HECTORRRRR!

A new year, a new Hector

- Rivan RS

MG Motor India has been doing its very best to stay relevant in the extremely crowded SUV space, and since the Hector first arrived in 2019, the brand has brought in something new to the Hector’s line-up every year. And every year, since 2019, I’ve referred to the SUV as the ‘Hectorrrr!’ — the extremely memeable line from the 2004 movie Troy. Auto Expo 2023 saw the launch of another update for this large SUV, and initial impressions suggest that this is another minor facelift. The question remains if those minor differences change anything about the MG Hector, from its value-for-money quotient to its intimidation factor.

One could argue that this update for the MG Hector is its most significant yet. And still, I refer to the SUV as the ‘Hectorrrr!’, as it has the same defining traits as the 2019 model. Yes, the 2023 Hector does look and feel more premium overall. It now sports an even larger front grille with diamond-shaped chrome inserts, and LED light elements that connect the tail-lamps on either end. However, the shape, and most importantly, that size, is still as intimidating as ever. I wish they’d have updated the 18-inch dual-tone alloys though — in fact, I’d wish MG had put in thicker rubber overall, as those 215/55 R18 tyres look a little weedy, in profile and widthwise.