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MG will officially unveil its upcoming SUV for the Indian market tomorrow. The upcoming SUV is most likely to be called the Hector Hawk. It will be based on the Wuling Starlight 560, which is already on sale in several international markets. MG will be entering a new segment with the Hector Hawk, as it will be the brand’s first-ever plug-in hybrid (PHEV) for the Indian market. Here’s what we can expect from the upcoming SUV.

MG Motor India has already released teaser videos of the upcoming SUV. From the teasers, it is clear that the company is talking about introducing a new technology to the Indian market. In fact, the brand may not officially unveil the production-ready SUV tomorrow. Instead, it is likely to showcase the platform and the plug-in hybrid technology that it plans to introduce in India.

The Wuling Starlight 560, or the Hector Hawk as it is expected to be called in India, is based on the scalable Tianyu Architecture, specifically utilising the D-platform. The D-platform is designed for family vehicles measuring between 4,600 mm and 5,000 mm in length. It can accommodate both plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and battery-electric (EV) powertrains.

The Hector Hawk falls under the D-platform as the SUV measures 4,745 mm in length, 1,850 mm in width, and between 1,755 mm and 1,770 mm in height. It also has a wheelbase of 2,810 mm. Internationally, the SUV is available in both five-seater and seven-seater configurations.

As mentioned above, tomorrow’s event could primarily be a technology showcase, as MG may introduce this platform and powertrain in more models in the future. The actual launch of the SUV is expected to take place in the coming months.

Coming back to the Hector Hawk, it is sold internationally as the Wuling Starlight 560. It is not positioned as a premium SUV but comes with a decent list of features. It remains to be seen whether MG will add more features for the Indian market to keep up with the competition or trim the equipment list slightly to price the SUV more aggressively.

The SUV will feature a boxy exterior design with sleek LED headlamps, LED DRLs, a muscular bumper, a prominent front grille, alloy wheels, LED tail lamps, and more. MG is expected to offer a clean and minimalist cabin with a large 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a smaller 8.8-inch fully digital instrument cluster. The SUV is also expected to come with features such as leatherette upholstery, a wireless phone charger, cruise control, Level 2 ADAS, automatic climate control, and more.

MG is expected to launch the SUV in both PHEV and EV versions. The plug-in hybrid version uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with a 20.5 kWh battery pack and a front-mounted electric motor, producing 197 hp and 230 Nm. As this is a plug-in hybrid vehicle, it comes with a charging port that allows the battery to be charged from an external power source.

The SUV can be driven in EV mode for short-distance trips and is expected to offer an electric-only range of over 100 km. If the battery charge drops during low-speed driving, the petrol engine acts as a generator to recharge the battery while continuing to provide an EV-like driving experience. If the driver presses the accelerator harder, the engine automatically kicks in and takes over. At cruising speeds, the petrol engine and the hybrid system work together to power the wheels, offering a combination of performance and efficiency.

The all-electric version is expected to use a 56.7 kWh battery pack paired with a front-mounted electric motor. The motor is expected to produce between 134 bhp and 136 bhp, along with 200 Nm of torque. In real-world driving conditions, the EV is expected to offer a range of around 450–500 km.

Hector is an important name for MG in the Indian market. It was the company’s first SUV in India and became a trendsetter in the segment because of its styling and long list of features. It disrupted the market by becoming one of India’s first connected SUVs in its segment. Today, the Hector is a well-recognised name among Indian buyers. MG appears to be planning another disruption with its upcoming plug-in hybrid SUV, which is likely why the company has decided to revive the Hector nameplate with the new Hector Hawk.