MG Motor started its journey in India with the Hector and then launched products like the Gloster plus the ZS. However, recently its focus has been the electric space with the Comet and now the Windsor. The Windsor is even more important as it is their first launch after the partnership with JSW. The Windsor is called a crossover or CUV while being launched with a battery rental plan or BASS or you can buy it outright. There are three trims on the Windsor, Excite, Exclusive and Essence. We drove the top-end MG Windsor to see if it is any good or not.
Exterior
The Windsor looks unique and is a cross between a hatchback or an MPV plus some hints of an SUV. MG calls it a CUV which is correct but design wise it is different because it is built on a standalone electric platform which means the design can be different. The wheels are pushed to the edges and the bonnet area is very small while the wheelbase of 2700mm is long too. The length of the car is just under 4.3m at 4295mm while it has large 18-inch alloy wheels. The design is aerodynamic hence the shape while at the front you get a light bar plus full LED lighting plus at the side you have flush door handles. The rear styling also has a wraparound look with a light bar too. It feels well-built and we liked the paint finish. In terms of colour options, there are four- Pearl White, Turquoise Green, Starburst Black and Clay Beige.
Interior
The interiors are all black and very spacious with a simple design. Again, being an EV, you get a flexible centre console with a lot of storage space while there is a large cupholder area too. The design is simple again while the main talking point is the ‘Grandview Touch’ display which is a 15.6-inch touchscreen. There is also a Comet like digital instrument cluster and a two spoke steering wheel with Comet like steering controls too. The touchscreen is huge but not portrait as on the Hector while the display quality has been one of the best we have seen on an MG with a clear enough 360-degree camera or even in terms of its touch response which is good.
The main screen looks cluttered with too many icons but there is plenty here with headlamp controls to sunroof and more being added here. There are short cut buttons also and there are some physical buttons below but you must use the touchscreen for basic functions too. There is a voice assistant of course which works and you can use the inbuilt app store too. The glass roof is fixed but has a sunblind which puts the heat out. Other features include climate control, powered hand brake, 256 colour ambient lighting, a 9-speaker audio system, 6 airbags, wireless charging etc
Space is huge and quality is good despite the presence of hard plastics. The rear seats we think are the best part here with the huge legroom on offer and the flat floor enabling three passengers to sit comfortably. There is an armrest too and the seat can be reclined at a massive 135 degrees which means you can sleep on the go! Even the boot space is large at 600 litres plus.
Driving experience
The Windsor comes with a standard front axle permanent magnet synchronous electric motor that develops 134 bhp and 200 Nm of torque. The battery pack is a 38kWh unit with a range of 331km per charge. There is no push button start stop as instead a tap to the brake is all that it takes to get the Windsor on the roll. We also felt the steering is easier to use and is light which makes it an ideal city car. The windscreen is far away though because of the cab forward design while the gear selector is Mercedes like. The single motor feels fast and has a smooth performance while not giving an electric shock like performance.
There are four drive modes and in the sportiest one there is good performance and effortless overtaking ability. Despite no paddle shifters, the Windsor has levels of regen and the strongest one is effective. The large 18-inch wheels though means that the ride quality is firm and it crashes onto the potholes but it is quick on its feet in terms of handling. The real-world range would be 200km or 250km but a larger battery pack should have been offered.
Verdict
With the rental plan, the Windsor starts at Rs 9.99 lakh and there are four of them including one with no minimum km limit. If you want to buy the car without it, the Windsor is priced between Rs 13.5 to Rs 15.5 lakh.
The Windsor for the price has a lot to offer as a family electric car with excellent space, features, and a premium interior plus lower running cost. Performance is fine but the range could have been better and some features like ADAS or V2V are missing. But for the price, this is an EV alternative to something like a Kia Carens.
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