English Channel

MG dives head-first into a competitive SUV segment; one that signals a move from mass to premium. Can the Hector stay afloat?

- Girish Karkera

Fish and chips. No one is sure where this dish originated from although there is a strong chance you may think – “aha, UK!”. There are many debates on whether it is British or from somewhere further west. Pretty much like this SUV which wears a quintessential British badge for braces but has its origins a lot more east. While that debate rages, for whatever consequence, we were given a chance to put this much-talked SUV through its paces around the outskirts of an equally automotive enthusiast city – Coimbatore.

This industrial hub, once known for its textile manufacturing capability, is also home to many a rally driver such as the likes of Narain Kathikeyan and former rally ace Naren Kumar. The reason for dropping these names is to showcase the natural automotive enthusiasm of this town. Which could be one of the reasons that this Hector made a lot of heads turn by its design and that massive MG badge.

On the design front, the Hector is quite likeable. Now, I am sure there will be a few detractors who find it ‘boxy’ and a bit too shiny, but this actually works when you put the vehicle on an Indian road. It stands out, and not necessarily in a bad way. The fact that it is a big SUV, allows it to get away with a bit of those straight lines. In fact it actually works well in its favour. There are oodles of chrome streaks throughout the car, but not in a grotesque manner. Okay, maybe if it was designed for Britain, it would have less chrome, but then this is also supposed to sell outside of Britain, a lot, so better to go with global sensibilities than that of a particular country.