MG Astor

Expert Review by Maxabout

Introduction

Launched back in October 2021, the MG Astor is the fourth model in the brand’s lineup in the country and is gaining popularity among Indian car lovers. MG introduced its first SUV, Hector, to the Indian car market in 2019. Hector went on to support its maker in rapidly establishing a strong market position. The Hector was succeeded by the ZS EV and the Gloster, both of which performed admirably. And now, just a couple of years after its debut, the brand has brought another SUV to the market with cutting-edge technology and features. Let’s plunge into all the details related to the MG Astor SUV.

MG Astor Design and Style

Built on MG’s advanced design language, the Astor has a premium appearance. To kick off with the front fascia, the SUV gets an all-new, bold celestial grille, and the full-LED Hawkeye headlamps flank the grille. The fog lamps are situated around the air dam, and the radar is also fitted on the air dam as the car comes with autonomous Level 2 technology. Turning to the side profile, there is Brit Dynamic branding near the front window, and the door handles are chrome-finished. The automaker has used chrome to a great extent for enhanced looks.

Speaking of the rear profile, there is an MG logo located at the centre and Astor badging beneath it. The car is based on the ZS EV, hence the ZS badging is also available there. The rear bumper design has been revamped, and the offered taillights are LEDs. In terms of body dimensions, the MG Astor is 4323mm in length, 1809mm in width, and 1650mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2585mm and the ground clearance is 195mm.

MG Astor Engine and Gearbox

MG has offered the Astor SUV with two petrol engines: a 1498cc naturally aspirated engine with 110 HP and 144 Nm, and a more powerful 1349cc turbocharged engine with 140 HP and 220 Nm. The 1.5L has a 5-speed manual transmission and an 8-step CVT automatic transmission, whereas the 1.3L Turbo has only a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission.

MG Astor Interior, Instrument Cluster & Boot Space

On the inside, the dual-tone interior looks pretty impressive, with soft-touch elements that give it a premium feel. The front seats are really comfy, and the driver’s seat is electronically adjustable, while the steering is only height-adjustable. The car comes loaded with enough bottle holders in the doors, whereas the cup holders are missing in the front row. However, there are cup holders available in the second row. There is an AI bot fitted on the dashboard which is useable on the internet only.

The second-row knee room is enough, but the headroom is a little less, and the seats are comfortable for two people sitting only. The SUV gets a fully digital instrument cluster with a 17.78cm embedded LCD screen that has easy operation and displays plenty of information. MG hasn’t disclosed the storage capacity figure, but the car has a fair amount of storage space and you can fold the second-row seats to make more space.

MG Astor Brakes, Suspension & Tyres

As for the braking, these duties are handled by the disc brakes on both front and rear end while the suspension duties are assigned to MacPherson Strut at the front and Torsion Beam at the rear. The SUV rides on 17-inch Turbine-inspired machine alloys which are outfitted with 215/55 size tyres. While the given spare wheel is a 16-inch steel wheel that is clothed with a 215/60 size tyre.

MG Astor Key Features

The MG Astor comes loaded with a plethora of features including all-LED lighting, Turbine-inspired machine alloys, rear bumper with chrome accentuated dual exhaust design, 10.1-inch HD touchscreen infotainment, dual-tone Sangria red interior, panoramic sky roof, rain-sensing wipers, push-button engine start-stop with smart entry, 6-way powered seat adjustment, auto headlamps, five USB charging ports and one power outlet, auto AC and rear AC vents, rear 60:40 split seats, electric power steering with mode adjust, i-Smart next-gen technology with 80+ connected car features, a digital key with Bluetooth technology, iSmart app for Apple and Android watches, steering mounted audio controls and much more.

As for passenger safety, there are several safety features offered by the brand. The safety feature list consists of six airbags, ESP, ABS with EBD and brake assist, traction control system, all-four disc brakes, rear parking sensors, reverse parking camera, 360-around view camera, security alarm, speed warning alert, central locking, child locks, impact-sensing door unlocking, engine immobilizer, ISOFIX child seat anchors, three-point seatbelts for all occupants, front-driver and co-driver seat belt reminder, rear fog lamp, front fog lamps with cornering assist, Hill hold control, hill descent control, emergency stop signal, and so on.

MG Astor Top Speed, Acceleration & Mileage

The top speed MG Astor offers is 164.33 kmph and it accelerates from 0-100 kmph in 10.2 seconds. The brand has equipped the SUV’s VTi-Tech variant with a 48-litres fuel tank while the 220 Turbo with a 45-litres fuel tank capacity. It can offer 8-9 km/l mileage in the city traffic and 15-16 km/l on the highways.

MG Astor Variants & Colour Options

The MG Astor is available in a total of five variants called Style, Super, Smart, Sharp and Sharp(o). While the colour options include five vibrant colours named Spiced Orange, Aurora Silver, Glaze Red, Candy White and Starry Black.

Ex-showroom Price & On-Road Price

The MG Astor is available at an ex-showroom price of Rs 9.98 lakh for the Style variant and Rs 17.78 lakh for the top-end Sharp (o) variant. Now, to understand the difference between ex-showroom and on-road prices, the ex-showroom price of a car is the sticker price that does not include the cost of road tax, insurance, and registration. The on-road price, on the other hand, includes the previously mentioned costs as well as the cost of insurance, RC, one-time road tax, extended warranty, and all accessories purchased for the vehicle. It is worth noting that on-road prices in our country vary greatly from state to state.

MG Astor Competitors

The MG Astor locks horns with Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Renault Duster Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun, Nissan Kicks in the Indian Car market.

Verdict - Should You Buy MG Astor or not?

The MG Astor boasts a modern design language and sophisticated features. It emerges as a future-ready SUV that focuses on technologies such as AI and ADAS, which is a huge accomplishment in itself. Should you buy this car? Yes, if you're a tech enthusiast looking for a good deal on an SUV. No, if you need a car with a lot of road presence or a car with a diesel engine.