Maruti Suzuki has added a diesel-powered Tour M at Rs 9.82 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) to the line-up. Available only for the fleet and cab aggregators, the Tour M is the commercial version of the automaker’s popular Ertiga MPV. Maruti Suzuki had launched the Tour M earlier this year in petrol and CNG guises, and in late August, the company decided to expand the line-up with a diesel engine option. The waiting period for this variant is about 8 weeks.
The diesel Tour M gets Maruti Suzuki’s in-house-developed, 1.5-litre DDiS 225 powerplant that is good for 95hp and 225Nm, with a 6-speed manual transmission driving the front wheels. Fuel economy is rated at a respectable 24.20kpl. Notably, the BS4 powertrain will be phased out before the April 2020 BS6 deadline as a result of Maruti’s decision to axe diesels from its line-up. Being the fleet variant, the Tour M also comes with a speed limiter that caps top speed at 80kph.
In line with the petrol and CNG variants, the diesel Tour M too is based on the mid-spec Ertiga V trim. This means it gets projector headlamps, steel rims with full wheel covers, dual-tone interiors, manual air conditioner, remote locking, all four power windows, tilt steering, electrically adjustable and foldable wing mirrors and a 2 DIN audio system with USB, aux, Bluetooth and steering-mounted controls. Rear air vents, adjustable headrests for all rows, rear armrest, and split, folding and reclining seats in the second and third rows are provided to aid comfort. Safety is taken care of by dual airbags, ABS, EBD, rear parking sensors, seatbelt reminder, and Isofix child-seat mounts.
In related news, the second-gen Ertiga, which was launched late last year, seems to have found a sweet spot with the Indian customer. Despite the automotive slowdown, the MPV is averaging decent sales numbers each month and is currently proving to be one of the top-selling utility vehicles in our market.
Uday Singh
Dipan Sur
Glenn Noronha
Viraaj Bhatnagar
