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The Gloster was first shown at the Auto Expo where we along with the visiting public got to see the huge Gloster in real life. If you like big SUVs then you will like the Gloster as it is huge and is even bigger than the likes of the Ford Endeavour and Toyota Fortuner. It beats them for sheer presence and that is no mean feat! We like the sharp plus angled headlamps along with the big chrome lined grille. Move to the side and the sheer length of this SUV hits you while sharp lines break up the bulk. The Gloster has 19 inch wheels and big tyres but even they look just about ok next to the size of this thing and in-fact 20 inch ones would have been a better fit though it might have affected ride quality hence a smaller size has been used.
The Gloster is slightly boxy as you can see but has a proper old-school big SUV like presence which many buyers at this price want and like . The rear though is interesting with large and wide tail-lamps giving it a nice stance plus a massive 'Gloster' badge at the rear plus twin tail-pipes poking out at each end. The quad exhausts add a sporty touch to the design and looks cool- something you do not see on SUVs of this size or nature. The Gloster is not for those who want to remain understated as this SUV demands attention and gets it! With that said the huge size can be an issue in cramped cities like Mumbai or Bengaluru where the Gloster is as big as a small sized apartment! Parking this beast is not an issue as the tech on it helps that as we will discuss later.
Moving to the interior and this is where the Gloster impressed us the most and we say it is its biggest USP. The interior is a proper luxury car and feels premium. The fit and finish is top-notch with tan leather everywhere and the quality of the gear-lever to the controls are all top quality. It feels expensive. There are no hard plastics or cheap feeling trim or materials used. You will also notice a giant 12.3 inch HD touchscreen which looks like a mini TV! It is huge and gets multiple sections plus the quality of the display is more than good. Of course the screen has various options and every feature you can think of being there! When talking about the digital dials, it is an 8 inch screen which is customizable with various options.
Another key aspect of the Gloster is the amount of features you get. MG has been keen to get all luxury SUV features normally seen on SUVs costing way more on this. Thus along with the massive touchscreen you also get a 12-way adjustable driver seat electronic with memory and massage, ventilated front seats, panoramic sunroof, three zone climate control, 12 speaker audio system, 64 colour ambient lighting (which lights up the cabin at night), captain seats, iSMART and Hello MG features, drive mode and terrain mode selector, electronic parking brake, paddle shifters, powered tailgate plus nearly every feature you can think of. But that is not all as the MG Gloster is also an autonomous SUV being fitted with radar technologies as the car senses and reacts on your behalf. Yes, the Gloster gets Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Front Collision Warning, Autonomous Emergency Braking and Auto Park Assist. So it can emergency brake when it senses an object on its way or it can maintain distance next to the car without doing it, warn you of objects in your blind spot or park itself!
In terms of space the Gloster has three row seating and all three rows have good space with the second row captain seats being particularly nice and comfortable. Space is plentiful and is more comfortable than the likes of a Fortuner or Endeavour with a lot more legroom or width in terms of shoulder-room. For being chauffeured around this SUV is a better bet amongst the other 'big' SUVs. Yes due to the height of this SUV, getting in and out might pose an issue, else it is a very comfortable and spacious SUV to do long journeys in. While the second row is nice and airy with being perfect for being driven around, even the third row is more than decent in terms of space. You do sit with the knees up position but it is good enough for journeys and does not make you feel very cramped. The luggage with all rows is pretty good too and of course you can get a lot more with folding them.
In terms of driving, the Gloster gets a 2.0 turbo diesel engine which makes 218 bhp and 480Nm. There is no manual gearbox as standard and you get a 8-speed automatic. There is on-demand 4x4 plus it gets drive and off-road modes. The engine is not noisy and it is very refined when doing the city run and calm with the 8-speed automatic doing a pretty good job. The crucial bit is how despite the fact that the Gloster is huge, behind the wheel it does not feel like it. The steering is light and makes driving it much easier in the city. Yes it is big and things like finding parking space or taking u-turns could be an issue but as far as big SUVs go, the Gloster is easy to drive. Out on the highway the engine has enough grunt to get to big speeds with ease plus the paddle shifters also help. That said when pushed the engine does get a tad noisy and also when braking you do feel the massive weight of the car behind you.
We did take the Gloster out for some mild-off roading and here its huge ground clearance and various off-road modes along with a proper 4x4 system did help. It will go over pretty much everything. Overall there is plenty to like about the Gloster as it combines the ruggedness and presence of big Suvs along with the luxury which was missing in some. It is also loaded with features and easier to live with and drive despite the size which might pose an issue in cramped cities. In short features you get in German luxury cars along with the rugged nature and appeal of a rugged SUV. In the end with so much on offer, we do expect prices to start from Rs 40 lakh and that is not cheap but you do get plenty of value for your money as it is evident here! The Gloster is a bold step and we have to see how the market reacts to this, however it is good to see more choices for the 'big' SUV buyer other than the few at the moment.
What we like- Design, presence, space, features, technology, quality, light steering
What we do not- Too big for cities, gearbox could be more responsive
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