MG Motors – or Morris Garages – made its debut in the Indian market last year with the Hector SUV. Considering the Hector was a size larger than most of its similarly priced rivals, came packed to the brim with segment-first features, and a modest number of engine and gearbox combinations, it was an instant success in the Indian market.
Next from MG was the ZS EV, which is not just a mid-size SUV, but it is fully electric. This gave the manufacturers a greener image and further established it as one of the trustworthy newcomers in the Indian market. Since the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles isn’t as strong in India as some of the other western countries, the ZS EV did not clock exaggerating sales numbers, as the Hector did.
What we have next from the manufacturer if the Gloster, which is a prodigious SUV that has the likes of the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, and Mahindra Alturas G4 in its crosshairs. And to establish itself in this segment, MG cars has built the Gloster in a way it is larger, wider, and more spacious than all of its rivals. It almost feels like it’s from a segment above than the rest of its rivals.
So, first, let’s talk about the design of the MGGloster. The MG Gloster is a big, three-row, body-on-frame SUV, which borrows its design and most of the underpinnings from the MG’s sister brand Maxus D90. While it is sold as the D90 in China, the Gloster is sold as the LDV D90 in Australia. Therefore, it has been rebranded for the Indian market and now comes with a rather British name.
We saw the Gloster in flesh for the first time at the Auto Expo earlier this year, back when the pandemic wasn’t upon us and times were relatively calming. Since we had set our eyes on the Gloster, it was clear that this SUV looks and feels bigger than its similarly priced rivals, which we have discussed above.
So, as far as the exterior dimensions of the Gloster are concerned, the car measures 4,985mm in length, 1,867mm in height, and 1,926mm in width. While its length and height are the best in the segment, the width is just a bit shy of the Alturas G4. Its wheelbase is also class-leading at 2,950mm. What’s more, this translates to a better road presence than the other SUVs in the segment, so it’s a win-win situation.
Some design highlights such as a silver-finished massive grille at the front, dual-barrel projector lamps, 19-inch wheels (which almost seem dwarfed in comparison to this massive SUV), massive wheel arches, and LED taillamps, give the Gloster a nice appeal. However, the Gloster badging at the rear tailgate combined with the Brit Dynamic badging looks a bit overwhelming and excessive. The ADAS badging tells you that this vehicle is loaded with advanced driver assistance systems.
On the inside, the interiors feel roomy and built with rich materials. However, the layout of the dashboard looks too similar to that of some BMW cars from recent times, especially the 12.3-inch touchscreen unit. Other features of the Gloster include an 8.0-inch coloured MID screen, powered driver seat with memory and massage function, along with powered passenger seat, three-zone climate control, panoramic sunroof, 360-degree cameras, and rich leather upholstery. Of course, it also gets all the segment basics too.
Space inside the Gloster is extremely impressive too. It can’t be denied that Gloster is a perfect family car. While the first and second row is the place to be, the third row isn’t shy of seating two full-size adults too. Space is a bit compromised there, but it is certainly better than its rivals. There’s also a 343-litres of boot space with all rows standing.
The Gloster is powered by a 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine, which churns out 215bhp and 480Nm of torque. It comes mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox as a sole fitment. Therefore, the Gloster gets a single powertrain only.
What we don’t know so far are the prices of the MG Gloster. What we do know is that it’ll be priced slightly higher than its rivals, which certainly means that MG is a bit too confident with the Gloster. And it should be, considering it would be, perhaps, the most comfortable and feature-packed SUV in its respective space.Also, read the latest car comparisons, only at autoX.
