Hyundai Alcazar Vs MG Hector Plus - VIDEO

Hyundai recently revealed its new 7-seat SUV, the Alcazar. The new SUV will compete in the fast-growing and fairly new sub-Rs 25 lakh 7-seat SUV segment. The Alcazar is based on the same platform as the smaller Creta and will sport a similar design, but will come with a few distinct differences. Today we are comparing the new Alcazar against one of its main rivals in the category, the MG Hector Plus.

Similar to the Hyundai Alcazar, the MG Hector Plus is based on the smaller Hector as well as being underpinned by the same platform as the 5-seat MG. Both the Alcazar and the Hector Plus come with a split headlamp design for the front-end but the MG’s headlights are placed lower on the bumper. The Alcazar comes with a slightly redesigned headlight and bumper while the grille is a new unit when compared to the Creta. Moving to the side, both SUVs are longer than their 5-seat counterparts to fit a third row of seats. However, the Alcazar comes with a set of factory-fitted side steps for easy ingress and egress, something the Hector Plus misses out on. The rear-end of the Alcazar is a lot boxier and straighter than the Creta, while the Hector Plus’ rear is fairly similar to its sibling and retains a curvy profile. The Hector Plus also gets a gesture-accentuated boot lid which comes in handy when both your hands are full. Overall, both vehicles look fresh and modern, and the Hector Plus recently received a facelift to keep it up to date.

Over to the interior, both SUVs share the overall cabin design with their 5-seater counterparts. However, they do get a different interior colour scheme. Both vehicles are offered in 6 or 7-seat variants, the former getting captain seats for the middle row. The Hyundai Alcazar is the first offering in the segment that gets a centre console with cubby holes and armrests between the middle-row captain seats. The Alcazar also gets a bigger boot, offering 190 litres with all the seats up compared to the MG Hector Plus’ 155 litres.

Features-wise, both SUVs are evenly matched, coming with a touchscreen infotainment system with integrated Apple Carplay and Android Auto, auto climate control, wireless charging, panoramic sunroof, a powered driver’s seat and more. The Hyundai Alcazar gets ventilated front seats which the MG Hector Plus misses out on, but the MG offers a slightly bigger 10.4-inch screen compared to the 10.25-inch one in the Hyundai. It is rumoured that the new Alcazar may be offered with an all-digital instrument cluster while the Hector Plus gets analogue dials with a MID in the middle.

Powertrain options for the Hyundai Alcazar include one petrol and one diesel. The petrol unit is a new 2-litre N/A petrol that churns out 159 PS and 190 Nm of peak power and torque. The diesel engine is the same 1.5-litre four-pot which puts out max power and torque figures of 115 PS and 250 Nm. Transmission options for the Alcazar include a 6-speed manual or torque converter auto.

The MG Hector Plus comes with two powertrain options as well. There’s an FCA-sourced 2.0-litre diesel engine that churns out 170 PS/350 Nm of peak power and torque. The 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine makes max power and torque figures of 143 PS/250 Nm respectively. The petrol engine can also be had with mild-hybrid tech for start/stop functionality and additional torque boost. A 6-speed manual gearbox is standard while the turbo-petrol variants also get a DCT gearbox.

Upon launch, expect the Hyundai Alcazar to be priced in a similar ballpark to the MG Hector Plus’ prices, which is between Rs 13.62 lakh and Rs 19.60 lakh, ex-showroom. The Alcazar will also compete with the likes of the Tata Safari and the upcoming Mahindra XUV700.