10 Areas Where The MG M9 Outscores The Much More Expensive Toyota Vellfire

MG Motor India has made a significant move with the launch of the M9. It falls into the 'electric luxury people-mover' segment, which currently has no other player in it. There is just a single variant of the M9 on sale- the Presidential Limousine, sitting at an ex-showroom price of Rs 69.9 lakh. Considering the level of luxury and occupant comfort on offer, this electric MPV locks horns with the Toyota Vellfire- a favourite among luxury MPV buyers. The Toyota, however, has an ex-showroom starting price of Rs 1.22 Cr, while the top-spec could cost Rs 1.32 Cr.

With the taxes, registration cost and other miscellaneous expenses included, the on-road cost of the range-topping Vellfire ( VIP-Executive Lounge) could hover over 1.5 Crores (in Mumbai). The M9, on the other hand, has an on-road cost of Rs 73.4 lakh in Mumbai. Clearly, the price of a Vellfire can get you two M9s! MG has played smart with the prices, and the same could turn out to be beneficial for the electric MPV. Here are 10 other things which give the M9 a clear advantage over the Vellfire:

More Car For Your Money!

The M9 takes the lead in dimensions. It is 5270mm long, 2000mm wide and 1840mm tall. The Vellfire, on the other hand, measures 5005mm in length, 1850mm in width, and 1950 mm in height. Clearly, the M9 is longer and wider than the Vellfire, while the Toyota takes the lead in height.

The M9 even has a wheelbase that's 200 mm more than that of the Vellfire. These dimensions translate to more room on the inside and a better road presence. In fancier words, 'more car for your money!'!

Stands Tall And Bold!

Another major difference between the M9 and Vellfire is in the ground clearance. The Toyota stands 160mm off the ground, while the M9 has a clearance of 180mm- a clear 20 mm increase. This can be particularly useful in a country like India, especially considering the fact that the M9 is an EV and we have a lot of speed-breakers and potholes on our roads.

Safest MPV In Business!

The M9 comes with an expansive array of safety features and equipment. Its crashworthiness was proved when the M9 sold abroad, scored a full five-star rating in the Australian NCAP's crash tests, conducted in December 2022. It even scored an impressive 93 per cent for Adult Occupant protection

ANCAP crash tests evaluate the driver assist features as well. The EV scored 90 per cent in the same. The vehicle is equipped with most-modern safety tech like a camera-based Driver Monitoring System. MG also offers seven airbags, 3 ISOFIX and top tethers and tyre-pressure monitoring, in addition to a comprehensive Level 2 ADAS suite. The M9 also holds five-star rating in both Adult Occupant Protection and Child Occupant Protection in Euro NCAP crash tests.

The Vellfire, on the other hand, has a safety suite that's much more modest. The vehicle comes with just six airbags. Other features include ABS with EBD, traction control, and vehicle stability control. Toyota has also given it an ADAS suite. ANCAP hasn't crash tested the Vellfire yet. The MPV, however, scored a four-star rating in JNCAP (Japan New Car Assessment Program) crash tests.

Easier Access To The Third Row

Many might not even use them. but MPV owners always prefer to have a third-row in their vans. In luxury vehicles like the M9 and Vellfire, the best seats are always in the middle row. Getting to the third row may not be the easiest in all cases. Coming to the two vehicles in question, the M9 offers easier access to the rear-most row.

Owing to its wider dimensions, there is enough room between the second row seats, for one to walk through and access the third row. The (second-row) seats in the Vellfire are placed close to each other. These will have to be moved all the way front, to facilitate ingress and egress to the rear row.

Very Pleasant, Cosy Cabin Experience

When a buyer invests in a luxury van like the Vellfire or the M9, he/she expects to find absolute comfort and pampering inside. The M9's cabin is pleasant and packed with creature comforts. The dual-sunroof setup plays a key role in elevating the cabin experience.

The M9 gets two separate sunroofs- a single-pane unit for the front and a panoramic sunroof for the rear occupants. The Vellfire, on the other hand, has a much-smaller dual-sunroof setup, limited to the rear occupants alone. It is evidently the M9's sunroof setup that does a better job in making the cabin experience pleasant.

Has A Long Feature List!

MG has packed this EV with features and technologies. It gets the likes of a digital IRVM, a 12-speaker JBL audio system, rear entertainment screens, a 12.23-inch central touchscreen, wireless smartphone charger, connected car technology, three-zone climate control, 64-colour ambient lighting and more.

Some of these like the digital IRVM that offers zoom function, are not offered on the Vellfire. Even the ambient lighting is limited to 14 colours.

The Front Occupants Are Kept Happy!

Compared to the Vellfire, the front row occupants benefit more in the M9, in terms of features and comfort offered. The front passenger seat comes with massage function and the driver's seat offers 12-way power adjustment with three memory modes. The Vellfire, on the other hand, offers just 8-way adjustment and a single memory mode for the driver's seat.

Feels So Premium Inside

The M9 makes generous use of premium trims and top-quality Chamois leather inside. You can see it om the roof, pillars and the sun visors. The interior has a dual-tone Black and Tan colour scheme.

No Fear Of Punctures!

The M9 rolls on 19-inch ContiSeal tyres. These can self-repair in the event of a puncture. Of course, there are cases when the self-sealing mechanism could fail, but in most cases, the occupants can be at peace. The Vellfire misses out on this feature, and gets regular tubeless tyres.

More Flexible Second Row

Here's the most important detail. The M9 offers more flexibility and comfort in the second-row. The Toyota offers just 8-way electric adjustment for its middle-row seats.

On the M9, however, occupants get to enjoy 16-way adjustments. There are three memory modes as well, clearly an upper hand over the Vellfire's single mode.