2023 MG Comet review – Small Wonder | First Drive | Autocar India
To get you a story. First, the car we have today is very different. Yes, the current question is the soon to be launched. Mg Comet a lifestyle Evie that makes a virtue of its compact Dimensions, comes with a high quality interior and is loaded with features. But what exactly is this car like on the outside? The big surprise is that, far from being devoid of character, this little charmer is bold, attractive and non conventional. All at the same time now, as you can see, its really compact mg will call it the comet and its 1.5 meters wide and just 2.9 meters long, and this near mono volume shape is broken up by this mini Bonnet. Here this one actually opens and of course thats where the charging cables go now stylistically its got some interesting details. This chrome, piano, black and LED strip runs right across from Mirror to the other mirror, and these headlights, interestingly, have Chrome brackets in the pods. They look pretty neat and overall, a sophisticated look to the front now. Interestingly, this car has 12 inch wheels, really tiny, but stylistically this blacked out a pillar. The flush mounted quarter, glass and window – and this section here this dropped window, which is also flush mounted, looks really sophisticated and neat. You also have a stylistic cut here, and this panel here in the door, is gouged out to give it some form around the rear. The spoiler mounted on top looks neat and the manner in which the red LED bar lights up over the piano, black and chrome, gives it a real upmarket.
Look even more impressive is the cabin and thats, because theres, no proliferation of cheap Plastics, no crude bits and the cabin doesnt feel like its been specified by a cost accountant, a pleasant surprise. As soon as you step in this is not what you expect, a very plush interior on a car of this size, also very impressive. These twin screens placed in the same plane. This instrument panel has some small fonts which at times are difficult to read, but this Central screen is beautifully done. The software is easy, intuitive to use. The screen is quick to scroll and it has widgets that you can move around and customize. You also get Wireless Apple, carplay and Android auto. Now you could be forgiven for thinking theres, something familiar and yes, thats very similar to Apples click wheel on the original iPod, the colors, the fonts. The manner which is done is very apple like too, and then look down at this gear, selector and thats very similar too. Now, because its an EV, the floor is flat and it feels pretty roomy here shoulder space isnt great, especially when the two big passengers SAT but Headroom is decent and you do have enough leg room and it is comfortable to drive. There are some compromises. This car has no glove box and there is no spare tire. Also, the boot is so tiny. You can only use it if you flip the rear seats down, they split 50 50.
. So space up front and comfort, however, are pretty good and it comes with a flat floor and has a tall roof and, despite the width, feels pretty roomy. In addition, the large front seats with integrated headrests are soft supple and offer good shoulder support now getting into the back in a three dog car like this should be difficult, but here because the door is so large and you have a fair size aperture, it is Actually pretty easy to step inside now you are seated low and it is a bit knees up but theres surprisingly, a good amount of leg room. Someone cant sit comfortably on this seat: theres plenty of leg, room up ahead and theres, a good amount of Headroom, and this long window here, floods, the cabin with lights, so its not a totally uncomfortable place to be, in fact for short Journeys. This is perfectly acceptable when it comes to Kit. You are likely to get abs, twin, airbags, tire pressure monitoring and on the top of the line cars in India even ESP other features include: electric parking, brake Hill start assist, LED headlamps and tail lamps and keyless entry. Music, the combat is also very frugal and efficient in the manner in which it drives the curb weight, including its 17.3 kilowatt hour. Battery is just 815 kilos, and the motor sends just 40.7 horsepower to the rear. Wheels claimed range with a battery fully topped up is between 200 and 250 kilometers sufficient for a city Runabout and charging from zero to 100 takes 8.
5 hours, theres no DC charging, so thats a miss. The Mana in which it drives is also like nothing else right to begin with is surprisingly compliant. Now on a small 12 inch Wheels. You dont expect ride to be very comfortable, but this has a surprising amount of suppleness and unless you go over some really large bumps its pretty comfortable. Yes, large holes and big dips will upset its composure and toss it around a bit. So you have to slow down, but what impresses is that this car also rides silently only some road noise filtering in, and it even manages speed Breakers well with only 40.7 horsepower performance, as you can imagine, is in great, but what it has are driver modes now Put your foot down even in sport and power doesnt come at you with a rush small, gradual turbine like build up in power and as the speedometer climbs it keeps getting faster and faster theres, no surge of acceleration. Theres no excitement it just gets the job done and without that typical Spike that you get from an electric car performance. However flattens, as you go past 85 kilometers an hour and then theres only a gradual increase in speed top speed on the clock. Reads: 105 kilometers an hour which should translate to roughly 100 kilometers an hour in the real world. The brakes, however, impress what worked particularly well on this car, even at higher speeds and despite the small tires other brakes, they have a fair amount of bite and then, even when you get harder on them, the regen and the discs seem to work well together.
Yes discs this car has disc brakes both on the front and rear axle, and stability is also surprisingly good. You can go past 100, and even at this speed, the stability is pretty good. You dont need to pay too much attention and because the brakes give you so much confidence, it is pretty easy to drive even at speed city streets. However, its natural environment, where this little car excels, is as a city Runabout its got a nice light. Steering the accelerator responds pretty well its easy and effortless to drive youre seated high, and you have a good view of the road and all in all. It makes the car light and easy to drive in the city and thats, just what you want and what will also appeal to car buyers back home. Is that its easy to drive easy to park easy to live with and easy on the pocket as well, while agility in the city is good. This isnt, a car that enjoys being driven fast in Corners, thats body roll, even at medium speeds and grip from the weedy tires, is low. So, even if you venture out on a highway its best to drive in a relaxed manner which city is getting more congested, theres a real need for a modern day, compact, comfortable City, car, thats, agile, efficient and light and easy to drive, it should be beautifully built On the inside well equipped and importantly, come loaded with tech, its a lot to ask, and inevitably there will be some sacrifices.
But whats interesting is that mgs Comet actually fulfills a lot of these diverse requirements and genuinely presents something fresh and unique. Yes, more width on the inside would have been nice. A bit more performance would have gone down well and some wont like the fact that its a three dog then theres only a boot. If you fall down the rear seats and with the current range, it will be limited to City use still, if youre looking for a compact self driven City car that has a small environmental footprint offers extremely low running costs is comfortable well built comes with tech and Feels refreshingly light and easy to drive. Mgs Comet could be just a lifestyle EV for you. It could be a bit ahead of its time and some may choose to spend rupees 8 to 12 lakhs mg are likely to ask for it on something else.