MG Astor Safety, Ride and Handling
The Astor scores well big on the safety front. The biggest highlight in a first is the Level 2 Advance Driver Adaptive System (ADAS). It gets a host of features like Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Departure Prevention, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Speed Warning and Intelligent Headlamp Control. To top it up, the Astor will get 6 Airbags, Hold Hold Control, Hill Descent Control, four disc brakes, 360 degree camera, TPMS and Heated OVRMs. The Astor is literally a safe house on wheels. We would strongly recommend understanding each ADAS feature completely before implementing in real world, as one wrong move and it could end up in a crash.
Since we drove on the Formula 1 circuit that has one of the best-laid roads in the country, the ride felt very comfortable. There were no bad patches to test out the ride quality. In terms of handling, Astor was remarkably composed through the technical section of the F1 circuit. The body roll was well controlled as well. We believe it should be a good handling car on our roads. The Electronic Power Steering comes with three modes viz Normal, Dynamic and Urban. Dynamic will increase the weight of the steering wheel while Urban will make it more lighter to navigate traffic. Normal will be for neutral handling feedback.
MG Astor Verdict
Overall, the MG Astor looks a promising product and there are no real faults to be pointed out. It’s a tech fest inside and with Autonomous Level 2 features Safety takes the front seat. The fit, finish and overall quality is right up there with the best . The only challenge Astor will face is from the super busy and hot Mid-size SUV segment. It won’t be easy to dent sales of the likes of the Creta and Seltos but we believe that the Astor has enough ammo to chip away at its rivals slow and steady. MG has usually got their price strategy right. And if MG manages a sticker price to undercut the competition, it will be a great package, considering what the Astor brings to the table. It’s a great time to be car shopping and if you are in the market looking for a mid-sized SUV, we recommend waiting for the Astor before you take the plunge.
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