Honda's new seven-seater, the Mobilio, has been getting a lot of attention of late. It’s attractive to look at, very practical, and powered by a set of accomplished engines. Question is, is it a better car than Maruti's already successful seven seater, the Ertiga? The Maruti MPV is very similar in concept to the Honda and it’s the best-selling car of its kind today. Can Honda end the Ertiga’s reign at the top? That’s the big MPV question we are about to answer.
Visual Appeal
The Ertiga is easily identifiable as a product from Maruti's stable. The front styling is reminiscent of the Swift and Ritz hatchbacks, with similarly styled swept-back headlamps, grille and bonnet. However, the rear-end design is quite van-like, and though the overall design is pleasing, it’s rather bland.
The Mobillio looks anything but boring. Move away from the Brio-like front (a chrome bar and new sporty bumper attempt some visual differentiation) and the looks keep getting better. The sides, with the kinks in the window line and the ‘floating’ D pillar, give it a racy look, but it’s the rear that looks best, thanks to superb tail-lights and a smartly designed tailgate.
Inside story
The Ertiga's big doors open wide, which makes it easy for occupants to get in and out. However, the middle row seat only slides forward and doesn’t tumble down like in the Mobilio. This makes accessing the third row terribly inconvenient, but once you get inside, the last bench is, surprisingly, more comfortable than Mobilio’s. The Mobilio has a lot more knee room than the Ertiga, but that’s not a deal breaker, because with some clever adjustment of the middle seat, you can liberate enough space for your legs in the Maruti. Where the Ertiga trumps the Mobilio is with the seat height in the third row. In the Ertiga you have a nice upright seating position and good under thigh support, but in the Mobilio you sit really low with your knees pointing to the roof, which seriously compromises comfort.
In fact, the big surprise is that all the Ertiga’s seats feel more comfortable, period. The soft cushions and generous thigh suport cosset you better, and the Mobilio’s seats just don’t feel as plush in comparison.
The Ertiga continues to score with a dashboard that looks more upmarket than the Mobilio’s patchy fascia, which now gets a garish and unconvincing mock wood trim treatment. Let’s not forget that the starting point for the Mobilio is essentially Honda’s entry-level hatchback, the Brio, whilst the Ertiga uses the platform of the Swift, which is a segment higher than the Brio. As a result, it uses components like the instrument cluster and bits of the centre console from the Swift and Dzire, which look more upmarket.
Where the Mobilio comprehensively trumps the Ertiga is with storage space. Not only does it have larger bins and cubbyholes in the cabin, but the luggage area is far bigger too. It’s brilliantly designed too, able to take a couple of not-so-small bags, and a low loading lip makes the job easy. If you have to regularly travel with a full house and luggage, the Mobilio makes more sense.
