MG Windsor Review
The Windsor comes at a competitive price and goes against the Nexon EV.
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MG Windsor has the potential to be a market shaker. The keen price of Rs 9.99 lakh and battery as a subsription package ensures that the car should be a choice for first time EV fence sitters. Well that is the plan.
MG is marketing the Windsor as a CUV - Crossover Utility Vehicle. It’s got the exterior design of a MPV and hatchback and the interior space of a sedan. At 4.3-meters in length it certainly has imposing road presence and looks much bigger than the Tata Nexon EV, its immediate rival.
Like the general trend these days, the LED strip running across the face looks good and the headlamps unit is cool as well. It has a heavy chrome surrounding it which reflects.
When seen from the side, the 18-inch wheels give it plenty of pizzazz and road presence. The roof rails add plenty of visual flair as well and the lower part of the design with a strip running across looks stylish.
The rear end with the connected beam of light looks stylish as well. There are small bits of chrome that Indians love. Overall, it is a design that stands out from a sea of compact SUVs out there.
A decade or so ago 14-inch TVs were part of many children bedrooms. Now you get a 15-inch infotainment unit on the Windsor. It is the biggest unit on any car on sale. It also impresses for the clarity, depth and overall ease of use. What you will not like though is the fact that all controls are via this screen and even to adjust the side view mirrors you will need to go through the menus and submenus, which can be time consuming and irritating as well.
Thankfully, you get AC controls which are physical in nature. It’s nice to have some touch and feel in this digital age too.
The quality of materials and switchgear is good and there isn’t any bad plastic or panel inside the cabin. The front seats are generous in terms of comfort and the rear too provides with brilliant seats. The backrest angle on the back too can be inclined or reclined adding to the utility inside the cabin.
The massive glass roof along with the large and chunky mirrors gives the car a very airy cabin. The 600-litre boot too is something that you will appreciate. It easily gobbles up all the luggage you throw at it and can easily accommodate three large pieces of suitcase.
The Windsor gets a 136bhp motor that also gets 200Nm of torque. Power delivery is linear and isn’t as instant as other EVs. MG has tuned the car for comfort rather than outright performance. 0-100kph comes up under 10 seconds. You can choose from different driving modes, Sport, Eco, Eco plus and Normal. You also get three region modes to choose from.
The range is claimed 331km on a full charge. We managed to get a read out of around 311km with the battery at 99 percent. 12-13kms in tight city traffic saw the range drop by around 5 percent which is understandable.
The light steering and good visibility also helps driving this car in town traffic. The ride again is tuned more for comfort but that said some bumps and potholes do enter the cabin.
At 9.99 lakh for the battery subscription model the Windsor is a very good deal. If you are planning to buy an EV for the last couple of years but still sitting on the fence, then this is a great first choice.
