- 2.0-litre diesel to be offered only with a six-speed manual gearbox

- Slated to be launched by the end of this year

It is evident from the numerous teaser images and videos that MG is working on the facelift version of the Hector SUV. Slated to be launched by the end of this year, the MG Hector will get a new face, a thoroughly revamped cabin, and an extended feature list. However, on the powertrain front, we can confirm that Hector’s diesel mill will not get an automatic transmission.

The current MG Hector is available with 1.5-litre petrol, 1.5-litre petrol mild-hybrid, and a 2.0-litre diesel engine. While the former two can be had with manual and automatic gearboxes, the latter is offered only with a six-speed manual gearbox. The 2.0-litre oil burner is the same motor that also does duties on the Jeep Compass, Tata Safari, and Tata Harrier. Notably, all these models are available with an automatic transmission and the Hector will remain the only SUV to stick to a manual version.

However, the new Hector when launched will get a host of upgrades that will include a larger front grille, a bigger vertically-stacked touchscreen infotainment system, a digital instrument cluster, redesigned aircon vents, and a new gear lever.