Maruti Ertiga: Maruti Suzuki Ertiga has been a bestseller compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle in India and has provided best in class features with a great blend of space and functionality offering tremendous value that is well suited for the needs of an Indian family.
Since it was first launched in 2012, several iterations of the Ertiga have hit the market, but it has always been about affordable family mobility, which the current generation continues to offer.
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Maruti Ertiga: Design and Evolution
The Ertiga’s design concept is based on maximizing space for the occupants, retaining a compact size for the vehicle.
This generation, launched in 2018 and facelifted in 2022, is underpinned by Suzuki’s HEARTECT platform which increases body rigidity and decreases weight.
The look outside the car has evolved from the relatively utilitarian first generation to a more sophisticated look with the chunky chrome grille, projector headlamps and sculptured body lines that hide its practical purpose.
For its size (length: 4,395mm, width: 1,735mm, height: 1,690mm), the Ertiga is able to house three rows of seats without being too tight for space.
This dimensional efficiency also happens to be ideal for weaving through crowded Indian cities – even while offering the necessary family space too.
Interior Packaging
The Ertiga is at its best when it comes to interior packaging. The interior is well planned with a family-friendly and logical layout, and flexibility is the key word.
Second row seat backs are fitted with one-touch recline and fold down mechanisms and the third row of seating can be folded flat, transforming the cargo area from 209 litres to 550 litres.
This flexi-use capability enables the Ertiga to alternate between people and load-carrier with effortless ease.
Quality of materials has evolved with each generation, and the latest one benefits from soft-touch surfaces where you’re most likely to touch, but otherwise will use sturdy plastics.
The control layout is clearly labelled with everything right where you need it to be and a central touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality.
Powertrain and Efficiency
Ertiga’s existing set of motors focusses around the 1.5L K15C DualJet engine from Maruti, that makes 103 bhp and 137 Nm.
This engine features mild-hybrid tech – Maruti’s Smart Hybrid Vehicle System (SHVS) – with a belt-integrated starter generator and a lithium-ion battery to offer torque assist during acceleration and regen braking.
Transmission choices are 5-speed manual and 6-speed automatic with torque converter. The CNG version which is also becoming popular due to the soaring fuel price gives about 26.11 km/kg though the power comes down to 88 bhp.
The petrol-only versions are claimed to return a mileage of 20.51 km/l (manual) and 20.30 km/l (automatic) under ARAI testing cycle, which makes the Ertiga amongst one of the fuel efficient cars in its division.
Driving Dynamics
The Ertiga’s driving dynamics are more focused on comfort and ease of drivability rather than sportiness.
The suspension, which consists of MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear, is tuned to soak up bumps while keeping body motions in check. The light steering is effortless and the vehicle is actually quite nimble for being three rows deep.
Streen stability on highways is much better on the current-gen, so the Ertiga is something you can take out on long road trips with the extended family which is one of its core use cases.
There’s not much wind or road noise up to highway speeds and when the engine isn’t being worked too hard – which can be quite grunt-y, particularly in the CNG model.
Market-Position and Competition
The Ertiga fits in a sweet spot in India’s car ecosystem, between pricy hatchbacks and costlier three-row SUVs.
Closest rivals include the Kia Carens, Mahindra Marazzo and its more premium cousin, the XL6 (a sportier styled and captain seat equipped Ertiga).
Maruti has a huge service network and especially in smaller towns or semi rural area where there are no service support for other manufacturers, Ertiga has a competitive advantage.
The vehicle holds the franchise for having the best resale value, which is good for the total cost of ownership for the Ertiga.
Maruti Ertiga:
The Maruti Ertiga is a great example of sensible, market-specific car design done right. It’s not trying to be an SUV and it doesn’t sacrifice it’s true functionem power Demo in attempts to be cool.
It eschews those and instead provides what Indian families tend to value most: space, reliability, efficiency and affordability.
It is this emphasis on basics that has not only made the Ertiga a runaway success, but also a vehicle that offers a significant value addition to the mobility of families of every hue and economic colour in the land.
In the current trend of fashionable and image-conscious SUVs taking over the market, the Ertiga is an example of how functional cars that put form behind function and still offer a respectable ownership experience never really go out of style.
