autoX Awards 2024: MG Windsor EV Performance, Quality and Value for Money Ranked

autoX Awards 2024: The MG Windsor is not one of those new vehicles that blows your mind right from the go. Instead, it gradually grows on you as you spend more and more time with it. MG’s all-new electric vehicle, the Windsor, is shockingly good (pun, totally intended!). On the face of it, it’s a cut-price mass-market EV with a bit of an oddball shape. However, when you look at it objectively, put your pen to paper, and score it across various parameters, you’ll be amazed at how it excels in virtually every department, including the lap time!

The Windsor is not one of those new vehicles that blows your mind right from the go. Instead, it gradually grows on you as you spend more and more time with it. You start appreciating the engineering and the packaging of this EV, and you begin to understand all its nitty-gritty.

But not all is well, obviously, as most of the jurors felt it looked a bit van-like and that it wouldn’t work in an SUV-obsessed market like ours. But being van-like isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Aesthetically, it looks boxy, but at the same time, it’s a contemporary design. Secondly, its van-like exterior translates into a spacious cabin, which can put vehicles twice as expensive to shame. In fact, at 2,700mm, the Windsor’s wheelbase is longer than that of a VW Tiguan!

Be it the fit-and-finish, touch and feel of the surfaces, or creature comforts inside, the Windsor impresses on all fronts. It has a subtle and minimalistic theme, and everything is impeccably put together. That said, there’s nothing subtle or understated about its humongous 15.6-inch touchscreen. Agreed, it’s a bit too big and packs one too many features and functions, which can be distracting while driving, but, at the same time, it’s remarkably crisp and intuitive to use. The whole in-cabin experience oozes premium quality, and this is further highlighted by the sumptuous sofa-like seats and a larger-than-life moonroof.

What truly bowled us over, though, was the Windsor’s stellar driving dynamics and handling. It’s remarkable how composed and well-behaved it remains even when you push it to the limit at the racetrack. The steering is precise and offers good feedback, while the taut suspension and long wheelbase give it immaculate stability. Sure, it’s not a track tool, but given how balanced and flat it remains around corners, let’s just say that it’s quite impressive for a van that’s meant to drop kids to school. That said, the suspension is a bit firm at low speeds.

Also Read: MG Windsor EV Excite, Exclusive, Essence Variants Explained: What's Different?

The Windsor features a 38kWh battery pack, which is paired to a motor rated at 134bhp and 200Nm of torque – not earth-shattering numbers, but performance is adequate and brisk. The refinement levels are exemplary below 100km/h, but at higher speeds, there’s a fair bit of road and tyre noise. MG claims the Windsor EV can offer a range of up to 331km on a full charge, but you can expect close to 250-260km in real-world conditions.

Ultimately, where the Windsor EV leaves all the rivals in the dust in our annual test is in the value-for-money category. Thanks to the introduction of the battery-as-a-service option, the Windsor offers spectacular value for first-time EV buyers, while also offering a no-compromise EV. What’s more, even if you pay all the costs upfront, the Windsor EV still offers excellent value for the money it demands. It’s hard to believe, we know, but that’s exactly what pushed it to the top of the ‘Best of 2024’ rankings.

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