MG Comet EV long-term review: Compact brilliance that grows on you

MG Motors made heads turn with the recent launch of its Windsor EV, bringing some breakthrough features at an attractive price point. Windsor EV wasn't the only bold move; MG had pulled another one with MG Comet EV. This tiny car has become so popular that every neighbourhood seems to have one. Since MG is back in the news now, let's bring back the focus on Comet EV.

There's no dearth of compact cars in India, yet the MG Comet shines with its innovation and practicality. With a blend of style, performance, and affordability, this compact wonder has caught the eye of many urban dwellers who want a reliable and efficient ride in the city. I wouldn't call this car small; it's not; rather, it is a compact one. After all, the Comet EV is designed on the concept of BICO (Big Inside, Compact Outside).

Note: MG Motors arranged the Comet EV for review in Bengaluru, and it has been used mainly within the city for around 8 months. We drove around 3,500-km in the Comet EV, which was used as a daily driver for home-office commutes and other tests.

Key features of the MG Comet EV:

1. Built on Pure Electric Vehicle Platform
2. 17 hot stamping panels for structural safety; 39 stringent tests for vehicle and battery safety
3. MG Comet EV comes with a high-strength vehicle body
4. 17.3kWh li-ion battery with Prismatic cells with a range of 230km
5. Wireless Android Auto and Apple Car Play
6. 3-drive modes & 3 KERS modes
7. Active and Passive standard safety features including Dual Front Airbags, ABS +EBD, Front & Rear 3 pt. Seat Belts, Rear Parking Camera & Sensor, TPMS (Indirect) and ISOFIX Child Seat
8. iSmart with 55+Connected Car Features, 100+ Voice Commands
9. Floating Twin Display with 10.25" head unit and a 10.25" digital cluster
10. Smart Start System, Digital Bluetooth Key with sharing function for up to two people
11. One Touch Slide & ReclinePassenger Seat
12. Based on the globally acclaimed GSEV; platform comes with a 4-seater configuration

Exterior and interior

At first glance, MG Comet exudes a sense of modernity and uniqueness. It is surely a head-turner and a conversation starter. From being called an MG auto to getting reactions like "oh, so cool" and "I wanna get this," this compact EV made sure its presence was felt in every street we turned. Since we got the Comet EV in Apple Green, it managed to get more attention. Although there are many sober colour options, I personally would go for the grey shade.

Speaking about the exteriors, the MG Comet EV has a sleek and modern design, paired with stylish accents. Though it's compact, the Comet boasts a striking presence. The premium detailing in and out of the car contributes significantly to its road presence.

MG has chopped off the boot to make this car super-compact, so it measures just 2.9 m long, which makes it the smallest car in India. As for the width and height, it's marginally below the hatchback standard. It's only 1.5m wide and 1.6m tall and has a wheelbase of 2,010mm. These dimensions will make sure it fits into tight parking spaces. We didn't hesitate to take the Comet EV to Mosque Road or even Shivajinagar for evening drives as it could fit in easily anywhere. But don't be fooled by the size.

Had it not been for the premium detailing, MG Comet wouldn't have fallen far from Tata Nano in looks. But it has beautiful chrome work, generous LEDs, bold and contrast colors, and two doors. I absolutely love the LED light bars on both the front and the rear, lighting up in white and red hues, respectively. This is the only MG car that gets rid of the iconic grill work on the front, and it doesn't look bad at all.

The tail-lights and the headlights are identical in shape, differentiated by the colour of the light. The headlight coverage is spectacular, thanks to the projector units in the headlight, complimented by the LED bar. Looking at the Comet approaching from afar at night will give you an impression of a full-size premium hatchback. The curves and cuts around the car's exterior, especially on the doors and the bumpers, add to the modern look. MG's prominent logo takes its regular spot on both the front and rear, but the front one is also a door to your charging port.

Everything is great until you look at those tyres, which are tiny. But MG continued its aesthetic design with a wheel-cap that mimics an alloy. Sadly, MG Comet doesn't come with a spare tyre, but there's a puncture repair kit, so make sure you learn how to do it yourself.

The tyres may be tiny, but the doors are so opposite. They are massive for a car its size. I understand that the two doors are the only way to get to the rear seats, but it has its own setbacks. For instance, you cannot park in a tight space and wiggle your way out of those doors. But there's convenience as well. I could simply slide the seats to the front without having to fold them, making way for kids or even teens to squeeze through. For an adult to get to the rear seats, I had to fold the seats as well. The good thing is that passengers in the rear seat can get out from the passenger or driver side as both seats fold and slide forward. It's just an extra effort.

A fun fact about the Comet is that it probably has the smallest bonnet in a car, which houses washer liquid, brake fluid, AC gas pipes and aux battery. If you look beyond, there's a controller unit as well—something you won't need to access except while registering for the app.

Since we've already opened the doors to the cabin, let's get inside the Comet EV. You'll be pleasantly surprised by how spacious and well-appointed the cabin is. Despite its small footprint, the Comet offers ample legroom and headroom for both drivers and passengers. Yes, you can fit in two adults in the rear seat comfortably, or three kids. You can fold the rear seats completely to increase the storage space, which is an incredible convenience if you're going shopping. I was able to carry an entire bridal gift set during my brother's engagement ceremony without ruining any gifts. Your monthly grocery shopping cannot be made any more easier with Comet.

MG Comet EV is one of the better-looking cars from the inside. The extra headroom and ample leg space make up for the tall car's orientation. The seats are positioned high without height adjustment, making the seating awkward for tall passengers who will find themselves looking down instead of straight ahead. But this doesn't seem to compromise on the seating comfort. I only wish the underthigh support was better, considering MG has taken care of such minute details for the way it looks.

The steering has tilt adjustment, but no telescopic one, which should've been at least in the top-end model. My reasoning for this is that when you push the seat back to make sure you have a comfortable driving position and can reach the ABCs without cramping up the legs, reaching the steering is difficult. You'll need to keep your hands stretched out. If you find a suitable steering position, the legs are cramped. This seemed to be an issue regardless of your height.

The seat cushions are quite comfortable, and the high back ensures a fully rested back. The dashboard is kept minimalistic, fixed to the base of the large windscreen, so there's ample space between it and the driver. The massive door also means huge windows. I wanted to get the glasses tinted badly, considering glass real-estate. I imagine it would be fun to ride in the winters, but in summers, the airy glass areas trap a lot of heat, and you will need to run the AC at max fan speed to make sure the car cools down swiftly. At least the AC is powerful and works great; so grateful for that.

With the use of high-quality plastic and woven fabric for interiors, MG Comet delivers elegance. Even the steering has a nice faux leather cover, eliminating the need to get an aftermarket wrap. But avoid any spillages as the fabric can easily get dirty even with regular use. There's the MG logo at the centre of the steering and the horn function underneath it, which is bit hard to press. But boy, is it loud. The steering controls let you control music, activate voice assistance, and navigate the infotainment system.

Another interesting aspect is the missing partition between the passenger and driver. Yes, it gives a lot of room, but it brings back some old memories of Ambassador. One possible reason could be due to the two hooks where you can put your groceries and handbags, which sort of act as a partition. The Comet EV settles for a shallow shelf instead of a glove box. There are also two cup holders, on either side, and prove to be quite useful. The center console has the window switches, a handbrake, and a drive selector, sans any storage compartments. There's no place to keep your phone in your POV unless you invest in a holder. You can, however, put the phone in the door pockets if you don't want to view the notifications or map directions. There's an alternative for that as well, which I will talk about later, so it's a practical decision on MG's behalf.

Finally, the infotainment cluster is the best there is. There are two 10.25-inch colour screens, one of which is touch-enabled, and it will give you the feel of a luxury car. I cannot think of a car in this price range that offers a similar infotainment system.

Overall, I find the MG Comet EV's design to be fun, modern, and practical for city use. The interiors are clean and offer a sophisticated feel. MG has truly paid a lot of attention to detail, even though it misses out on some elements, there are workarounds.

Performance

Having used the MG Comet EV for city commutes, it's clear that the car delivers a thrilling driving experience. Zipping through city traffic is so fun. The Comet is powered by a 17.3kWh prismatic cell lithium-ion battery, with a company promise of 230-km range. With this, the car is capable of producing 42hp power and 110Nm torque.

Another luxury car element is that it has keyless entry and no button to start the car. Yes, no push button as well. You simply carry the key, which is a cute square case, to automatically unlock the doors and start driving once you are in it. You press the brake pedal twice to activate the engine.

Let me divulge more details about the key. It has a premium build, and it's as if MG took a page out of Apple's playbook for the design. There are three buttons, one to lock the car, the other to unlock it, and the third to open the boot. Mind you, this square key is only for the top-end model, whereas the base model gets a pill-shaped key and works like a regular car key. The buttonless function is reserved for the top-end model.

Let's get back to the car and how it's on the road. Initially, the tall seat puts the driver in a high position, giving a clear view of the road. But the car's C-pillar is unusually thick, so you'll often be in doubt while making those tight gaps. Once we got familiar with the car's dimensions, it got easier to manoeuvre in tight spaces.

MG Comet has a really good turning radius of 4.2 meters and complimented by its short length, you can turn around the car easily. The steering is light and easy to operate, a boon in the 60 kmph range, but you go faster, and you'll wish it was a bit heavier.

I don't care how the small tyres look, but I do mind how they feel while driving. The ride is firm and stable most of the time, but you'd have to be careful crossing speed breakers and potholes. In low speeds, even the suspension works at its best. If you jump a speed breaker without slowing down, you'll feel the brunt of it.

The initial pick-up of the car is better than my Grand i10 (AT) 2022 model. The initial lag is not there in Normal and Sports modes, but Economy mode caps the initial takeoff. I had the chance to hit 80kmph once with little struggle, and the car held up well, with an overspending alarm going off. Bengaluru traffic never gave me another chance, and I didn't take the Comet on long-drives to test the top speed. But driving around at 50–60 kmph was solid. Even though turning at high speeds may feel like it would topple the car, Comet EV held its ground well at 40 kmph.

Braking is effective and easily pulls the car to stop effortlessly. I had the regenerative braking enabled, so there was less pressure on the actual brakes. Of the three regenerative braking levels, I chose "heavy," which immediately decelerates the moment you stop accelerating. I call that MG's own magic braking system. But with Normal mode, you don't get that jerk, as it is similar to engine braking.

The car moves with an artificial sound, which is essential to letting pedestrians know of an incoming vehicle. I loved the sound, and when the car windows were closed, the noise was filtered out to a satisfactory level. The braking is efficient and works as intended.

Driving in the night is pleasant. The headlights are just top-notch. Using the dipper can give Hyundai Creta memes some tough competition. Just take a look at how well the headlights cover the area.

The moment you're done with your drive, you simply switch to N, pull the handbreak, and exit. The car will automatically shut down and lock itself the moment the key is out of range. Almost all the time, the auto-lock and unlock feature worked. No harm in checking in case of doubt. There's also a physical button just above the car door to lock and unlock the car, in case the key sensor doesn't get picked up.

MG Comet is surely an economical operation without compromising on performance. It's not a race-car and won't beat its fuel-powered counterparts, but I love the initial pick-up and the comfort it offers for city drives. I only wish MG had included the creep function, which is essential for automatic cars. Although this is something MG can add via OTA, there should've been an automatic closing button for OVRM. But it's no big deal, as you can do it manually.

Tech and features

MG Comet comes loaded with an array of advanced technologies and convenience features, which are unheard of in the sub-Rs 10 lakh range. This is where you get most of your money's worth. The intuitive infotainment system with smartphone integration, complete with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, offers seamless convenience. Once paired, you get all the crucial iPhone or Android smartphone functions on the car's massive display. From maps to music and notifications, you get it all, eliminating the need to place the phone in your view at all times. So it's alright; there's no place in the dashboard to securely place the phone.

The displays are really bright, making sure there's enough visibility even in broad daylight. The touchscreen responds very well to touch, and the UI is kept clean and easy to use. The infotainment system is the best in the range, akin to luxury or premium cars on the market. The instrument screen offers all the crucial information, such as range, and voltage data, but I wish the text had been bigger so it's easier to read. But what I loved the most is the Comet icon, which accurately lights up to show the lights, indicators, brakes, high and low beams, and door status.

There are plenty of other features worth exploring in the MG Comet EV. The reverse camera, although pretty standard these days, is not like what you find in the Rs 10-lakh range. It offers turn assist in reverse, which is unique to the MG Comet in this range.

Keeping the cabin clean also meant no visible ports. There is a 12W charging port, but it is tucked away in between the driver and passenger seats. There's a dash cam USB port in the mirror as well, which can also be used for charging. There are USB ports right next to the hooks as well. You can easily charge more than one phone at a time, which is again an added convenience.

Speaking of things well hidden, MG tucked away the turn-off switch under the steering, right next to the bonnet release button. I wish the button was easy to reach and well within the driver's view, as it is more useful than the charging ports.

Another important aspect is the AC, which is powerful but not automatic. There are AC knobs to adjust the temperature, cooling or heating, and switching between vents—all of them must be controlled manually.

MG Comet safety features are pretty standard, complete with two airbags, ABS, EBD, tyre-pressure sensor, ISOFIX child seat mounts, a reverse camera, and sensors. The car doesn't have a sunroof, but you won't miss it, thanks to the airy cabin. You also don't get features like wireless charging, auto climate control or auto headlamps either.

The vehicle settings have plenty of options, but the most useful one is the speed limit. This ensures the pace is locked at any desired speed, a safety feature in case you share the car with other family members.

Battery and charging

The ARAI-certified range stands at 230 km, and MG engineers claim up to 180 km under normal driving conditions, even with the air-conditioning activated. This is an accurate estimate, as we consistently got 170-180km on a single charge in Bengaluru's city driving conditions.

Charging the 17.3 kWh LFP battery from 10-80% takes approximately 5 hours with a 3.3 kW AC home charger, and up to 7 hours for a full charge. Unfortunately, the Comet EV does not support fast AC or DC charging, limiting charging options to home charging only.

For quick charges, the car charges from 15 percent to 45 percent in two hours. This should give you a range of about 90kms, sufficient for urgent travel in the city. In three hours, we got 60 percent. Getting the car charged up to 80 percent will take about 4 hours, which is decent, the remaining 20 percent takes up more time. Our regular practice was to charge the car up to 80 percent and plug it back in when the battery hit 15 percent.

What's important to note here is that the car doesn't lose charge overnight. Though marginal discharge is noted, you get most of the battery preserved when the car is idle.

A major setback is that there is no provision for DC fast charging, so fast charging is out of the equation. Perhaps the next Comet model will fix the few shortcomings we've seen in the current iteration. But you won't miss it if you're charging the car overnight and if you plan ahead.

Who should buy it?

MG Comet emerges as a standout contender in the competitive compact car segment. With its stylish design, spacious interior, spirited performance, and cutting-edge features, it offers exceptional value for money. But can it replace your existing car?

MG Comet is a great addition to your car collection if you want something compact and loaded with modern features for city use. It can even be your secondary car if you already have a fuel-powered car for those long drives. The range of 200 km is really good for the city. It's ideal for daily office-home commutes, but if you even want to go for a holiday getaway, it's not up for the task. A weekend getaway in the city outskirts shouldn't be a problem.

If you already have a primary car, and looking for a second one or even a third one that's economical and easy for city commutes, the MG Comet is a strong recommendation. It's got fun looks, a good range, is loaded with modern features, has standard safety, and much more for its asking price, which ranges from Rs. 7.39 lakh to Rs. 9.07 lakh, depending on the model you pick. It's cheaper than the Tata Tiago EV and Tata Punch EV, which is another USP in MG's favour.