Creta rivalling MG Astor to get Jio e-SIM; launch by September

MG Motor India is gearing up to introduce its fourth SUV in India, the Astor, which will see a price announcement by September this year. The company announced today that the Astor's infotainment system will come with in-car connectivity features that will be powered by a Jio e-SIM. 

• Launch by September
• Jio e-SIM in some variants 
• Two petrol engine options expected

MG ZS petrol (Astor): what we know so far 

The MG Astor is essentially a facelifted version of the ZS SUV, which is already on sale in India with an EV powertrain. The Astor, however, will come with two petrol engine options. Internally known as MG Model K, this new SUV is around 4.3m long and has the Creta, Seltos and the Kicks in its sights. The Astor will be MG Motor India's smallest SUV and will sit below the popular Hector that measures around 4.6m in length. 

The MG Astor gets sharper headlamps, a new front grille and bumper that distinguish it from the ZS EV and also gives the SUV an overall fresh look. On the inside, a panoramic sunroof and a long features list are expected. The Astor will come with a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system that will, as confirmed above, come with a Jio e-SIM for in-car connectivity features. 

MG ZS petrol (Astor): expected engine and powertrain options

The new MG SUV will come with a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol mill that’s good for 120hp and 150Nm of torque. Additionally, there will be a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine on offer as well, which will churn out 163hp and 230Nm. Its key rivals, the Creta and Seltos, get a 140hp, 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine, while the Kicks and Duster come with a 156hp, 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine. The Astor’s engines will come mated to either a manual or automatic gearbox.  

MG ZS petrol (Astor): launch timeline, expected price in India

MG Motor India is planning to position the Astor SUV competitively, as the model will be heavily localised. We expect a pricing of Rs 10-16 lakh for MG’s upcoming Creta rival. Price announcement for the MG Astor will most likely take place sometime in September this year.