MG Windsor India Review And Range: Worth The Money?

Available in three trims with one battery pack, the Windsor is a crossover utility vehicle or a CUV where it blurs many types of cars

The Windsor is aimed at the EV segment in the popular Rs 10-20 lakh space.

Source : Somnath Chatterjee

The Windsor is the first new product from both MG and JSW while they have promised a new car every few months too. The Windsor is aimed at the EV segment in the popular Rs 10-20 lakh space and while its battery rental plan caught the headlines, here let us talk about the car and the driving experience. Available in three trims with one battery pack, the Windsor is a crossover utility vehicle or a CUV where it blurs many types of cars.

Measuring at 4295 mm, the Windsor is compact but has a futuristic look with short overhangs and a long wheelbase. The wheelbase is 2700 mm, which means more space on the inside. On the outside, the looks are quirky and have some interesting details like flush door handles, a light bar and a clean look. Large glasshouse or big windows enable a sense of space while the Windsor has hints of an MPV too. We also like the 18-inch wheels and the quality feels robust enough. Inside, getting in and out is easy while the dashboard architecture is different. The Windsor is a born electric which means the interior has a sense of space while the dashboard stretches out really far for the driver too. Storage is huge with one massive area below and one above along with many cupholders.

There are physical buttons but they are very few in number while a lot of functions are carried on by the 15.6-inch screen. On our test unit, the screen worked well and did not lag while the display quality was good. The menu and details are a bit confusing though with so many functions being given here including headlamps control to the AC and even the sunroof.

Thankfully there is a swipe down shortcut for the AC but you would have to use the voice assistant more as else there is too much jabbing at the screen. There is a two spoke steering wheel which is small and convenient while the digital cluster reads well being similar to the Comet. There are not many soft touch materials but quality is good and the black quilted seats in black look plush. Sense of space is huge with the large windows and the rear seat with the 135 degree recline is the party piece. A flat floor and middle headrest means three can easily seat and you can lounge about. For legroom, there is no better car at this price and even the 604 litres boot is big.

The Windsor is pretty well equipped with a crisp and large 360 degree camera display, a large fixed glass roof, cooled seats, powered drivers seat, connected car features, ambient lighting, wireless charging, in-built app store, a nice sounding 9-speaker Infinity audio, 6 airbags and more. There are no EV specific V2V or V2L features though or ADAS.

Just like the Comet, you just get it and press the brake to get on with the driving with minimal fuss. The steering is light and at first, the Windsor does not feel big. There is a single motor with 136PS and 200 Nm but more than these numbers, the performance is brisk. It feels quick and smooth while in the faster drive modes, you can do a quick overtake easily.

Performance like EVs is instant and the throttle response is linear. Regen braking is there via three levels but there are no paddles but the regen itself is strong in its highest mode while not being as strong for one pedal driving. For city driving the Windsor is perfect while on the highway it is stable at high speeds while the ride is a bit on the firm side though. A 38kWh battery pack means an official range of 331km while expect a real world range of more than 200 km while near 250 could also be possible. Alongside standard charging, the Windsor can be charged in 40 minutes at any DC fast charger.

Without the battery rental, the Windsor still starts aggressively at Rs 13.5 lakh while the top-end version is Rs 15.5 lakh. For the price, the Windsor has the best space and a feature packed interior which is the main highlight while the range means it is good enough for a city based usage. We would have liked a larger battery pack and more range but the Windsor is an interesting take on a family car.

What we like: Space, interior, features, ease of use, value for money

What we do not like: Range could be better, firm suspension