MG Comet Long Term Review – Second Report

The MG Comet has been in our long-term fleet for over six months. In the first report, I mentioned how our small long-term aircraft attracts attention, making it less suitable for those who prefer to fly under the radar. Comet has since flown several kilometers in and around Mumbai, providing a range of new insights. We also have its main rival, the Tata Tiago EV, in our long-term fleet, which helps us make some interesting comparisons over time.

We’ve established that the Comet is easy to park, maneuver, and has excellent air conditioning, but its ride quality leaves something to be desired. With a driving range of over 8,000 kilometers, there is a lot to discuss, especially in terms of range and charging.

After a full charge, with regenerative braking set to “heavy,” my range has been around 160-180 kilometers. Of course, this depends on flow and throttle input. Unfortunately, the Comet doesn’t provide any real-time efficiency readings, so you’re kind of blind when it comes to tracking your driving habits.

Unlike the Tiago EV, the range display isn’t adaptive either, so you have to trust the math and SoC readings. When fully charged, it has a claimed range of 200 kilometers, and you’ll quickly become a master of mental arithmetic at figuring out how much power you have left as you drive. Initially, I had severe range anxiety—I sweated more than the Comet air conditioner could handle—but over time, I learned to trust the car.

One of the downsides of the Comet is the lack of DC fast charging. I’m not always able to charge at home due to parking difficulties, which makes things tricky. I swapped the Comet for a Tiago EV for a few days and the contrast was stark. With the Tiago’s DC fast charging, I was back on the road before a hot cup of Americano went cold. While the Comet has access to public charging stations with Type 2 plugs, it’s difficult to find one without starting a treasure hunt around the city.

The Comet is a modern connected electric car that did receive over-the-air software updates during my time with it. While there are no major changes, some new themes and bug fixes are included. However, the update does not fix the infotainment display freezing issue. Also, after the update, the AC menu started glitching every now and then.

The infotainment screen has a good resolution and is responsive to Apple CarPlay, but it can feel a little laggy using other functions. For example, resetting the itinerary requires navigating through multiple menus. The steering wheel-mounted controls could also be improved – they lacked any tactile feedback, making me wonder if I was skipping a song or executing a secret Morse code message. Then there’s the built-in voice assistant, which seems to have a mind of its own, popping up randomly like a helpful friend who keeps calling. The voice command button on the steering wheel, which I often use to access my phone’s voice assistant, also didn’t work.

With the monsoon season upon us, grabbing the keys to the comet instead of hopping on a two-wheeler is a no-brainer. The small size remains its biggest advantage, making parking in tight spots a breeze. Plus, there’s no need to worry about the underpass being flooded – I can just drive through it without worrying about pressure from the internal combustion engine, where you have to worry about water reaching the exhaust pipe. However, driving in the rain exposed the problem of window fogging, especially at the rear. The front defogger didn’t help much and even after reading the owner’s manual I couldn’t find a way to turn on the rear defogger. If it comes to a secret handshake, MG forgot to teach me.

The light-colored interior proved difficult to keep clean during the monsoons, and while the door pockets provided space for small bottles, there wasn’t much practical storage space. When using Apple CarPlay, I ended up putting my phone under the handbrake. Fortunately, the updated Comet now comes with an electronic parking brake, which shouldn’t be an issue for future owners.

Driving in the rain also highlighted the shortcomings of the brakes. They become a bit of a grab bag, and on Mumbai’s potholed roads, the regenerative braking gets cut off if you go over a bump or a pothole while braking. This forced me to rely on actual braking, which caught me off guard. There is also a delay before regenerative braking restarts.

Despite these quirks, the Comet is still a reliable and convenient choice for everyday work, especially if you’re looking for something that will save some money on your wallet. It’s well built and feels upscale inside, making it perfect for cruising around the city. In my next report, I will take a closer look at how the Comet compares to its direct competitor, the Tata Tiago EV. stay tuned!