MG M9 vs Toyota Vellfire, Kia Carnival, price, features, specs compared

The luxury MPV segment in India is quite sparsely populated, with the Kia Carnival and Toyota Vellfire being the prominent models. MG now wants a piece of the pie with the upcoming M9known internationally as the MIFA 9. We pit these three against each other to see how the newcomer fares against its established rivals on paper.

MG M9 vs Carnival vs Vellfire: dimensions

The M9 easily outsizes the Carnival and Vellfire on most fronts, especially the latter. MG’s offering is 190mm longer and 150mm wider than the Vellfire and has a 200mm longer wheelbase. The Kia Carnival comfortably takes second place here with a 145mm advantage over the Vellfire in terms of length and width, as well as a 90mm longer wheelbase.

However, the Toyota MPV has an advantage in the height department, measuring 110mm and 175mm taller than the M9 and Carnival, respectively. As for wheels, the Vellfire and M9 have 19-inch alloys as standard, whereas the Carnival sports smaller 18-inch ones.

MG M9 vs Carnival vs Vellfire: powertrains

These MPVs’ powertrains aren’t directly comparable as they all have completely different fuel types, but the M9 emerges on top when power output is in question. The Carnival follows the M9 with a 55hp deficit, and the Vellfire comes third at over 100hp less than the MG MPV. However, in terms of torque, the Carnival’s diesel engine outperforms the M9 and Vellfire by 91Nm and 201Nm, respectively.

Coming to ARAI-claimed fuel efficiency, the Vellfire’s more sedate engine tuning and hybrid setup allow it to eke out a 4.43kpl advantage over the Carnival, and it is also the only one here to offer all-wheel drive. Fuel-efficiency figures don’t apply to the M9 as it is a full-blown EV, but MG claims that it’ll do up to 430km on a single charge as tested on the stringent WLTP cycle.

MG M9 vs Carnival vs Vellfire: features

Being luxury MPVs, all three come equipped with a host of goodies. The M9’s complete feature list is not yet out, but MG has confirmed that it’ll offer powered front and rear seats with heating, ventilation and massage functions, a Level 2 ADAS suite, two sunroofs (single-pane in the front, dual-pane in the rear), fold-out ottoman seats, powered rear-sliding doors and rear entertainment screens.

The Carnival and Vellfire have smaller sunroofs than the M9. They get powered front and rear seats (no massage feature in Carnival), ADAS functionality, ambient lighting, tri-zone climate control, air purifiers, ottoman seats, rear entertainment screens, powered rear-sliding doors, and more. All three MPVs can be had as 7-seaters, but the M9 also offers an 8-seat layout in overseas markets. Whether MG will offer both layouts in India remains to be seen.

MG M9 vs Carnival vs Vellfire: price

The Toyota Vellfire is the most expensive in this comparison, with its starting price nearly double that of the Carnival. MG is yet to reveal the prices of the M9, but estimates indicate that it will be in the Carnival’s ballpark. Pre-bookings for the M9 are open, with the official launch set for March. Deliveries are likely to commence in April.

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