MG Motor India has launched the Hector Tomahawk EV as its contender in the electric midsize SUV segment. In this space, the 5-seat version of the Hector Tomahawk EV rivals the Tata Harrier EV, Mahindra XEV 9e, Vinfast VF7 and BYD Atto 3. Let’s have a look at how MG’s latest SUV stacks up against its peers on paper.
MG Hector Tomahawk EV 5-seater vs rivals: Dimensions
Tallest in its segment and one of the longest
*Measured till roof instead of parcel tray.
The Hector Tomahawk EV is the second-longest SUV in its segment, falling behind the XEV 9e by only 44mm. That said, the Hector Tomahawk EV has a longer wheelbase than the XEV 9e but is behind the VF7 by 30mm. While it is the narrowest in this comparison, it is the tallest among all. The claimed ground clearance is 230mm, but this is measured at the battery.
Coming to luggage space, the Hector Tomahawk EV has the second-largest boot here, though it doesn’t get a frunk like the Harrier EV and XEV 9e do. The MG’s 18-inch alloy wheels are also competitive by segment standards, though the XEV 9e and VF7 offer 19-inchers.
MG Hector Tomahawk EV 5-seater vs rivals: Battery and motor
Battery size sits between the options offered with the Harrier EV and XEV 9e
Under the skin, the Hector Tomahawk EV comes equipped with a 69.2kWh battery pack. This capacity slots it neatly between the batteries offered by the Harrier EV and XEV 9e, very close to the 70kWh unit of the top-spec VF7 and ahead of the options available on the Atto 3. The Hector Tomahawk EV’s battery powers a sole front-mounted electric motor, making for a front-wheel-drive layout. Rivals such as the Harrier EV and VF7 can be had with all-wheel drive, and the XEV 9e is purely rear-wheel drive.
In terms of output, the Hector Tomahawk EV perfectly matches the Atto 3 and the 70kWh FWD version of the VF7 but is significantly behind the XEV 9e and Harrier EV. Higher-powered versions of the Mahindra and Tata SUVs claim sub-7-second 0-100kph times, while the Hector Tomahawk EV’s acceleration figure falls between those of the Atto 3 and VF7.
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MG Hector Tomahawk EV 5-seater vs rivals: Range and charging
Range is on the lower end of the segment, and charging times are the highest
Coming to range, the Hector Tomahawk EV has the lowest MIDC figure compared to similarly sized batteries offered by rivals. In fact, even the 60.48kWh Atto 3 and the smaller-battery versions of the Harrier EV and XEV 9e boast higher range figures than that of the Hector Tomahawk EV. The MG SUV also claims the longest AC charging time, more than even the 75kWh and 79kWh variants of the Harrier EV and XEV 9e, respectively.
MG Hector Tomahawk EV 5-seater vs rivals: Price
Substantially more affordable than rivals’ top-spec variants
*Prices are exclusive of home charger and installation costs.
The 5-seat configuration for the Hector Tomahawk EV is available only in the top-spec Essence variant, priced at Rs 23 lakh. This makes the Hector Tomahawk EV much more affordable than the equivalent top-spec versions of its rivals, with the Atto 3 commanding the highest premium of over Rs 11 lakh; the BYD SUV is brought to India in the CKD (completely knocked down) form and therefore attracts higher taxation.
It’s also worth noting that MG offers the Hector Tomahawk EV with a segment-first battery-as-a-service (BaaS) scheme. This knocks off about an additional Rs 6 lakh from the sticker price while introducing a battery rental fee of Rs 4.9/km, which is payable monthly. At this BaaS price, the Hector Tomahawk EV competes with electric SUVs from a segment below and even undercuts many of them, making for stellar value.
All prices are ex-showroom, India.
Uday Singh
Glenn Noronha
Dipan Sur
