We look at the MG Gloster – an SUV with Chinese origins and very pronounced English tastes

The Gloster is the current flagship of MG in India, sitting above the MG Hector. Introduced last year in the country, MG claims that the Gloster’s name comes from a prototype jet-engined aircraft that was made in Britain.

This namesake’s powerplant, however, runs on diesel instead of aviation fuel. The MG Gloster’s 1996 cc heavy oil burner is available in options; a naturally aspirated version that puts out 163 PS while the same engine fed through a turbo charger is good for 218 PS.

Both the diesels get the same 8-speed automatic which sends the grunt down to either the two wheels at the rear or to all four wheels on demand, depending on which variant of the MG Gloster you are driving.

Sitting in the driver’s seat, the interiors – available in 6-seater and 7-seater options - seem expansive. Heavily influenced by trends seen in European automobiles today, the design language speaks of modern elegance and the confluence of multiple textures and materials is proof of this. Thoughtful features like the power adjustable seats – the driver’s seat is adjustable in a dozen ways – and memory of the power adjustable outside rear view mirrors go a long way in making life a little easier for the Gloster owner.

Legroom and headroom are adequate where ever you choose to sit in this MG. Even the rear most row has more than adequate legroom for averaged sized occupants and isn’t a place best reserved for the kids, like with some of the competition.

Step outside, and the expansive dimensions of the Gloster hit you like a pile of bricks. From all angles, the Gloster is an imposing SUV and is sure to grab eyeballs everywhere it goes. ‘Size is everything’ seems to be the brief given to the designer, who hasn’t failed on delivering what looks like a truly imposing SUV.

On the move, the turbo-charged diesel variant is the one to have. Stomp on that throttle while attempting an overtaking maneuver, and the Gloster will shoot forward with a tenacity that belies an SUV of its size. The good news is that this MG stops as impressively as well. At lower revs, however, the Gloster could do with some more poke.

The Gloster prices begin at ₹28.98 lakh ex-showroom, New Delhi and go up to ₹35.38 lakh, ex-showroom, New Delhi. For that money, you certainly get a lot of SUV with a truck load of features, some of which, like the Forward Collision Warning and the Automatic Emergency Braking, could actually be a life saver.