MG just did something no mainstream brand has done in India. It launched a plug-in hybrid SUV, the Hector Tomahawk PHEV, at ₹25.69 lakh. The idea is simple: drive up to 115km a day on pure electric, then let the petrol engine take over for the weekend run to Manali. No charger hunting, no worry about running out of battery. But you pay for that freedom, so let's see who it's really for.
MG Hector Tomahawk Price: ₹19.49L outright, ₹25.69L for PHEV
The Hector Tomahawk PHEV starts at ₹25.69 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base Exclusive trim. The top Essence trim costs ₹27.79 lakh. On-road prices will be higher after road tax, registration and insurance, and these vary by state. MG also offers a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) plan. This drops the upfront price to ₹21.79 lakh, but you then pay ₹3.20 per km as battery rent. These are introductory prices for limited bookings. Bookings are open now and deliveries start in November 2026.
Exclusive vs Essence: the ₹2.1 lakh gap buys Level 2 ADAS
There are just two trims, both 7-seat only. The Exclusive at ₹25.69 lakh already packs a lot: a 15.6-inch touchscreen, panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats and six airbags. The Essence at ₹27.79 lakh is the one to get if you want the full tech list. It adds Level 2 ADAS (safety tech that can brake and steer for you), with adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and automatic emergency braking. So the ₹2.1 lakh jump mainly buys that driver-assist package. For a family that does long highway runs, the ADAS is worth it.
How the plug-in hybrid works: 115km EV then petrol kicks in
This is a proper plug-in hybrid, not a Maruti-style mild hybrid. It NEEDS charging to use its 115km electric range. Under the bonnet sits a 1.5-litre petrol engine running the Atkinson cycle (a fuel-saving engine design), paired with a 20.5kWh battery and a 148kW electric motor. Power goes through a Dedicated Hybrid Transmission. There are four modes: Pure EV, Series Hybrid, Parallel Hybrid and Engine Direct Drive. The car picks the right mode by itself based on speed and battery charge. The 1,100km combined range comes with an asterisk: you get 115km on electric first, then the petrol tank takes over for the rest. It's fast too, doing 0-100 km/h in about 9 seconds.
Charging time and running cost: 35 min DC, claimed 40–50 kmpl
The battery takes 7.5 hours to charge from 10 to 100 percent on a home AC charger (3.3kW). On a 25kW DC fast charger, 30 to 80 percent takes 35 minutes. MG claims 40 to 50 kmpl under good hybrid conditions. But be honest here: that number only holds if you charge the battery often. If you rarely plug in, the petrol engine does most of the work and mileage drops sharply. For a Delhi-Gurgaon-Noida daily commute of under 100km, you could run almost entirely on electric and use very little petrol. That's where the real savings sit.
Features and safety, trim by trim!
Both trims get a 15.6-inch portrait touchscreen, an 8.8-inch driver display, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats and a 10-speaker Infinity sound system. You also get wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, OTA updates and over 80 connected car features. There's V2L and V2H too, meaning the car's battery can power home appliances or act as a backup for your house. On safety, both trims get six airbags, ESP, traction control, ABS with EBD, hill hold and parking sensors. The Essence adds Level 2 ADAS and a 360-degree camera. One niggle: with all three rows up, boot space is a tight 192 litres, so the battery does eat into luggage room. Fold the third row and you get a healthier 528 litres.
MG Hector Tomahawk PHEV
SUV
Tomahawk PHEV vs Hector Plus vs Curvv EV: is the premium justified?
Here's the real decision. The petrol MG Hector Plus, a 7-seater, costs ₹17.29–20 lakh. So the Tomahawk PHEV base is about ₹5.7 lakh dearer than the top Hector Plus. That premium buys you the plug-in tech, the 115km EV range and the claimed 1,100km total. On the EV side, the Tata Curvv EV costs ₹16.99–19.49 lakh, but it's a pure electric 5-seater and needs a charger for every long trip. The Hyundai Creta N Line (₹17.83–20.1 lakh) is a petrol 5-seater in a different mould. The Jeep Compass (₹17.99–30.95 lakh) is premium but pure ICE. Only the Tomahawk gives you both electric daily running and petrol peace of mind in a 7-seater. That's genuinely rare in India right now.
Should you buy it? Who this ₹26 lakh plug-in makes sense for
Be clear-eyed about the math. The ₹5-6 lakh premium over a petrol Hector Plus takes a lot of kilometres to earn back through fuel savings, likely 1.5-2 lakh km at city petrol prices. So this isn't for someone chasing pure value. It makes sense for a specific buyer: a tech-loving family that has home charging, does short electric daily commutes, but still wants a petrol engine for long trips without planning around chargers. If that's you, the Tomahawk PHEV fits the bill. Our pick is the Essence at ₹27.79 lakh, because the Level 2 ADAS matters most on the highway runs this car is built for. Penny-pinchers should skip it and buy the petrol Hector Plus.
MG Hector Tomahawk PHEV — Dimensions & weight
| Specification | MG Hector Tomahawk PHEV |
|---|---|
| Length | 4745 mm |
| Width | 1850 mm (2130 mm incl. mirrors) |
| Height | 1770 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2810 mm (best-in-segment) |
| Boot space | 192 L all rows up / 528 L 3rd row folded (VDA ISO V211) |
| Fuel tank | 52 L |
| Seating | 7 Person |
References: MG India — official website
