Shiva Drive, Shiva Group’s video series, scored three luxury MPVs over five rounds: the MG Select M9, the Toyota Vellfire and the Denza D9. The M9 finished first with 40 out of 50, ahead of the Vellfire on 37 and a provisional 30 for the D9. The scorecard is Shiva Drive’s own judgment. It was drawn up a week before the D9’s India debut on 13 November.
The M9 won on price and running cost. The Vellfire won the service-network round outright. The three tied on cabin and comfort. The D9 led on paper specifications, but a new network and BYD’s record in India held its total down.
The three contenders.
MG Select M9. An electric MPV sold through MG Select showrooms, which MG presents as its exclusive network for the car (Turbocharged). It starts at ₹79.90 lakh ex-showroom.
Toyota Vellfire. A self-charging hybrid priced at ₹1.20 to ₹1.30 crore ex-showroom. It passed 5,000 cumulative sales in India by April 2026 and sold 1,483 units in FY2026, its best year (Autocar India).
Denza D9. An electric MPV from BYD’s luxury brand. Denza debuts in India on 13 November (Drivespark). The D9 has no official price or India specification yet, so every D9 figure here comes from press reports.
Specs and technology: the D9 leads on paper.
The D9 is reported to have the biggest battery, the most power and the fastest charging. The M9 follows, with a 548 km range claim from MG’s own testing. The Vellfire is the least powerful, but as a self-charging hybrid it never needs a plug. Range figures come from different test methods, so they are not directly comparable.
Spec | MG Select M9 | Denza D9 (reported) | Toyota Vellfire |
|---|---|---|---|
Powertrain | Electric, 90 kWh | Electric, 103 kWh | Self-charging hybrid, 2.5-litre petrol |
Power and torque | 245 hp, 350 Nm | 313 hp, 360 Nm | 193 hp, 240 Nm |
Range or economy | 548 km (MG’s figure) | About 520 km WLTP (reports range from 520 to 600 km) | 19.28 kmpl claimed |
DC fast charging | 160 kW charger (peak intake not stated) | Up to 200 kW | Not applicable |
Sources: Autocar India on the M9, Autocar India on the D9, Business Today on the Vellfire.
Scores: D9 8, M9 7, Vellfire 6.
Cabin and comfort: a three-way tie.
All three cars are built around the second row. The Vellfire’s Executive Lounge seats have an ottoman, ventilation and tri-zone climate control, plus a dual sunroof and power sliding doors (Business Today). The M9 offers heated, ventilated, massaging captain seats, fold-out ottomans, headrest touchscreens and a “boss mode” that slides the front seat forward (Autocar India).
The D9 is reported to add middle-row loungers with fold-out tables and extendable leg-rests, plus a Dynaudio sound system (Autocar India). Its score is provisional because the India-spec car has not been assessed.
Scores: M9 8, D9 8, Vellfire 8.
Price and running cost: the M9 leads.
The M9 starts at ₹79.90 lakh ex-showroom, well below the Vellfire and about level with the D9’s reported price. The Vellfire costs ₹1.20 to ₹1.30 crore ex-showroom, and the on-road price can exceed ₹1.5 crore depending on the city (Business Today). The D9 has no official price. Reports range from about ₹80 lakh to ₹1 crore (Autocar India, CarDekho).
On running costs, the Vellfire claims 19.28 kmpl, which is good for a petrol. Running costs for the two EVs depend on charging tariffs and are not compared here.
Scores: M9 10, D9 7, Vellfire 5.
Network and service: Toyota’s reach wins.
MG Select had 15 centres across 14 cities as of December 2025 (Turbocharged). Toyota Kirloskar Motor passed 400 customer touchpoints in 2020 (Autocar Pro) and has kept adding outlets, including one in Raipur in April 2026 (Autocar Pro).
Denza is expected to start with a handful of showrooms. Autocar India says initial retail is likely limited to Delhi-NCR and Mumbai. Shiva Drive’s working figure is about four showrooms, which has not been confirmed.
The gap matters in this class. These cars are often chauffeur-driven and used daily, so the distance to a workshop and the wait for parts count.
Scores: Vellfire 10, M9 7, D9 3.
Ownership and supply: local assembly counts.
The M9 is reported to be assembled in India by JSW MG Motor India, a joint venture. As of 30 May 2026, JSW Group held 35% and SAIC Motor held 49%, and SAIC was reported to be selling a further 10% to JSW (Autocar India). SAIC, a Chinese carmaker, therefore remains the largest shareholder, but the Indian partner’s stake is growing. The Vellfire comes from Toyota Kirloskar Motor, an established carmaker in India.
The D9 is expected to arrive as a fully built import (Drivespark). BYD has owned all of Denza since Mercedes-Benz sold its remaining 10% stake in September 2024 (CnEVPost).
BYD’s earlier India plans ran into trouble. India reportedly rejected its $1 billion proposal for a four-wheeler plant in 2023, with security concerns cited (Business Today). In April 2025, reports said visas for its senior executives had not been cleared and its manufacturing plans had stalled (Business Standard).
Scores: M9 8, Vellfire 8, D9 4.
Final scores.
Round | MG Select M9 | Denza D9 (provisional) | Toyota Vellfire |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Specs and tech | 7 | 8 | 6 |
2. Cabin and comfort | 8 | 8 | 8 |
3. Price and running cost | 10 | 7 | 5 |
4. Network and service | 7 | 3 | 10 |
5. Ownership and supply | 8 | 4 | 8 |
Total (out of 50) | 40 | 30 | 37 |
Each round is scored out of 10 per car. The scores are Shiva Drive’s editorial judgment, not a measured test, and the D9’s rest on reported figures.
Disclosure: Shiva Group, which publishes Shiva Drive, is an MG Select dealer.
What to watch.
Denza’s debut on 13 November should settle the D9’s price, India specification and showroom count. Each could move its score. A price near the low end of the reported range would narrow its gap on price and running cost, and a larger showroom network would lift its network score. Shiva Drive plans to re-run the scorecard once the D9 is priced and driven.
Two other points are worth checking: whether the M9s on sale are assembled in India as reported, and whether SAIC’s reported sale of a further 10% to JSW has closed.
About Shiva Group
Shiva Group is a family-owned automotive retail group with a legacy since 1928 and in automotive retail since 1972. Headquartered in Delhi NCR, the Group is an authorised sales and service partner for nine brands across two-wheelers, cars and SUVs, and commercial vehicles — Bajaj, Chetak, KTM, Triumph, Mahindra, Land Rover, MG Select, Bajaj Three-Wheelers and Mahindra Commercial — with a network across Delhi NCR and North India.
