We’d like to advise you to grab a beverage of your liking and relax for this one as it will take some time to unravel everything we know about the upcoming SUV. The MG Hector has been gaining a lot of traction in India for all the positive reasons. Up until now, we’ve had almost no confirmed set of details about it. Now, however, the Chinese-owned British brand has released a couple of images of the Hector and detailed the plethora of “Connected Car” features that the SUV will feature. Are you ready to be amazed? Alright then!

Those looks!

The blunt and shiny front end looks menacing and refreshing at the same time. The massive front grille, which features the MG logo right in the middle, is flanked by LED DRLs. Beneath those units, are two separate sections for forward-facing lights. The ones on the top are headlamp units and the ones at the bottom are fog lamps. In all likelihood, both of them will feature LEDs. The front fascia is completed by a faux splitter, which also gives a nice contrast to the blacked-out bottom grille.

Moving to the side profile, the wheels look lost in those huge wheel arches. The side also features some protective cladding which moulds-in seamlessly with the rear bumper. Speaking of which, there’s a sporty faux diffuser at the bottom, accompanied by a single exhaust outlet. Moving upwards, there is a light bar within the black portion that stretches from one end to the other. A similar but fatter treatment has been given to connect the LED-powered taillamp units. A set of roof rails, a shark-fin antenna and a sporty rear spoiler accentuate the in-your-face persona of the Hector.

Under the bonnet

Not much is confirmed in the powertrain department. However, the MG Hector will have a choice of petrol and diesel engines. The latter will be the FCA-sourced 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged mill. On the petrol front, Hector’s engine is expected to be a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged motor which will be available with and without a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. As far as transmission options go, both engines will be offered with a 6-speed manual unit. The dual-clutch 6-speed automatic transmission, however, will be reserved for the petrol engine.

A feature-rich affair

MG Motor India wants to make a bold statement with the Hector. And part of its game plan is to offer a plethora of features inside the cabin. So, usual suspects like keyless entry, a bunch of airbags, powered driver’s seat, push-button start/stop, cruise control and tyre pressure monitoring system are likely to be part of the package. Another feature worth pondering is the 360-degree camera which aids in manoeuvrability. However, the biggest standout feature will be the portrait-style 10.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Apart from boasting connectivity features like USB, Bluetooth and voice command, the massive display will also be the control centre for MG’s iSmart technology.

Everything is connected!

Okay, not everything! But most of the stuff, yes. And what enables the connection is a built-in Airtel sim card. For those who like to read and interpret geeky stuff, the said module is Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPV6) ready for 5G. In other words, the MG Hector will be a “Connected Car”. The always available internet connection will help Hector receive OTA (over-the-air) updates for the software and the third-party installed applications. Neat!

There’s more. The iSmart technology will also bring in a cloud-based Voice Assist feature. It has been tailor-made to understand the Indian accent and evolve over time. Just like we say “Hey Siri” or “Okay Google” to activate voice assistants on our smartphone, the Hector’s Voice Assist feature listen for “Hello MG”. Once in operation, it can control several car features such as operating the windows, the sunroof, the climate control and the navigation. MG says that it will work in areas with poor internet connectivity too.

Which apps are built-in? Navigation – TomTom. Music – Gaana with a premium account. Weather – Accuweather. All three have been customised to look good on the large, centrally-placed display. The headline is MG’s iSmart app. As soon as it is opened, the car gets scanned on fronts like tyre pressure and the status of the doors. It can even trace the location of the car. The remote can be used to lock/unlock doors, turn on the ignition, adjust the air conditioner and keep a track record of the car’s service history.

It’s not over! There’s a safety front as well. Owners will be able to remotely trace where their car is and even geo-fence it. The iSmart tech also has built-in telematics which keeps a track of driving behaviour. In case the car’s airbags are deployed, the car will automatically send messages to MG’s Pulse Hub, a customer management service centre, and the registered phones. Alongside, a series of emergency response actions are activated instantly. Lastly, there’s the iCall feature which, when used, connects the driver to Pulse Hub for information services.

You can now take a breather. It is clear that the Hector will bring in a host of segment-first features. MG has confirmed that the Hector will go on sale by June this year and once it does, it will lock horns with the likes of the Tata Harrier, Jeep Compass and the Mahindra XUV500.