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In an age where urban lunacy and vehicular congestion have reached unprecedented levels, the true hallmark of a luxury vehicle, in my humble opinion, is its ability to shut out the madness of the outer world when you're inside. To me, that is one of the defining attributes of a truly luxurious car — and the new MG M9 EV does it beautifully. This is the brand's new flagship model for the Indian market, and it focuses on just one thing: delivering an incredible rear-seat experience. Given that luxury MPVs are all the rage these days — among celebrities, film stars and politicians alike — I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. So off I flew to the holiday capital of the country, to get my hands on this electric luxury MPV.
Your SUV dominates the road with its “road presence?” That's cute
Before you even step inside, the sheer scale of this 5.2-metre-long, nearly 2-metre-wide giant commands attention. On paper, the M9 outclasses its rivals in space, eclipsing both the Kia Carnival and Toyota Vellfire in width, length, and height. That, combined with the longest wheelbase in its class, not only gives it better road presence but also a more spacious cabin to stretch out in. And if the size doesn’t grab your attention, which is highly unlikely, the design surely will. Up front, there’s a massive trapezoidal grille, flanked by a split LED headlight setup with sleek DRLs sitting on top, connected by a faux vent. The front bumper is graced with chrome garnishing. It rides in 19-inch alloys, with self-sealing tyres, and gets more chrome trim on the window surroundings and side skirts in profile. The back of the M9 is dominated by large vertical wrap-around LED tail lights, which are connected by a lightbar. Styling is, of course, subjective — but I have to say, the M9 strikes a fine balance. It’s not overly styled at all. There’s just the right amount of aggression, and for an MPV, it looks rather cool.
It’s a technological tour de force
Moving to the meat of the matter: the second row of the MG M9 EV, which pampers you in every way imaginable. But the VIP treatment actually begins before you even step inside. It gets powered sliding rear doors that can be opened in four different ways, including via the key fob. In other words, there’s no need to bother with opening the door yourself — simply tap a button on the handle, and voila, it glides open to reveal two large captain’s chairs that look far too inviting to ignore. You step into the cabin, and that’s when the real magic begins.
The two seats get heating, cooling and eight massage modes. They're 16-way adjustable, have an ottoman and can lie down fully flat to make a super comfy bed. They feature a touchscreen on their outer armrests, which can be used to adjust the recline, open or close the panoramic sunroof, or change the 64-colour ambient lighting. There are also built-in ‘moods’ that alter the settings with a single selection, depending, well, on your mood. These seats are definitely some of the best that you'll ever experience. They're ultra soft and feel like a high-end La-Z-Boy recliner.
All three rows of the M9 are dressed in Cognac Brown leather, and I particularly liked the suede finish on the door cards. The headliner and front sunshades are also wrapped in a soft, suede-like material, which MG calls ‘Chamois’ — a neat touch. Material quality inside feels very good, with soft leather almost everywhere you touch, apart from the lower half of the dashboard and doors, which are made of plastic. You get acres of legroom in the second row — and even in the third row! In fact, the third row of the M9 feels just as spacious as the rear seat in some luxury cars, offering ample knee and headroom for passengers up to 5'8". I do wish there was a bit more under-thigh support, but even as it stands, occupants will be perfectly comfortable on longer journeys.
As you'd expect, the M9’s features list is extensive. It gets a floating 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen that supports wired Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, a 7-inch digital driver’s display, digital IRVM, a 13-speaker JBL sound system with subwoofer, PM 2.5 air filter, wireless charging pad up front, three-zone climate control, manual sunblinds in the second row, and heated, cooled and massaging functions even for the front seats. Type-A and Type-C ports are scattered throughout the cabin. The only optional kit I could find was the two rear screens that handle entertainment duties. The dashboard features a metal strip running across, which also houses the HVAC controls for the front.
The third row gets two cup holders and dedicated air-con vents, but my favourite detail is the fact that it’s on rails. With the third row up, the M9’s boot can swallow a couple of cabin bags and three duffle bags stacked above each other. But with the third row folded flat and slid all the way forward, you’re treated to a massive 1720-litre boot. And if that wasn't enough for you, there's also a 55-litre frunk up ahead.
In terms of storage space, there are large cubby holes on all the doors that can hold two 1-litre bottles each, two cup holders on the front floating centre console, and a large space beneath it to store knick-knacks. At the back, there’s a large drawer behind the front armrest, two hidden cup holders in the seat armrests, and a 220-volt socket. Phew.
On the safety front, the M9 boasts seven airbags, a TPMS, ABS, ESP, all-four disc brakes, and a 5-star Euro NCAP and ANCAP rating. Not to forget, it also has Level 2 ADAS with adaptive cruise control, forward collision braking, lane keep assist, the works.
Behind the wheel and in the rear seat: a shocker
The MG M9 surprised me the most in two key areas — the way it drives, and the way it rides. It’s propelled by a single motor on the front axle, making it front-wheel drive, which produces 242 bhp and 350 Nm of peak torque. This setup is powered by a 90kWh NMC battery, neatly tucked under the floor, and the result is a driving experience that’s surprisingly engaging. The battery supports DC fast charging, which can juice it up from 30 to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes.
There are three drive modes — Eco, Normal and Sport — and thanks to the instantly available torque, the M9 picks up speed far quicker than you'd expect. Overtakes, even in the 80–120kmph range, feel effortless. And thanks to the electric motor, there’s an effortless calm in the M9. No engine clatter, no annoying hum. This contributes to a remarkably serene in-cabin experience, especially at highway speeds, where the M9 remains fantastically quiet. Road and wind noise are well contained, and the overall NVH levels are impressively low.
Much to my surprise, I was expecting the M9’s steering to be overly light, but it has some weight to it and feels quite direct. Yes, there is body roll, as you’d expect from an MPV, but it's impressively controlled thanks to the low centre of gravity.
Almost all M9 owners are unlikely to find themselves behind the wheel often, but if the opportunity arises, they’ll be pleasantly surprised by how well it drives. What they won’t be a fan of — and I can vouch for this — is the tiny driver’s cluster. The readouts are small and hard to read, making it a bit of a pain to use. What’s also a bit impractical is that the drive mode, regen settings and headlight controls are all buried within the touchscreen — a frustrating decision that compromises ease of use on the move, if you ask me. Moreover, the feed from the 360-degree camera isn’t the best in terms of resolution.
That said, the M9’s massive greenhouse — with large windows and even tiny ones on the A-pillars — offers an excellent view of the outside. As a result, manoeuvring it isn’t a headache, even in tighter spaces.
Now, onto what I feel is the M9’s Achilles’ heel — and also its most surprising trait: the ride quality. I genuinely didn’t expect the M9 to ride this firmly. The suspension feels stiff, but more crucially, it transmits almost everything from the road into the cabin. Speed bumps, rumble strips, small and large potholes, expansion joints — you feel it all, even at low speeds. It also doesn’t do a great job of ironing out high-speed undulations, resulting in a noticeable bit of wallow. Don’t get me wrong — it’s not uncomfortable per se — but a stiff ride is the last thing you'd expect from a luxury MPV that claims to excel in comfort.
Verdict
MG hasn’t revealed the official driving range or price of the M9 EV just yet. However, I reckon it should comfortably manage to deliver over 400km on a single charge, which would make it a solid intercity cruiser. As for the price, expect it to command a slight premium over its arch-rival, the Kia Carnival, simply because it’s an EV. Around the ₹70 lakh mark seems likely. But the bigger question is — who is it really for? It’s for those who want a feature-rich electric MPV — one that has an effortless electric powertrain and offers a fantastic rear-seat experience without compromising on practicality. Sure, it doesn’t ride as well as its rival, but that’s unlikely to trouble its intended audience. Because when you’re cocooned in soft leather, reclining in a ventilated seat that's also massaging your back, and surrounded by ambient lighting, massive screens and blasting your favourite tunes over the incredible JBL audio system, you’re far more likely to be lost in tech than focused on the odd thud over a pothole.
