MG Astor blends style and performance

With an AI bot and two petrol engines to choose from, the new MG Astor seems all set to hit the accelerator

If data is the new gold, artificial intelligence is the new god. At least, MG cheekily alludes to this with a robot atop the dashboard where idols typically reside. More telling, however, is despite the Astor being essentially a petrol version of the ZS EV, it bears no badges indicating this, and instead, proudly flaunts ‘AI Inside’ and ADAS monikers — a sign of the times. So, what is it like?

The Astor gets a styling update and a refreshed interior, compared to the ZS EV on sale in India — MG recently brought out a facelift abroad. The update is minor, and the Astor does resemble the ZS EV with the same horizontal stance, unlike the more vertical, upright look of SUVs like the Seltos and Creta. Interestingly though, the Astor is taller, wider and longer than both aforementioned SUVs.

While the update is based on the international model’s recent facelift, there are India-specific tweaks — like the grille design. This hexagonal ‘Celestial’ grille looks quite neat with its outwardly radiating pattern and is quite eye-catching. The front bumper is also new and has a mild tweak to its styling such as reshaped fog light housings and new headlights with LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs).