MG Astor Breaks Cover In India Ahead Of October Launch

• The MG Astor is the ICE version of the ZS EV.
• Gets slightly different styling for headlights, tail lamps, grille, and alloy wheels.
• Interiors boast a larger 10.1-inch infotainment system and black-red colour scheme.
• Creature comforts include panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, and digital driver’s display.
• Powered by 1.3-litre turbo-petrol and 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine.
• Likely to be priced from Rs 10 lakh.

MG Motor India has taken the wraps off the Astor, the petrol-powered version of the all-electric ZS EV. Set to go on sale in October, the Astor is MG’s answer to stalwarts like the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq, and the upcoming VW Taigun. 

Let’s start with the Astor’s design, which is based on the facelifted ZS. Compared to the ZS EV, the Astor gets a sharper styling featuring a new grille design, LED headlights and tail lamps. Also, the SUV sits on a different set of alloy wheels to distinguish it from its all-electric counterpart. The rest of the design and overall silhouette is similar to the ZS EV. 

Inside, the SUV gets a larger 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which eliminates the need for physical knobs for the climate control. Other highlights include a full digital driver’s display, a feature that’s absent in its all-electric sibling. The interior can be had in three colour schemes: black/red, black/beige, and all-black. 

You would also notice a small robot on the dash, which is basically MG’s AI assistant. It is voice activated, and can give you info like updates on the score of ongoing cricket matches, and will even react to you with emotions. Also, the compact SUV features an autonomous driver aid suite comprising collision warning, lane-keep/departure assist, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and blind spot detection, both of which are segment-first features. 

Other notable creature comforts onboard include connected car tech, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (as standard), a panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charging, steering modes, and a 6-way power-adjustable driver seat. Securing passenger safety are multiple airbags, parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, hill descent control, and electronic stability control. 

The Astor is offered with two petrol engine options: a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated and 1.3-litre turbo-petrol unit. Both motors come with an automatic transmission, however, only the 1.5-litre engine can be had with a manual.

Take a look at the detailed specifications:

The Astor is likely to be priced from Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom), putting it in the same league as the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq, and the upcoming VW Taigun.