Should you buy a used MG Hector?

GOOD FOR: Spacious cabin, Feature rich

LOOK OUT FOR: Infotainment issues, DCT gearbox

Morris Garages or MG begun its India innings in 2019 with the launch of the Hector. Thanks to its striking design, spacious cabin and equipment levels, the SUV soon became very popular with the Indian customer, garnering waiting periods that stretched out to months.

Lavish chrome trimming; 17-inch alloys look small against the large profile.

It also commanded a very good resale value, but now with a facelifted version arriving soon and the XUV700 proving to be popular, prices for used Hectors have begun to slide. Here are some things to note about the MG Hector before you buy a used one.

MG Hector: engine, gearbox and fuel efficiency

The Hector is powered by a Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre diesel engine that makes 170hp and 350Nm, and a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine producing 143hp and 250Nm. A 6-speed manual is standard on both engines, while the turbo-petrol comes with the option of either a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox (sold till January 2022) or an 8-step CVT automatic gearbox (sold February 2021 onwards).

Additionally, there’s a 48V mild-hybrid petrol model too (with the 6-speed manual gearbox only), which is said to be more fuel efficient than the standard petrol. The mild-hybrid system also provides up to 20Nm of additional torque at low speeds to help counter turbo lag and allow for improved acceleration.

In our fuel efficiency tests, the Hector diesel managed 16.5kpl on the highway and 12.6kpl in the city, while the petrols were naturally thirstier. The petrol-manual did 7.25kpl and 10.27kpl, while the petrol-DCT delivered a low 6.9kpl and 9kpl, in the city and highway, respectively. We haven’t tested the petrol-hybrid and petrol-CVT versions, but expect them to be more efficient than the petrol-DCT.

If your usage includes regular highway trips and if fuel efficiency is very important to you, you should opt for the diesel Hector. The engine is a tried-and-tested Fiat unit that is reliable, efficient and has enough performance on tap. However, if outstation trips will be only occasional, you could look at one of the petrols. And if it’s an automatic you are looking for, then opt for the CVT gearbox over the DCT, as it’s more efficient and smoother with its shifts and will prove to be more reliable too.

MG Hector: variants and features

The Hector was launched in four trims – Style, Super, Smart and Sharp – and all of them are reasonably equipped in relation to their price. The top-spec Sharp is equipped with features like a 10.4-inch, portrait-oriented touchscreen infotainment system that comes with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, AI-powered voice assist, pre-loaded apps and an embedded Airtel SIM card, as well as a 360-degree camera, a four-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, an Infinity audio system, a massive panoramic sunroof, heated ORVMs, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights, 17-inch alloys and mood lighting with eight colours.

As for safety, the Hector features two airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP, traction control, rear parking sensors and disc brakes on all four wheels as standard. The Smart variant gets four airbags and the Sharp gets six. Any variant you choose will give you a decent features list, but if you don’t mind spending a bit more, go for the top-spec Sharp, as you’ll get all the feel-good and safety features.

MG offers a 5-year/unlimited km warranty plan, along with a 5-year/unlimited km roadside assistance scheme with the Hector as standard, so you’ll have that peace of mind despite buying a used car. Also, as per our resale value study last year, the MG Hector has the best-in-class resale value, which is an added bonus.