Morris Garages (MG) Motor India’s first product, the Hector, is slated to launch sometime next month. To get the ball rolling early, the company will officially commence accepting bookings for the SUV from June 4, 2019. Those who want to put their names down with the minimum booking amount can either visit any of the 120 MG dealerships across the country or do so online from noon the same day.

The MG Hector debuted earlier this month. And it was during the unveiling event when the Indian arm of the British carmaker confirmed that by September this year, the count of touchpoints will increase to 250. The company will soon commence dispatching units of the Hector from its plant in Halol, Gujarat, to its dealers across 50 cities in India.

There is no doubt that the MG Hector will grab attention. And there are a number of reasons why. The first of the lot is the way it looks. Sure, it doesn’t have the width on its side but it is the longest in the segment and has a face that urges a second look. Secondly, it will feature a host of connected car features such as receiving OTA updates, cloud-based and self-evolving voice assist, live weather and traffic updates and location-based services.

Another ace up its sleeve will be the range of powertrain options – petrol-manual, petrol-manual with a 48V mild-hybrid system, petrol-automatic and diesel-manual. The 1.5-litre petrol engine is good for 143PS/250Nm and can be had with either a 6-speed MT or a 6-speed, dual-clutch AT. The 2.0-litre diesel engine, which puts out 170PS/350Nm, is from FCA and comes coupled with a 6-speed MT only.

The Hector will be offered in four trim levels – Style, Super, Smart and Sharp. As standard, the list of features will include dual airbags, roof rails, ABS with EBD and BA, disc brakes on all wheels, electronic stability control programme, traction control system, rear parking sensors and rear AC vents. As you go higher, the SUV will get a 10.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system, iSmart (connected car) tech, six airbags, powered tailgate, a 360-degree camera, panoramic sunroof and ambient lighting.

The MG Hector is a direct rival to the Tata Harrier and the Jeep Compass. While the Compass and Hector are available with petrol and diesel engine options, the Harrier only has a diesel. Expect MG Motor India to price the Hector extremely competitively and offer all variants within the Rs 15-20 lakh range.