MG Hector Hawk lands August 28: EV + PHEV 7-seater on new ADAPT platform
JSW MG Motor India has confirmed August 28 as the launch date for its new three-row SUV, expected to be badged Hector Hawk. Based on the overseas Wuling Starlight 560 and riding on the brand's new ADAPT platform, it will be sold with both battery-electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
What was announced
JSW MG Motor India has scheduled the launch of its new SUV for August 28. Widely expected to wear the Hector Hawk badge, it will be the first model on the company's new ADAPT platform and the first MG in India sold with both battery-electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains. The Hector Hawk is derived from the Wuling Starlight 560 sold in overseas markets and is positioned as a seven-seater to rival the Mahindra XEV 9S and the upcoming XUV 7XO.
A PHEV with 125km of electric-only range solves the range-anxiety problem Mahindra's electric SUVs still cannot answer.
Dimensionally, the donor car measures 4.7 metres in length, 1.85 metres in width and 1.7 metres in height, placing it squarely in the mid-to-premium three-row SUV bracket. Spy shots from Indian test routes have shown rectangular LED headlamps with LED DRLs stacked top and bottom, a blanked-off grille on the EV version, wraparound LED tail-lamps, a roof-mounted spoiler and a charging port on the left rear fender.
The EV is expected to use a 69.2kWh battery pack. The plug-in hybrid variant is likely to offer up to 125km of electric-only range, one of the highest PHEV EV-mode figures announced for India so far. Inside, MG is expected to fit a minimalist dashboard anchored by an 8.8-inch driver display, with the larger central touchscreen and features list to be confirmed at launch. Prices and variant split will be revealed on August 28.
The Car Jury verdict
The Hector Hawk is MG's most ambitious India play since the ZS EV, and the PHEV variant is the interesting bit: a claimed 125km of electric-only range means most weekday commutes never touch the petrol tank, while the engine handles the Diwali drive home. That is a genuinely useful answer to range anxiety, and Mahindra has nothing like it on the XEV 9E or BE6.
But MG's after-sales story worries us. Arun Panwar puts it plainly on his channel: an MG cannot promise Fortuner-grade reliability, and he asks what has gone wrong at the brand. Until pricing lands and warranty terms are clear, treat this like the Windsor EV: WAIT for the first six months of ownership reports before signing.
