It isn’t a secret that Morris Garages India will soon launch a new SUV to take on the established range of compact SUVs. However, we didn’t know the actual name of that product. Now, we do. It’ll be called MG Astor. It is essentially the refreshed version of the MG ZS SUV sold on international markets. But, of course, we already have a derivative of the species – the ZS EV. But unlike the zero-emissions vehicle, the Astor will get its propulsion from internal combustion engines.

At the moment, there are no confirmed set of details about Astor’s powertrain options. However, reports suggest it could be offered with a 1.5-litre petrol engine and a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol. And yes, transmission choices will have both manual and automatic units. As you might have guessed, the Astor will lot below Hector in MG’s portfolio.

If none of that excites you, here’s something definitely will. MG Motor India says the Astor will be the first of its kind to offer a personal AI assistant. It will take a form of a tiny robot-like creature sitting on top of the dashboard. Not only will it respond to various voice commands, but it’ll also be intelligent enough to search Wikipedia and read out the information. It’ll even turn its head towards the passenger to offer a more human-like conversation.

The AI assistant will be powered by MG’s i-Smart Hub, which offers various new connected-car features that no other model currently does. For instance, one can find, reserve and pay for a parking spot even before arriving at the premises. Another feature that comes in conjunction with MapMyIndia is the India-specific 4D maps. They offer enhanced information and real-time updates about restaurants and safety-related information (speed limits, speed breaker and speed cameras), among others. And for all the connectivity, the Astor will have an embedded Jio sim.

That’s not all because the MG Astor will also boast Level 2 ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems). Not even the Gloster has that, let alone other similarly-sized compact SUVs! It will offer features like Lane Departure Warning, Speed Assist System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Intelligent Headlamp Control and Automatic Emergency Braking.

All-in-all, there’s a lot to look forward to in the upcoming MG. And when it lands, which should happen around the beginning of the festive season, it’ll give the Hyundai Creta, Nissan Kicks, Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun and the Kia Seltos a tough fight. Excited?