IN PICS | MG Hector Plus Review: An Even Bigger Leap Into Comfort & Space

The Hector has been a runaway success in India and has established the MG brand. What has made the Hector appealing to Indian SUV buyers has been its size plus features not to mention a tempting price and value quotient? The Hector is clearly aimed for those who want a large SUV with comfort and expanding that, MG has now launched the Hector Plus. As the 'Plus' in the name indicates, the Hector now takes an even bigger leap into comfort and space. It is basically a Hector V 2.0 and gets a more luxurious cabin along with three-row seating. How good is it? Here is a review.

MG claims the Hector is not a proper all row MPV with a third row with huge space. It is a 6-seater with the last row for children. Access is decent but the third row is only suitable for children or for short journeys only as you end up sitting with the knees-up position. You get 3rd row AC vents with separate fan speed control though. Boot space with all rows up is decent and the powered boot release helps in loading luggage.

In terms of kit, the Hector Plus gets a smart swipe feature which is a powered tail-gate which makes for convenient hands-free opening and a new 'chit-chat' feature for the connected car tech on offer. Else the feature list is the same with powered seats and the massive touch-screen and more. You can tell the car to close or open the sunroof while the car has a lot of pre-loaded apps. We only wish for wireless charging and a slightly more responsive touch-screen.

Move to the rear and you get a new set of tail-lamps and a new skid plate while the bumper is also tweaked. Compared to the butch front, the rear is a bit MPV like especially with the smaller wheels but overall for presence the Hector Plus scores very well due to the size as it is much bigger than other SUVs at this price. The colour and the changes actually help the Hector in the looks department.

In terms of engines, the Hector Plus also gets the 2.0 diesel with 170 bhp and a 143 bhp 1.5l turbo petrol. There is a mild-hybrid version with the petrol manual too. We drove the petrol DCT here. DCT petrol is certainly the one to go for as the automatic makes for smooth progress. At city speeds the gearbox is smooth and refinement is fantastic. However, out on the highway, the gearbox is a bit slow to respond and you need to plan to overtake. Hence this is an SUV to cruise around rather than drive aggressively. It is also big and has some roll but the ride is superb and that matters we guess.

The Hector Plus is recognizable from the subtle changes. In our opinion, Hector Plus looks much better as a result. The chrome has been toned down here and you get a new black grille plus updated bumpers. The other bigger change is the slimmer headlamps with new look elements in them with DRLs. There is a new blue colour which is exclusive to the Hector Plus and that looks nice.

The big news is the three-row seating and the second row which features sliding and reclining captain seats. That makes the Hector Plus a six-seater. The second row is very comfortable now with better seats and makes for a good chauffeur driven experience. You also get separate vents and an arm-rest with cup-holders. We would have wished for some kind of entertainment system for rear passengers since this is aimed at the chauffeur-driven but still, the massive panoramic sunroof plus the tan leather seats and space makes this a great place to be.

Prices for the Hector Plus start at Rs 13.4 lakh for go till Rs 18.2 lakh for the top-end DCT petrol version as seen here. The diesel starts at Rs 14.4 lakh and goes till Rs 18.5 lakh. The diesel only gets a manual. Overall the price difference between Hector and Hector Plus is hardly rs 60k and that makes the Hector Plus much easier to recommend. It is the one we would go for and at this price the Hector Plus has no rivals in terms of space offered or the size. It is not a proper MPV like an Innova but is a hugely comfortable SUV at a bargain price.

The Hector has been a runaway success in India and has established the MG brand. What has made the Hector appealing to Indian SUV buyers has been its size plus features not to mention a tempting price and value quotient? The Hector is clearly aimed for those who want a large SUV with comfort and expanding that, MG has now launched the Hector Plus. As the 'Plus' in the name indicates, the Hector now takes an even bigger leap into comfort and space. It is basically a Hector V 2.0 and gets a more luxurious cabin along with three-row seating. How good is it? Here is a review.

However, the interiors are the biggest change in Hector Plus. The all-black cabin of the standard Hector is now replaced in the Hector Plus with a tan faux leather interior. That makes the cabin a lot more premium plus luxurious. We prefer this look. The dash design and layout is the same as the standard Hector including that massive touch-screen which controls all of the functions of the car.