MG Motor India has finally launched the new Astor in the Indian market and the introductory prices are really impressive. Its feature-loaded cabin backed by the segment-first ADAS capabilities have given shock waves to the competition and the road is tough for the rivals. Just to give you a rough idea, we have compared the MG Astor Vs Hyundai Creta Vs Skoda Kushaq.
MG Astor is the newest entrant in the compact SUV segment and offers the biggest exterior dimensions among its key rivals. However, the Astor falls behind in the wheelbase that stands at 2,585mm which is shorter than that of the Creta and the Kushaq. The Astor, despite being the biggest, masks its dimensions better thanks to the crossover styling whereas both the Creta and the Kushaq are designed as SUVs with an upright stance.
| Dimensions | Astor | Creta | Kushaq |
| Length | 4,323mm | 4,300mm | 4,225mm |
| Width | 1,809mm | 1,790mm | 1,760mm |
| Height | 1,650mm | 1,635mm | 1,612mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,585mm | 2,610mm | 2,651mm |
| GroundClearance | 151mm (laden) | 190mm | 188mm |
Talking about the design, the Astor looks the freshest and most unique with its crossover styling. It doesn’t pretend to be something that it isn’t, unlike the Creta and the Kushaq that take the pseudo-SUV approach. Nonetheless, the radical design of the Creta may not go with everybody’s liking whereas the Kushaq gels in with the preferences of buyers better.
MG Astor is the most luxurious when it comes to the interiors and even with features for that matter. The dashboard is draped in leather that can be had in three colour choices - Tuxedo Black, Ivory dual-tone and Sangaria Red. The 10.1-inch HD touchscreen takes on the centre and offers wireless Android Auto and Apple Car Play. Other features include a panoramic sunroof, adaptive cruise control, 360-degree parking camera, steering modes, electric parking brake and more. However, it misses out on wireless charging, ventilated seats, paddle shifters and electronic IRVM.
Coming to the Hyundai Creta, it comes with some great features and a minimalist layout. Unlike the radical exteriors, the interiors are conventional with a high-mounted 10.25-inch touchscreen that supports both Android Auto and Apple Car Play. Other features include wireless charging, ventilated front seats, smart air purifier, D-cut steering wheel with paddle shifters, semi-digital instrument cluster, rear sunblinds, panoramic sunroof and a lot more.
Skoda Kushaq packs the least amount of kit in the segment but boasts strong underpinnings. Part of the package is the 10-inch infotainment system that supports wireless Android Auto and Apple Car Play along with Skoda apps. Other features include an electric sunroof, two-spoke steering with paddle shifters, wireless charging, ventilated seats, cruise control, touch-sensitive AC controls with rear AC vents and more.
While both the Astor and the Kushaq do with petrol powerplants, its the Creta that also offers diesel engine options along with the MPI and turbocharged petrol engine options. The Astor comes with a 1.5L MPI and a 1.3L T-GDi petrol motor and the latter is only offered with the automatic gearbox. Hyundai Creta also gets a 1.5L MPI along with a 1.4L T-GDI petrol engine and the latter is only offered with a 7-speed DCT gearbox. Its the Kushaq that offers both petrol engines with T-GDI technology and the 1.5L TSI also offers a 6-speed manual along with a 7-speed DSG. You can have a better look at the engine options with the table mentioned below:
| Engine options | Astor | Creta | Kushaq |
| Displacement | 1.5L/1.3L | 1.5L/1.4L | 1.0L/1.5L |
| Power | 110Hp/140Hp | 115Hp/140Hp | 115Hp/150Hp |
| Torque | 144 Nm/220 Nm | 114 Nm/242 Nm | 178 Nm/250 Nm |
| Gearbox | 5-speed MT and CVT/6-speed AT | 6-speed MT and CVT/7-speed DCT | 6-speed MT and AT/ MT and DCT |
MG Astor is the most affordable to buy among the three at this moment. MG has launched at the Astor from an starting price of Rs 9.78 lakh ex-showroom whereas the top variants cost 16.78 lakh. It is worth noting that none of the variants includes the cost of the Level-2 ADAS that has been offered as an optional accessory. You can see the price comparison for yourself with the rivals in the table below:
| Price | Astor | Creta | Kushaq |
| Ex-showroom | 9.78 - 16.78 lakh | 10.16 - 17.87 lakh | 10.49 - 17.59 lakh |
It is worth noting that the prices of the Kushaq are introductory and will only last till the first 5,000 deliveries, post which the prices will be revised. Hyundai Creta is the segment leader whereas Kushaq has helped Skoda to tap on tier 2 and tier 3 markets. From the value perspective, its the Astor that takes the crown with its affordable pricing and ton of advanced features.
If you found this article informative, make sure to check out other interesting reads on the Carorbis Blog and also read 2021 MG Astor Variants Explained
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