Joining the bandwagon of BS6-ready (Bharat Stage 6) cars is the MG Hector. Only the petrol-powered variants comply with the stricter emission norms. That comes courtesy of some hardware and software upgrades in the powertrain. And because of that, Morris Garages India had to pass on the costs involved to the customers. Here’s how Hector’s BS6 prices stack up against the BSIV prices:

All variants mentioned in the table above now cost nearly Rs 26,000 more than before. As far as power and torque figures are concerned, they remain unchanged. The 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine produces 141bhp/250Nm and comes mated to a 6-speed manual transmission as standard. However, the option of a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is also available. MG Motor India is yet to reveal the revised mileage figures. As per the trend, they will be slightly lower than BSIV numbers.

Launched in June 2019, the Hector bagged over 21,000 bookings in 45 days. For a while, MG Motor India had to stop accepting reservations for the SUV as it could not keep up with the demand. After some production optimisation, the carmaker started entertaining bookings again in September. Those who booked from thereon had to pay according to the hiked prices. Those, for the record, increased by up to Rs 40,000.

The Hector remains the most feature-rich car in its segment. That’s one of the primary reasons why it has begun the India innings so promisingly. The standard list of features includes dual airbags, rear parking sensors, 60:40 split back seat, rear AC vents, a cooled glovebox, rear wiper with washer and traction control system. The range-topping derivative packs additional features such as a 360-degree camera, heated ORVMs, a 7.0-inch coloured MID, 8-colour ambient lighting, electrically-adjustable front seats and a dual-pane panoramic sunroof.

Those who are waiting for Hector’s BS6-compliant diesel range will not have to do so for long. In India, the MG Motor India’s first offering competes with the Jeep Compass, Mahindra XUV500 and the Tata Harrier. Presently, only the Compass has BS6-ready diesel variants.