The MG M9 electric MPV is all about pampering the boss sat at the back.
SUVs big and small are all the rage, but there’s another story developing on the sidelines – the rise of MPVs. MPVs outsold sedans in India last year and there’s record interest in the body style high up the price ladder too. Kia’s Rs 64 lakh (ex-showroom) Carnival is sold out for the year while Toyota delivered over 1,000 units of the Rs 1.22 crore Vellfire over the past 12 months. It’s customers like these who are happy to spend big on an MPV that MG wants to win over with its own luxury MPV. Meet the M9.
MG hasn’t announced prices as yet but has hinted that the M9 will slot in right between the Kia Carnival and Toyota Vellfire. Giving the M9 more distinction is the fact that it’s the first all-electric luxury MPV in India. There’s lots to talk about, but MG’s review embargo rules mean we can only share opinion on the rear-seat experience for the moment. So pardon us for this coming across as an on-the-surface review at places. You may check back in on July 10 when we’ll have all aspects covered.
MG M9 exterior design and engineering – 7/10
Being 5.27m long, 2m wide and 1.8m tall, the MG M9 is massive. For perspective, it’s longer and wider than the Carnival and Vellfire. The 3.2m wheelbase is large in its own right and hints at the space inside. The MG M9 rides on 19-inch rims wrapped in Continental Contiseal tyres. What’s interesting about these tyres is their viscous sealant layer that self-seals punctures up to 5mm. The M9 uses a monocoque construction and positions its 90kWh NMC battery pack under the floor. The battery powers a front motor that drives the front wheels.
MG M9 interior space and comfort – 9/10
M9’s middle-row seats are more like armchairs.
Access to the M9’s middle row is via powered sliding doors that can be opened via a button on the door, the key fob or controls near the driver. It’s a slight step up into the cabin but a large grab handle at the B-pillar does help the journey in. The doors open to a massive cabin and what gets you first are the middle row seats. XL-sized, beautifully cushioned and finished in perforated leather and suede, the seats – scratch that – armchairs immediately establish the M9’s core competency – delivering a VIP experience for the boss sat at the back.
In standard position, the middle-row seats are already very comfortable.
The standard seat position is comfy in its own right and there’s 16-way power adjust too to control for everything from backrest recline and headrest height to seat slide and legrest position. One-touch functions make the job of setting the seat easier. For the full effect, you need to experience the seats at max extension (made possible with the middle row seat all the way back and front passenger seat electrically slid forward). Backrest at full recline and legrest rolled out, the seat feels no less than a recliner. Oh, and there’s seat ventilation and heating too, as well as eight soothing massage functions to choose from. The experience is every bit business class on land.
Stretching out the seats to their max gives a recliner-like experience.
While middle seat comfort is central to the M9’s appeal, the experience at the very back is pretty good too. You’ll have to make your way to the third row via the passage between the middle row chairs. It’s not quite a walk in but is convenient enough, as third rows go. The seating position is comfortable and there’s room for three average-sized adults to sit in comfort. Unusually, there’s no middle seat headrest or fold down armrest for the third row. Also note, the third row is all but unusable with the middle row seats fully extended.
Third row has space for three adults, but no middle seat headrest.
MG M9 features and safety – 9/10
The M9 is offered in a single fully loaded variant. And MG has really gone the distance to pamper those sat at the back. As mentioned, the seats are fully powered with ventilation, heating and massage functions. There’s 64-colour ambient lighting, a dedicated climate control zone for the middle row, an onboard air purifier, a panoramic sunroof for the rear section of the cabin, a sweet-sounding 13-speaker JBL sound system and you can also get rear entertainment screens as an accessory.
Middle-row passengers get a dedicated climate zone and panoramic sunroof.
Seat adjustment, cooling and lighting functions are controlled by a screen on the middle seat armrests. Trouble is, the fixed position of the screen makes it hard to read in some lighting conditions and hard to reach when the backrest is all the way back. MG should have also given the M9 powered sun shades for the middle row windows. The manual operation isn’t in keeping with the M9’s price. On the subject, there are no sun shades for the third row windows and that means middle-seat passengers will feel the heat on their face at full recline.
Armrest-mounted screen controls seat, cooling and lighting functions.
There’s a whole lot else packed in too which we’ll cover when the entire embargo lifts.
MG M9 performance and refinement – 8/10
Refinement is a highlight on the M9. You do hear a whirr from the electric motor at very slow speeds, but otherwise, the powertrain runs quiet. Road, wind and suspension noise are also well contained yielding a soothing atmosphere on the go.
MG M9 range and efficiency – 7/10
The M9 has a 90kWh battery, and while an ARAI-certified range figure is awaited, MG claims a 548km range achieved over internal tests. Internationally, though, the MPV has a certified WLTP range of 430km. On our drive, the M9 indicated a range of around 300km, but that was with a lot of time spent idling with the AC on during the shoot. We’ll only know the actual range once we put the M9 through our instrumented tests in Mumbai.
MG M9 ride comfort and handling – 7/10
Where MG could have done more to pamper the M9’s crorepati clientele is in ride comfort. There’s a stiffness to the setup which means body movements are well contained at higher speeds. However, the suspension and tyres can’t iron out smaller imperfections at lower speeds as successfully. The low-speed ride feels a bit busy for what is a luxury car.
MG M9 price and verdict – 8/10
The M9 will be the first product to be retailed from MG’s premium MG Select network. These new showrooms will come up at 14 locations in the first phase and will soon also be the sale point for the sexy Cyberster electric sports cars.
We won’t give a full verdict without talking about other aspects like the drive experience, performance and real-world range, but there’s no denying that the M9 delivers a plush rear-seat experience that should interest India’s chauffeur-driven elite. Vellfire-like comfort for a whole lot less money (we estimate a price of Rs 90 lakh) sounds like a great deal.
Question is, will prospective buyers see the M9 for what it is? Or could the MG badge hold them back from spending big.
Also see:
MG M9 interior, seating and comfort review
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