JSW MG Motor Lines up Majestor to take on Fortuner in India’s Premium SUV Segment

With an aim of grabbing a bigger pie of the premium SUV market, JSW MG Motor India has lined up the Majestor D-segment SUV to replace the Gloster.

Positioning it as the biggest, widest, and longest D-segment SUV, JSW MG Motor is preparing to mount a fresh challenge to the long-dominant Toyota Fortuner with the Majestor, a full-size diesel SUV that will anchor the company’s internal-combustion portfolio and target buyers in India’s premium D-segment SUV category.

The large-SUV segment is estimated at around 35,000–40,000 units annually and has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 2.5% over the past few years. Despite its modest size, the category is regarded as strategically important due to high transaction prices, strong margins, and brand-building potential. Toyota’s Fortuner and Legender range has cumulatively crossed 300,000 units in India, underscoring deep-rooted customer loyalty.

“This has been a very consistent category over the last few years. We do not see it suddenly jumping in volume, but what is changing is that Indian consumers are becoming more comfortable buying higher ticket-size vehicles,” said Anurag Mehrotra, Managing Director, JSW MG Motor India.

On the role of the Majestor, Mehrotra said MG’s consumer research points to clear gaps in current offerings.

“There are three things which are unmet for consumers today – they want premium fit and finish or sophistication inside the car, they want 4x4 capability, and they also want D-sized cars. They are not able to get these today in the current products. The Majestor is our attempt to address that gap,” he said.

The Majestor will replace the Gloster as MG’s flagship internal-combustion SUV and will sit above the rest of the brand’s ICE portfolio.

“The D segment is typically considered the pinnacle of the Indian auto industry. It is where technology is reinforced and where brands are built,” said Vinay Raina, Director – Marketing and Customer Experience, JSW MG Motor India.

Raina said customers in this category expect a blend of capability and comfort.

“The customer expects capability as a given, but does not want to compromise on creature comforts, connectivity, or technology. Most of his driving is on normal roads, and he needs the car to be comfortable for five or six hours at a stretch,” he said.

Leadership Experience in the Segment

Both Raina and Mehrotra previously held senior leadership roles at Ford India, where they were closely associated with the positioning and sales of the Ford Endeavour, one of the Fortuner’s most direct rivals during its time in the Indian market.

Their experience in serving the same large-SUV buyer cohort – customers prioritising size, diesel power, four-wheel-drive capability, and premium positioning – is shaping MG’s approach with the Majestor.

Powertrain and Features

The Majestor is based on the same underlying architecture as the outgoing Gloster, with core hard points such as the platform, body structure, doors, roof, fenders, glasshouse and powertrain carryover, indicating that the model represents a comprehensive facelift and repositioning rather than an all-new ground-up SUV.

The Majestor measures about 5,046 mm in length, 2,016 mm in width, and 1,870 mm in height, with a wheelbase of around 2,950 mm, giving it a larger footprint than the Fortuner.

It will be powered by a 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine producing roughly 213–216 horsepower and around 478 Nm of torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive configurations will be offered.

MG says the SUV will feature multiple off-road drive modes, differential locks, Level-2 advanced driver-assistance systems, dual 12.3-inch digital displays, ventilated and massaging front seats, a panoramic sunroof, and connected-car technology.

Pricing, Deliveries, and Capacity

Pre-bookings for the Majestor have opened with a token amount of ₹41,000. JSW MG Motor plans to announce prices in April 2026, with deliveries expected to start in May 2026. Industry estimates place expected pricing in the ₹40 lakh-plus range, overlapping with the Fortuner’s price band.

JSW MG Motor has not outlined specific sales targets for the Majestor. However, the company said it is preparing for production capacity of more than 1,000 units per month, indicating internal expectations of meaningful scale if demand develops.

The Majestor launch forms part of JSW MG Motor’s broader plan to invest ₹3,000–4,000 crore over the medium term in product development, localisation, and capacity expansion. While the company’s long-term strategy remains anchored in new energy vehicles, it continues to selectively participate in profitable internal-combustion segments.

While JSW MG Motor remains non-committal on Majestor volumes, its capacity preparation, leadership experience in the segment, and emphasis on size, capability, and technology underline a calibrated attempt to establish a credible alternative in one of India’s most resilient premium SUV categories.