MG Gloster: The SUV That Doesn't Have To Try

It's a big deal, both in terms of power and style. Because, sometimes too much of everything is a good deal in a sea of SUVs

- Bobby John Varkey

FIRST THINGS first: the MG Gloster is BIG. Not big in the clunky, giant sense. It’s not big for big’s sake either. Let’s just say it is generously proportioned, looks painstakingly luxurious and flaunts a spec sheet fit for a high-performance hauler.

The best part? This one doesn’t shout too loud about being an SUV. Short of being coy about what it is, the Gloster’s handsome road presence, and the long list of features it comes loaded with, is what makes it special. Oh yeah, this one’s an eager off-roader too, with as many as seven modes — mud, sand, sport, eco, auto, rock and snow — to choose from.

The numbers prompted us to ask the good guys at Gloster one question: Where does a vehicle so big — with all its bells and whistles, so much power on tap and the off-roading chops it claims — show its true colours? We ended up answering this on our own: For a seat-gripping weekend drive from Delhi to the magnificent fortress-turned luxury hotel Castle Mandawa, in Rajasthan’s Shekhawati region. The plan was to let the Gloster take on everything a dilapidated highway between Delhi and Jhunjhunu will throw at it, try some mud plugging, and then soak in the luxury of the grand, old-world chambers of former Maharajas; complete with family portraits and palanquin-style balconies. A seamless blend of the rugged and the royal, so to speak.