MG Astor Launched In India At Rs 9.78 Lakh, Undercuts Creta, Seltos, Kushaq, Taigun

The MG Astor’s starting price is lower than that of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun.

New Delhi: MG Motor India today launched the Astor in the country at a starting price of Rs 9.78 lakh (ex-showroom, India). For the top-of-the-line variant, the MG Astor price goes up to Rs 16.78 lakh (ex-showroom, India). The Astor is sure to strengthen MG Motor India’s product portfolio, which also includes the MG Hector (Hector 5-seater and Hector Plus 6/7-seater), MG ZS EV, and the flagship MG Gloster. With its entry into the mid-size SUV segment, the MG Astor will lock horns with the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun, Nissan Kicks, and Renault Duster.

The MG Astor bookings will open in India on October 21, 2021. The mid-size SUV can be booked via MG Motor India’s official website or at an authorised dealership of the automaker. However, you can pre-reserve it starting from today. MG Motor India is aiming to deliver nearly 5,000 units of the MG Astor in the first batch in November and December 2021.

The MG Astor has a couple of engine options. There is a 1.5-litre VTi-TECH naturally-aspirated petrol engine that develops 110PS of maximum power and 144Nm of peak torque. It can be paired either with a 5-speed MT or a CVT automatic. Also on offer is a 1.3-litre Brit Dynamic 220TURBO petrol mill that produces 140PS of maximum power and 220Nm of peak torque. You can have it with a 6-speed AT torque converter only.

The MG Astor is available in four variants — Style, Super, Smart, and Sharp. Below are the variant-wise introductory MG Astor prices (ex-showroom, India).

So far as features are concerned, the MG Astor is one loaded mid-size SUV. It is equipped with features like a hexagonal ‘Celestial’ grille, full-LED ‘Hawkeye’ headlamps with boomerang-shaped LED DRLs, LED taillamps, faux chrome exhaust vents, panoramic sunroof, segment-first heated ORVMs, and 17-inch alloy wheels. There are five exterior paint options — Glaze Red, Starry Black, Spiced Orange, Candy White, and Aurora Silver. You can choose from three interior themes — dual-tone Sangria Red, dual-tone Iconic Ivory and Tuxedo Black. There is extensive use of soft-touch materials inside the cabin. The noteworthy features include a 10.1-inch HD infotainment system, 360-degree camera, fully-digital 7-inch instrument cluster, multifunction steering wheel, automatic climate control, six-way powered driver seat and PM 2.5 filter. The mid-size SUV also has heated ORVMs and rain-sensing wipers. The steering has three modes — Normal, Urban and Dynamic. The Astor boasts safety features like six airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, traction control system, electronic stability program, hill descent control, hill hold control, electric parking brake with auto hold, emergency stop signal, and tyre pressure monitoring system.

The MG Astor has an industry-first personal AI assistant or talking robot. The mid-size SUV gets a segment-first Bluetooth-based digital key and i-Smart connectivity technology with 80+ features. There is a segment-first ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) with 14 autonomous level 2 features, including lane assist system (lane departure warning, lane departure prevention and lane keep assist), speed assist system (speed warning, manual and intelligent), rear-drive assist (lane change assist, blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert), forward collision prevention (front collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and automatic emergency braking – pedestrian), intelligent headlamp control and adaptive cruise control. However, the ADAS is available only as an optional pack with Sharp VTi-TECH CVT and Sharp 220TURBO AT variants.