MG Astor: First Drive Review

[350Z]

Great pricing by MG. Pre-bookings begin from 21st October, followed by deliveries of Batch-1 in November & December.

























​

Press Release:

MG Motor India has launched the mid-size SUV MG Astor with India’s first personal AI assistant and first-in-segment Autonomous (Level 2) technology, at a special introductory price of Rs. 9.78 Lakh.

With cutting-edge technology and design excellence, Astor is positioned in the premium mid-size SUV segment. Customers can choose between variants starting from Style, going up to Super, Smart, and the top-of-the-line Sharp.

MG Astor comes with a standard 3-3-3 package which includes warranty of three years/unlimited kilometers, three years of Roadside Assistance and three Labor-Free periodic services. With the unique MY MG Shield program, Astor customers also have the flexibility to choose and personalize their ownership package with Warranty Extension and Protect Plans.

The ownership cost of Astor is only 47 paise per kilometer, calculated up to one lakh kilometers. Astor also comes with the segment first 3-60 program, an assured buyback plan under which customers will get 60 percent of the Astor’s ex-showroom price on completion of three years of purchase. For the execution of program MG India has partnered with Cardekho and Astor customers can avail this separately.

Speaking on the launch, Rajeev Chaba, President and MD, MG Motor India, said, “Astor brings personality, practicality and technology in one compelling expression of future mobility based on established brand heritage. Enriched with features and packed with technologies never seen before in this segment, we believe that Astor will set a new benchmark in the segment. While the car has been positioned and priced attractively, My MG Shield offers customers complete peace of mind and aligns with our philosophy of creating exciting experiences every time”.

Styled as per MG’s global design philosophy of Emotional Dynamism, Astor has contemporary look that connects with consumers. Astor’s i-SMART technology comes with 80+ connected car features for Smart and Sharp variants. The ADAS with Autonomous level 2 features will be available as an optional pack in the 220Turbo AT as well as in the VTI-tech CVT transmission for the Sharp variant.

Customers can test drive and pre-reserve Astor by visiting MG’s expansive network or website (www.mgmotor.co.in), starting today. Bookings will open on October 21, 2021 and deliveries will commence in November 2021.

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[350Z]

MG has delivered the first batch of 500+ units of Astor on Dhanteras.

The company says it’s trying best (due to shortage of chips) to meet the delivery target of 4K-5K units by December 2021.





​

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[350Z]

MG Motor has shared a video message for Astor customers and its delivery schedule.

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[350Z]

MG Astor Sharp variant now offers dual-tone Sangria Red interiors as an option for additional Rs.10,000.

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[350Z]

MG Motor has shared a teaser for the Astor which indicates possibly a mild facelift and feature upgrade.

​

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[350Z]

Took a short test drive of the MG Astor Sharp 1.5 NA Manual Transmission as the reviews online are extremely contrasting. Following are some of the quick observations:

• The car had done about 8.5K on odometer. NVH levels were well-contained. Steering wheel had slight wobble though (poor wheel alignment?)
• MG Astor may not provide pedal to the metal exhilaration but it isn’t a slouch either. To obtain prompt acceleration, one has to work with initial three short gearing real quick.
• The crossover cruises comfortably thereafter at high speeds with reassuring stability. However, lack of sixth gear is a disappointment. It does 80 Kmph on 5th gear at about 2,200 RPM.
• There’s a lot of speculation about its ability to drive uphill. I tested on a steep incline on 2nd gear with three occupants and it performed fine. Uphill drives shouldn’t be an issue unless the car is overloaded.
• MG Astor 1.5 MT returned a mileage of 12 Kmpl in average traffic. It reduced to 10.5 Kmpl with rough driving in urban commute. The SA claims that it can achieve 17-20 Kmpl on highways with sedate driving.
• Braking is confidence-inspiring with all-four discs. Gearbox and clutch action is comfortable as well. Underthigh support is insufficient for tall person but there's decent leg-space despite relatively short wheelbase.

Drive Safe,
350Z