New Suzuki Ertiga: 5 things to know

Maruti Suzuki unveiled the second-generation Ertiga in Jakarta in April, at the 2018 Indonesian motor show. Since the new MPV is expected to launch in India by Diwali, this year, here are five of the most important things to know about the upcoming model:

‘Heart’ier underpinnings

The all-new Ertiga is based on the Japanese brand’s new Heartect platform, which is shared with the likes of the Swift, Dzire, Ignis and Baleno. Thanks to its new underpinnings, the second-gen model is expected to be lighter, yet stiffer than the outgoing MPV. However, the wheelbase remains unchanged at 2,740mm. The car is longer, wider and slightly taller than the outgoing model; interestingly, despite its larger size, the boot space in the new Ertiga has been reduced to 153 litres with all three rows up – 32 litres lesser than the current Ertiga’s 185-litre capacity. In terms of design, the all-new Ertiga sports a new nose section which has thinner headlamps. The car also gets new-look tail-lamps and a new D-pillar.

A new petrol engine

The model that was unveiled in Indonesia was powered by a new K15B petrol engine. This new 1.5-litre engine makes 104hp and 138Nm of torque and is expected to replace the current MPV’s 1.4-litre engine.  This should make the new model more efficient – thanks to a bump in output figures to the tune of 12hp and 8.4Nm, combined with the MPV's lighter weight. The Indonesia-spec model had five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmission options. For India's launch, though, the former is a certainty. The claimed fuel efficiency for the new engine is 18.06kpl, while the outgoing motor was rated at 16.73kpl.

A new diesel may come later

Maruti Suzuki is currently developing a new 1.5-litre diesel engine for use in some of its cars. The new Ertiga might be one of the first models to come with it. 

Improved on the inside

Thanks to an increase in the length of the rear overhang and a slightly wider overall width, the new Ertiga is expected to feature a more spacious cabin for passengers (especially in the third row) albeit at the expense of boot space. The dual-tone dashboard and other bits and bobs on the inside of the MPV are shared with its other Maruti Suzuki stable mates. The instrument panel and flat-bottomed steering, in particular, has been borrowed from the Swift hatchback. Vertically aligned aircon vents, a new 6.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system and cooled cupholders are mounted in the dashboard. The India-spec model, spied testing in Indonesia (soon after it was spied testing in the outskirts of Delhi), will get an automatic climate control system – a feature that the Indonesian model misses out on.

Not exactly an Innova-rival

Traditionally, Maruti Suzuki had pegged the Ertiga against Toyota’s Innova. However, for the Indian market, the Innova is now a more premium product, in terms of both, equipment and pricing. The Ertiga is expected to undercut the Toyota, thereby providing buyers with a more affordable option. Meanwhile, Mahindra is readying a direct rival to the Ertiga – its new MPV codenamed the U321.