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. As you’d imagine, there’s lots to talk about.
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 long wheelbase is huge in its own right and hints at the space inside.
At 5.27m, the M9 is longer than a Carnival and Vellfire.
In its basic shape, the M9 is boxy to allow max cabin space. It’s not a looker but then again, MPVs are all about what they are like on the inside, rather than visual appeal. The front end is home to slim DRLs up top, main headlights lower down on the bumper and a large grille at the base, with generous use of chrome to add some flash. This being an EV means the bonnet lifts to reveal storage – a handy 55 litre frunk in the M9’s case. 19-inch wheels and a stylistic chrome finish at the window line help uplift the slab-like sides. At the back, if the size doesn’t do it, the lighting that drops down at the side will sure help identify an M9.
Under the bonnet is a 55-litre frunk.
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.
The MG M9’s 19-inch rims come wrapped in Continental Contiseal tyres. What makes these tyres special is a viscous sealant layer that self-seals punctures up to 5mm.
19-inch rims come wrapped in self-healing tyres.
MG M9 interior space and comfort – 9/10
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.
M9’s middle-row seats are more like armchairs.
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.
In standard position, the middle-row seats are already very comfortable.
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.
Stretching out the seats to their max gives a recliner-like experience.
What’s noteworthy is that front seat occupants have it nice too. The seats are fully powered and also pack in heating, ventilation and massage functions. The driver environment does take some getting used. Partly because of the M9’s sheer size, and partly because of the layout of the controls – the gear selector sits on the right stalk behind the steering while the left stalk is for lights and wipers.
Third row has space for three adults, but no middle seat headrest.
The M9’s dash is neatly done but the flush finish to the climate control functions on the dash panel looks better than it is in practice.
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.
Up front, you get powered, heated, ventilated and massage seats, dual-zone climate control and a single-pane sunroof. Taking pride of place on the dash is a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto/ Apple CarPlay, and eSIM-based connected tech. The 7-inch digital dials, in comparison, look small and basic. What is nicely done is the digital mirror. It relays a feed from a rear camera and gives a crisp view of the world behind.
Touchscreen measures 12.3-inch size; supports wireless Android Audo/Apple Carplay.
The MG M9 hasn’t been rated by Global NCAP or Bharat NCAP as yet but it’s reassuring to know that the big MPV is a 5 star Euro NCAP car. As standard, the M9 gets 7 airbags, ESC, all-around disc brakes, Isofix child seat mounts, a tyre pressure monitor and a 360-degree camera (the resolution is so-so).
Camera and radar-based advanced driver assistance systems or ADAS are included too. Functions such as lane departure assist worked well on the smooth and well marked roads in Goa. Also part of the package is a driver attention system that monitors for drowsiness, distractions like mobile use and even smoking!
MG M9 performance and refinement – 8/10
Power delivery is strong and nicely measured out.
The MG M9 has a front axle mounted motor that puts out 245hp and 350 Nm of torque. There’s also Normal, Eco and Sport drive modes, but that doesn’t transform this luxury cruiser into a rocket ship and that’s a very good thing. All too often, all manner of EVs dump their power in one go for wild acceleration, just because an EV can. Not in the M9, make no mistake though it’s not slow, a sub 10 second 0 to 100kph time is what should be possible and that’s quick enough, what’s nice however is that its power delivery is strong and nicely measured out, perfectly in sync with the vehicles character. Overtaking is thus easy, even in Eco mode, put your foot down and the M9 moves off smartly.
Road, wind and suspension noise are very well contained on the M9.
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.
The M9 has a certified WLTP range of 430km.
Given the unreliable charging infrastructure on our highways, the M9 isn’t ideal for long cross country trips. Delivering supreme comfort over intra city commutes is the M9’s forte.
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.
It handles surprisingly well for its size and mass.
The MG M9 manages its bulk around corners fairly well, driven sensibly or even slightly quickly, body roll is well contained, no doubt helped by the battery mass down below. The steering and brakes also have two drive settings – Normal and Sport, the latter of which firms up the steering and was generally nice to use. The Sport mode on the brakes though wasn’t to my liking given that at lower speeds it comes off as grabby. Speaking of brakes there’s adjustable regen modes with three levels on offer, L1 offers up a deceleration akin to a conventional ICE vehicle while L2 and L3 offer up stronger retardation, there is however no single pedal driving.
MG M9 price and verdict – 8/10
The MG M9 is easy to drive for something so large but lets be honest, it’s not intended for the self drive owner. It’s for chauffeur-driven buyers. And it’s this target clientele that will have much to like about the M9. Middle row space and seat comfort are fantastic, refinement is really impressive and MG has also packed in a whole lot of goodies. Ride comfort could have been better but it’s not a deal breaker.
The M9 delivers on the brief of a luxury MPV quite appropriately.
The promise, then, is for Vellfire-like comfort for a whole lot less money (we estimate a price of Rs 90 lakh ex-showroom). To help convince buyers to see the M9 as a vehicle worthy of the big bucks, MG will retail the MPV from its new, premium MG Select dealerships.
The M9 might not be the first luxury vehicle that comes to mind for anyone shopping at this price bracket, but it sure deserves a look. It might just surprise you.
Also see:
MG M9 interior, seating and comfort review
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