaking sounds from the dash on rough surfaces and a whirring sound while reversing. At 1000 km service I pointed it out, and they said it was normal.
• I hear a very minor metallic screech while braking at low speeds. I may talk to the service advisor soon.
• I still have to get used to using Hill Start Assist.
• Mileage tank to tank is about 11kmpl (fairly sedate driving) through mild city traffic and a highway still under construction with lots of diversions and speed-breakers.
• 3D mats I am stuck with are a pain to clean.

Overall, I am very happy with the car. I have always wanted to buy a Chevrolet Cruze, and knowing the Chevy DNA in Hector makes me feel blissful.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Hyundai would offer a better fuel efficiency than the MG but it has a 5-month waiting period.

BHPian KL01toKA03 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I am planning to buy a new car under Rs. 25 lakh budget

Requirements:

• Should be a CVT or TC
• Top-variant with ADAS
• Low service cost/reasonably reliable

The cars I shortlisted are the Hector Plus (6 seater) and Creta.

Hector Plus

I drove the Hector Plus, and while its performance is nothing great, I found it adequate for my usage which will be primarily in Bangalore city. The MG dealer offered a 2023 Hector for 24.5 lakhs after exchange.

Positives:

• Interior space
• Loved the brown color interior in the 6 seater variant
• Friends who own the Hector seem to be happy with everything except fuel economy

Concerns:

• I've heard reviews about lag in the touch screen.
• Will MG be in India for a long time? I like to keep my cars for a long time.
• Cost/availability of service and spares.
• I see that the Hector facelift was launched in Jan/Feb 2023. Is any facelift coming soon?

Creta facelift

The top-end CVT is available for 21.5 lakhs after exchange

Positives

• Better brand
• No concern about the availability of spares/service centers
• More fuel efficient compared to Hector

Concerns

• Some reviews mention that a lot of road noise enters the cabin. No test drive was available.
• Missing some good to have features like a powered tail gate.
• Will it be comfortable for people for long distances?
• Minimum 5 months waiting period (though that is not a deal-breaker).

Which car would be good for me?

Here's what BHPian mpod11 had to say about the matter:

I own both the Hector and Creta and hence can elaborate on the differences in living with these vehicles.

Creta is the more practical vehicle to live in city traffic and usage. It is just the right size, is fuss-free and satisfies all requirements for me and my family.

Hector is from a segment above and is superb value for money. Its cabin gives you the luxury experience you get in cars twice its price. It’s our go-to car when we want to feel luxurious and drive to a 5-star.

So between the two, Hector is the one that feels more special with MG offering really good ASS - notch better than Hyundai.

Here's what BHPian bijims had to say about the matter:

The Hector Plus is a much bigger car than the Creta and can seat 6 or 7, with MG not setting the sales charts on fire, you can get a reasonably good discount on the 2023 models as well. However fuel efficiency is expected to be in single digits and if that isn't a concern for you, go ahead.

About your concerns with the Hector, the touch-screen has slight lag at times, but it is nothing to worry about, MG is looking at partners from India who are willing to acquire a major stake in the company, there was news of JSW Group's interest in MG too, so if such a deal works out, I don't think MG will have any issues.

MG gets most of its sales from the Hector models, and if they can bring in some of their Global models, they can surely get more sales. MG has service centers in most of the major cities and spare parts availability isn't much of an issue, costs though are something I am not aware of. Considering the facelift is just a year old, it will take at least a year or two for the next facelift to come out.

Here's what BHPian msd7 had to say about the matter:

Just finished my Hector's 50,000 Km service last month. Had taken the 5 year/50000 Km service pack during our purchase.

Highly recommend taking the service pack. Have had to pay absolutely zero rupees for service and part replacement until now.

Have to tell you the car is approaching the 5-year mark and still there have been no major hiccups, all the minor stuff had also been covered under warranty.

Here's what BHPian sulliavi had to say about the matter:

Creta is a no-brainer in this contest! New Creta is even more desirable now with all the bells and whistles of course with a good waiting period. Getting a base model Creta is also a good option now which has most of the necessary safety features.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The MG ZS EV is now available in a new entry-level trim priced at Rs 18.98 lakh..

MG Motor India has reduced the prices of the Comet EV, Hector and Gloster by up to Rs 1.31 lakh.

The prices of the Comet EV have been slashed by Rs 99,000. The electric micro-hatch comes in three variants- Pace, Play and Plus, with prices starting at Rs 6.99 lakh (ex-showroom).

MG has reduced the prices of the Hector by up to Rs 79,000. Prices for the Hector now start at Rs 14.94 lakh for the petrol variants, while the diesel range starts at Rs 17.50 lakh (ex-showroom).

MG's flagship SUV, the Gloster has also received a price cut. Prices have been reduced by Rs 1.31 lakh to Rs 37.49 lakh. 

The MG ZS EV is now available in a new Executive trim. The new entry-level variant is priced at Rs 18.98 lakh (ex-showroom). The prices of the Astor though, remain unchanged.

My only gripe is that MG has not bothered to launch a Diesel automatic which would have competed with the Tata Harrier and Jeep Compass.

BHPian Sedate driver recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

A concise review of my MG Hector Diesel Sharp after 1 year and 26000 km.

Pros:

1. Best in terms of space in this segment. The rear seat space and boot space are too good. Gives a proper big SUV feeling. With big windows and a sunroof, the inside looks airy and spacious.
2. Though big in size, easy to drive in the city also.
3. The 2.0 L Fiat engine is powerful. Just tap the accelerator for quick overtakes even in 5th or 6th gear at the right RPM and the engine pulls along without any lag. At lower gears, it pulls effortlessly.
4. The Diesel engine is fuel efficient for such a big and heavy car - got an average of 19.2 kmpl after driving 26000 kms in a year translating to a cost per km of Rs. 4.50.
5. 60L fuel tank gives a range of 1000+ kms before fuel low warning, resulting in fewer re-fueling trips.
6. Audio - the Infinity audio system is excellent.
7. Things like a sunroof, the ICE with a big display, ventilated seats, powered driver and passenger seats, connected features, powered tailgate, TPMS, cruise control etc. add to the feel-good and value-for-money features.
8. Absolutely no vibrations or rattles after 1 year.
9. Very good NVH levels and engine noise is almost nil when driven relaxed at 5th or 6th gears at 1800 RPM.
10. No DPF issues so far.
11. Solid build quality and no uneven panel gaps. Excellent fit and finish.
12. Commanding view from the driver seat resulting in good visibility.
13. Ride quality is good. The car just glides over rough roads at moderate speeds.

Cons:

1. No AT in Diesel.
2. Not so good in handling and driving dynamics.
3. Speeds above 100 kmph are not confidence-inspiring.
4. Font size is very small in ICE as well as MID. Trip meter information is very basic.
5. Lack of physical buttons for AC is a major inconvenience.
6. The auto AC always works in re-circulation mode. Fresh air mode cannot be selected in auto AC.
7. No memory function for powered seats.
8. Headlights are just adequate.
9. Biege upholstery is difficult to maintain.
10. The rear becomes totally dirty when driving in the rain. Not sure about similar cars.

All in all, the Hector is a very good VFM car with everything neatly put together. No complaints in general for me, as owning a car is not only for convenience but peace of mind too, without niggles and failures. Only gripe is MG has not bothered to release a Diesel AT which would have competed with Harrier and Compass.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.