Vellfire under fire, and Carnival feeling like Carens – is that the effect the new MG M9 can have on the competition? I drove this full-size superluxury MPV for a couple of days – to test if it’s as impressive as it’s made out to be.
The trio
India’s three superluxury MPVs represent three powertrain technologies – the Toyota Vellfire is hybrid, the Kia Carnival is diesel, and the M9 is electric.The Vellfire is the most expensive (Rs 1.22-1.32 crore), followed by the M9 (Rs 69.9 lakh), and the Carnival (Rs 63.91 lakh).The M9 will be available at a new chain called MG Select, and not at regular MG showrooms where you find cars such as the Windsor or Hector.
How’s the design?
If it isn’t boxy, can it be an MPV?Like the Vellfire and Carnival, the M9 has the boxy silhouette of luxury MPVs, and at 5.2 metres long, it is bigger than both. It doesn’t have the blingy look of the Toyota or the handsome stance of the Kia, but looks more like a bus. Its thin headlights and closed grille differentiate it from competitors, and the rear has an almost wall-like door.But the magic is inside. Its cabin is in the same league as the priced-double Toyota, and seems plusher than the Kia. And it’s huge – there is so much space inside that you can play football or hide an elephant in a corner!
Chauffeur-driven car
Such MPVs are almost always chauffeur-driven, and so that’s the place I chose over the driving seat. The second-row has two ottoman chairs – similar to aircraft business class seats, and have heating, ventilation, and massage functions. These can be reclined to a bed-like position.Sitting here, you can slide the front passenger seat forward to create more legroom, and there are touch-controls for every function.The third row is also spacious, and can easily accommodate two adults or three kids.All rows have their own AC vents and charging ports.
How does it drive?
The dashboard is clean and minimalist – with two big screens (12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and 7-inch digital driver’s display) – and that shade of tan inside looks premium.Seating position is high, and its 90-kWh battery pack – paired with a single electric motor that drives the front wheels – has a claimed range of 548 km. But as I took the seat, it showed a real-world range of 425 km.Power and torque figures are impressive (245 bhp and 350 Nm), and acceleration is surprisingly fast – my test car did 0-100 km/h in about 10 seconds. But the M9 isn’t designed for acceleration, it’s all about delivering a smooth, silent, and calming driving experience. The steering is light, and suspension is soft.Its size can be a problem parking it in malls or navigating narrow streets or taking tight about-turns, but you can keep that for your expert driver.
Is it India’s best MPV?
It’s definitely India’s most luxurious electric MPV, with features such as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 13-speaker JBL sound system, connected car tech, dual panoramic sunroof, 3-zone climate control, cabin air filter, and digital IRVM (cabin mirror).It has received 5-star safety rating in Euro NCAP and Australian NCAP crash tests, has 7 airbags, and Level 2 ADAS (features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and automatic emergency braking).It supports 160-kW DC fast charging (battery top-up in 90 minutes), and a 11-kW AC charger can top it up in 10 hours.
What’s missing?
The M9 sits between the Vellfire and Carnival, and is an electric alternative to both. It’s got maximum space, has extremely low cost of ownership (Rs 1-2 per km), but what it misses out on is truly long range (real-world range with 5-7 seven passengers will be about 400 km, not enough for a Delhi-Jaipur or Mumbai-Nashik round trip).Even if you consider claimed range (548 km), it’s far short of the Vellfire (about 1,100 km, with a 60-litre petrol tank and fuel efficiency of 19.28 km/litre), and the Carnival (about 1,000 km, with 72-litre diesel tank and fuel efficiency of 14.85 km/litre).But in all other areas, it seems to be a better choice.
