MG Comet EV Review: Modern Day Gadget On Wheels

It's tall & small, its quirky & unique and its electric & clean. The latest from MG in India, Comet is different in many ways. It isn’t for the first time that we’ve seen an electric car this small in India, but this one is far ahead when it comes to design, features and yes appeal. MG Motor says that 70 % of Indians travel solo so a small city vehicle with just 2 doors makes a lot of sense and this one takes care of the environment too.

Design

The charging port is located on the face and it is illuminated.

With the Comet MG is clearly trying to break the myth that if it’s small it has to be simple. Well, the Comet is just under 3 meters in length, and we don’t see that very often on our roads, but it gets a lot of premium as well as quirky elements all over when it comes to the exterior. The first and foremost is that the car also comes with some dual tone options including the catchy Apple Green along with Starry black roof, that really makes it stand out in a crowd out on the roads. In all there are 5 colours to choose from 2 which are dual-tone options. But that’s not all, MG is also targeting the youth with more than 250 combinations of stickers and graphics to give your Comet a distinct look.

Also read: MG Comet Launched; Prices Start At Rs. 7.98 lakh

The Comet is just under 3 meters in length.

Then you get nice looking connecting lights both on the front and rear that stretch all the way from one end to the other. This blue accent just above the front lights them and use of chrome just below them is a nice touch. In fact, the chrome strip stretches all the way to the big side view mirrors. The charging port is located on the face much like the other electric from MG in India, the ZS EV and it is illuminated.

Also read: MG Comet: All You Need To Know

You get nice looking connecting lights both on the front and rear.

The profile is really unique. At 2,974 mm, the Comet is one of the smallest cars ever to hit the Indian roads. You also get chrome door handles along with a lock unlock button just above it. There's also proximity lock unlock feature which I feel is a really practical thing to have on any car. The 12-inch steel wheels look slightly smaller in proportion to the overall size of the car and one bigger size would’ve suited this EV more. Despite this an unladen ground clearance figure of 165 is quite decent.

Tech & Interior

Cabin looks tastefully done and there's hardly any hint of cost cutting.

Just like the exterior even the cabin of the Comet EV appeals to you. It looks tastefully done and there's hardly any hint of cost cutting. The highlight are the twin screens which are a part of a single independent console. The 10.25-inch touchscreen is compatible with wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto and the car is also equipped with a rear-view camera while you also get more than 55 connectivity features. the 10.25-inch LCD instrument cluster has some cool graphics and gives you all the relevant information that you need while driving an electric vehicle. You also get type-A charging ports as well as a 12 V socket.

Also read: MG Comet EV vs Tata Tiago EV vs Citroën ëC3: Specifications Comparison

The steering wheel is also quite nice, very gadgetry if we can say that.

You can also give more than 100 voice commands many of which are in Hinglish. The Comet also gets a digital key which can be shared with 2 other people. So, there's no need to have the physical key with you while driving the car. The unique design of the buttons and the overall use of predominantly white and grey has kept it really light something that will appeal to the youth. There's no glovebox here you do get some smart storage options in the cabin. The tallboy design ensures some good space and you also get a very clear view of the road.

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2nd row of the MG Comet EV is surprisingly good on space.

So how is the all-important 2nd row of the MG Comet EV. Well, the door is quite big which is a smart thing to do; then you can recline and slide the front seat forward which means access to the back row isn't difficult at all. The car gets a wheelbase of 2,010 mm and to my surprise both the knee room and head room turned out to be more than I expected, more so looking at my almost 6 feet height. Although it is a bit of a compromise when it comes to the under-thigh support and the seat back is a bit too upright for my liking. The big vertical glass here is unopenable, but it does add to the airy feeling and helps improve the 2nd row experience. The hatch gets negligible boot-space, but you can always fold either or both of the second-row seats to fit in some luggage.

Dynamics

The motor of Comet EV makes around 41 bhp along with 110 Nm.

We decided to drive the MG Comet in its natural environment, the urban chaos. The MG Comet EV comes with a 17.3 kWh battery that is smaller than some of the affordable EVs that are sold in the market right now. The LFP battery is made up of prismatic cells which is considered to be safer and also helps in keeping the costs in check. It powers the Permanent magnetic synchronous motor which makes around 41 bhp along with 110 Nm, numbers which suffice well for a car of this size, In fact they ensure a rather peppy drive in the city.

The Comet comes with a claimed range of 230 kms and there’s only 1 battery pack option on offer.

The range holds true very nicely and is quite linear in the way it goes down. That is impressive for an EV as it gives you the confidence to go the distance. There’s no DC fast charging option here but MG is providing a 3.3 kW AC charger which can help the battery go from 10-80 % in around 5 hours. MG says 95 % of EV owners in India like to charge their cars at home so that’s a good indication on what the trend is when it comes to charging EVs.

Crucially you have 3 drive modes - Normal, Eco and Sport.

You can choose the driving mode depending on the distance that’s left to be driven or how often do you want to charge your car or how spirited you want your drive to be!! That’s not all, the car also gets multiple regeneration modes Heavy, normal and Light which means there are 6 possible combinations you can choose to ensure a sportier drive or getting the maximum range out of the car. Having said that the difference between the three KERS levels can be starker than what it is right now.

Ride & Handling

Changing lanes is simpler with the turning radius of only 4.2 meters.

Owing to its size, the Comet is a very easy car to drive. I drove it almost the entire day in and around Delhi and you can maneuver it through some heavy traffic, park it in some tight spaces and squeeze it between other vehicles which sometimes is also quite fun. Changing lanes is simpler with the turning radius of only 4.2 meters. What also impresses is the handling of the vehicle. Yes it’s a tallboy design but you can make your moves with confidence even at decently high speeds. Ride quality also doesn't disappoint and its acceptable for a car that comes in this particular segment. The NVH levels are kept in check nicely and you don’t normally get such kind of insulation in small cars.

Safety

Comet lets you lock the gear mode at speeds above 5 kmph.

The Comet gets 2 Airbags, Tyre pressure Monitoring System, ABS with EBD and ISOFIX child seat anchors. MG Motor says the IP 67 battery has gone through 16 safety tests in all. You also get a speed limiter where you can set your top speed between 30 and 80 kmph. Another feature lets you lock the gear mode at speeds above 5 kmph.

Prices & Verdict

The Comet EV is priced starting at Rs. 7.98 lakh, ex-showroom.

The price of Comet EV makes it more affordable than both Tata Tiago EV as well as the Citroen eC3. This latest from MG comes across as a likeable city car which is loaded with many new-age features that will keep you hooked. It has enough in its tank both in terms of power as well as range while its compact size makes your life easier in the urban chaos. This gadget on wheels has the potential to be a worthy urban mobility solution in the times to come.