Let’s be honest. For the last ten years, if you had ₹45-50 lakh saved up for an SUV, the decision basically made itself. You walked into a Toyota showroom, signed the papers for a Fortuner, and that was that. No real debate. The Gloster tried. The Meridian tried. None of them really stuck.

MG is trying again, but this time with something noticeably different. The MG Majestor launched in May 2026 and it isn’t just bigger than the Fortuner. It has more off-road hardware, a more loaded cabin, and it costs less than a top-spec Legender. That combination is hard to ignore.

For Years, the Fortuner Was the Only Answer. Here’s Why That’s Changing

The Fortuner became India’s default big SUV for a reason. It earned its reputation through years of bulletproof reliability and strong resale. It became the car of choice for politicians, businessmen, and anyone who wanted to announce their arrival without saying a word.

The Majestor cannot match that street credibility yet. Let’s be clear about that. But what it can offer right now is more car for the same or less money. And in 2026, Indian buyers are getting smarter about that trade-off.

Pricing and Variants: What You Actually Pay

Pre-bookings opened on February 12, 2026 at ₹41,000. Prices were announced in late April, and deliveries started in May 2026. Here’s the variant breakdown, ex-showroom Delhi:

Sharp 7STR 2WD comes in at ₹40.69 lakh. The Savvy 6STR 2WD is ₹42.00 lakh, Savvy 7STR 2WD is ₹43.49 lakh, and the top Savvy 7STR 4WD sits at ₹45.00 lakh. On-road in metros like Delhi, expect to land somewhere between ₹47 and ₹53 lakh after taxes and registration.

The first 3,000 buyers get a solid early-bird package: 5-year unlimited kilometre warranty, 5 years of roadside assistance, and 5 free labour services. For a brand still building its reliability reputation in India, that warranty coverage actually matters.

Size and Design: This Thing Is an Absolute Unit

When I first looked at the spec sheet, the dimensions were genuinely surprising. At 5046 mm long, 2016 mm wide, and 1870 mm tall with a 2950 mm wheelbase, this is a proper big SUV. Not “big for India” big. Just big.

It sits on a ladder-frame chassis with 219 mm of ground clearance and 810 mm of water-wading depth. So yes, monsoon season flooding is something this car can handle. Parking it in a crowded Delhi market or a tight Mumbai basement? That is a completely different story. Plan accordingly.

The design is bold without being flashy. Split LED headlights, an aggressive grille, connected tail lamps. It looks modern and commanding. Park it next to the outgoing Gloster and the difference is obvious. Park it next to a Fortuner and the Majestor just looks like the newer, larger car.

Behind the Wheel: Does the 2.0L Twin-Turbo Actually Deliver?

The engine is a 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel making 215.5 PS and 478.5 Nm of torque, paired with an 8-speed torque-converter automatic. Base variants are RWD. Proper 4WD is available on the top Savvy trim.

From early first-drive reviews in April and May 2026, the mid-range torque is where this engine shines. Highway overtakes feel relaxed rather than urgent. The car handles a full seven-seat load without feeling strained. At 100 to 120 km/h cruising speeds, the cabin stays impressively quiet for a ladder-frame SUV.

Real-world fuel efficiency should settle around 10 to 12 kmpl in mixed conditions. That’s standard for this segment and nothing to get excited or worried about.

Also Read: The Skoda Kodiaq 2026 Update Finally Gets ADAS Right and Here Is What That Actually Means for Buyers

Off-Road: This Is Where the Majestor Actually Earns Its Price Tag

Most SUVs at this price level talk a big off-road game. The Majestor has the hardware to back it up.

The 4WD variant gets triple differential locks: front, centre, and rear. That’s a segment-first at this price point and not a small detail. It also gets MG’s M-Hub 4×4 system with 10 terrain modes covering Sand, Snow, Mud, Rock, and more, plus M-Crawl low-speed control and a low-range transfer case.

Reviewers who took it off actual dirt say it performs like it means it. For buyers who plan Himalayan drives, forest trails, or just regularly deal with genuinely bad roads, the 4WD Majestor is worth the ₹45 lakh ask.

Inside the Cabin: Does It Feel Like the Price Tag?

Short answer: yes, mostly. Twin 12.3-inch screens for infotainment and the digital cluster dominate the dash. The JBL Studio 12-speaker system sounds good. The panoramic Galaxy View roof makes the cabin feel airy. Ventilated and massaging front seats are a welcome addition for long drives.

Three-zone climate control, 64-colour ambient lighting, dual wireless chargers, a gesture tailgate. It’s all there. The Level 2 ADAS suite, 360-degree cameras, and 6 airbags cover the safety side. MG’s i-Smart 2.0 connected tech adds 75-plus features accessible via smartphone.

Now about that third row. MG claims it’s genuinely usable. And surprisingly, they aren’t lying. Your adults won’t hate you for putting them back there on a Jaipur road trip. The wheelbase of 2950 mm makes a real difference here compared to shorter rivals.

Also Read: Suzuki Swift Hydrogen Unveiled: The New H2 ICE That Changes Everything We Thought About Small Cars

MG Majestor vs Toyota Fortuner: The Question Everyone Is Asking

The Fortuner runs from around ₹34 lakh to ₹50 lakh. At mid-to-upper Fortuner money, the Majestor gives you a bigger body, more off-road hardware, a more modern cabin, and Level 2 ADAS that the Fortuner doesn’t offer in equivalent trims.

What the Fortuner still has: years of proven reliability data, stronger resale value, and a service network that reaches towns the MG dealership hasn’t arrived at yet. If you live outside a major metro or if resale value in three years is a serious concern, that still matters.

But if you’re based in a city, plan to keep the car for five or more years, and want everything the money can buy right now, the gap between these two cars has narrowed considerably.

The Verdict: Should You Cancel Your Fortuner Booking?

Not blindly, no. But should you at least go drive the Majestor before you sign anything? Absolutely.

The MG Majestor is the most complete product MG India has launched. The size is real, the off-road hardware is legitimate, and the cabin quality punches above the price. The concerns around long-term reliability and resale are fair. They’re just harder to quantify than a spec sheet.

For families who want a genuinely spacious 7-seater for regular long drives, for enthusiasts who actually plan to use that 4WD system, and for buyers who want the most feature-loaded SUV under ₹53 lakh on-road, the Majestor makes a strong case.

Bookings are open. Deliveries have started. If this is your segment, it’s worth a weekend visit to the showroom.

What’s stopping you from giving the Majestor a serious look before finalising your next SUV purchase?