[AUTO]MG Gloster review, first drive

[Nikhel Nice]

MG Gloster review, first drive

With the MG Gloster, the company wants to attract buyers looking for a big, butch luxury SUV and in our review of the upcoming SUV we take you through its exteriors, interiors, features, space, comfort, ride and handling and performance.

 

 

HIGHLIGHTS

• Bookings are currently open for Rs 1 lakh ahead of the MG Gloster launch which will take place in October.
• MG Gloster prices are expected to start from around Rs 30 lakh (ex-showroom) going all the way up to Rs 40 lakh for the top-end Savvy variant.
• The MG Gloster is offered with driver assistance features like lane departure warning and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking.

 

Indians love big, burly SUVs, a fact that MG has already tried cashing in on with the Hector. Now, though, the SAIC-owned MG is ready to launch a bigger, more premium SUV in the Indian market in the form of the MG Gloster. It's already on sale in multiple markets globally under different brand names.

With the Gloster, MG doesn't just plan to appeal to those for whom size matters the most, but also those on the hunt for a feature-packed luxury SUV which means the Gloster is looking to lock horns with everything right from the likes of the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour to the Skoda Kodiaq and even entry-level luxury SUVs from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and the likes. Plenty has already been revealed about the car and we've already seen it at the Auto Expo back in February so, on paper at least, the MG Gloster seems to get a lot right.

The MG Gloster measures 4,985mm long, 1,926mm wide and 1,867mm tall at the tape making it bigger than the likes of the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour. It is also longer and taller than the Mahindra Alturas G4 but not as wide. At 2,950mm the Gloster has a longer wheelbase than those SUVs as well. Those generous proportions give it immense presence on the road of course. However, unlike the Hector, the Gloster isn’t what you’d call radical or eye-catching in terms of design as its styling follows a more conventional approach. Up front, the Gloster features a large grille finished in silver flanked by all-LED tail lamps including LED turn indicators. Lower down in the bumper you’ll find chrome appliqué around the fog lamps, which we feel should have been LED units as well keeping the premium positioning and the price of the Gloster in mind.

Moving on to the side there are 19-inch two-tone alloy wheels but the more interesting element is the 'Brit Dynamic' badge with which Chinese conglomerate SAIC wants to remind onlookers of MG’s British heritage. Towards the rear, you get split tail lamps with LED detailing and a whole host of badges including the name spread across the boot lid in big bold letters. We’re not big fans of it but it’s for the owners and buyers to decide whether they like it or not.

As the exterior dimensions of the MG Gloster suggest, there is acres of room within the cabin. All of the elements within the cabin certainly look quite posh like the leather treatment for the dashboard, diamond stitching pattern for the seats, the fancy-looking gear selector, etc. However, it just doesn't feel as expensive as it looks. The materials, the finish and the quality, in general, doesn't exactly relay that rich feeling you'd expect based on their appearance. Then there's the 360-degree camera view. Sure, its a premium feature, but the resolution and graphics could've been better. In this top-end Savvy trim, MG has packed the Gloster to the brim with features.

There's a three-zone climate control system, a 12-speaker audio setup, a 12.3in touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support and 360-degree camera view, 8in MID for the driver, a panoramic sunroof, 64-colour ambient lighting, second-row captain seats and quite a bit more. Like the Hector, the Gloster too comes with a whole host of connected car features including one based on location, geo-fencing, remote engine on, health status and more. The driver's seat is 12-way electrically adjustable, comes with memory function and massage function as well. It also gets ventilation and heating. The co-driver's seat is 8-way electrically adjustable and gets only heating function. And while our test car came with second-row captain seats, there will be variants available with a bench that can seat three.

The MG Gloster is the only SUV in this segment and price bracket to feature second-row captain seats and that's something that should help attract buyers looking to hand driving duties over to their chauffeur. These seats are quite comfortable and offer fore and aft, recline and headrest adjustments. Since the MG Gloster comes with three-zone climate control, second-row occupants get their own temperature setting as well.

As far as third-row seats go, the ones within the Gloster's cabin are decent in terms of knee room and headroom. Sure, the seating position is a bit knees up, but these seats are definitely better than other third rows we've come across in SUVs the Gloster will go up against. Plus, thanks to the generous glass area, the third-row space doesn't feel claustrophobic and is more than a decent place to be for short journeys or even slightly longer ones for average-sized adults. MG has not put a number on boot capacity but with all three rows up, there is space for small suitcases or duffle bags.

MG will offer the Gloster with a 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine good for 218 bhp of maximum power and 480Nm of peak torque available from just 1,500rpm. Those figures mean that the Gloster has more power and torque than any other SUV in the 30 to 50 lakh price bracket. An 8-speed torque convertor automatic serves the Gloster. Performance is strong particularly in the mid-range but despite a power and torque advantage, the Gloster being bigger and heavier is more than a second slower from 0 to 100kmph than the Fortuner and the now discontinued Endeavour 3.2 posting a time of 12.1 seconds. Entry-level variants will be offered with a single turbo 2.0-litre diesel good for 163bhp and 375Nm. For the most part, the engine and transmission combo works quite well and will keep most users happy with its performance in urban confines and out on the highway. However, the transmission is a bit slow to react in kick down or when you're trying to get going after almost coming to complete stop or when you've slowed down to say under 20kmph for a speed breaker. There are multiple drive modes available including Sport, Auto and Eco. The difference between Eco and Sport wasn’t exactly very evident. In fact, in both modes, the acceleration times were identical. The driver can take manual control over gear changes with the gear selector or paddle shifters, but it doesn't like revving beyond 3,900rpm and will shift up automatically in case you don't. It doesn't like aggressive downshifts either.

Another aspect most Indian users will like is the lightness of the steering wheel. At low speeds or cramped spaces, it definitely is a boon considering the weight and dimensions of the Gloster, but we would've preferred a bit more heft at higher speeds. The ride and handling overall has that characteristic body on frame feel to it as the Gloster exhibits a fair amount of body roll through corners and there’s plenty of movement along the Y-axis over large bumps and undulations, specifically at lower speeds. The Gloster’s high-speed road mannerisms are much better an it does glide over imperfections quite well. However, there is a hint of firmness to its ride, especially at lower speeds and sharp-edged bumps or potholes tend to filter into the cabin. For those looking to venture off the road, the Gloster comes with four-wheel drive, an electromechanical differential lock and off-road modes including Mud, Sand, Snow and Rock. Unlike the SUVs it will rival, the 4WD system cannot be engaged manually and kicks in only when the vehicle thinks it's required.

What the MG Gloster offers, which most SUVs it will rival and even more expensive luxury offerings do no get are driver assistance features. There's lane departure warning which warns the driver if they are swaying out of their lane via a display on the MID accompanied by a beep. There's also forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking. Under 40kmph, the vehicle will be brought to a complete halt in case an impending collision is detected. Above 40kmph, as per the company, the vehicle reduces the speed by 40kmph to minimise the impact from a collision with the vehicle in front. The MG Gloster comes with adaptive cruise control as well, which means based on the distance you want to maintain with the vehicle in front with cruise control engaged, the car will reduce speed in case you pull up behind a slow-moving vehicle and will bring it back to cruise control speed set by the user once it is safely past that slow-moving vehicle.

So, the MG Gloster looks imposing thanks to its generous size, is quite roomy on the inside and the interiors look rather fancy as well. Its got plenty of features too, some that aren’t available in this segment or even segments above. It is very comfortable too and makes a lot of sense as a chauffeur-driven vehicle thanks to the presence of second-row captain seats. But where exactly does it fit in? Well, prices haven’t been revealed yet but we’re hearing that entry-level variants will match the base Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour in terms of price while the Gloster’s mid-level trims will be priced close to the top-end variants of those two SUVs. The version we’ve shown you in this video is the range-topper and is likely to cost around Rs 40 lakh (ex-showroom) which is around Rs 4 to 5 lakh more than the range-topping variants of the likes of the Fortuner and Endeavour. But for those extra lakhs, you get an SUV that’s considerably bigger and way more feature-loaded making the Gloster fantastic value for money, assuming, of course, MG prices it close to the estimated prices we've mentioned.

MG Gloster specifications

• Engine: 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel
• Power: 218bhp@4,000rpm
• Torque: 480nm@1,500-2,400rpm
• Gearbox: 8-speed AT
• LxWxH: 4,985x1,926x 1,867mm
• Wheelbase: 2,950mm
• Fuel tank capacity: 75 litres
• On-demand 4WD & electro-mechanical differential lock available