JSW MG Motor India on Wednesday launched the Majestor SUV at an introductory price of Rs 40.99 lakh, stepping up its challenge to the dominance of the Toyota Fortuner which is the best seller at average monthly sales of over 2,500 units. Positioned as the company’s flagship internal combustion-powered SUV, the Majestor replaces the Gloster in MG’s line-up and will rival models such as the Jeep Meridian, Volkswagen Tayron and Skoda Kodiaq.

Essentially a heavily updated Gloster, the Majestor is available in two variants, priced between Rs 40.99 lakh and Rs 44.99 lakh (ex-showroom). While the entry-level 4×2 diesel automatic variant at Rs 40.99 lakh, is priced above the Fortuner’s comparable trim at Rs 37.61 lakh, MG has undercut Toyota in the higher-end 4×4 diesel automatic category.

The fully loaded Majestor is priced Rs 44.99 lakh which lower than the Fortuner Legender at Rs 48.29 lakh and the Fortuner GR-S at Rs 50.46 lakh. However, Toyota’s standard Fortuner 4×4 diesel-AT variant remains cheaper at Rs 43.12 lakh.

As far as updates go, MG Majestor gets a major styling refresh along with a lot more features and tech on the inside, including dual 12.3-inch digital screens, a panoramic sunroof and Level 2 advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Under the hood, the SUV continues with the same 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine seen on the Gloster, producing 215 hp.

Among rivals, the Skoda Kodiaq starts at Rs 36.99 lakh, making it more affordable at the entry level, although its top-end version is around Rs 2 lakh costlier than the Majestor’s range-topping trim.

The Volkswagen Tayron, sold in a single variant, is also priced above the top-spec Majestor. In this category, the Jeep Meridian remains the most affordable among the rivals, with prices ranging from Rs 33.75 lakh to Rs 37.82 lakh for the top-spec 4×4 diesel automatic.