Introduction: Two months ago, we had shared our initial experience with the Maruti Ertiga diesel and now the time has come to bid goodbye to the vehicle. Just over 100 days back the car came to us and we have used the MPV for more than 5500km now. This is a stint long enough for us not only to understand more about this 7-seater Maruti but also report our summary here.
The Ertiga is the only proper 7-seater family vehicle from the house of Maruti. It has been in production for over 6 years now and is a hit with both families and tour operators. The model you see here was launched a few months back and we had the top end ZDi+ variant for the review.
We will start with the design first. It's a subject opinion but the looks have grown on to us now with time. It is an unconventional design, with a low bonnet and a high windshield but this is important in terms of airiness on the inside and visibility for the driver. The top sped ZDi+ / ZXi+ versions now come with a better colour for the alloy wheels and this does make the Ertiga look better. It is a long car and wheels do look a tad smaller in terms of height. Nevertheless, it does turn heads on the roads and this has been a surprise for us.
Interiors: The cabin is really the USP here. With this new generation model, Maruti scooped out even more space and we have been using it to the max regularly. At occasions, we have had 7 occupants in all three rows and yet the boot had enough space for as many as four shoulder bags. Our friends have also appreciated the flexibility of the 2nd row. It has a 60:40 split and the seats can be reclined or adjusted for legroom independently. But the same friends have criticized the Ertiga for poor air-con efficiency. Given the large cabin, huge glass area and a small engine, the air-con takes its sweet time getting the temperature down.
That aside, from the front passengers’ prospective, the cooled cup holders are a very nice touch. The central armrest also has an adjustable feature and the audio set-up has good output quality. Using Android Auto is also a breeze! The top spec model comes with smart keyless entry and push-button start and this does make daily usage easier. The speedometer console is also stylish though the driver info display looks a bit bland.
Engine and Gearbox: Our model has a 1.3-litre engine that also powers the Ciaz, Vitara, Swift and other models. Maruti updated the Ertiga with an optional 1.5-litre diesel motor with added power and torque but we are yet to drive it. The 1.3 in the meantime is a reliable and frugal engine however, you do feel the lack of punch. Smart gearing ensures the car picks up speeds in city during part throttle inputs but when you want to go fast, turbo lag ends up playing spoilsport. You do have to work a lot on the gears and this can become frustrating especially when driving with a load of passengers. The larger (new) motor should have solved this to an extent.
The Ertiga diesel gets a manual transmission and the auto is reserved for the petrol engine only. The 5-speed gearbox has a good shift quality and the clutch too is light - we have no issues on this front. The NVH or noise, vibration and harshness levels are well under control though the motor loves to make a racket when it's cold!
Another area where we feel the Ertiga scores high marks is in the ride quality. It is an MPV and keeping this in mind, it does offer a fairly comfortable ride. We have been using this for daily city runs as well as weekend trips and have done some amount of mild off-roading as well. We are happy to report it has come out with flying colors. The suspension doesn’t even bottom out with a full load either.
Handling, thanks to a light steering and good visibility is another highlight. The Ertiga does not make you feel nervous, even in congested traffic. However, at speeds, you need to understand it's a long vehicle and there is ample body roll that can take you by a surprise.
Conclusion: The Ertiga goes back to Maruti leaving good memories behind. We never thought a people mover could impress us so much. A spacious cabin, good quality levels, a comfortable ride and easy to drive, the Maruti Ertiga continues to enter the lives of over 7000 families each month. Having lived with it for 100 days, we now understand the reasons for its popularity.
