The Drive Report: MG Windsor

The photographs don’t do justice to the MG Windsor. Only when you view it in the metal do you get a sense of just how spacious the EV is. It follows a practical, no-fuss approach to design both inside and out. It doesn’t attempt to be sporty or overly stylised like the Mahindra e-SUVs – instead it has a clean, almost clinical exterior that has been optimised to make the most of its born-electric platform. Utility is at the core of the Windsor’s approach to mobility. Bumper-mounted headlamps may not be to everyone’s taste, but they are effective. A body-wide daytime LED strip helps split the front-end’s design into something reminiscent of the Fiat Multipla, only this is a cleaner, better design although it undoubtedly stems from the same school of thought.

The rest of its visual appeal is down to its minutiae. Flush door handles that pop-out as soon as you press the unlock button, rubber strips on the front and rear doors, 18-inch alloys, roof rails and slick taillamps. The side profile is rather ovular and bening, but this is a car you buy not for its boisterous looks, but the sheer practicality on offer. And there’s plenty on offer, on the inside.

In fact, the interiors of the Windsor are a breathtaking masterclass on mid-size EV/E-UV comfort and luxury. For starters, there is a significant amount of storage space. A compartment under the armrest console between the driver and the passenger, the top section of which has storage for three coffee cups and another closed storage section behind it. Faux-wooden veneers outline everything from the armrest console to the dashboard and the door pads. The seats are beautifully tufted and cushioned – so much so, that it begs the question as to why other manufacturers aren’t following suit. A Baroque castle, it isn’t, as its name suggests – but it certainly has the trappings of a luxury car. Including a very large 15.6-inch touchscreen with large logos and smooth functions that make it easy to navigate. Thankfully not every function has been relegated to the touchscreen. Underneath it is a strip of buttons that help you control the temperature, AC fan speed etc. Thank heavens for small mercies.

Driving the Windsor
In India, the Windsor is offered with a 37.9 kWh battery, which gives it a real-world range of about 250 km on a single charge. While it excels on every driving metric when compared to the likes of the Tata Nexon or Curvv, the regenerative braking on the Windsor isn’t as powerful even when dialled-up to max, so single-pedal driving isn’t advisable. The front-mounted motor makes a relatively modest 136hp and 200 Nm of torque and for this reason, the Windsor doesn’t take off with the colon-crunching velocity we’ve come to expect from EVs of its ilk. Still, in “Sport” or “Normal” mode, a sudden burst of acceleration while slow, does cause a bit of wheel spin. It does hit its stride once you’re above 74 kph or so, and can climb triple digit speeds quite easily. What’s also impressive is the composure it shows at those speeds.
The Drive selector on the left takes some getting used to, as does the absence of an “on” and “off” switch. In order to turn the car off, all you need to do is step out and click the “lock” button on the key fob. The ride quality on the Windsor remains quite adequate in the city, although it can feel a tad bouncy when faced with a barrage of undulations. And a barrage of undulations is a fairly apt way to describe Mumbai’s suburbia at the moment.

Verdict

Anyone who has thrown money at a Tata Curvv will shed a tear when confronted with the MG Windsor. Where other EVs are flashy or have overly busy designs, the Windsor shows tasteful restraint. Everything about it from the door handles inside, to the layout touchscreen feels so tactile and well-built. The sense of space is immense, the view from the driver’s seat is fantastic and the sheer comfort levels on each of the seats is tremendous, even gratifying. The Windsor is still very much a city EV, not prone to sudden bursts of speed, and best used with steady, measured throttle inputs. Yes, it’s not flawless – there is still some wind noise when it gathers pace, the suspension could be more finely-tuned. But in every other respect it has everything an inner-city car should have and then some. A true champion of practical, everyday mobility, the Windsor is MG Motors’ best EV in the country.

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