MG Astor Review: Most Impressive Yet In Terms Of Dynamic Finesse, Quality & Technology (In Pics)

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This is the 4th new SUV from MG Motor in a short time and that shows the intent of the car-maker along with the fact that SUVs are pretty much all that the Indian car buyer wants. SUVs do make sense but it is the compact SUV class that is getting popular. These are SUVs which are the right size along with having the perfect combination of space, features and useability. They are not too big but also not too small so as to be cramped. The MG Astor is the newest entrant in that space and while this segment is getting awfully crowded off-late, MG Motor claims it has packed in enough to make it stand out. Let's see.

When you see it, the Astor is a conventionally good looking SUV while the design slants towards being a crossover. That said it is bigger than rivals and looks so with a sporty, long hood and a slanting rear. The front is interesting with that nice grille along with the narrow LED headlamps. From the side and rear the way the window line gets upward and the wide tail-lamps- all gives it a premium look. There are dual exhaust tops along with roof rails and cladding too. We had the top-end variants with the 17-inch wheels and they again look great.

Interiors are an even better job according to us in terms of the material quality and the execution. There are three interior colour schemes including two dual-tone and all black interior. We had the red/black dual tone and combined with aluminium accents/soft touch materials, this cabin is right up there with being a possible new benchmark for cabin quality. Space wise, the Astor scores decently being a comfortable four seater with the central hump making it less comfortable for the middle passenger at back, if taken. The headroom/legroom is quite good at the back otherwise but it does feel a bit small here thanks to the rising windowline. We found the door pockets to be big enough and storage is well looked after inside the cabin.

MG like always has packed in the Astor with technology and features. The digital instrument cluster is very logically laid out and easy to read with configurable displays including the ADAS features which we will talk about later. The 10.1inch central touchscreen looks smart along with a crisp touch functionality. However your attention is no doubt diverted to the AI assistant positioned upwards. It is certainly a unique thing and unlike any typical voice assistant which is there on many cars, this one actually talks with you, plus alongside using it for car controls like opening the sunroof, you can ask it to tell a joke, weather or anything plus there are even expressions that it gives and also looks at you.

Other features include a massive panoramic sunroof which covers 90 percent of the roof, a 6-way powered driver's seat, electronic parking brake, 360 degree camera, heated ORVM, air purifier, tyre pressure monitoring system, smartphone connectivity etc. However, there is no wireless charging, auto dimming rear view mirror or ventilated seats.

That said, where the Astor scores is the tech factor. It has a Jio sim being a connected car along with lots of services and subscriptions. The 4D navigation for eg is brilliant to use while you can have a digital passport which is blockchain protected, pay for parking within the car then there is a in-built Saavan App for music, digital key where you can start with your phone if you have lost your key (works even without internet), live location sharing, remote commands etc.

Finally, possibly the biggest USP of the Astor happens to be its autonomous level 2 features or ADAS. This is something normally seen on SUVs costing 40 lakh or more hence for a compact SUV to have this is a big leap for safety. Also it isn't some marketing gimmick as the car uses radars and cameras to monitor what's going around the car. From warning you when you are drifting from a lane or finding blin spots to emergency braking- it can do all of this plus adaptive cruise control where you do not need to use brake or throttle where the car maintains distance automatically to the car in front. A bigger feature is the speed assist where in its Intelligent mode it can slow down the car when crossing a speed limit etc. You can turn off these features or customize it too.

Onto the driving bit and we had India's F1 track to ourselves for two hours along with the roads nearby. We only drove the Astor with the 1.3l turbo petrol automatic with the 6-speed torque converter. The numbers are alongside rivals with 140PS/220Nm and from the start, it is a smooth motor with a linear power delivery. It means in the city, you will not find any issues in low speed traffic as the gearbox is seamless along with being well suited to the engine. It is a relaxed cruiser and builds up power nicely. There are no paddles behind the steering wheel but sticking the gear lever in S mode increases the sense of urgency but it does sound a bit loud when driven hard. It is quick no doubt and will be a good cruiser at highway/city speeds.

The Astor also gets options to change the steering and there is some addition in weight at higher speeds but it is overall light for city use yet just enough well weight to be qualified as a fun SUV. Out on the smooth roads of a track, the Astor felt very nimble and controlled when driven hard in terms of handling with all round disc brakes providing very good braking performance. We did take the Astor out on some roads nearby and the ride was impressive with being a lovely combination of handling/comfort.

The Astor is no doubt the most impressive MG yet in terms of dynamic finesse, quality and technology. As a self driven SUV, the Astor turbo petrol ticks many boxes and if priced well, it has potential to outsell the Hector also.

What we like- Looks, quality, interior design, features, ride and handling. What we do not- No diesel, lacks rear seat space and some features like paddle shifters.