If the MHero 1 had an anthem, it would still be humming in my head as I got behind the wheel of MHero II. The second model in the lineup bears close resemblance to the original in capabilities and its military-grade legacy. Before admiring its stance and singing its heroic sagas, I begin by saying I love the price!
But first, the heroics.
MHero II is a cool and capable car striking your sensibilities like only a Hummer once could. It shares its design DNA with MHero I; meets its capabilities way beyond the halfway mark; and knocks down almost a 100 grand from its price, making it a down to earth hero.
Design and dimensions
My first impression of the MHero II: an urban incarnation of capability in a post-apocalyptic setting. Apart from having a bird-beak for a bonnet, the flat-out design keeps it closer to the Humvee styling, while the friendly lights play its signature even as you approach it.
Up close, you realise that the MHero II is actually a wee bit longer than the M Hero I – leaving you perplexed at first and eventually grateful for the exra rather than complaining about it. The 5.1 metre SUV is still a 5-seater and that simply means humungous legroom, headroom and tons of storage, beginning with a 828L boot! On the mid console there is space for an extra phone and a 5L fridge that charms, cools or warms.
A solid handshake
The heavy door and the grip are your familiarity cues to the solid side of MHero II. The other side of machismo is pampering luxury. For instance, the solid door doesn’t hangout half-closed, thanks to automatic soft-closure. Just about the same time, caring shows up as a retracting side step – which makes perfect sense considering how tall it stands from the ground. A word of caution, however: The side steps don’t come out on some off-road modes like mud and sand, so that the side steps and their mechanism don’t get damaged against the dunes. However, better be aware of the current mode – you don’t want your passenger twisting an ankle!
Formidable, fashionable
The MHero II uses materials that appear to be good enough for a fort even as the cabin generously provides the front passengers with power seats, lumbar support and a choice of massages. The 5-seater space has tri-zone cooling.
Impact belongs to the 15.6” LED display that serves as the tech handle. There are dual charging spaces – one for the mobile and the other for the key. As music streams through its 18 Dynaudio speakers, MHero II impresses with its radio functionality – a feat many Chinese models are still grappling with!
Cool, capable
MHero II looks like it can go anywhere without any driver assistance but it’s good to know that it has several terrain choices – selected through a dial on the console joint. The dial and the screen above display the mode visual – SNOW / ROCK / SAND / MUD / WADING / AUTO. Among the various modes, MHero II promises high-end city driving comfort with adaptive all-terrain capability. The intelligent air suspensions are committed to the comfort of its upscale cabin. It is not available in Terrain version but justifies the price of Prime version.
By now, the whole world knows about Crab Walk, thanks to the Hummer EV. It is nothing but a mechanism that allows the rear wheels to walk a walk that steers ‘the other way’ by 10-degrees compared with the front wheels – allowing you to get out of a tight spot diagonally. There is a useful feature called U-turn – which is basically tightening your turning angle and keeping it locked as the vehicle makes an about turn. So, you like the concept – I did too. But there is a stack of terms and conditions (texture of the terrain, how solid the ground is – or not) to get that activated. But seriously, what is truly impressive is the regular U-turn radius of 5.1 m (which I think is the same as a Suzuki Swift compact hatchback!). Among its capabilities, MHero II lists water fording up to 900 mm (that is the same as the new Defender!), transparent chassis view camera and off-road cruise control. Sometimes one wonders if the purpose of these features is to just add up to a car that is as formidable as it looks – or actually pull you out of a sticky situation.
MHero I vs MHero II
The MHERO II is a high-performance luxury plug-in hybrid SUV built by Dongfeng (the brand has recently found a new UAE distributor in Al Ghurair Mobility). The 1.5L turbo engine with dual electric motors handles its momentous power as a refined beast and gets from 0 to 100 kmph in a reasonable-sounding 5.2 sec.
The MHero I is a wild and extreme off-roader with 805 hp and over 1000 Nm of torque, with a combined range of 834 km. MHero II is a more city-oriented, toned-down luxury variant with 677 – 687 hp and 848 Nm claiming an extended driving range of over 1300. However, for a good part of my testing, the fuel economy showed up as half that – figures steadily improve with consistent driving.
MHero II Prime and Terrain – the main difference
Features that spike the cabin luxury have been added to the Prime version while off-roading features are more in the Terrain version. Prime gets 20” alloy wheels, when Terrain gets only 18”. Prime gets panoramic sunroof. A quirky assignment is of the soft closure – Prime gets soft close doors while Terrain gets soft closure tailgate! The safety features are common – 6 airbags, 360 camera, Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward and Rear Collision Warning, Rear cross traffic alert with braking, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane departure warning, Blind Spot detection [intervention like lane keep assist seemed to be absent]
MHero I:
4987 x 2080 x 1935 mm
(5,096 mm including the rear storage box)
Price: AED 339,000
MHero II – dimensions
5,100 x 1,998 mm x 1,899 mm
Wheelbase – 3005 mm
Fuel tank – 84 L
Price: AED 199,000 and 239,000
