As Bob Dylan once sang, “the times, they are a-changin’” in the automotive industry. Things are quickly becoming quite electric.
After driving the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe last week, the three cars I planned be drive were all electric vehicles. Later this week, I will get behind the wheel of the Tata Harrier EV, and over the coming weekend, Kia India’s first mass-market electric vehicle, the Carens Clavis EV. But the car I’ve already driven might just turn out to be the most impressive of the lot.
This was the MG M9, a large multi-person vehicle, or a luxury van, if one were to call it what it is. This is the first vehicle from MG Motor India’s new ‘MG Select’ network, where the carmaker will sell premium vehicles.
However, I didn’t drive the M9 all that much, primarily because driving in Goa during the monsoons is not the most pleasant of experiences. But the second reason is more important. The M9 is a luxury van—the huge captain seats in the middle row is where the person buying the car is expected to sit.
And those seats are supremely comfortable, even more so than a regional business-class recliner on a narrowbody aircraft. With a touchscreen controller, you can adjust not only the recline of the seat and the footrest but also seat heating and ventilation. And a massage controller with eight different massage functions.
You can simply close your eyes and doze off—all without the guilt of polluting the atmosphere. The M9 being electric also means that there are no engine vibrations in the car to disturb you.
Visuals, drivetrain, range
How does the car measure up in terms of visuals? Well, it is a van. The waterfall design of the tail lights makes it most attractive from the rear three-quarters. But in this segment, being plain-looking is not a bad thing. The little chrome garnish on the rear doors does add some life to the car, but MG is launching the M9 in only three colours: Black, White, and Grey. It is not meant to stand out. Cyberster, the next product from MG Select, will do that beautifully, but we will wait for that later this month.
The electric drivetrain consists of a 90 kilowatt-hour battery pack with a 180 kilowatt (241 horsepower) motor driving the front wheels. The WLTP, a global range prediction tool, estimates that the M9 has around 440 km of range on a full charge, although Indian estimates could be higher. I believe that with convenience features on, the range would be closer to 380-400 km, more than enough for a drive between Delhi and Chandigarh, for example.
The vehicle can be fast-charged from 30 to 80 per cent in just about 30 minutes.
Also read: 2 Series Gran Coupe may be BMW’s best bet yet to win India’s luxury war
A smooth drive
On the first day, the ride quality felt harsh, but it turned out that the tires had been overfilled. The problem didn’t repeat on the second day. In fact, the driving experience was quite smooth, with no delay in the power delivery, thanks to the electric drivetrain. Despite its size, the M9 accelerates rapidly, going from 0 to 100 kmph in under ten seconds. And despite the 5.5 m length, it has a surprising turning radius.
The vehicle also features Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). The blind-spot and reverse assistance on the M9, given its length, are quite useful. In fact, the M9 features an interesting first: the inside rear-view mirror displays a rear camera feed. So if you have to drive the M9 in a pinch, it is surprisingly easy. Better still, the massage function is also available on the driver and passenger seats.
These luxury barges—make no mistake, these are big barges—are among the fastest-growing vehicle segments in China. And M9 is just the first to hit Indian shores. It is sold as the Maxus MIFA 9 in other markets. Other products from the likes of Li Auto, Xpeng, and Zeekr are taking rear-seat comfort to another level. While this segment might take some time to start getting serious volumes in India, the demand for Kia Carnival and Toyota Vellfire—against which the M9 is competing—is a sign that buyers are choosing space and comfort over luxury brand names.
MG Motor India hasn’t yet announced the pricing of the M9. But since it will come to India as a Semi-Knocked Down kit, it is expected to be in the Rs 70-80 lakh range. Given that it is an electric vehicle, for which registration fees and road tax are exempt in several states (with even tolls spared on state-owned highways in Maharashtra), it will stack up well against the competition.
MG Select has just opened its first showroom in Thane. The second one is about to open in Gurugram, and the company plans to build a network of 14 showrooms in 13 large cities by the end of 2025.
From what I have heard, even before the price announcement, the M9 is already sold out until the end of the year.
Kushan Mitra is an automotive journalist based in New Delhi. He tweets @kushanmitra. Views are personal.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)