Form factor, features, 3-door design, customisations
Body roll, speakers, boot space
The Comet seats all passengers a tad higher than most hatchbacks on our roads. This could be thanks to the GSEV platform. This modular platform might see more body types revealed eventually with time. The Comet, with a large windshield upfront and massive windows on the doors, makes the car feel more spacious from the driving seat. The seats themselves are well-cushioned, soft for daily use, and adequate to size some large humans on the front seats. The rear seat space is satisfactory, but passenger under-thigh support at the rear is not. The lighter colours, sense of light through large glass and soft touch fabric make the cabin feel roomier, especially during the day. The iPod-inspired steering controls and the large leatherette steering wheel are a refreshing change from the sophisticated steerings in most other vehicles from its price bracket.
The cool-looking drive selector knob is snappy to operate, unlike some competitors. MG cleverly integrated recuperation and drive modes in a single button denoted by E/S. A single press on the button switches between three modes - Eco, Normal and Sports, neatly displayed on the colourful MID. Long press the same button to switch between three regenerative braking modes - Light, Normal, and Heavy. The steering wheel response is similar irrespective of the modes one chooses, and the modes only affect throttle responses. Starting the car requires a double tap on the brake pedal and switches off only via the key lock. Too Gen-z for you?
MG did not reveal the exact specs of the PSM powering Comet apart from some numerics revealing 44HP and 110Nm of power and torque figures. We assume these numbers to be the Sports mode figures, and considering that I could lift the chassis with my bare hands, this car packs an impressive power-to-weight ratio. It may give a tall small boy stance, but the centre of gravity makes driving this car feel a whole lot more fun than its limited top speed of 100km/h. The power delivery is linear but progressive enough, while the throttle takes a good half a second before it realises you want that motor rpm spinning. It’s similar to driving a smaller CC vehicle. You got to engage more to extract more. The shorter wheelbase and smaller 145/70 R12 tyres are designed with EVs in mind and have remarkable silence even at their top speed, but they do require some practice to get a hang on. At 4.2 meters, this car feels like it rotates on an axis while taking a U-turn!
It’s nimble, easy to drive, easy to operate and surprisingly fun when engaged in some spirited city drives. The size allows you to squeeze through city traffic, and that radical design almost demands as much attention as a luxury full-size SUV! The steering wheel has a nice balance and is large enough not to feel fatigued daily. The regenerative braking is felt especially in Normal and Heavy modes, while the Light mode allows those specialised wheels to roll on for quite a while, depending on the Comet’s momentum. Surprisingly, the Comet feels snappy even in Eco mode and progresses to impressive speeds in Normal and Sports mode. The suspension setup is well-balanced to tackle terrible road conditions and clear any speed breaker. Build speeds of 70+km/h and, taking turns, introduce significant body roll. The brake performance is adequate for the size of the car, but braking does not introduce significant gains to recuperation modes, which could be better; maybe the next OTA update?
The BMS showcased a 196km range at 98% and followed it through the day with some spirited city sprints and an hour of traffic drive showcasing 60Kms DTE left after about 120+ km drive. This is impressive considering the company claims 230 Kms, which some might exceed with the 17.3Kwh Lithium ion IP67 rated battery pack. The only downside is the limitation to AC charging, again limited to 3.3Kw charge speeds. That’s 0-100% in about 7 hours and 10-80% in 4-5 hours. MG provides a wall box, cable for the Comet, alongwith cable for 16A sockets.
