Comparison: Tata Harrier EV vs MG Windsor EV

While the future of electric cars is one of the most debatable topics today, manufacturers are pushing the envelope in making electric cars that can sway buyers away from ICE cars. A few months ago, Mahindra launched two radical electric cars, the BE 6 and XEV 9e; now, Tata Motors, the largest electric car manufacturer in India, has launched the sensational Tata Harrier EV. The Indian electric SUV is being lauded for its calibre as a big electric SUV for a family, as well as an off-roader. However, would your use case really need a Tata Harrier EV, or the MG Windsor EV, which is the best-selling electric car in India, be what you should buy? While the MG Windsor EV is significantly more affordable than the Tata Harrier EV and does not even belong to the same segment, it can be a great alternative to the Harrier EV, considering its offerings. In this article on the Tata Harrier EV vs MG Windsor EV, we weigh them against each other on crucial parameters and determine which one you should buy.

Tata Harrier EV vs MG Windsor EV: Dimensions & Design

Expectedly, the Tata Harrier EV is larger than the MG Windsor. The Indian electric SUV is 312 mm longer, 282 mm wider, and 63 mm taller than the Windsor. What is interesting, though, is that the Windsor EV has only a 41 mm shorter wheelbase and a significantly larger boot than the Harrier EV. As a matter of fact, Windsor’s 604-litre boot is one of the largest boots available in the Indian passenger car market. While the Tata Harrier EV offers far more space for five passengers, the Windsor has more than sufficient space for five adults.

As far as the road presence goes, both cars attract a lot of attention, but for different reasons. Sharing most of its design elements with the standard Tata Harrier, the Harrier EV has the same dominant yet beautiful appeal and is one of the most attractive cars in India. As is the case with EVs, the Harrier EV features a closed-off grille and its vertical stripes at the front bumper look the same as the ones on the Tata Curvv EV. Its side profile is a nice mix of sportiness and muscularity; the muscularity comes from the flared wheel arches and chunky cladding at the bottom, while the sportiness comes from the 19-inch aero-optimised alloy wheels, the sloping roof effect, and a rising shoulder line with a blacked-out section connecting the side window glass to the rear windshield. At the rear, the Harrier EV gets connected tail lamps, a chunky dual-tone bumper, and a sporty spoiler.

On the other hand, the MG Windsor EV catches eyeballs with its unconventional body design. MG calls the Windsor crossover utility vehicle or CUV, as the car looks like a crossover between an MUV and a hatchback. The Windsor has a mono-volume silhouette and clean and curvy body panels. The front end features a stepped layout for the nose and the bonnet, in which the full-width LED DRL strip separates the steps. In addition to that, the large and heavily raked windshields, large window glass area, and rounded wheel arches make Windsor look like an elliptical spaceship, which yields a unique road presence.

The Tata Harrier EV is significantly larger than the MG Windsor. However, the MG Windsor EV packs impressive space, considering its dimensions, and can easily accommodate five adults.

Tata Harrier EV vs MG Windsor EV: Battery Pack & Range

The Tata Harrier EV is far more powerful than the MG Windsor EV and offers greater range. With a 627 km driving range, the Harrier EV frees you of worries about charging it during inter-city travel. Meanwhile, the Windsor EV offers a driving range of 332 km with a smaller battery and 449 km with a larger battery. With such a driving range, the MG Windsor can be easily used in urban areas, but for long-distance inter-city travelling, it might need to be charged at least once on the route.

In addition to more power and driving range, the Tata Harrier EV offers some other perks that please those who like to be in the driver’s seat. For starters, the Harrier EV offers a dual-motor setup that makes for an all-wheel-drive system. With the all-wheel-drive setup, the Harrier EV offers some off-roading features, which include off-road assist, terrain modes, and a 540-degree camera. The off-road assist works like cruise control, in which the SUV can maintain a speed as low as 5 km/hr. With the terrain modes – Normal, Snow/Grass, Mud ruts, Sand, Rock Crawl, and Custom, the SUV can adjust its drivability, depending on various driving conditions. 

The 540-degree camera is an advanced multiple-camera setup, in which, in addition to the 360-degree view of outside the SUV, there is an underbody camera, which provides live feed from under the bonnet. This feature can alert the driver if any of the wheels come too close to a curb, improving manoeuvrability in tight spaces. Along with these off-roading features, the Harrier EV is designed to have a 25.3-degree approach angle, 26.4-degree departure angle, and 16.6-degree ramp break-over angle. Moreover, its 600 mm water wading capacity is more than that of some true-blue ICE-powered off-roaders and can be a rear reliever in troublesome waterlogging on roads in the monsoon season.

As far as powertrains are concerned, the Tata Harrier EV is significantly more powerful and capable than the MG Windsor EV and offers a longer driving range.

Tata Harrier EV vs MG Windsor EV: Features & Comfort

On the inside, the Tata Harrier EV and MG Windsor are worlds apart from each other; however, they offer equally premium atmospheres. Let’s start with the MG Windsor, which MG claims to offer a ‘business class experience,’ and it is fair to say the Windsor delivers what its maker claims. As mentioned, the Windsor is a very spacious car, thanks to its dedicated EV platform and mono-volume elliptical silhouette. As a matter of fact, Windsor is more spacious than every car in the mid-size SUV segment, which has popular names like Hyundai Creta and Maruti Grand Vitara.

The best thing about the Windsor is its rear seat experience. Its sofa-like rear seat is extremely comfortable. With a 135-degree multi-level recline, the rear seat offers a plush chauffeur-driven experience complemented by large window glass and a glass roof that makes the cabin feel airier than it is. Adding to the practicality of the Windsor are a lot of storage spaces in the form of large door pockets, cupholders, and a large slot below the central console with a neat shuttered lid. All the same, the front section of Windsor’s cabin is much too minimal. While the large 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system looks quite modern, the fact that it packs most of the controls, including drive modes, seat ventilation, and ambient lighting, can be a trouble, especially if you want to adjust something on the go.

The Tata Harrier EV also offers many touch-based controls, including climate control settings, but it has a separate touch-based gloss-black panel for it, which adds to the modernity. Like the standard Tata Harrier, the Harrier EV features a layered dual-tone dashboard with trapezoidal AC vents and a flat-bottom steering wheel with an illuminated logo. As far as rear seat experience is concerned, the Harrier EV’s rear seat is more spacious than that of any other 5-seater car under Rs 50 lakh. The cushioning of all seats is top-notch to deliver a rich ride, while the panoramic sunroof enriches the overall experience.

In terms of features, the Tata Harrier EV offers many perks that give it a great edge over the MG Windsor. These include a dual-zone climate control system, a better-sounding JBL music system, a digital mirror, auto parking, and reverse assist. The digital mirror is the inside rear-view mirror (IRVM) acting as a screen and relaying feed from a roof-mounted camera. In reverse assist, the SUV memorises the last 50 meters of your driving path and can automatically reverse the SUV without the need for any intervention at the steering or pedals.

While both the Tata Harrier EV and MG Windsor feel quite premium on the inside, the MG Windsor appears more futuristic. Meanwhile, the Tata Harrier is more technologically loaded than the MG Windsor.

Tata Harrier EV vs MG Windsor EV: Safety Features

The Tata Harrier EV is stronger than the MG Windsor EV, and after scoring a full 5-star rating in the Bharat NCAP safety test, it has become one of the safest cars in India. Moreover, the Tata Harrier EV offers many Level-2 ADAS safety features, which include Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Lane Centring System, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Forward Collision Warning (pedestrian, car, cyclist), Autonomous Emergency Braking (pedestrian, car, cyclist), Rear Collision Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Detection, High Beam Assist, Lane Change Alert, Blind Spot View Monitor, and more. At the same time, the Windsor EV also offers many safety features and the Level-2 ADAS safety suite, offering advanced safety, especially when it comes to warding off accidents.

Thanks to stronger structural safety, the Tata Harrier offers more formidable passenger safety than the MG Windsor EV.

Tata Harrier EV vs MG Windsor EV: Price comparison

When it comes to prices, the MG Windsor has its battery rental scheme as its most special aspect. With this scheme, you can buy the car without a battery and pay for the battery subscription, which is Rs 3.9/km. You need to take the subscription for a minimum of 1,500 km. However, if you do not want to go for the battery rental scheme, you can buy the EV as a complete unit at prices ranging from Rs 14 lakh to Rs 18.31 lakh. The Windsor’s battery rental scheme can save you a lot of money.

Meanwhile, Tata has revealed the prices of the rear-wheel-drive models of the Tata Harrier EV, while the price of the top variant with all-wheel-drive is yet to be revealed.

Tata Harrier EV vs MG Windsor EV: Summary

If you are looking for an electric car for your family and are mainly going to use it within the city landscape, the MG Windsor is a more economical choice in this comparison. While saving you a lot of money, it offers more than enough room and comfort for every passenger and packs a lot of premium features to deliver entertaining, comfortable, and convenient rides. However, if you are willing to spend more and want a large SUV that offers a high dose of driving entertainment and off-roading calibre, the Tata Harrier EV should be your car.

Tata Harrier EV vs MG Windsor EV: FAQs