MG Hector Tomahawk PHEV launched at Rs 25.70 lakh

JSW MG Motor India has launched the Hector Tomahawk PHEV at an introductory price of Rs 25.70 lakh (ex-showroom) alongside the all-electric version of this brand-new SUV. This becomes India’s first mainstream plug-in hybrid SUV that’s claimed to deliver over 115km of electric-only range and a combined fuel efficiency figure of over 40kpl. MG also claims that the Tomahawk PHEV can travel a distance of over 1100km with a full tank of fuel and a fully charged battery. 

1. Hector Tomahawk PHEV is claimed to deliver over 1100km combined range 
2. It’s powered by a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine and a 20.5kWh battery 
3. Available only in a 7-seater configuration 

Here’s a look at the full price list of the MG Hector Tomahawk PHEV:

The Tomahawk PHEV is also available under the BaaS program with prices starting from Rs 21.79 lakh and Rs 3.20 is charged additionally on the battery rental. Bookings for the Tomahawk PHEV have commenced today and deliveries will begin in November this year. However, these prices will be applicable for a limited number of bookings. 

MG Hector Tomahawk PHEV dimensions 

Available in a 7-seater configuration, the Hector Tomahawk PHEV finds itself in the company of the Mahindra XUV 7XO and Tata Safari. To give you a perspective of its size, the Hector Tomahawk PHEV measures 4745mm in length and has a wheelbase of 2810mm – that’s more than both the XUV 7XO (4695mm length) and Safari (4668mm length). As for width and height, it measures 1850mm and 1770mm, respectively.

MG Hector Tomahawk PHEV powertrain and specs 

What makes the Tomahawk PHEV unique among its petrol and diesel-powered rivals is its powertrain – it uses a 1.5-litre, naturally aspirated Atkinson cycle petrol engine paired to a 20.5kWh battery pack and a permanent magnet electric motor. On its own, the combustion engine produces 102hp and 125Nm, while the electric motor produces 201hp and 237Nm, although MG hasn’t quoted a combined power and torque figure for the powertrain.  

This powertrain is mated to a dedicated hybrid transmission with an e-clutch and is claimed to have a thermal efficiency of 43.2 percent. Being a PHEV, there are four drive modes: pure EV (electric motor drives the wheels), series hybrid (engine recharges the battery, while electric motor drives the wheels), parallel hybrid (both engine and electric motor together drive the wheels for maximum performance) and engine direct drive (engine directly powers the wheels to minimise conversion losses for efficient highway driving). 

What’s interesting is that the powertrain automatically shuffles between all the modes, requiring no manual input from the driver. MG claims the system switches modes in just 0.1 seconds depending on vehicle speed, throttle inputs, state of charge and road conditions. 

As already mentioned, electric-only range is rated at over 115km, while a full tank of fuel and a fully charged battery can take it more than 1100km. Meanwhile, a 3.3kW AC charger can top up the battery from 10 to 100 percent in 7.5 hours, while 25kW DC charger takes 35mins to recharge it from 30 to 80 percent.   

MG Hector Tomahawk PHEV exterior design and colours

Visually, the Tomahawk PHEV has quite a busy-looking front end with multiple colours and trim elements. Compared to the EV, which has a minimalistic fascia, the PHEV version gets a large functional grille with chrome elements, gloss black garnishes below the rectangular headlamps and a chunky bull bar-like silver trim piece on the bumper. 

The side profile, in contrast, has much smoother surfaces. It also gets prominent body cladding near the door sills and over the wheel arches and handsome 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels. The white-coloured roof in the dual-tone variants also creates a nice floating effect. At the rear, the SUV features wraparound rectangular tail lamps and a two-tone bumper. 

MG will be offering the Hector Tomahawk PHEV in six monotone shades: Starry Black, Aurora Silver, Shadow Gold, Pearl White, Turquoise Green and Celadon Blue; the latter two are also available in a dual-tone shade with a white-coloured roof. 

MG Hector Tomahawk PHEV interior and features 

The cabin of the Hector Tomahawk PHEV is a minimalistic affair, with a large 15.6-inch touchscreen dominating the dashboard. It also gets a free-standing 8.8-inch digital driver’s display, a flat-bottomed two-spoke steering wheel and a large floating centre console with lots of storage spaces, integrated cupholders and a wireless charging pad.

There’s also generous use of soft-touch leatherette materials on the dashboard and door pads, lending it a premium feel. However, there are very few physical buttons, which means most functions are operated through the touchscreen, including HVAC. The interior is also largely identical to the all-electric version, save for the upholstery colours. 

In terms of features, Hector Tomahawk PHEV offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, gesture controls for functions such as air conditioning and audio settings, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated and powered front seats, powered tail gate, 256-colour ambient lighting, a 10-speaker Infinity sound system, connected car tech, rear window sunshades and a memory and auto-retract functionality for the driver’s seat. In terms of safety, six airbags are standard across both variants. it also gets a 360-degree camera setup with transparent-bonnet and wheel-view functions and a Level 2 ADAS suite.