It has long since been in development and now there are reports coming out that India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki has started testing the 6 seater version of their latest generation Ertiga MPV. The new version of the bestselling MPV from the brand will be targeted at a more premium consumer base and will take up the upmarket quotient a bit higher. One can expect the latest model of the MPV to challenge the Mahindra Marazzo when it is launched in the market. There are reports stating that the company may launch the 6-seater version of Ertiga MPV as soon as 21 August. There are hopes that the company will take a different approach with the 6 seater version of Ertiga as it will have a less MPV-ish stance. One can expect the new version of Ertiga to come with a more muscular look and possibly larger size than the current version.
Among the expected changes in the MPV will be the focus on making the car more upmarket than before and taking up the luxury experience several notches higher. There is speculation that the company sell the new version of Ertiga via NEXA showrooms as this will be more upmarket and loaded version of the current Ertiga MPV. The speculative launch date as of now would mean that the company is aiming the launch of the MPV around the festive season and expects the new entrant to sell in good numbers. On the topic of sales, not just Maruti but the entire auto industry could do with a boost in sales amid the overall slowdown in the market. The MPV may come to the Indian market under the branding of Ertiga Cross.
The current version of Maruti Suzuki Ertiga already sells more units than the other MPVs in the market, although none of the MPVs -- Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, Toyota Innova Crysta, and Mahindra Marazzo – take on each other in a direct manner. However, Ertiga may face renewed rivalry in the market with the looming launch of Renault Triber in India.
The new version of Ertiga is only expected to come with aesthetic and feature changes and the maker is not expected to make any changes in the engine department of the MPV. There are hopes that in the petrol version, the company will equip the upcoming version of Ertiga with a mild-hybrid 1.5L petrol engine rated to deliver 104 Bhp and 138 Nm. This petrol mill will come paired to a 5 speed manual and 4 speed torque converter automatic gearbox. Moving on to the diesel version, the Ertiga 6-seater is expected to come with the new 1.5L diesel engine rated to deliver 94 Bhp and 225 Nm. The diesel engine gets a 6 speed manual gearbox as standard. Expect to shell out more money for the 6-seater version of Ertiga due to the added upmarket quotient.