June 2022 - MG Astor Petrol Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

Updated: MG recently increased the prices of the Astor. This MG Astor Variants Explained article includes the buying recommendations for both petrol engine variants based on the June 2022 prices.

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What Are The Pros And Cons Of MG Astor Petrol?

The pros or advantages of MG Astor are:

• The base model offers incredible value-for-money; it has all of the must-have features for a very well-rounded ownership experience, but costs more than Rs. 10.0 lakh (ex-showroom)
• The top Sharp (O) variant is also a surprisingly good VFM option
• ADAS features are a game-changer at these price points, especially with the 1.5L petrol CVT automatic at Rs. 16.13 lakh (ex-showroom)
• The mini bot and AI voice assistant are cool features, which can become quite irresistible over time
• A fairly long list of features for higher variants - panoramic sunroof, power driver seat, adjustable steering feel, digital smartphone key, full-colour LCD instrument cluster, LED headlamps, DRLs and touchscreen infotainment
• 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating

The MG Astor petrol has the following shortcomings or problems:

• No diesel engine option
• No manual transmission option with the turbo petrol engine
• The premium for the automatic transmission is a too much for Super variant and a bit for for the Smart variants too
• Turbo petrol engine carries a very high premium and is not a value for money option
• Boot space, ground clearance and fuel efficiency details may be underwhelming as they’re not revealed

What Is The Price Of MG Astor Petrol Variants?

The MG Astor has a starting price of Rs. 10.28 lakh for the Style 1.5L petrol-manual and it goes up to Rs. 18.13 lakh for the Sharp (O) turbo petrol-automatic. The 1.5L petrol manual is available in lower 4 variants with prices ranging from Rs. 10.28 lakh to Rs. 14.58 lakh. The 1.5L petrol with CVT automatic is available in the higher 4 variants with ex-showroom prices between Rs. 13.38 lakh and Rs. 16.50 lakh. The CVT automatic carries a premium of Rs. 1.0 - 1.42 lakh over the comparable 1.5L petrol-manual variants.

The 1.4L turbo petrol automatic is available in the top 3 variants and costs between Rs. 16.48 lakh and 18.13 lakh. The turbo petrol automatic is Rs. 1.63 - 1.82 lakh more expensive than the normal petrol automatic.

2022 MG Astor Petrol Style - Base Model Standard Features & Review

Style is the base model of the MG Astor, and it’s only available with the 1.5L normal petrol and a manual transmission. It costs Rs. 10.28 lakh and packs a fairly long list of must-have features like:

• Height-adjustable driver seat
• Steering modes
• All disc brakes
• LED headlamps and DRLs
• Rear defogger
• Rear washer wiper
• 3-point seatbelts for all occupants
• Remote central locking
• 10.1-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple Carplay
• Steering-mounted controls
• Hill-start assist
• Auto AC with rear vents
• Steering-mounted controls
• Leather inserts in the dashboard
• Wheel covers
• Day/night inside mirror
• Power mirrors
• Boot lamp
• Split rear seatback
• Adjustable front/rear headrests
• Front and rear armrests
• 3x USB ports

The list of features is long for a C-segment SUV of this price range. Moreover, none of the must-have features is missing in this variant. This one is worth considering even for car buyers considering higher variants of smaller SUVs like Nexon, Venue or Sonet, which also cost more than Rs. 10.0 lakh (ex-showroom). The only notable features you might miss are sunroof and cruise control, which we can exclude as must-haves considering the ex-showroom price of the Style variant. Other missing and useful features like a parcel tray, tyre pressure sensor and rear camera are easy to install from the aftermarket or from the dealer.

2022 MG Astor Petrol Style vs Super Variant

The MG Astor Super variant with the 1.5L petrol-manual costs Rs. 11.96 lakh, which is around Rs. 1.68 lakh more than the base Style variant. Super variant is also available with a CVT automatic transmission option for an additional Rs. 1.42 lakh, which is on the higher side. It costs Rs. 13.38 lakh (ex-showroom).

The notable additional features of the Style variant are:

• Rear camera
• LED tail lamps
• Larger alloy wheels
• LED cabin lights
• Electronic parking brake

The incremental price increase for this variant over the Style option is much higher for the additional features. So, we don’t recommend buying the Astor Super. Even if you’re interested in buying the Astor automatic and don’t want to stretch your budget, we’ll still suggest you consider a higher variant. You should buy the MG Astor Super automatic, only if you can’t spend any more. 

2022 MG Astor Petrol Super vs Smart Variant

The MG Astor Smart 1.5L petrol manual costs Rs. 13.58 lakh while the automatic costs Rs. 14.78 lakh. The Astor Smart petrol-manual is about Rs. 1.62 lakh more expensive than Super petrol-manual. Meanwhile, the Smart 1.5L petrol-automatic is Rs. 1.40 lakh more expensive than the lower variant with petrol-automatic. The price difference between Smart manual and automatic is reasonable at Rs. 1.20 lakh, which is somewhat reasonable.

The MG Astor Smart is the most affordable variant with the turbo petrol automatic powertrain and it costs Rs. 16.48 lakh (ex-showroom), which is Rs. 1.70 lakh more than the 1.5L petrol automatic. While 30 extra horsepower and 76Nm of higher torque are very nice to have, the asking price for the turbo is quite high. So, you can skip this option too and consider buying a higher variant.

For the Rs. 1.40 - 1.62 lakh higher price, the Astor Smart adds the following extra notable features:

• Connected car features
• Cruise control
• Leather upholstery
• Full-colour LCD instrument cluster
• Tyre pressure sensors
• Side airbags
• Power-folding mirrors
• Centre rear headrest
• Parcel tray
• Auto headlamps.

This variant is another expensive upgrade and not worth buying, in our opinion.

2022 MG Astor Petrol Smart vs Sharp Variant

The price jump from MG Astor Smart to Sharp variant will cost you Rs. 1.0 lakh with the manual transmission and about Rs. 80,000 with the petrol CVT automatic. The Sharp variant with the turbo petrol automatic is Rs. 91,800 pricier than the lower Smart trim.

The MG Astor Sharp petrol-manual costs Rs. 14.58 lakh, the 1.5L CVT automatic costs Rs. 15.58 lakh and the turbo petrol-automatic is priced at Rs. 17.40 lakh (ex-showroom).

For this Rs. 80,000 - 1.0 lakh higher asking price, the Sharp variant doesn’t add many features, but adds some high-value features like:

• Curtain airbags
• Machined alloy wheels
• Cooled glovebox
• Power driver seat
• 360 camera
• Blind-spot alert
• Panoramic sunroof

For a complete, premium SUV experience, the incremental cost of the Sharp variant over all lower variants is well justified, and this variant earns our top recommendation for Astor automatic buyers. It’s worth buying for petrol-manual buyers also but it doesn’t beat the value quotient of the Style base model, which remains our top pick.

2022 MG Astor Petrol Sharp Vs Sharp (O) Variant - Top Model Features

The top-spec Sharp (O) variant is only available with petrol-automatic powertrains. It costs Rs. 16.50 lakh with the 1.5L CVT automatic and Rs. 18.13 lakh with the turbo petrol automatic. These prices are approximately Rs. 73,000 to Rs. 92,000 higher than the lower variant. This variant adds the following notable features:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Front collision warning
• Auto emergency braking
• Lane keep assist
• Lane departure warning
• Auto headlamps

Once again, the list of additional features is small, but these are absolutely essential features. If the auto emergency braking or lane keeping features save you even once from a potential collision, then the feature pays back for itself practically in just one instance. From there, every time it saves you, it’s virtually putting money in your pockets by saving you from not just the expensive repairs, but also the time and hassle of going through the insurance and refunds. The Sharp (O) variant is certainly worth serious consideration and it’s also the most value-for-money option in the MG Astor’s petrol-automatic variant lineup.

Which Variant Of The MG Astor Petrol Should You Buy?

Let’s start with the 1.5L petrol-manual. It starts at Rs. 10.28 lakh, and the base variant itself looks like an attractive proposition. MG loaded it up surprisingly well considering the asking price and segment. It literally has all of the must-have features for a car costing around Rs. 10.3 lakh (ex-showroom). The Astor Style variant is worth considering even if you’re looking to buy one of the higher variants of a smaller SUV like the Venue, Sonet or Nexon. From there, it only goes downhill as the Super and Smart mid variants are not good value for money. The Sharp is the only other variant we feel comfortable recommending.

For the 1.5L petrol CVT automatic, we’d suggest you stretch your budget for the Sharp or Sharp (O) variants. The Sharp is a decent value-for-money option while the Sharp (O) is worth buying just for the ADAS features. Buy the Super or Smart variant only if you can’t spend a higher amount.

The Astor turbo petrol automatic is quite a bit expensive compared to the 1.5L petrol CVT automatic. However, if you insist on getting the Astor with the turbo petrol engine only, then you can skip the Smart variant. You should buy either the Sharp or the Sharp (O) variants depending on your feature preferences and budget. The Sharp variant will satisfy the needs of most buyers, but the ADAS safety features of the Sharp (O) are also impressive and welcome additions considering the incremental asking price.

What Are The Engine Specifications Of The MG Astor Petrol?

Just like most of its competitors, the MG Astor is also available with 2 petrol engines. The base engine is a 1.5L normal petrol with manual and CVT automatic transmission options. It makes about the kind of power and torque we expect from an engine of this displacement and type. The only notable thing is the 5-speed transmission, while the Taigun, Kushaq, Creta and Seltos offer a 6-speed gearbox with their petrol engines. The S-Cross is the only other car in this segment with a 5-speed manual transmission.

The MG Astor’s mileage figures are not available yet. We expect them to be underwhelming as MG have not revealed these details even after the launch. They’re probably quite a bit lower than the outstanding 18kmpl+ figures of the S-Cross.

The Astor turbo petrol is only available with a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission. It again makes about the kind of power and torque we expect from an SUV of this class. 140PS of power and 220Nm of torque are the lowest in this class, but still acceptable.

*Estimated

What Are The Dimensions Of The MG Astor?

The MG Astor is about as long as the Creta, Seltos and S-Cross, which is what we expect from a C-segment SUV. It’s considerably longer than the Kushaq and the Taigun. The Astor’s ground clearance and boot space details are not yet available. Don’t expect great figures in these areas. If they were good, then MG would’ve released these figures already. Otherwise, the Astor is about as big as a typical C-segment SUV. Nothing noteworthy in this area, and so far, nothing to find fault with either.

  *unofficial

What Are The Colour Options Of The MG Astor?

The 2022 Astor is available in the following 5 colours:

• Silver (All variants)
• White (All variants)
• Black (Not available in base variant)
• Orange (Not available in Style and Super variants)
• Red (Not available in Style and Super variants)

Note: Here is a quick look at our length-based segmentation of cars to give you an idea of how we are classifying cars based on their size.