After an agonisingly long wait, British carmaker MG (Morris Garages) has finally unveiled its first product for the Indian market – the Hector. With pre-bookings slated to begin in the first half of next month, the MG Hector went into production earlier this month. MG Motor India had confirmed that Hector will go on sale before June 2019 comes to a close.

Let’s quickly dive into the newly revealed details. MG will offer the Hector in four trim levels – Style, Super, Smart and Sharp. As far as powertrain options are concerned, a total of three will be available – petrol-manual, petrol-automatic and diesel-manual. The first of the three will also be offered with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system which not only aids in improving mileage but also takes the load off the internal combustion engine in certain circumstances.

Time to inject some numbers into the mix. First up, the petrol engine. It is a 1.5-litre mill that produces 143PS/250Nm and, as mentioned above, can be had with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed, dual-clutch automatic unit. While the petrol-MT combination will be available in all trim levels, the petrol-AT setup will be reserved for the Smart and Sharp derivatives. As for the mild-hybrid system, it will be available with all but the entry-level Style trim. MG Motor India claims the mileage figures for petrol-MT and petrol-AT are 14.16kmpl and 13.96kmpl, respectively.

In the diesel department, the MG Hector will house a 2.0-litre, turbocharged motor that’s good for 170PS/350Nm. It can only be had with a 6-speed manual transmission and the setup can return a mileage of 17.41kmpl. The said engine is, in fact, the same that powers Hector’s two main rivals –Jeep Compass and Tata Harrier. Compared to the Harrier, the Hector has 30PS more power. However, the Compass has 3PS more than the Hector. That being said, the Hector diesel is the most frugal of the three.

For the record, the Harrier is currently not available with a petrol engine. The Jeep Compass, on the other hand, is. Its 1.4-litre mill, which can be had with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission, is good for 163PS/250Nm. That’s 20PS more than the Hector.

Over to Hector’s list of features. As standard, it will come with gizmos like dual airbags, roof rails, ABS with EBD and BA, disc brakes on all wheels, electronic stability programme, traction control system, rear parking sensors, reclining rear seats, rear AC vents and a cooled glovebox. Predictably, the range-topping Sharp trim level will have a longer list. That list will include MG’s iSmart technology controlled via a 10.4-inch, portrait-style infotainment system, support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, six airbags, powered driver’ seat, heated, electrically adjustable and foldable OVRMs, powered tailgate, a 360-degree camera, auto headlamps and wipers, ambient lighting and a panoramic sunroof.

As far as colour options are concerned, a total of five will be available – Candy White, Aurora Silver, Starry Black, Burgundy Red and Glaze Red. We expect MG Motor India to price its first product competitively. The price range should fall between Rs 15-20 lakh (ex-showroom) and that will make it a rival to the Mahindra XUV500 as well.