With an AI bot and two petrol engines to choose from, the new MG Astor is all set to hit the accelerator.
If data is the new gold, then artificial intelligence is the new god. At least, MG clearly indicated it with a robot above the dashboard where the idols usually reside. What’s more telling, though, is that despite the Astor being essentially a petrol version of the ZS EV, it doesn’t have a badge on it, and instead, proudly bears the ‘AI Inside’ and ADAS monikers – a sign of the times. So, how is it?
The Astor gets styling updates and a refreshed interior as compared to the ZS EV on sale in India – MG recently introduced a facelift abroad. The update is minor, and the Astor resembles the ZS EV with the same horizontal stance, as opposed to the more vertical, upright look of SUVs like the Seltos and Creta. Interestingly, the Astor is taller, wider and taller than both the above SUVs.
While the update is based on the recent facelift of the international model, there are India-specific tweaks – like the grille design. This hexagonal ‘Celestial’ grille with its externally radiating pattern looks quite neat and is quite attractive. The front bumper is also new and gets minor styling changes such as fog light housing and new headlights with LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL).
On the side, things are pretty much the same, only with new 17-inch alloys and red brake caliper changes. At the rear, the new segmented lighting signature looks particularly attractive, and the new bumper gets fake dual exhaust outlets and a stylish diffuser.
The interior feels upmarket, with generous use of soft-touch materials and brushed aluminum accents. The leatherette wrapping of the dashboard is of good quality, with a neat and tightly-skinned surface. There are three interior color schemes on offer – dual-tone Sangria Red, dual-tone Iconic Ivory and Tuxedo Black.
Compared to the ZS EV, you now sit in a more natural position at the back, as opposed to the EV’s knee-up posture.
The dashboard is similar to that of the ZS EV, but now features a new larger 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, while the center console now sports a gear lever. The steering wheel feels good to hold and the flat bottom and perforated casing look premium.
The front seats are wide and comfortable to sit on, the only downside is that they don’t get cold and that’s what we expect in this segment. MG has also dropped some other now-common features like a branded audio system, auto-dimming rear-view mirrors, wireless charging and rear sun blinds. However, it packs a large panoramic sunroof, auto climate control, rain-sensing wipers, 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, powered driver seat, a full Level 2 ADAS set-up, connected car tech and of course. Robot above the dashboard.
Opinions about the little bot will be divided – some find it cute while others find it gimmicky. It’s fun and entertaining, but can only be used to create emoji. The system also doesn’t use Alexa, Google, or Siri, and thus isn’t versatile; Still, it can pull in information from Wikipedia, understands Hindi and English, and has on-board voice commands. MG says the company plans to update its software suite in a timely manner.
The touchscreen feels great, and the new larger unit has a neat layout, connectivity includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and has a number of local apps on board. Touch response is also good, but two-finger commands like pinch to zoom are not smooth and smooth. Screen resolution is also good, but the 360-degree cameras aren’t up to the same mark. The layout of the 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster is neat and easy to read.
The connected car technology has all the expected features like geofencing and pre-cooling, but goes a step further with phone-based digital keys. This allows you to fully operate the car with just your phone and not have to use an actual key fob.
Moving forward with technology, Level 2 (hands-on, partial driving automation) is the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). The system uses both radar and camera inputs, unlike the only camera setup on the Gloster, and is fairly comprehensive, with lane assist, blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and auto emergency braking . Pedestrian detection, traffic signal recognition, speed assist and auto high-beam control.
Our drive-though was limited to the Buddhist F1 track, so we don’t know how it performs in the real world. Under controlled conditions, the lane functions worked well and the corrective torque from Lane Keeping Assist felt natural.
The Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system can bring the car to a complete halt and the automatic speed variation of the ACC also feels well calibrated with smooth rise and fall. There’s also a neat add-on to the traffic sign recognition system, where the Speed Assist set-up can automatically reduce the vehicle’s speed to that indicated on the traffic sign board. This is a good way to avoid an unexpected speeding fine.
The Astor comes with two petrol engines – a 110hp, 144Nm 1.5-litre naturally aspirated unit and a more powerful 140hp, 220Nm, 1.3-litre turbocharged unit which we got to drive. Our initial impressions were positive. The three-cylinder unit is slightly audible inside the cabin, but is smooth and fast, and should clock about 11 seconds for a 0-100kph dash. Unlike other turbo-petrols, this one isn’t particularly lively and is instead tuned for a linear and smooth feel. The 6-speed torque converter is pretty much the same too, with a smooth and relaxed nature – even pressing down on the accelerator doesn’t give you a quick downshift. MG has gone for an overall smooth experience, and it should suit everyday driving conditions, which we’ll know for sure when we drive it in the real world.
While the Astor is the second variant of the ZS, it is not the side show of the EV. MG intends for the Astor to do well and take a big chunk out of the mid-size SUV pie, but it won’t be easy. A few months back, there were just two options in the midsize SUV segment, Creta and Seltos – Duster and Kicks were minor players – now you also have VW Taigun and Skoda Kushak which, apart from being capable on their own, are also in the early honeymoon period. ride high. Apart from these four, there is also the XUV700, which with its aggressively priced 5-seater petrol could easily lure some in the next segment.
Should MG be worried then? Not so unreasonably. While this is not a complete review, we come across several good impressions of MG’s new SUV. The Astor looks beautiful, and the update complements the high-riding crossover stance of the ZS EV nicely. The interiors are tasteful and arguably the most classy. Yes, it sacrifices some now-common bits like ventilated seats, but other essentials like the panoramic sunroof are on offer and the ADAS set-up is quite extensive. Then there is the AI Bot and two petrol engines to choose from and the Turbo is well set-up for daily use and shows promise – from ₹ 9.78 Lakh to ₹ 17.38 Lakh (ex-showroom, India). It’s going to be an uphill battle, but like his celestial grille, Astor is all set to burst onto the scene.
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