The MG Hector garnered plenty of attention when it was unveiled earlier this month, we even got a chance to drive the SUV and came out pretty impressed with the way all the pieces were put together for an impressive final product. Being its first model, MG had to make sure no checkboxes were left unticked before it arrived later this month.

The MG Hector, however, will be inducted into a highly contested segment that is being dominated by a few sales mammoths such as the Tata Harrier. For the uninitiated, the Harrier is Tata's flagship SUV based on a platform that was derived from the company's folks at Land Rover. Needless to say, the chassis combined with high-quality parts won over a huge audience and soon started rapidly climbing sales charts.

Hence to put the catfight to rest, here is how both cats stack up against each other on paper.

Dimensions

The MG Hector is evidently the longest car in the segment. The SUV measures 57mm longer than the Harrier which measures 4598 mm in length. However, the car comes with a narrow track with a width of 1835mm which is narrower than the Harrier at 1894mm. The long body of the Hector calls for a longer wheelbase which measures 2750mm against the Harrier's 4741mm. In terms of attacking the terrain, the Harrier takes the win with a ground clearance of 200mm, which is 8mm higher than Hector's at 192mm.

Features

The MG Hector benefits from a load of creature comforts over the Harrier. While the Harrier is nothing of that sorts, it does lot lag behind with its 7-inch TFT MID coloured screen. Speaking of connectivity features, the Hector takes the cake with its i-Smart unit that has more than 100 voice-controlled features. The car comes with an integrated e-SIM that is independent of the user's phone.

The Tata Harrier, on the other hand, ships with a 7-inch TFT MID coloured screen inside the cabin. On the outside, it gets automatic headlamps, automatic wipers, LED DRLs, projector headlamps, automatic wipers, LED DRLs, projector headlamps, LED tail lamps, 14 function ESP and multi-driving modes that tweak the power output of the engine according to the road conditions.

Engines

The MG Hector can be availed in both petrol and diesel guise. The diesel engine of the Hector is that of the Harrier, in a different state of tune, chugging 170 hp and 350 Nm of peak torque. The diesel variant is available with only available with a six-speed manual transmission. In addition to this, MG also offers an optional 48V mild hybrid tech that adds 20 Nm to the existing torque figures.

At the heart of it, the Harrier carries a 2.0-litre KRYOTEC engine, sourced from Fiat. As mentioned above, it is the same engine that powers the MG Hector and the Jeep Compass. In the Harrier, the engine churns out 138hp with 350 Nm of torque. A six-speed manual transmission comes as standard throughout the range.