MG Motor has introduced new EX variants to the Astor range priced at Rs. 10.22 lakh ex-showroom. That said, the company has withdrawn few safety features from the EX trims like electronic stability program (ESP), traction control, hill start assist (HSA) and hill descent control (HDC) among others. The new EX variant is available in four trim levels- Style EX, Super EX, Smart EX and Sharp EX, and these variants are priced around Rs. 6000 – Rs. 12,000 lower than the regular variants. The EX range is only available with the 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, naturally aspirated powertrain and only with the manual transmission.
Coming to other drive assist features, the new MG Astor EX also doesn’t get features like Blind Spot Detection, Lane Change Assist and Cross Traffic Alert among others. Quite obviously, the new MG Astor EX also misses out on the advance driver assistance system (ADAS). That said, the new MG Astor EX trims remain identical to regular Astor variants in terms of other creature comforts and safety features. So its gets similar number of airbags as seen in non-EX variants while anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), reverse parking sensor and seatbelt reminder remain standard across the range.
MG Astor EX variants are offered only with the 1.5-litre, naturally aspirated motor.
The MG Astor SUV is offered with two engine options- a 1.4-litre, four-cylinder turbo petrol engine that belts out 138 bhp at 5,600 rpm and 220 Nm at 3,600 rpm and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Then is the 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol unit that comes mated to either a manual gearbox or an eight-step CVT gearbox. This motor is tuned to churn out 108 bhp at 6,000 rpm and 144 Nm at 4,400 rpm of peak torque.